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Time to bet that Trump will take the controversial step of pardoning himself? – politicalbetting.com

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  • Options
    IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Scott_xP said:
    The market will find a new equilibrium.

    Sclerotic sclerotic sclerotic.
  • Options
    SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,704
    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    and Parler's verified citizen approach means a lot of the posts are directly attributable to identifiable people.

    It is somewhat amusing that the 'internet freedom'/internet privacy advocates on the left seem to be the most gung-ho about those issues being directed against their political enemies.

    Not that I'm really complaining...go get em all.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967
    eek said:

    DavidL said:

    IanB2 said:

    Scott_xP said:
    There's a stack of videos on Twitter of MAGAs being escorted off planes or dragged out of airports. The FBI seems to have tracked them from the protest (using their phones?). They don't seem to be getting much support - indeed on several of the plane videos the other passengers applaud, cheer, or shout abuse. Suggesting that the political backlash could be significant.

    The guy screaming in protest that the police are "treating me like a black guy" as they sit on him is priceless.
    Heart of stone etc...
    Funnier would be if the MAGA Capitol invaders have their gun licences revoked. It is surely more likely they will shoot someone than hijack the airliner taking them home.
    The one thing I am a bit confused about is how many have been identified yet. The numbers charged seem extremely small to date. If they have not been charged how will the airlines, for example, know?
    See my recent posts - it seems Parler has revealed a lot of details.
    Just read the tweets, wow lol.
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,216

    Interesting thread from observers on the ground. The utter lack of federal forces or even basic event security cannot be anything other than deliberate. Which points quite firmly at it being an organised coup attempt.

    https://twitter.com/TerryBoutonHist/status/1348365375449268226

    "I am convinced that if Congress doesn’t act to do something about this quickly, these people are going to keep going and the unrest and violence will get more widespread and more uncontrollable. This is a crisis. It’s real. It’s happening. It must be taken seriously"

    It's nuts that impeachment wasn't rushed through over the weekend and Trump already removed from office. Impunity is incredibly dangerous.
    Pelosi will give Pence another 24 hours to implement 25th according to NYTimes.

    Vote on her resolution on Tuesday.

  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,293

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Evens feels like very good value that he tries to pardon himself. I would think it more like an 80-90% chance, what has he got to lose? His integrity and soul were lost many many years ago if he ever had them.

    If an impeachment process is attempted he still has time to do it. If there is a sudden article 25 he may not but that does not seem to be on the cards unless Trump tries to escalate again, which he probably cant do without access to twatter.

    He definitely cannot pardon himself against impeachment, that is clearly excluded by the Constitution but he may be able to pardon himself of any Federal charges relating to the material in the Impeachment, such as incitment, conspiracy, attempt to pervert the course of justice , art and part responsibility for the invasion of state buildings etc. If he was then charged with any such offences in a Federal Court the question of whether the Pardon amounted to a defence would inevitably end up in the SC and add at least a year to the proceedings.
    AIUI he cannot pardon himself against charges brought at State level; tax evasions and the like. Not that he'd need to, of course!
    Yes, it only works at Federal level. I think in the past, specifically Nixon, this was rather deliberately overlooked as I am sure that there were potential state charges in relation to the break-in that could have been brought but people decided just to move on. I am not so sure that would be the case with Trump, especially if he was seeking to hide behind a self awarded pardon.

    It wouldn't surprise me at all if in the next year or so we see the collapse of Trump's businesses. No one is going to want to be associated with them and without major events they are loss making. He will also not be able to pump Federal funds into them in the way he has whilst in office. The PGA decision is ominous for him.
    The big issue for Trump will be that no-one will touch turning over his various loans. Any institution that did so, no matter what the terms, would instantly become an investigation magnet.
    Yes, defaults are inevitable. It's going to be more of a problem for him and the family than criminal charges, I suspect.
  • Options
    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    and Parler's verified citizen approach means a lot of the posts are directly attributable to identifiable people.

    Bless. Must be so upsetting for these patriots that their Fascist Government is spying on their private conversations about organising to overthrow the government and hang the Vice President. Its as bas as living in Communist Russia.
  • Options
    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,150
    Just in terms of the capacity to gather intelligence about terrorist plots, shutting down Parler seems like a massive own-goal.
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,983
    Mr. JohnL, if I used a quote, everybody would think my account was hacked ;)

    I'm referring to Mrs. Batty.
  • Options

    Interesting thread from observers on the ground. The utter lack of federal forces or even basic event security cannot be anything other than deliberate. Which points quite firmly at it being an organised coup attempt.

    https://twitter.com/TerryBoutonHist/status/1348365375449268226

    "I am convinced that if Congress doesn’t act to do something about this quickly, these people are going to keep going and the unrest and violence will get more widespread and more uncontrollable. This is a crisis. It’s real. It’s happening. It must be taken seriously"

    It's nuts that impeachment wasn't rushed through over the weekend and Trump already removed from office. Impunity is incredibly dangerous.
    Hopefully things are now accelerating. The federal hacking of Parler over the weekend and imposition of no-fly orders on these "patriots" is the start of them all being rounded up. Trump may be in office, but the Fibbies - who were elbow deep investigating his Russia crimes before the 2016 election - are on him and his friends.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667

    RobD said:

    A couple of days ago someone assured me that Smithson is the only contributor worth his salt.
    Yesterday's thread header debacle weighs against that view, and I see we're back to not even proofreading with today's effort. Poor.

    Other sites are available.
    True, the best of which learn from and are improved by measured and specific criticism from their readership.
    I think you make a fair point about the thread headers not always being proof-read in the past. However, I think the quality in that area has improved in recent weeks and I can only spot one possible typo with this one, and even that could be read either way.

    I hope you don't take @RobD's advice and go elsewhere, there are too few female contributions on here as it stands (albeit those that we have do make a big positive impact).
  • Options
    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    and Parler's verified citizen approach means a lot of the posts are directly attributable to identifiable people.

    Actually this highlights one of the issues with the current attempts to gag these people by removing or limiting these platforms. It won't work.

    All they will do is find a platform outside the USA and beyond the ability of US companies and authorities to control. I suspect this has already happened. This means they will continue their discussions and planning unhindered and without any oversight from the US authorities. This is on top of the fact that it gives them the opportunity - falsely of course - to claim the US is suppressing their free speech.

    I don't think there is necessarily any answer to this, at least not one that has good outcomes.
  • Options
    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,299
    IshmaelZ said:

    Scott_xP said:
    The market will find a new equilibrium.

    Sclerotic sclerotic sclerotic.
    Yes we have no bananas.
  • Options
    eek said:

    A couple of days ago someone assured me that Smithson is the only contributor worth his salt.
    Yesterday's thread header debacle weighs against that view, and I see we're back to not even proofreading with today's effort. Poor.

    It's hard work and they're doing it for us for free. You only did 2 sentences and I'm pretty sure one of them isn't what you meant?
    I've no doubt that it is hard work, and yes, it's cheap at twice the price. So what? It's a comment on trustworthiness, and that's pretty important these days. Well, perhaps not everyone thinks so.
    If you don't like this site (and it appears that you really don't) other sites are available on the Internet.
    That's an odd impression for you to come to, given the effusive praise I heaped upon an article a few days ago.
    Touch of melodrama from you this morning.
  • Options
    Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 8,844
    DavidL said:

    IanB2 said:

    Scott_xP said:
    There's a stack of videos on Twitter of MAGAs being escorted off planes or dragged out of airports. The FBI seems to have tracked them from the protest (using their phones?). They don't seem to be getting much support - indeed on several of the plane videos the other passengers applaud, cheer, or shout abuse. Suggesting that the political backlash could be significant.

    The guy screaming in protest that the police are "treating me like a black guy" as they sit on him is priceless.
    Heart of stone etc...
    Funnier would be if the MAGA Capitol invaders have their gun licences revoked. It is surely more likely they will shoot someone than hijack the airliner taking them home.
    The one thing I am a bit confused about is how many have been identified yet. The numbers charged seem extremely small to date. If they have not been charged how will the airlines, for example, know?
    You don't have to be charged or anything more than suspected to be put on the no fly list. Often the first people know of it is when refused entry.
  • Options
    WhisperingOracleWhisperingOracle Posts: 8,503
    edited January 2021
    eek said:

    An interesting compare and contrast with other recent protests

    One stand out is that higher security at a march for Science headlined by Bill Nye the Science Guy.
    https://twitter.com/TerryBoutonHist/status/1348365395091222528


    That is an excellent thread that really captures the systemic problem on the US right.

    https://twitter.com/TerryBoutonHist/status/1348365385045843968

    https://twitter.com/TerryBoutonHist/status/1348365424065470464
    https://twitter.com/TerryBoutonHist/status/1348365425013370892
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 24,979

    Just in terms of the capacity to gather intelligence about terrorist plots, shutting down Parler seems like a massive own-goal.

    Remember that the people shutting it down are commercial companies not the FBI / police.

    And AWS are doing it because their T&C's required moderation and Parler refused to moderate 98 reported posts that AWS had requested over months be removed.
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,391

    eek said:

    A couple of days ago someone assured me that Smithson is the only contributor worth his salt.
    Yesterday's thread header debacle weighs against that view, and I see we're back to not even proofreading with today's effort. Poor.

    It's hard work and they're doing it for us for free. You only did 2 sentences and I'm pretty sure one of them isn't what you meant?
    I've no doubt that it is hard work, and yes, it's cheap at twice the price. So what? It's a comment on trustworthiness, and that's pretty important these days. Well, perhaps not everyone thinks so.
    If you don't like this site (and it appears that you really don't) other sites are available on the Internet.
    That's an odd impression for you to come to, given the effusive praise I heaped upon an article a few days ago.
    Touch of melodrama from you this morning.
    Hmmm. Do you know any Albanian taxi drivers?
  • Options
    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,150

    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    and Parler's verified citizen approach means a lot of the posts are directly attributable to identifiable people.

    Actually this highlights one of the issues with the current attempts to gag these people by removing or limiting these platforms. It won't work.

    All they will do is find a platform outside the USA and beyond the ability of US companies and authorities to control. I suspect this has already happened. This means they will continue their discussions and planning unhindered and without any oversight from the US authorities. This is on top of the fact that it gives them the opportunity - falsely of course - to claim the US is suppressing their free speech.

    I don't think there is necessarily any answer to this, at least not one that has good outcomes.
    TBF it will work for the week or so it takes for them to get their shit together, and that's arguably a period of uniquely high risk - ongoing attempted terrorism, coupled with a confirmed terrorist supporter in charge of the federal government - so it might be worth it just to disrupt communications, for that period, even if doing so burns an unbelievably juicy source of atrociously-secured intelligence.
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,335

    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    Absolute clown shoes. Meanwhile their DNS is still pointing at AWS, which is no longer responding to them...
    I'd feel a bit more confident in the analysis if he could spell "Parler".
  • Options

    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    and Parler's verified citizen approach means a lot of the posts are directly attributable to identifiable people.

    Actually this highlights one of the issues with the current attempts to gag these people by removing or limiting these platforms. It won't work.

    All they will do is find a platform outside the USA and beyond the ability of US companies and authorities to control. I suspect this has already happened. This means they will continue their discussions and planning unhindered and without any oversight from the US authorities. This is on top of the fact that it gives them the opportunity - falsely of course - to claim the US is suppressing their free speech.

    I don't think there is necessarily any answer to this, at least not one that has good outcomes.
    You can't suppress ideas without tackling the thinking that creates those ideas, whether the suppression is being done via "censorship" or a bullet.

    However, if the FBI now have extensive knowledge of the worst lunatics out there thanks to this Parler hack, they can at the very least nick them and jail them.

    American society (if such a thing exists) needs to name and shame hard right lunatics so that the moderate right are deterred from finding such things acceptable.
  • Options

    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    Absolute clown shoes. Meanwhile their DNS is still pointing at AWS, which is no longer responding to them...
    I'd feel a bit more confident in the analysis if he could spell "Parler".
    He typed the tweet on an iPhone and autocorrect kicked in.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667

    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    and Parler's verified citizen approach means a lot of the posts are directly attributable to identifiable people.

    Actually this highlights one of the issues with the current attempts to gag these people by removing or limiting these platforms. It won't work.

    All they will do is find a platform outside the USA and beyond the ability of US companies and authorities to control. I suspect this has already happened. This means they will continue their discussions and planning unhindered and without any oversight from the US authorities. This is on top of the fact that it gives them the opportunity - falsely of course - to claim the US is suppressing their free speech.

    I don't think there is necessarily any answer to this, at least not one that has good outcomes.
    The hardcore will, yes, but the 81m Trump followers won't and the hardcore need them.
  • Options
    RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    edited January 2021
    Scott_xP said:
    Interesting how many non politicians some prominent some not who have gone down with the ship. I'm thinking of people like Jack Nicklaus who chose to give a ringing personal endorsement just weeks ago.

    Those like Steve Hilton and Russell Brand look just a little less smart than the smart arses they looked two months ago....

    It's good to know there's still mileage in the old saying 'if you hitch your wagon to an incontinent horse don't be surprised if you get covered in shit'

  • Options
    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,150
    It'll be interesting to see if Twitter apply the policy of blocking access to hacked data that they applied to the Hunter Biden hack (the one with the obviously bogus computer repair shop cover story) to the hacked Parler data.
  • Options
    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,150

    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    Absolute clown shoes. Meanwhile their DNS is still pointing at AWS, which is no longer responding to them...
    I'd feel a bit more confident in the analysis if he could spell "Parler".
    Stupid name, TBF
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667

    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    Absolute clown shoes. Meanwhile their DNS is still pointing at AWS, which is no longer responding to them...
    I'd feel a bit more confident in the analysis if he could spell "Parler".
    He typed the tweet on an iPhone and autocorrect kicked in.
    There you go - Apple suppressing Parler again.

    With the latest version of IOS, if you type Google you get Gargle*.

    (*This last point may not be true.)
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667

    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    Absolute clown shoes. Meanwhile their DNS is still pointing at AWS, which is no longer responding to them...
    I'd feel a bit more confident in the analysis if he could spell "Parler".
    Stupid name, TBF
    It's those bloody French again, messing up everything. Plus ça change, eh?
  • Options
    FossFoss Posts: 694



    However, if the FBI now have extensive knowledge of the worst lunatics out there thanks to this Parler hack, they can at the very least nick them and jail them.

    This Parler dump isn't the FBI, it's some kid on Reddit. And, looking at their account, they've foolishly done it under a general one rather than one dedicated to this dump.
  • Options
    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,299
    Pagan2 said:

    DavidL said:

    IanB2 said:

    Scott_xP said:
    There's a stack of videos on Twitter of MAGAs being escorted off planes or dragged out of airports. The FBI seems to have tracked them from the protest (using their phones?). They don't seem to be getting much support - indeed on several of the plane videos the other passengers applaud, cheer, or shout abuse. Suggesting that the political backlash could be significant.

    The guy screaming in protest that the police are "treating me like a black guy" as they sit on him is priceless.
    Heart of stone etc...
    Funnier would be if the MAGA Capitol invaders have their gun licences revoked. It is surely more likely they will shoot someone than hijack the airliner taking them home.
    The one thing I am a bit confused about is how many have been identified yet. The numbers charged seem extremely small to date. If they have not been charged how will the airlines, for example, know?
    You don't have to be charged or anything more than suspected to be put on the no fly list. Often the first people know of it is when refused entry.
    Vaguely amusing o/t - a friend of mine in days gone by, super-pushy, don't you know who I am type, was flying LHR-HKG which they did quite regularly and, as per usual, asked if there was an upgrade available. The person behind the check-in counter said hold on and went off to speak to someone. My friend meanwhile looked at the monitor and under their name it had the initials "NSFU" - not suitable for upgrade!
  • Options
    kamskikamski Posts: 4,253
    Roger said:

    Scott_xP said:
    Interesting how many non politicians some prominent some not who have gone down with the ship. I'm thinking of people like Jack Nicklaus who chose to give a ringing personal endorsement just weeks ago.

    Those like Steve Hilton and Russell Brand look just a little less smart than the smart arses they looked two months ago....

    It's good to know there's still mileage in the old saying 'if you hitch your wagon to an incontinent horse don't be surprised if you get covered in shit'

    What did Russell Brand say? Find it hard to believe he would hitch his wagon to Trump
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967

    It'll be interesting to see if Twitter apply the policy of blocking access to hacked data that they applied to the Hunter Biden hack (the one with the obviously bogus computer repair shop cover story) to the hacked Parler data.

    Naughty, lol.
  • Options
    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,299

    eek said:

    A couple of days ago someone assured me that Smithson is the only contributor worth his salt.
    Yesterday's thread header debacle weighs against that view, and I see we're back to not even proofreading with today's effort. Poor.

    It's hard work and they're doing it for us for free. You only did 2 sentences and I'm pretty sure one of them isn't what you meant?
    I've no doubt that it is hard work, and yes, it's cheap at twice the price. So what? It's a comment on trustworthiness, and that's pretty important these days. Well, perhaps not everyone thinks so.
    If you don't like this site (and it appears that you really don't) other sites are available on the Internet.
    That's an odd impression for you to come to, given the effusive praise I heaped upon an article a few days ago.
    Touch of melodrama from you this morning.
    Yes absolutely. We would be very grateful if you could grade for us each header as it is published so that we have an idea of quality, etc. Perhaps team up with @Mysticrose who fancies themselves to know a bit about this kind of thing.

    You could have a scale, say 1-10, with 10 being "worthy of effusive praise" and 1 being "debacle".
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,391

    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    and Parler's verified citizen approach means a lot of the posts are directly attributable to identifiable people.

    Actually this highlights one of the issues with the current attempts to gag these people by removing or limiting these platforms. It won't work.

    All they will do is find a platform outside the USA and beyond the ability of US companies and authorities to control. I suspect this has already happened. This means they will continue their discussions and planning unhindered and without any oversight from the US authorities. This is on top of the fact that it gives them the opportunity - falsely of course - to claim the US is suppressing their free speech.

    I don't think there is necessarily any answer to this, at least not one that has good outcomes.
    TBF it will work for the week or so it takes for them to get their shit together, and that's arguably a period of uniquely high risk - ongoing attempted terrorism, coupled with a confirmed terrorist supporter in charge of the federal government - so it might be worth it just to disrupt communications, for that period, even if doing so burns an unbelievably juicy source of atrociously-secured intelligence.
    Arguably, on the intelligence, the reverse. US intelligence might have some issues with err... unauthorised data borrowing from big American corporates.

    No one will care if they "borrow data" from JihadFascistCloudProviders, hosted somewhere where the government allows that kind of stuff.
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,216
    https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1348557446919446529

    Judging by Whitty on R4 this am, a tightening of lockdown is incoming. Maybe even this evening at 5pm presser.
  • Options
    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419
    On topic, I don't know if Mike's assertion that "Given the events in Washington of last Wednesday it is harder to see such a move being sanctioned by the courts" is right but if it is - and it may be - that would be wholly wrong.

    The principle of whether a president can self-pardon should not be contingent on what the actual sitting president (or a recently sitting one) might have done, not done, or tried to do. There are, in any case, even more serious crimes that a president could commit so the notion that Trump's actions are some kind of threshold is flawed.

    FWIW, my opinion is that a president can self-pardon but that such a pardon could be subject to override by impeachment, whether he (or she) was still in office at the time or not.
  • Options
    SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,704

    https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1348557446919446529

    Judging by Whitty on R4 this am, a tightening of lockdown is incoming. Maybe even this evening at 5pm presser.

    What can they really do more? Apart from close workplaces akin to the close of construction in March (Coffee takeaway as well I guess).


  • Options
    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419
    edited January 2021
    The thing that such people don't seem to understand is that these arguments work both ways. It would only take one bullet to stop the whole circus.
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 24,979
    TOPPING said:

    Pagan2 said:

    DavidL said:

    IanB2 said:

    Scott_xP said:
    There's a stack of videos on Twitter of MAGAs being escorted off planes or dragged out of airports. The FBI seems to have tracked them from the protest (using their phones?). They don't seem to be getting much support - indeed on several of the plane videos the other passengers applaud, cheer, or shout abuse. Suggesting that the political backlash could be significant.

    The guy screaming in protest that the police are "treating me like a black guy" as they sit on him is priceless.
    Heart of stone etc...
    Funnier would be if the MAGA Capitol invaders have their gun licences revoked. It is surely more likely they will shoot someone than hijack the airliner taking them home.
    The one thing I am a bit confused about is how many have been identified yet. The numbers charged seem extremely small to date. If they have not been charged how will the airlines, for example, know?
    You don't have to be charged or anything more than suspected to be put on the no fly list. Often the first people know of it is when refused entry.
    Vaguely amusing o/t - a friend of mine in days gone by, super-pushy, don't you know who I am type, was flying LHR-HKG which they did quite regularly and, as per usual, asked if there was an upgrade available. The person behind the check-in counter said hold on and went off to speak to someone. My friend meanwhile looked at the monitor and under their name it had the initials "NSFU" - not suitable for upgrade!
    Working with such a person a couple of years ago - I (being polite and so hassle free) would always get an upgrade to a suite if it was available - he never would even if he beat me to check-in.
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,391

    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    Absolute clown shoes. Meanwhile their DNS is still pointing at AWS, which is no longer responding to them...
    I'd feel a bit more confident in the analysis if he could spell "Parler".
    Stupid name, TBF
    It's those bloody French again, messing up everything. Plus ça change, eh?
    Jack Sparrow : Parleley, parlelellyleloooo, par le nee, partner, par... snip, parsley...
    Ragetti : Parley?
    Jack Sparrow : That's the one. Parley. Parley.
    Pintel : Parley? Damn to the depths whatever man what thought of "Parley".
    Jack Sparrow : That would be the French.
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 24,979
    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,601

    RobD said:

    A couple of days ago someone assured me that Smithson is the only contributor worth his salt.
    Yesterday's thread header debacle weighs against that view, and I see we're back to not even proofreading with today's effort. Poor.

    Other sites are available.
    True, the best of which learn from and are improved by measured and specific criticism from their readership.
    I think you make a fair point about the thread headers not always being proof-read in the past....
    It is possible to point out mistakes a little more gracefully, though.

    (The reaction to @Mary_Batty wasn't the most civil, either.)
  • Options
    SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,704
    eek said:

    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617

    I never see much of an issue with masks in waitrose... just saying.
  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 24,979

    eek said:

    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617

    I never see much of an issue with masks in waitrose... just saying.
    Self selecting customer base - try Aldi or (far worse) Asda.
  • Options
    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,280
    DavidL said:

    IanB2 said:

    Scott_xP said:
    There's a stack of videos on Twitter of MAGAs being escorted off planes or dragged out of airports. The FBI seems to have tracked them from the protest (using their phones?). They don't seem to be getting much support - indeed on several of the plane videos the other passengers applaud, cheer, or shout abuse. Suggesting that the political backlash could be significant.

    The guy screaming in protest that the police are "treating me like a black guy" as they sit on him is priceless.
    Heart of stone etc...
    Funnier would be if the MAGA Capitol invaders have their gun licences revoked. It is surely more likely they will shoot someone than hijack the airliner taking them home.
    The one thing I am a bit confused about is how many have been identified yet. The numbers charged seem extremely small to date. If they have not been charged how will the airlines, for example, know?
    The airlines acted after one of the early returning flights to the west coast turned rowdy with MAGAs chanting and refusing to wear masks. That's why the bans came in.

    Those involved are being tracked by the FBI using their phone tracks, and a number were arrested on arriving back at their home airports - there are videos on Twitter of them being dragged or carried out of the airport.

    This article from ABC news gives some detail about the scale of the operation, which is going to take some time:

    https://abcnews.go.com/US/investigators-combing-massive-us-capitol-crime-scene-wake/story?id=75142927&cid=clicksource_4380645_10_film_strip_icymi_hed
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    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    Absolute clown shoes. Meanwhile their DNS is still pointing at AWS, which is no longer responding to them...
    I'd feel a bit more confident in the analysis if he could spell "Parler".
    Come on Nick, it'll be autocorrect
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    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,601
    Someone recently was musing about the unaccountably low South Korean birth rate...
    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/11/dont-look-dishevelled-anger-over-seoul-citys-advice-to-pregnant-women
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    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,847
    eek said:

    A couple of days ago someone assured me that Smithson is the only contributor worth his salt.
    Yesterday's thread header debacle weighs against that view, and I see we're back to not even proofreading with today's effort. Poor.

    It's hard work and they're doing it for us for free. You only did 2 sentences and I'm pretty sure one of them isn't what you meant?
    I've no doubt that it is hard work, and yes, it's cheap at twice the price. So what? It's a comment on trustworthiness, and that's pretty important these days. Well, perhaps not everyone thinks so.
    If you don't like this site (and it appears that you really don't) other sites are available on the Internet.
    I like the saltier contributors.
    Keep it up, Ms Batty, even though your remarks about Mr Smithson are a little obnoxious.
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,121

    eek said:

    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617

    I never see much of an issue with masks in waitrose... just saying.
    100% adherence in M&S.
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    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,391

    eek said:

    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617

    I never see much of an issue with masks in waitrose... just saying.
    100% adherence in M&S.
    The problem in most shops seems to be -

    - Masks on, but no distancing
    - Ripping the mask of 1 nanosecond after getting to the door, mixing with the people coming in and about to don their masks....
  • Options
    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,121

    eek said:

    Meanwhile with Parler - it seems that the disabling of services resulted in reduced security around the software infrastructure

    https://twitter.com/riskdesigner/status/1348539050370723844

    Absolute clown shoes. Meanwhile their DNS is still pointing at AWS, which is no longer responding to them...
    I'd feel a bit more confident in the analysis if he could spell "Parler".
    Stupid name, TBF
    It's those bloody French again, messing up everything. Plus ça change, eh?
    Jack Sparrow : Parleley, parlelellyleloooo, par le nee, partner, par... snip, parsley...
    Ragetti : Parley?
    Jack Sparrow : That's the one. Parley. Parley.
    Pintel : Parley? Damn to the depths whatever man what thought of "Parley".
    Jack Sparrow : That would be the French.
    Damn your eyes, was just about to put the link up!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tC4hKe7X3w
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,332
    FPT (and other threads) - I must say I find all this "I was right about Trump all along - here's what I said and here's how right I was; here's what you said, and here's how you wrong *you* were. Hahaha." stuff pretty unedifying.

    Gloating is one thing but it's worse than that: it's almost as if they're half-pleased Trump has crossed the Rubicon, because they can now be vindicated.

    I don't mind admitting I got Trump wrong. I thought he was a windbag who was full of hot air but would ultimately slip away after losing election after blasting off about how he still thought he was right and would come back one day (or one of his acolytes) once the Dems had failed.

    I was wrong about that. I am wrong about things all the time. I don't mind admitting that. I'd also say that so is everyone else. There's no such a thing as a Sage who's a perfect predictor of the future all the time.

    So, a little more magnanimity and a little less narcissism from those who got it right would be appreciated please.

    Hubris can read its ugly head very quickly.
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    Daveyboy1961Daveyboy1961 Posts: 3,386
    I must admit the Tescos in Pembroke Dock is virtually 100% as well.
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    https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1348557446919446529

    Judging by Whitty on R4 this am, a tightening of lockdown is incoming. Maybe even this evening at 5pm presser.

    The rules in this lockdown are the same as they were in the original lockdown aren't they? Stay home, non-essential shops and workplaces closed, schools closed unless keyworker/vulnerable etc. Yet its clearly much much busier out there here on Teesside and supposedly much much busier in the smoke.

    So what has changed? A combination of punter fatigue and government messaging. First time around it was You Must Stay At Home. This time its meh, you need to go to work as we aren't going to pay for you to stay home.
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    david_herdsondavid_herdson Posts: 17,419

    FPT (and other threads) - I must say I find all this "I was right about Trump all along - here's what I said and here's how right I was; here's what you said, and here's how you wrong *you* were. Hahaha." stuff pretty unedifying.

    Gloating is one thing but it's worse than that: it's almost as if they're half-pleased Trump has crossed the Rubicon, because they can now be vindicated.

    I don't mind admitting I got Trump wrong. I thought he was a windbag who was full of hot air but would ultimately slip away after losing election after blasting off about how he still thought he was right and would come back one day (or one of his acolytes) once the Dems had failed.

    I was wrong about that. I am wrong about things all the time. I don't mind admitting that. I'd also say that so is everyone else. There's no such a thing as a Sage who's a perfect predictor of the future all the time.

    So, a little more magnanimity and a little less narcissism from those who got it right would be appreciated please.

    Hubris can read its ugly head very quickly.

    I don't mind people spounting off about how they were right about seeing the threat that Trump posed, if they did (and if their reasoning was right) - as long as they have a similar record of flagging up equivalent threats from elsewhere on the political spectrum too.
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,299

    FPT (and other threads) - I must say I find all this "I was right about Trump all along - here's what I said and here's how right I was; here's what you said, and here's how you wrong *you* were. Hahaha." stuff pretty unedifying.

    Gloating is one thing but it's worse than that: it's almost as if they're half-pleased Trump has crossed the Rubicon, because they can now be vindicated.

    I don't mind admitting I got Trump wrong. I thought he was a windbag who was full of hot air but would ultimately slip away after losing election after blasting off about how he still thought he was right and would come back one day (or one of his acolytes) once the Dems had failed.

    I was wrong about that. I am wrong about things all the time. I don't mind admitting that. I'd also say that so is everyone else. There's no such a thing as a Sage who's a perfect predictor of the future all the time.

    So, a little more magnanimity and a little less narcissism from those who got it right would be appreciated please.

    Hubris can read its ugly head very quickly.

    Oh there you are, look in the mirror boy.

    I read this on BBC news. As you are constantly advising other posters here to do, I think you should take a moment to think about Jake's response and the language of your own posts.

    I asked Jake Angeli if that was what he witnessed. He told me there were no members of Antifa or any other left-wing organisations present in or around the Capitol building on 6 January. It was "patriots doing what our founding fathers would have done". The reason he knew that was "because Antifa are cowards who have no commitment to their country or their cause".

    (my emphasis)
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    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,391

    https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1348557446919446529

    Judging by Whitty on R4 this am, a tightening of lockdown is incoming. Maybe even this evening at 5pm presser.

    The rules in this lockdown are the same as they were in the original lockdown aren't they? Stay home, non-essential shops and workplaces closed, schools closed unless keyworker/vulnerable etc. Yet its clearly much much busier out there here on Teesside and supposedly much much busier in the smoke.

    So what has changed? A combination of punter fatigue and government messaging. First time around it was You Must Stay At Home. This time its meh, you need to go to work as we aren't going to pay for you to stay home.
    There is also the fact that a lot more effort has been put into trying to keep open. In the first lockdown, most coffee shops etc just shut. Now they are open.
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    eek said:

    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617

    Under the first lockdown - where masks were not required - supermarket staff instigated a whole load of rules. External queue lines. Traffic control staff at the door. One way systems. Roaming staff enforcers for the one-way systems. And the rates of assault on supermarket staff rocketed.

    This time around punters are bored of it. And need to wear masks. The same people who thought the rules allowed them to threaten and assault staff last time aren't wearing masks now. Imagine the fun* that will happen if tha government decide that the people who have to make people comply with their mixed messaging are the people in Tesco...
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    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,847

    FPT (and other threads) - I must say I find all this "I was right about Trump all along - here's what I said and here's how right I was; here's what you said, and here's how you wrong *you* were. Hahaha." stuff pretty unedifying.

    Gloating is one thing but it's worse than that: it's almost as if they're half-pleased Trump has crossed the Rubicon, because they can now be vindicated.

    I don't mind admitting I got Trump wrong. I thought he was a windbag who was full of hot air but would ultimately slip away after losing election after blasting off about how he still thought he was right and would come back one day (or one of his acolytes) once the Dems had failed.

    I was wrong about that. I am wrong about things all the time. I don't mind admitting that. I'd also say that so is everyone else. There's no such a thing as a Sage who's a perfect predictor of the future all the time.

    So, a little more magnanimity and a little less narcissism from those who got it right would be appreciated please.

    Hubris can read its ugly head very quickly.

    Are you talking about anyone in particular?

    Otherwise this is all a bit “Self Righteous Brothers” of Harry Enfield fame.
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    NerysHughesNerysHughes Posts: 3,347

    eek said:

    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617

    I never see much of an issue with masks in waitrose... just saying.
    100% adherence in M&S.
    The problem in most shops seems to be -

    - Masks on, but no distancing
    - Ripping the mask of 1 nanosecond after getting to the door, mixing with the people coming in and about to don their masks....
    Mask compliance is well over 99% in supermarkets. Unfortuately as I have said so many times people wearing masks think they are invincible and don't bother with social distancing.

    It would be much better if we had the same procedures as last April & May. No mask wearing, less people in the store and everyone avoiding each other. That procedure worked. Im afraid mandatory mask wearing has not worked.
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    Just in terms of the capacity to gather intelligence about terrorist plots, shutting down Parler seems like a massive own-goal.

    According to US journos on Twitter, Parler surrendered a large amount of data to the Feds over the weekend.
  • Options
    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,847

    eek said:

    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617

    I never see much of an issue with masks in waitrose... just saying.
    100% adherence in M&S.
    The problem in most shops seems to be -

    - Masks on, but no distancing
    - Ripping the mask of 1 nanosecond after getting to the door, mixing with the people coming in and about to don their masks....
    Mask compliance is well over 99% in supermarkets. Unfortuately as I have said so many times people wearing masks think they are invincible and don't bother with social distancing.

    It would be much better if we had the same procedures as last April & May. No mask wearing, less people in the store and everyone avoiding each other. That procedure worked. Im afraid mandatory mask wearing has not worked.
    I live in Hackney.

    According to that report yesterday, up to 1/3 of the population have had COVID.

    That certainly includes me and my family. (My daughter brought it in from school).

    Mask wearing at the local corner shop I would put at no more than 30% since the pandemic started.
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    edmundintokyoedmundintokyo Posts: 17,150

    FPT (and other threads) - I must say I find all this "I was right about Trump all along - here's what I said and here's how right I was; here's what you said, and here's how you wrong *you* were. Hahaha." stuff pretty unedifying.

    Gloating is one thing but it's worse than that: it's almost as if they're half-pleased Trump has crossed the Rubicon, because they can now be vindicated.

    I don't mind admitting I got Trump wrong. I thought he was a windbag who was full of hot air but would ultimately slip away after losing election after blasting off about how he still thought he was right and would come back one day (or one of his acolytes) once the Dems had failed.

    I was wrong about that. I am wrong about things all the time. I don't mind admitting that. I'd also say that so is everyone else. There's no such a thing as a Sage who's a perfect predictor of the future all the time.

    So, a little more magnanimity and a little less narcissism from those who got it right would be appreciated please.

    Hubris can read its ugly head very quickly.

    I don't mind people spounting off about how they were right about seeing the threat that Trump posed, if they did (and if their reasoning was right) - as long as they have a similar record of flagging up equivalent threats from elsewhere on the political spectrum too.
    There are no equivalent threats in any developed country anywhere else on the political spectrum. There's a genre of journalism where you pretend that there's an equivalence somewhere for the sake of balance, but I don't think it convinces anyone.
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    Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,949

    The thing that such people don't seem to understand is that these arguments work both ways. It would only take one bullet to stop the whole circus.

    The most astonishing video was the woman who got maced, but when asked why she was there said it was a revolution.

    They think it's cosplay. They were not expecting any pushback.
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,299

    eek said:

    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617

    I never see much of an issue with masks in waitrose... just saying.
    100% adherence in M&S.
    The problem in most shops seems to be -

    - Masks on, but no distancing
    - Ripping the mask of 1 nanosecond after getting to the door, mixing with the people coming in and about to don their masks....
    Mask compliance is well over 99% in supermarkets. Unfortuately as I have said so many times people wearing masks think they are invincible and don't bother with social distancing.

    It would be much better if we had the same procedures as last April & May. No mask wearing, less people in the store and everyone avoiding each other. That procedure worked. Im afraid mandatory mask wearing has not worked.
    NO NO NO NO NO.

    Fewer people.

    Jeez.
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    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,847

    FPT (and other threads) - I must say I find all this "I was right about Trump all along - here's what I said and here's how right I was; here's what you said, and here's how you wrong *you* were. Hahaha." stuff pretty unedifying.

    Gloating is one thing but it's worse than that: it's almost as if they're half-pleased Trump has crossed the Rubicon, because they can now be vindicated.

    I don't mind admitting I got Trump wrong. I thought he was a windbag who was full of hot air but would ultimately slip away after losing election after blasting off about how he still thought he was right and would come back one day (or one of his acolytes) once the Dems had failed.

    I was wrong about that. I am wrong about things all the time. I don't mind admitting that. I'd also say that so is everyone else. There's no such a thing as a Sage who's a perfect predictor of the future all the time.

    So, a little more magnanimity and a little less narcissism from those who got it right would be appreciated please.

    Hubris can read its ugly head very quickly.

    I don't mind people spounting off about how they were right about seeing the threat that Trump posed, if they did (and if their reasoning was right) - as long as they have a similar record of flagging up equivalent threats from elsewhere on the political spectrum too.
    There are no equivalent threats in any developed country anywhere else on the political spectrum. There's a genre of journalism where you pretend that there's an equivalence somewhere for the sake of balance, but I don't think it convinces anyone.
    Bizarre whataboutery from Herdson.
    There are some really mad takes from this Trump biz.
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    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,984
    tlg86 said:

    Have just heard Nadhim Zahawi on the radio saying we are allowed out to exercise for 1 hour. Then asking people not to "push against the rules". Yet 1 hour exercise isn't the rule.

    With people being arrested for daft things and others openly ignoring the rules this kind of stupid confusion from the government really isn't helpful.

    And the really bad thing is that it is focussing on something that is a fringe issue. The reality is that such activity is probably contributing a negligible amount to the spread of the virus.
    See it on here all the time.

    Absolute obsession with rule-breakers and rule-benders, when the only game in town is the vaccine rollout.

    Those with authoritarian tendencies are enjoying their day in the sun.

    One can only hope that their ascendency is temporary.

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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,990
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Evens feels like very good value that he tries to pardon himself. I would think it more like an 80-90% chance, what has he got to lose? His integrity and soul were lost many many years ago if he ever had them.

    If an impeachment process is attempted he still has time to do it. If there is a sudden article 25 he may not but that does not seem to be on the cards unless Trump tries to escalate again, which he probably cant do without access to twatter.

    He definitely cannot pardon himself against impeachment, that is clearly excluded by the Constitution but he may be able to pardon himself of any Federal charges relating to the material in the Impeachment, such as incitment, conspiracy, attempt to pervert the course of justice , art and part responsibility for the invasion of state buildings etc. If he was then charged with any such offences in a Federal Court the question of whether the Pardon amounted to a defence would inevitably end up in the SC and add at least a year to the proceedings.
    AIUI he cannot pardon himself against charges brought at State level; tax evasions and the like. Not that he'd need to, of course!
    Yes, it only works at Federal level. I think in the past, specifically Nixon, this was rather deliberately overlooked as I am sure that there were potential state charges in relation to the break-in that could have been brought but people decided just to move on. I am not so sure that would be the case with Trump, especially if he was seeking to hide behind a self awarded pardon.

    It wouldn't surprise me at all if in the next year or so we see the collapse of Trump's businesses. No one is going to want to be associated with them and without major events they are loss making. He will also not be able to pump Federal funds into them in the way he has whilst in office. The PGA decision is ominous for him.
    Doesn't he owe a LOT (caps intended) to Deutsche Bank? And they, in turn, really need the money, IIRC.
  • Options
    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,332

    FPT (and other threads) - I must say I find all this "I was right about Trump all along - here's what I said and here's how right I was; here's what you said, and here's how you wrong *you* were. Hahaha." stuff pretty unedifying.

    Gloating is one thing but it's worse than that: it's almost as if they're half-pleased Trump has crossed the Rubicon, because they can now be vindicated.

    I don't mind admitting I got Trump wrong. I thought he was a windbag who was full of hot air but would ultimately slip away after losing election after blasting off about how he still thought he was right and would come back one day (or one of his acolytes) once the Dems had failed.

    I was wrong about that. I am wrong about things all the time. I don't mind admitting that. I'd also say that so is everyone else. There's no such a thing as a Sage who's a perfect predictor of the future all the time.

    So, a little more magnanimity and a little less narcissism from those who got it right would be appreciated please.

    Hubris can read its ugly head very quickly.

    I don't mind people spounting off about how they were right about seeing the threat that Trump posed, if they did (and if their reasoning was right) - as long as they have a similar record of flagging up equivalent threats from elsewhere on the political spectrum too.
    That's fair, and if they have a similar record of flagging up where they got it wrong and why on the big and important issues.

    I see far less of the latter - which some people seem to view as a sign of weakness, or confession of stupidity.
  • Options
    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,847
    edited January 2021
    Scott_xP said:
    There’s no shame in changing one’s mind.

    What’s breathtaking is the pretence that he knew this was going to happen all along.

    Hannan is a common garden charlatan.

    https://twitter.com/StevePeers/status/1348368036215009283?s=20
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,280
    Scott_xP said:

    The thing that such people don't seem to understand is that these arguments work both ways. It would only take one bullet to stop the whole circus.

    The most astonishing video was the woman who got maced, but when asked why she was there said it was a revolution.

    They think it's cosplay. They were not expecting any pushback.
    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/news/e2-80-98elizabeth-from-knoxville-e2-80-99-becomes-a-meme-after-bizarre-viral-interview-at-trump-riots/ar-BB1cBYLj

    Although it turns out she is from Maryland (allegedly). It must have been a cunning plan to stay anonymous.
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,332

    FPT (and other threads) - I must say I find all this "I was right about Trump all along - here's what I said and here's how right I was; here's what you said, and here's how you wrong *you* were. Hahaha." stuff pretty unedifying.

    Gloating is one thing but it's worse than that: it's almost as if they're half-pleased Trump has crossed the Rubicon, because they can now be vindicated.

    I don't mind admitting I got Trump wrong. I thought he was a windbag who was full of hot air but would ultimately slip away after losing election after blasting off about how he still thought he was right and would come back one day (or one of his acolytes) once the Dems had failed.

    I was wrong about that. I am wrong about things all the time. I don't mind admitting that. I'd also say that so is everyone else. There's no such a thing as a Sage who's a perfect predictor of the future all the time.

    So, a little more magnanimity and a little less narcissism from those who got it right would be appreciated please.

    Hubris can read its ugly head very quickly.

    Are you talking about anyone in particular?

    Otherwise this is all a bit “Self Righteous Brothers” of Harry Enfield fame.
    There's been a couple of thread headers on here and an awful lot of it on Twitter.
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    DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,138
    edited January 2021
    These Wikipedia mods are not sitting on the fence -

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    anothernickanothernick Posts: 3,578

    https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1348557446919446529

    Judging by Whitty on R4 this am, a tightening of lockdown is incoming. Maybe even this evening at 5pm presser.

    The rules in this lockdown are the same as they were in the original lockdown aren't they? Stay home, non-essential shops and workplaces closed, schools closed unless keyworker/vulnerable etc. Yet its clearly much much busier out there here on Teesside and supposedly much much busier in the smoke.

    So what has changed? A combination of punter fatigue and government messaging. First time around it was You Must Stay At Home. This time its meh, you need to go to work as we aren't going to pay for you to stay home.
    The rules are not the same as March I don't think, the differences are

    * DIY shops (B&Q etc) and garden centres are open now but were closed in March
    * coffee shops (Starbucks etc) are open now but closed in March
    * support bubbles remain in place
    * construction and those who work in domestic premises (cleaners, nannies etc) are still working
    * early years nurseries are still open
    * the list of "key workers" allowed to send their children to school seems longer (I haven't fact-checked)
    * it is permissible to meet one other person outside your household in a public place
    * children's playgrounds remain open

    And the level of support for small businesses is less, some of the special grants that came out in March have not been repeated and the furlough scheme is less generous as it does not cover employers' NI or pensions.

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    eekeek Posts: 24,979

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Evens feels like very good value that he tries to pardon himself. I would think it more like an 80-90% chance, what has he got to lose? His integrity and soul were lost many many years ago if he ever had them.

    If an impeachment process is attempted he still has time to do it. If there is a sudden article 25 he may not but that does not seem to be on the cards unless Trump tries to escalate again, which he probably cant do without access to twatter.

    He definitely cannot pardon himself against impeachment, that is clearly excluded by the Constitution but he may be able to pardon himself of any Federal charges relating to the material in the Impeachment, such as incitment, conspiracy, attempt to pervert the course of justice , art and part responsibility for the invasion of state buildings etc. If he was then charged with any such offences in a Federal Court the question of whether the Pardon amounted to a defence would inevitably end up in the SC and add at least a year to the proceedings.
    AIUI he cannot pardon himself against charges brought at State level; tax evasions and the like. Not that he'd need to, of course!
    Yes, it only works at Federal level. I think in the past, specifically Nixon, this was rather deliberately overlooked as I am sure that there were potential state charges in relation to the break-in that could have been brought but people decided just to move on. I am not so sure that would be the case with Trump, especially if he was seeking to hide behind a self awarded pardon.

    It wouldn't surprise me at all if in the next year or so we see the collapse of Trump's businesses. No one is going to want to be associated with them and without major events they are loss making. He will also not be able to pump Federal funds into them in the way he has whilst in office. The PGA decision is ominous for him.
    Doesn't he owe a LOT (caps intended) to Deutsche Bank? And they, in turn, really need the money, IIRC.
    Equally if you call the debt in you may discover that what is currently just a potential bad debt becomes an actual bad debt.

    Often the never never is better than accepting the inevitable (just look at commercial real estate valuations).
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    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,216

    tlg86 said:

    Have just heard Nadhim Zahawi on the radio saying we are allowed out to exercise for 1 hour. Then asking people not to "push against the rules". Yet 1 hour exercise isn't the rule.

    With people being arrested for daft things and others openly ignoring the rules this kind of stupid confusion from the government really isn't helpful.

    And the really bad thing is that it is focussing on something that is a fringe issue. The reality is that such activity is probably contributing a negligible amount to the spread of the virus.
    See it on here all the time.

    Absolute obsession with rule-breakers and rule-benders, when the only game in town is the vaccine rollout.

    Those with authoritarian tendencies are enjoying their day in the sun.

    One can only hope that their ascendency is temporary.

    https://twitter.com/PickardJE/status/1348560965730787328
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    GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 20,847

    FPT (and other threads) - I must say I find all this "I was right about Trump all along - here's what I said and here's how right I was; here's what you said, and here's how you wrong *you* were. Hahaha." stuff pretty unedifying.

    Gloating is one thing but it's worse than that: it's almost as if they're half-pleased Trump has crossed the Rubicon, because they can now be vindicated.

    I don't mind admitting I got Trump wrong. I thought he was a windbag who was full of hot air but would ultimately slip away after losing election after blasting off about how he still thought he was right and would come back one day (or one of his acolytes) once the Dems had failed.

    I was wrong about that. I am wrong about things all the time. I don't mind admitting that. I'd also say that so is everyone else. There's no such a thing as a Sage who's a perfect predictor of the future all the time.

    So, a little more magnanimity and a little less narcissism from those who got it right would be appreciated please.

    Hubris can read its ugly head very quickly.

    Are you talking about anyone in particular?

    Otherwise this is all a bit “Self Righteous Brothers” of Harry Enfield fame.
    There's been a couple of thread headers on here and an awful lot of it on Twitter.
    It is in fact quite normal to feel - not pleased, but perhaps vindicated - by Trump’s conspicuous resort to “the fash”, as the kids say.

    Trump has been gaslighting all of us for years and years. Read that Snyder article in the NYT.
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    DavidL said:

    Evens feels like very good value that he tries to pardon himself. I would think it more like an 80-90% chance, what has he got to lose? His integrity and soul were lost many many years ago if he ever had them.

    If an impeachment process is attempted he still has time to do it. If there is a sudden article 25 he may not but that does not seem to be on the cards unless Trump tries to escalate again, which he probably cant do without access to twatter.

    He definitely cannot pardon himself against impeachment, that is clearly excluded by the Constitution but he may be able to pardon himself of any Federal charges relating to the material in the Impeachment, such as incitment, conspiracy, attempt to pervert the course of justice , art and part responsibility for the invasion of state buildings etc. If he was then charged with any such offences in a Federal Court the question of whether the Pardon amounted to a defence would inevitably end up in the SC and add at least a year to the proceedings.
    I wasnt suggesting that he would pardon himself against impeachment, just that the impeachment process doesnt stop him pardoning whoever he wants including himself, as the senate vote would be publicised in advance so Trump would know the deadline.

    Whereas with article 25, they could spring on him at anytime without notice, which would immediately take away his power to pardon anyone, including himself.
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    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,110
    eek said:

    TOPPING said:

    Pagan2 said:

    DavidL said:

    IanB2 said:

    Scott_xP said:
    There's a stack of videos on Twitter of MAGAs being escorted off planes or dragged out of airports. The FBI seems to have tracked them from the protest (using their phones?). They don't seem to be getting much support - indeed on several of the plane videos the other passengers applaud, cheer, or shout abuse. Suggesting that the political backlash could be significant.

    The guy screaming in protest that the police are "treating me like a black guy" as they sit on him is priceless.
    Heart of stone etc...
    Funnier would be if the MAGA Capitol invaders have their gun licences revoked. It is surely more likely they will shoot someone than hijack the airliner taking them home.
    The one thing I am a bit confused about is how many have been identified yet. The numbers charged seem extremely small to date. If they have not been charged how will the airlines, for example, know?
    You don't have to be charged or anything more than suspected to be put on the no fly list. Often the first people know of it is when refused entry.
    Vaguely amusing o/t - a friend of mine in days gone by, super-pushy, don't you know who I am type, was flying LHR-HKG which they did quite regularly and, as per usual, asked if there was an upgrade available. The person behind the check-in counter said hold on and went off to speak to someone. My friend meanwhile looked at the monitor and under their name it had the initials "NSFU" - not suitable for upgrade!
    Working with such a person a couple of years ago - I (being polite and so hassle free) would always get an upgrade to a suite if it was available - he never would even if he beat me to check-in.
    I once won an upgrade for my wife and me by entering a St Valentines Day poetry competition at check in. Which was nice.
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    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,216

    eek said:

    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617

    Under the first lockdown - where masks were not required - supermarket staff instigated a whole load of rules. External queue lines. Traffic control staff at the door. One way systems. Roaming staff enforcers for the one-way systems. And the rates of assault on supermarket staff rocketed.

    This time around punters are bored of it. And need to wear masks. The same people who thought the rules allowed them to threaten and assault staff last time aren't wearing masks now. Imagine the fun* that will happen if tha government decide that the people who have to make people comply with their mixed messaging are the people in Tesco...
    New rules will just create huge, long queues outside supermarkets full of people chatting with their mates and neighbours I expect.
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    eekeek Posts: 24,979

    https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1348557446919446529

    Judging by Whitty on R4 this am, a tightening of lockdown is incoming. Maybe even this evening at 5pm presser.

    The rules in this lockdown are the same as they were in the original lockdown aren't they? Stay home, non-essential shops and workplaces closed, schools closed unless keyworker/vulnerable etc. Yet its clearly much much busier out there here on Teesside and supposedly much much busier in the smoke.

    So what has changed? A combination of punter fatigue and government messaging. First time around it was You Must Stay At Home. This time its meh, you need to go to work as we aren't going to pay for you to stay home.
    The rules are not the same as March I don't think, the differences are

    * DIY shops (B&Q etc) and garden centres are open now but were closed in March
    * coffee shops (Starbucks etc) are open now but closed in March
    * support bubbles remain in place
    * construction and those who work in domestic premises (cleaners, nannies etc) are still working
    * early years nurseries are still open
    * the list of "key workers" allowed to send their children to school seems longer (I haven't fact-checked)
    * it is permissible to meet one other person outside your household in a public place
    * children's playgrounds remain open

    And the level of support for small businesses is less, some of the special grants that came out in March have not been repeated and the furlough scheme is less generous as it does not cover employers' NI or pensions.

    the list of children that can attend school is now so long that in poorer areas it's 90% of children as it's any child without their own smartphone / computer or without suitable internet access.
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    DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,138
    edited January 2021
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Evens feels like very good value that he tries to pardon himself. I would think it more like an 80-90% chance, what has he got to lose? His integrity and soul were lost many many years ago if he ever had them.

    If an impeachment process is attempted he still has time to do it. If there is a sudden article 25 he may not but that does not seem to be on the cards unless Trump tries to escalate again, which he probably cant do without access to twatter.

    He definitely cannot pardon himself against impeachment, that is clearly excluded by the Constitution but he may be able to pardon himself of any Federal charges relating to the material in the Impeachment, such as incitment, conspiracy, attempt to pervert the course of justice , art and part responsibility for the invasion of state buildings etc. If he was then charged with any such offences in a Federal Court the question of whether the Pardon amounted to a defence would inevitably end up in the SC and add at least a year to the proceedings.
    AIUI he cannot pardon himself against charges brought at State level; tax evasions and the like. Not that he'd need to, of course!
    Yes, it only works at Federal level. I think in the past, specifically Nixon, this was rather deliberately overlooked as I am sure that there were potential state charges in relation to the break-in that could have been brought but people decided just to move on. I am not so sure that would be the case with Trump, especially if he was seeking to hide behind a self awarded pardon.

    It wouldn't surprise me at all if in the next year or so we see the collapse of Trump's businesses. No one is going to want to be associated with them and without major events they are loss making. He will also not be able to pump Federal funds into them in the way he has whilst in office. The PGA decision is ominous for him.
    The Watergate complex is in DC, a Federal jurisdiction, so a Presidential pardon would have covered the actual break in itself.

  • Options

    https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1348557446919446529

    Judging by Whitty on R4 this am, a tightening of lockdown is incoming. Maybe even this evening at 5pm presser.

    The rules in this lockdown are the same as they were in the original lockdown aren't they? Stay home, non-essential shops and workplaces closed, schools closed unless keyworker/vulnerable etc. Yet its clearly much much busier out there here on Teesside and supposedly much much busier in the smoke.

    So what has changed? A combination of punter fatigue and government messaging. First time around it was You Must Stay At Home. This time its meh, you need to go to work as we aren't going to pay for you to stay home.
    Matches the observation that schools are a lot less empty than in March. Employers are being less community-spirited in the extent to which people can childmind at home, because the funding isn't there.

    I wonder also if the vaccine good news is being misread. Yes, vaccination is happening, but it's not going to solve the immediate crisis.
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    https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1348557446919446529

    Judging by Whitty on R4 this am, a tightening of lockdown is incoming. Maybe even this evening at 5pm presser.

    The rules in this lockdown are the same as they were in the original lockdown aren't they? Stay home, non-essential shops and workplaces closed, schools closed unless keyworker/vulnerable etc. Yet its clearly much much busier out there here on Teesside and supposedly much much busier in the smoke.

    So what has changed? A combination of punter fatigue and government messaging. First time around it was You Must Stay At Home. This time its meh, you need to go to work as we aren't going to pay for you to stay home.
    The rules are not the same as March I don't think, the differences are

    * DIY shops (B&Q etc) and garden centres are open now but were closed in March
    * coffee shops (Starbucks etc) are open now but closed in March
    * support bubbles remain in place
    * construction and those who work in domestic premises (cleaners, nannies etc) are still working
    * early years nurseries are still open
    * the list of "key workers" allowed to send their children to school seems longer (I haven't fact-checked)
    * it is permissible to meet one other person outside your household in a public place
    * children's playgrounds remain open

    And the level of support for small businesses is less, some of the special grants that came out in March have not been repeated and the furlough scheme is less generous as it does not cover employers' NI or pensions.

    Not entirely correct:

    DIY shops remained open during the first lockdown. But yes Garden centres were closed and are now open.
    Support bubbles were in place in the first lock down just as they are now.
    Construction continued during the first lockdown. Indeed some developers including HS2 seem to have taken advantage of the lockdown to carry out some rather debatable actions like woodland clearance which might otherwise have been objected to.
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    DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,138

    FPT (and other threads) - I must say I find all this "I was right about Trump all along - here's what I said and here's how right I was; here's what you said, and here's how you wrong *you* were. Hahaha." stuff pretty unedifying.

    Gloating is one thing but it's worse than that: it's almost as if they're half-pleased Trump has crossed the Rubicon, because they can now be vindicated.

    I don't mind admitting I got Trump wrong. I thought he was a windbag who was full of hot air but would ultimately slip away after losing election after blasting off about how he still thought he was right and would come back one day (or one of his acolytes) once the Dems had failed.

    I was wrong about that. I am wrong about things all the time. I don't mind admitting that. I'd also say that so is everyone else. There's no such a thing as a Sage who's a perfect predictor of the future all the time.

    So, a little more magnanimity and a little less narcissism from those who got it right would be appreciated please.

    Hubris can read its ugly head very quickly.

    Are you talking about anyone in particular?

    Otherwise this is all a bit “Self Righteous Brothers” of Harry Enfield fame.
    There's been a couple of thread headers on here and an awful lot of it on Twitter.
    I'm never right and proud of it.
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    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,216
    Scott_xP said:

    The thing that such people don't seem to understand is that these arguments work both ways. It would only take one bullet to stop the whole circus.

    The most astonishing video was the woman who got maced, but when asked why she was there said it was a revolution.

    They think it's cosplay. They were not expecting any pushback.
    Female Trumper rioters on one of the news channels last night when asked what she would do after Biden was inaugurated on 20th said that 'He will not be inaugurated on 20th'.

    They just cannot live in the real world. They live in a fantasy.
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    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,984

    tlg86 said:

    Have just heard Nadhim Zahawi on the radio saying we are allowed out to exercise for 1 hour. Then asking people not to "push against the rules". Yet 1 hour exercise isn't the rule.

    With people being arrested for daft things and others openly ignoring the rules this kind of stupid confusion from the government really isn't helpful.

    And the really bad thing is that it is focussing on something that is a fringe issue. The reality is that such activity is probably contributing a negligible amount to the spread of the virus.
    See it on here all the time.

    Absolute obsession with rule-breakers and rule-benders, when the only game in town is the vaccine rollout.

    Those with authoritarian tendencies are enjoying their day in the sun.

    One can only hope that their ascendency is temporary.

    https://twitter.com/PickardJE/status/1348560965730787328
    QED.
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    IshmaelZ said:

    He won't pardon himself. Loss of face plus advice that it probably doesn't work.

    Not tempted to bet, but I thought I'd make a robust and falsifiable prediction.

    Just had £20 that he will. We should have bet with each other, Ish, and cut out the middleman!
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    eek said:

    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617

    I never see much of an issue with masks in waitrose... just saying.
    100% adherence in M&S.
    The problem in most shops seems to be -

    - Masks on, but no distancing
    - Ripping the mask of 1 nanosecond after getting to the door, mixing with the people coming in and about to don their masks....
    Mask compliance is well over 99% in supermarkets. Unfortuately as I have said so many times people wearing masks think they are invincible and don't bother with social distancing.

    It would be much better if we had the same procedures as last April & May. No mask wearing, less people in the store and everyone avoiding each other. That procedure worked. Im afraid mandatory mask wearing has not worked.
    It may be in supermarkets *that you frequent*. It is not in supermarkets that I frequent. It absolutely wasn't anywhere near even 80% in the run up to Christmas in local shopping malls.

    Mandatory mask wearing has helped according to doctors. What do they know about it compared to your libertarian bias?
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    RogerRoger Posts: 18,891
    edited January 2021
    kamski said:

    Roger said:

    Scott_xP said:
    Interesting how many non politicians some prominent some not who have gone down with the ship. I'm thinking of people like Jack Nicklaus who chose to give a ringing personal endorsement just weeks ago.

    Those like Steve Hilton and Russell Brand look just a little less smart than the smart arses they looked two months ago....

    It's good to know there's still mileage in the old saying 'if you hitch your wagon to an incontinent horse don't be surprised if you get covered in shit'

    What did Russell Brand say? Find it hard to believe he would hitch his wagon to Trump
    So did I. I could only think he'd been out of the public eye for too long. If they were looking for celebs dumping on Trump there are plenty more notable ones than him. To be fair it was less approval than explaining what an oratorical genius he was and how much more interesting he would be than dull old Biden.

    https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-domaindev-st_emea&hsimp=yhs-st_emea&hspart=domaindev&p=russel+brand+praises+trump#id=1&vid=8c45e439c7ebea34f4553df187042c7f&action=click
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    HYUFD said:
    The PM wants the G1. Britannia Uber Alles. Rule makers that everyone else will obey.

    "No he doesn't" whine the parrots. Erm yes. "Rule makers not rule takers" is putting us on a pedestal. EVERY country obeys rules set by others. What kind of wazzock thinks we are somehow different, above these forriners, better than all of them?
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    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,332

    FPT (and other threads) - I must say I find all this "I was right about Trump all along - here's what I said and here's how right I was; here's what you said, and here's how you wrong *you* were. Hahaha." stuff pretty unedifying.

    Gloating is one thing but it's worse than that: it's almost as if they're half-pleased Trump has crossed the Rubicon, because they can now be vindicated.

    I don't mind admitting I got Trump wrong. I thought he was a windbag who was full of hot air but would ultimately slip away after losing election after blasting off about how he still thought he was right and would come back one day (or one of his acolytes) once the Dems had failed.

    I was wrong about that. I am wrong about things all the time. I don't mind admitting that. I'd also say that so is everyone else. There's no such a thing as a Sage who's a perfect predictor of the future all the time.

    So, a little more magnanimity and a little less narcissism from those who got it right would be appreciated please.

    Hubris can read its ugly head very quickly.

    Are you talking about anyone in particular?

    Otherwise this is all a bit “Self Righteous Brothers” of Harry Enfield fame.
    There's been a couple of thread headers on here and an awful lot of it on Twitter.
    It is in fact quite normal to feel - not pleased, but perhaps vindicated - by Trump’s conspicuous resort to “the fash”, as the kids say.

    Trump has been gaslighting all of us for years and years. Read that Snyder article in the NYT.
    Yes, and like I say it's all very unedifying. Particularly the finger-pointing towards those who got it wrong. Some people seem more interested in being right - and being seen to be right - than anything else. One presumes on the assumption so that their analysis and insight will be taken more seriously in future.

    I have a long list of getting things wrong, including:

    (1) GE2015 - I thought Cameron would get c.290-300 seats, not a majority
    (2) EURef- I thought Remain would win 52:48 (not the other way round)
    (3) 2016 Presidential - I thought Clinton would win (by an Obama 2012 margin)
    (4) GE2017 - I thought May would win a majority of 40-50
    (5) Tory leadership 2019 - I didn't think Boris would get to the final two
    (6) GE2019 - I thought Boris might not get a majority
    (7) Labour leadership 2019/20 - initially, I thought Lisa Nandy rather than Starmer

    Now, based on that you might (quite reasonably) conclude you should never listen to my betting tips ever again.

    The difference is in each of those the margins were not all that large, and, I changed my position when the facts changed. I got some things right (laying Andrea Leadsom, betting on a GE taking place in 2019, betting on Trump as candidate, laying Rubio, betting on Biden as candidate, laying Emily Thornberry as Labour leader, and betting on Biden for the general etc) but in almost everything else I reversed and modified my position. And that happens with people too.

    I change my views and positions all the time, which is why I can make decent money (consistently) from betting. I'm interested in why people were right, sure, but I'm also interested in why they were wrong.

    Post-mortems are always more interesting when people go through both what they got right and what they got wrong, and I respect them all the more for it.

    I lose respect for them when they start finger-pointing at others, unless they were utterly reckless.
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    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,984
    Roger said:

    kamski said:

    Roger said:

    Scott_xP said:
    Interesting how many non politicians some prominent some not who have gone down with the ship. I'm thinking of people like Jack Nicklaus who chose to give a ringing personal endorsement just weeks ago.

    Those like Steve Hilton and Russell Brand look just a little less smart than the smart arses they looked two months ago....

    It's good to know there's still mileage in the old saying 'if you hitch your wagon to an incontinent horse don't be surprised if you get covered in shit'

    What did Russell Brand say? Find it hard to believe he would hitch his wagon to Trump
    So did I. I could only think he'd been out of the public eye for too long. If they were looking for celebs dumping on Trump there are plenty more notable ones than him. To be fair it was less approval than explaining what an oratorical genius he was and how much more interesting he would be than dull old Biden.
    Dura Ace on here is a PB Trumpton – advocated a Trump win because Trump was funny, or something.
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    eek said:

    I pity anyone working in Supermarkets from tomorrow

    https://twitter.com/Beetrootrabbit/status/1348558009576943617

    Under the first lockdown - where masks were not required - supermarket staff instigated a whole load of rules. External queue lines. Traffic control staff at the door. One way systems. Roaming staff enforcers for the one-way systems. And the rates of assault on supermarket staff rocketed.

    This time around punters are bored of it. And need to wear masks. The same people who thought the rules allowed them to threaten and assault staff last time aren't wearing masks now. Imagine the fun* that will happen if tha government decide that the people who have to make people comply with their mixed messaging are the people in Tesco...
    New rules will just create huge, long queues outside supermarkets full of people chatting with their mates and neighbours I expect.
    That happened last time. I needed to buy a newer Firestick to watch Disney Plus on. Argos inside local Sainsbury's had one. It took 45 minutes of queuing to get in. On a Sunday afternoon.
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    TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 41,299
    Trump is evidently a total dick.

    However, the thing that I am uneasy about with criticism of him is that he was elected president of the United States by many millions of Americans and the vast majority of these were sensible, thinking folk who made a choice between him and HRC, and his manifesto, such as it was, and the Dems' manifesto.

    Sneer at him by all means but not at the democratic process or the democratic choices of millions of people.
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    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,990
    eek said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Evens feels like very good value that he tries to pardon himself. I would think it more like an 80-90% chance, what has he got to lose? His integrity and soul were lost many many years ago if he ever had them.

    If an impeachment process is attempted he still has time to do it. If there is a sudden article 25 he may not but that does not seem to be on the cards unless Trump tries to escalate again, which he probably cant do without access to twatter.

    He definitely cannot pardon himself against impeachment, that is clearly excluded by the Constitution but he may be able to pardon himself of any Federal charges relating to the material in the Impeachment, such as incitment, conspiracy, attempt to pervert the course of justice , art and part responsibility for the invasion of state buildings etc. If he was then charged with any such offences in a Federal Court the question of whether the Pardon amounted to a defence would inevitably end up in the SC and add at least a year to the proceedings.
    AIUI he cannot pardon himself against charges brought at State level; tax evasions and the like. Not that he'd need to, of course!
    Yes, it only works at Federal level. I think in the past, specifically Nixon, this was rather deliberately overlooked as I am sure that there were potential state charges in relation to the break-in that could have been brought but people decided just to move on. I am not so sure that would be the case with Trump, especially if he was seeking to hide behind a self awarded pardon.

    It wouldn't surprise me at all if in the next year or so we see the collapse of Trump's businesses. No one is going to want to be associated with them and without major events they are loss making. He will also not be able to pump Federal funds into them in the way he has whilst in office. The PGA decision is ominous for him.
    Doesn't he owe a LOT (caps intended) to Deutsche Bank? And they, in turn, really need the money, IIRC.
    Equally if you call the debt in you may discover that what is currently just a potential bad debt becomes an actual bad debt.

    Often the never never is better than accepting the inevitable (just look at commercial real estate valuations).
    True of course, and 'commercial real estate' is, I think, most of what he 'owns'. Most must be realisable on the open market. Even at sub 25% of the original valuation. Take, as example, the hotel in Scotland; I'm sure if it came on the market at a giveaway price ...... 10% of current valuation ....... someone would buy it. In fact, in that case, I suspect I know someone who would.
This discussion has been closed.