Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

Trump night have his base but for most Americans he’s electorally toxic – politicalbetting.com

24

Comments

  • LennonLennon Posts: 1,779
    edited February 2021

    Lennon said:

    What's the 3rd most populated island in the British Isles?

    A: Portsea Island (beating the Isle of Wight on population)

    That's a great question.
    If you want to ask the same thing in a different way you can also ask 'What's the UK's only Island City?' - to which the answer is Portsmouth - but that way you have issues with people asking what the definition of 'island city' is (No, Holyhead is not a city, No, Ely isn't technically on an island despite the 'isle of ely' name), as well as it being easier to guess as you just have to think of coastal cities that might plausibly be on an island.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,209
    MaxPB said:

    rcs1000 said:

    This is slightly misleading.

    Firstly, Germany (stupidly IMO) reserves a second dose when someone has the first. That means that - given the optimal 12 week gap - you pretty much guarantee at least half of all AZ vaccines will be unused early in the roll out.

    Secondly, there will always be vaccines in the supply chain that have been recieved but not reached distribution centres.

    Yes, Germany's roll out of AZ has been appalling, as has France's. But the numbers aren't quite as bad as they look.

    And I also don't think that demanding that companies break contractual arrangements is the smartest thing to do right now.
    Isn't that also a their own fault though, reserving half of the doses for 12 weeks seems pointless.
    As I said, "stupidly IMO" :smile:

    The point I was making was this is not entirely due to them rubbishing the AZ vaccine, and suffering the consequences, which is what one immediately thinks from readingthe Adam Tooze and Rob Ford tweets.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,477
    Lennon said:

    Lennon said:

    What's the 3rd most populated island in the British Isles?

    A: Portsea Island (beating the Isle of Wight on population)

    That's a great question.
    If you want to ask the same thing in a different way you can also ask 'What's the UK's only Island City?' - to which the answer is Portsmouth - but that way you have issues with people asking what the definition of 'island city' is (No, Holyhead is not a city, No, Ely isn't technically an island), as well as it being easier to guess as you just have to think of coastal cities that might plausibly be on an island.
    I love it how you put it, and it's backed by Google, which shouldn't matter, but will if there's the inevitable stewards enquiry!
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,421
    If you wanted a more obscure question, you could go for ‘how many Prime Ministers have been Irish?’

    But it’s rather a complicated answer and depends a bit on how you count Bonar Law and Palmerston, so I would steer clear of it.

    (The official answer is two, btw - Shelburne and Wellington. It was inadvisable to remind Wellington of this fact....)
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,410
    Which is the only football league club to have won a Rugby League Championship?
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,865
    rcs1000 said:

    MaxPB said:

    rcs1000 said:

    This is slightly misleading.

    Firstly, Germany (stupidly IMO) reserves a second dose when someone has the first. That means that - given the optimal 12 week gap - you pretty much guarantee at least half of all AZ vaccines will be unused early in the roll out.

    Secondly, there will always be vaccines in the supply chain that have been recieved but not reached distribution centres.

    Yes, Germany's roll out of AZ has been appalling, as has France's. But the numbers aren't quite as bad as they look.

    And I also don't think that demanding that companies break contractual arrangements is the smartest thing to do right now.
    Isn't that also a their own fault though, reserving half of the doses for 12 weeks seems pointless.
    As I said, "stupidly IMO" :smile:

    The point I was making was this is not entirely due to them rubbishing the AZ vaccine, and suffering the consequences, which is what one immediately thinks from readingthe Adam Tooze and Rob Ford tweets.
    Yes but I'd say the majority of it is due to their rubbishing of the vaccine. France are planning a PR war to reverse that perception, Germany will have to do the same.

    In both countries the media have been running scare stories on side effects based on a partial reporting of UK data on it. The scepticism has taken root over it and now it's going to be really difficult to unwind.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,477
    ydoethur said:

    If you wanted a more obscure question, you could go for ‘how many Prime Ministers have been Irish?’

    But it’s rather a complicated answer and depends a bit on how you count Bonar Law and Palmerston, so I would steer clear of it.

    (The official answer is two, btw - Shelburne and Wellington. It was inadvisable to remind Wellington of this fact....)

    I like that, but I've gone with Disraeli vs. Sarwar as a question to add a topical edge, so if I use that one I'll have to remove DLG, which I don't want to do.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    Since the start of the Formula One World Championship in 1950, Silverstone, Brands Hatch and which other circuit have hosted the British Grand Prix?
  • tlg86 said:

    Since the start of the Formula One World Championship in 1950, Silverstone, Brands Hatch and which other circuit have hosted the British Grand Prix?

    Aintree.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,598

    Which was Hollywood's first inter-racial pairing on screen?

    William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols.
    The answer is Mr. Bojangles and Shirley Temple:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtHvetGnOdM
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    dixiedean said:

    Which is the only football league club to have won a Rugby League Championship?

    Had to look that up - is it Bradford PA?
  • ydoethur said:

    If you wanted a more obscure question, you could go for ‘how many Prime Ministers have been Irish?’

    But it’s rather a complicated answer and depends a bit on how you count Bonar Law and Palmerston, so I would steer clear of it.

    (The official answer is two, btw - Shelburne and Wellington. It was inadvisable to remind Wellington of this fact....)

    I like that, but I've gone with Disraeli vs. Sarwar as a question to add a topical edge, so if I use that one I'll have to remove DLG, which I don't want to do.
    The idea that Jewishness means ethnic minority is contentious at best so you might want to steer clear. Disraeli was not religiously Jewish as the family had previously converted.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,410
    edited February 2021
    tlg86 said:

    dixiedean said:

    Which is the only football league club to have won a Rugby League Championship?

    Had to look that up - is it Bradford PA?
    Bradford City. As Manningham, the original champions. PA were also originally a rugby club. Both later switched to football. Manningham changed their name to get bigger crowds.
    Perhaps a better question might be which in sport did Bradford City win a national championship?
  • YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172

    Which was Hollywood's first inter-racial pairing on screen?

    William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols.
    It was in 1935.....
    What about 'Imitation of Life' (1934) & the pairing of Bea & Delilah ? They live together.
  • AC Milan were founded as a football and what other sport club?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    dixiedean said:

    tlg86 said:

    dixiedean said:

    Which is the only football league club to have won a Rugby League Championship?

    Had to look that up - is it Bradford PA?
    Bradford City. As Manningham, the original champions. PA were also originally a rugby club. Both later switched to football. Manningham changed their name to get bigger crowds.
    Perhaps a better question might be which in sport did Bradford City win a national championship?
    Does the same not apply to PA?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_(Park_Avenue)_A.F.C.#Rugby_football
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176

    AC Milan were founded as a football and what other sport club?

    Cricket.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,410
    edited February 2021

    AC Milan were founded as a football and what other sport club?

    Cricket.
    Hence not Milano.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,823

    tlg86 said:

    Newton Heath LYR was the original name of which football club?

    Bonus point for knowing what LYR stands for.

    Looked it up. Very interesting.
    Yes, a great question!
    Lanashire and Yorkshire Railway, no?

    Quite a lot of football clubs formed around railway works. Not many as successful as Newton Heath though.
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,300
    Specsavers marketing corrective solutions for French Referees.
  • tlg86 said:

    AC Milan were founded as a football and what other sport club?

    Cricket.
    dixiedean said:

    AC Milan were founded as a football and what other sport club?

    Cricket.
    Athletic and Cricket Milan.
    Hence not Milano.
    Correct.
  • MortimerMortimer Posts: 14,127
    MattW said:
    This sort of thing is particularly infuriating.

    What sort of council thinks that a bench is so dangerous?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    dixiedean said:

    AC Milan were founded as a football and what other sport club?

    Cricket.
    Athletic and Cricket Milan.
    Hence not Milano.
    It's Associazione Calcio (Association Football)
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,598
    MattW said:
    Damien Hirst should pickle a park bench in formaldehyde in homage of that.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,823

    Age related data

    image
    image
    image

    The decline in the oldies - hasn't been as much as one might have imagined. I want to believe the vaccine is working - but I'm struggling to see *that* much difference in decline between the vaccinated and unvaccinated sections of the population. Can anyone reassure me?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    Genoa have cricket in their name:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genoa_C.F.C.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,410
    tlg86 said:

    dixiedean said:

    tlg86 said:

    dixiedean said:

    Which is the only football league club to have won a Rugby League Championship?

    Had to look that up - is it Bradford PA?
    Bradford City. As Manningham, the original champions. PA were also originally a rugby club. Both later switched to football. Manningham changed their name to get bigger crowds.
    Perhaps a better question might be which in sport did Bradford City win a national championship?
    Does the same not apply to PA?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_(Park_Avenue)_A.F.C.#Rugby_football
    Gosh. You are right. Always assumed that was the Bradford Northern version. In my defence, I did ask which football league club...
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,356
    Cookie said:

    Age related data

    image
    image
    image

    The decline in the oldies - hasn't been as much as one might have imagined. I want to believe the vaccine is working - but I'm struggling to see *that* much difference in decline between the vaccinated and unvaccinated sections of the population. Can anyone reassure me?
    We are just getting into the zone where the *cases* for the will start cratering for the wrinkles

    Note the faster descent for 85+ and 75-84 in the last graph.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,209
    tlg86 said:

    dixiedean said:

    AC Milan were founded as a football and what other sport club?

    Cricket.
    Athletic and Cricket Milan.
    Hence not Milano.
    It's Associazione Calcio (Association Football)
    This is correct.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    dixiedean said:

    tlg86 said:

    dixiedean said:

    tlg86 said:

    dixiedean said:

    Which is the only football league club to have won a Rugby League Championship?

    Had to look that up - is it Bradford PA?
    Bradford City. As Manningham, the original champions. PA were also originally a rugby club. Both later switched to football. Manningham changed their name to get bigger crowds.
    Perhaps a better question might be which in sport did Bradford City win a national championship?
    Does the same not apply to PA?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_(Park_Avenue)_A.F.C.#Rugby_football
    Gosh. You are right. Always assumed that was the Bradford Northern version. In my defence, I did ask which football league club...
    Add "current" to the question and you're right.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,410
    tlg86 said:

    Genoa have cricket in their name:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genoa_C.F.C.

    You are correcting my vaguely and inaccurately remembered sports trivia in a very efficient manner. ;)
  • tlg86 said:

    dixiedean said:

    AC Milan were founded as a football and what other sport club?

    Cricket.
    Athletic and Cricket Milan.
    Hence not Milano.
    It's Associazione Calcio (Association Football)
    Mussolini made them change it to that (and Milano).
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,438

    MattW said:
    Damien Hirst should pickle a park bench in formaldehyde in homage of that.
    From the data there are about two cases in the whole of bath. Madness.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 51,693
    Cookie said:

    Age related data

    image
    image
    image

    The decline in the oldies - hasn't been as much as one might have imagined. I want to believe the vaccine is working - but I'm struggling to see *that* much difference in decline between the vaccinated and unvaccinated sections of the population. Can anyone reassure me?
    Remember that a lot of higher-risk people in lower age bands have been vaccinated too.
  • stodgestodge Posts: 13,893
    Evening all :)

    The question of what to do with ex-leaders is a hardy perennial for political parties everywhere.

    The Conservatives have John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Cameron and Theresa May in their ex-leaders club and they have certainly played very different roles since ceasing to be leader whether in support of or criticising the current leadership.

    Labour have Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn and that's not been problem-free either.

    It's easier when the ex-leader never got to the top job but when you have a former Prime Minister and Cabinet colleague behind you (as Thatcher had with Heath and Johnson does with May), it's even more problematic as the former Prime Minister is able to bring their own gravitas to the subject.

    So much depends on whether the party itself has moved on - seven years after her departure, Thatcher's endorsement of William Hague proved significant in 1997. She had a much longer shadow over the Party than Blair or Brown had on Labour.

    Indeed, parties are often very quick to move on from some leaders as the mood of the party changes abruptly but in the case of the GOP let's not forget the wounds are still open and the body warm. In 1990, some Conservative associations threatened to deselect MPs who voted against Thatcher but a more pragmatic approach prevailed. Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters? In a sense, that's the difference between a party and a faction.

    It's the same question all parties confront - what is the price of power?
  • MortimerMortimer Posts: 14,127

    Cookie said:

    Age related data

    image
    image
    image

    The decline in the oldies - hasn't been as much as one might have imagined. I want to believe the vaccine is working - but I'm struggling to see *that* much difference in decline between the vaccinated and unvaccinated sections of the population. Can anyone reassure me?
    Remember that a lot of higher-risk people in lower age bands have been vaccinated too.
    And also that cases are the better indicator here - because admissions and (especially) deaths are such a lagging indicator.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    It is a shame that the Italians don't play cricket. Would make for a very nice tour.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,598
    edited February 2021

    Which was Hollywood's first inter-racial pairing on screen?

    William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols.
    It was in 1935.....
    What about 'Imitation of Life' (1934) & the pairing of Bea & Delilah ? They live together.
    Not a man and a women. So nothing for the censor to get het up about in 1934! (They still tried....)
  • YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172
    HYUFD said:
    Let's hope the dog Dilyn is taking a celebratory & exuberant crap on Boris' carpet, after many hours of holding it because of excitement.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,108
    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    The question of what to do with ex-leaders is a hardy perennial for political parties everywhere.

    The Conservatives have John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Cameron and Theresa May in their ex-leaders club and they have certainly played very different roles since ceasing to be leader whether in support of or criticising the current leadership.

    Labour have Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn and that's not been problem-free either.

    It's easier when the ex-leader never got to the top job but when you have a former Prime Minister and Cabinet colleague behind you (as Thatcher had with Heath and Johnson does with May), it's even more problematic as the former Prime Minister is able to bring their own gravitas to the subject.

    So much depends on whether the party itself has moved on - seven years after her departure, Thatcher's endorsement of William Hague proved significant in 1997. She had a much longer shadow over the Party than Blair or Brown had on Labour.

    Indeed, parties are often very quick to move on from some leaders as the mood of the party changes abruptly but in the case of the GOP let's not forget the wounds are still open and the body warm. In 1990, some Conservative associations threatened to deselect MPs who voted against Thatcher but a more pragmatic approach prevailed. Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters? In a sense, that's the difference between a party and a faction.

    It's the same question all parties confront - what is the price of power?

    Trump could be as influential on the GOP as Thatcher was after her fall from power, even if he does not run again his endorsement will be key for whoever gets the nomination as Thatcher's endorsement was to Major, Hague and IDS when they won the Tory leadership
  • tlg86 said:

    It is a shame that the Italians don't play cricket. Would make for a very nice tour.

    They do.

    I know a few clubs do go tours to Italy to play against Italian sides.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy_national_cricket_team
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,410
    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters?

    Great question. Tough for a pub quiz though...
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,438

    Cookie said:

    Age related data

    image
    image
    image

    The decline in the oldies - hasn't been as much as one might have imagined. I want to believe the vaccine is working - but I'm struggling to see *that* much difference in decline between the vaccinated and unvaccinated sections of the population. Can anyone reassure me?
    Remember that a lot of higher-risk people in lower age bands have been vaccinated too.
    Plus lag. We have single dosed nearly 20 million people, but many won’t have had a lot of time to develop significant immunity, and then not get infected, if that makes sense. It’s also set against the effects of the lockdown, so cases are falling for every group. The key stats to watch are deaths and hospitalisation. I think soon we will be at quite low deaths, and once the current tranche of patients exit hospital, the Covid wards will scale back significantly.
  • stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    The question of what to do with ex-leaders is a hardy perennial for political parties everywhere.

    The Conservatives have John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Cameron and Theresa May in their ex-leaders club and they have certainly played very different roles since ceasing to be leader whether in support of or criticising the current leadership.

    Labour have Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn and that's not been problem-free either.

    It's easier when the ex-leader never got to the top job but when you have a former Prime Minister and Cabinet colleague behind you (as Thatcher had with Heath and Johnson does with May), it's even more problematic as the former Prime Minister is able to bring their own gravitas to the subject.

    So much depends on whether the party itself has moved on - seven years after her departure, Thatcher's endorsement of William Hague proved significant in 1997. She had a much longer shadow over the Party than Blair or Brown had on Labour.

    Indeed, parties are often very quick to move on from some leaders as the mood of the party changes abruptly but in the case of the GOP let's not forget the wounds are still open and the body warm. In 1990, some Conservative associations threatened to deselect MPs who voted against Thatcher but a more pragmatic approach prevailed. Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters? In a sense, that's the difference between a party and a faction.

    It's the same question all parties confront - what is the price of power?

    Most ex PMs have in recent years had the quiet dignity to leave the political scene behind.

    Sadly not Theresa May.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176

    tlg86 said:

    It is a shame that the Italians don't play cricket. Would make for a very nice tour.

    They do.

    I know a few clubs do go tours to Italy to play against Italian sides.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy_national_cricket_team
    Nice. On a similar note, Christian Vieri's first love was cricket:

    https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2022977
  • YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172

    Which was Hollywood's first inter-racial pairing on screen?

    William Shatner and Nichelle Nichols.
    It was in 1935.....
    What about 'Imitation of Life' (1934) & the pairing of Bea & Delilah ? They live together.
    Not a man and a women. So nothing for the censor to get het up about in 1934! (They still tried....)
    But, certainly a pairing. Shall we say a very intense business pairing, at minimum?

    Of course, the censors were very much more worried about Delilah's fair-skinned child, and the encouragement of "miscegnation".
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,410
    edited February 2021

    tlg86 said:

    It is a shame that the Italians don't play cricket. Would make for a very nice tour.

    They do.

    I know a few clubs do go tours to Italy to play against Italian sides.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy_national_cricket_team
    Christian Vieri was a decent all rounder (he grew up in Oz).
    He was asked at a presser who his sporting hero was.
    Told bemused Italian journalists about Allan Border at great length.

    Edit. I give up. @tlg86 is all over me with the quick tap penalties.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    dixiedean said:

    tlg86 said:

    It is a shame that the Italians don't play cricket. Would make for a very nice tour.

    They do.

    I know a few clubs do go tours to Italy to play against Italian sides.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy_national_cricket_team
    Christian Vieri was a decent all rounder (he grew up in Oz).
    He was asked at a presser who his sporting hero was.
    Told bemused Italian journalists about Allan Border at great length.

    Edit. I give up. @tlg86 is all over me with the quick tap penalties.
    Sorry! I actually didn't know about this until this week.
  • LennonLennon Posts: 1,779
    Cookie said:

    tlg86 said:

    Newton Heath LYR was the original name of which football club?

    Bonus point for knowing what LYR stands for.

    Looked it up. Very interesting.
    Yes, a great question!
    Lanashire and Yorkshire Railway, no?

    Quite a lot of football clubs formed around railway works. Not many as successful as Newton Heath though.
    Presumably the historic railway link is why there are so many Man Utd fans from outside Manchester... ;)
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 10,770

    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    The question of what to do with ex-leaders is a hardy perennial for political parties everywhere.

    The Conservatives have John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Cameron and Theresa May in their ex-leaders club and they have certainly played very different roles since ceasing to be leader whether in support of or criticising the current leadership.

    Labour have Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn and that's not been problem-free either.

    It's easier when the ex-leader never got to the top job but when you have a former Prime Minister and Cabinet colleague behind you (as Thatcher had with Heath and Johnson does with May), it's even more problematic as the former Prime Minister is able to bring their own gravitas to the subject.

    So much depends on whether the party itself has moved on - seven years after her departure, Thatcher's endorsement of William Hague proved significant in 1997. She had a much longer shadow over the Party than Blair or Brown had on Labour.

    Indeed, parties are often very quick to move on from some leaders as the mood of the party changes abruptly but in the case of the GOP let's not forget the wounds are still open and the body warm. In 1990, some Conservative associations threatened to deselect MPs who voted against Thatcher but a more pragmatic approach prevailed. Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters? In a sense, that's the difference between a party and a faction.

    It's the same question all parties confront - what is the price of power?

    Most ex PMs have in recent years had the quiet dignity to leave the political scene behind.

    Sadly not Theresa May.
    You can see that she might think that she never really got a chance.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    Omnium said:

    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    The question of what to do with ex-leaders is a hardy perennial for political parties everywhere.

    The Conservatives have John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Cameron and Theresa May in their ex-leaders club and they have certainly played very different roles since ceasing to be leader whether in support of or criticising the current leadership.

    Labour have Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn and that's not been problem-free either.

    It's easier when the ex-leader never got to the top job but when you have a former Prime Minister and Cabinet colleague behind you (as Thatcher had with Heath and Johnson does with May), it's even more problematic as the former Prime Minister is able to bring their own gravitas to the subject.

    So much depends on whether the party itself has moved on - seven years after her departure, Thatcher's endorsement of William Hague proved significant in 1997. She had a much longer shadow over the Party than Blair or Brown had on Labour.

    Indeed, parties are often very quick to move on from some leaders as the mood of the party changes abruptly but in the case of the GOP let's not forget the wounds are still open and the body warm. In 1990, some Conservative associations threatened to deselect MPs who voted against Thatcher but a more pragmatic approach prevailed. Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters? In a sense, that's the difference between a party and a faction.

    It's the same question all parties confront - what is the price of power?

    Most ex PMs have in recent years had the quiet dignity to leave the political scene behind.

    Sadly not Theresa May.
    You can see that she might think that she never really got a chance.
    Err, no! She was PM with a majority and voluntarily gave it up.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,823

    Cookie said:

    Age related data

    image
    image
    image

    The decline in the oldies - hasn't been as much as one might have imagined. I want to believe the vaccine is working - but I'm struggling to see *that* much difference in decline between the vaccinated and unvaccinated sections of the population. Can anyone reassure me?
    Remember that a lot of higher-risk people in lower age bands have been vaccinated too.
    True. But I would have expected 'cases' among the oldies to have declined almost to nothing, in comparison to the others. I would expect almost all cases now to be among the under 65s. Instead of which decline among the oldies has been by a bit more - but not an overwhelming amount more - than other age groups.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,438
    Cookie said:

    Cookie said:

    Age related data

    image
    image
    image

    The decline in the oldies - hasn't been as much as one might have imagined. I want to believe the vaccine is working - but I'm struggling to see *that* much difference in decline between the vaccinated and unvaccinated sections of the population. Can anyone reassure me?
    Remember that a lot of higher-risk people in lower age bands have been vaccinated too.
    True. But I would have expected 'cases' among the oldies to have declined almost to nothing, in comparison to the others. I would expect almost all cases now to be among the under 65s. Instead of which decline among the oldies has been by a bit more - but not an overwhelming amount more - than other age groups.
    The oldies will mount a lower response to the jab as their immune system is less good. The effect will come through.
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 10,770
    tlg86 said:

    Omnium said:

    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    The question of what to do with ex-leaders is a hardy perennial for political parties everywhere.

    The Conservatives have John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Cameron and Theresa May in their ex-leaders club and they have certainly played very different roles since ceasing to be leader whether in support of or criticising the current leadership.

    Labour have Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn and that's not been problem-free either.

    It's easier when the ex-leader never got to the top job but when you have a former Prime Minister and Cabinet colleague behind you (as Thatcher had with Heath and Johnson does with May), it's even more problematic as the former Prime Minister is able to bring their own gravitas to the subject.

    So much depends on whether the party itself has moved on - seven years after her departure, Thatcher's endorsement of William Hague proved significant in 1997. She had a much longer shadow over the Party than Blair or Brown had on Labour.

    Indeed, parties are often very quick to move on from some leaders as the mood of the party changes abruptly but in the case of the GOP let's not forget the wounds are still open and the body warm. In 1990, some Conservative associations threatened to deselect MPs who voted against Thatcher but a more pragmatic approach prevailed. Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters? In a sense, that's the difference between a party and a faction.

    It's the same question all parties confront - what is the price of power?

    Most ex PMs have in recent years had the quiet dignity to leave the political scene behind.

    Sadly not Theresa May.
    You can see that she might think that she never really got a chance.
    Err, no! She was PM with a majority and voluntarily gave it up.
    Sure. but there's no doubt that external factors were far more important.

    I'm no May fan.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,213
    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters?

    Neither.
    There’s no ideology; just an idol at whose feet they worship.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/man-who-refused-bow/618156/
    ... “I don’t have a constitutional duty to defend against a guy that is a jerk and maybe says some things I don’t like,” Kinzinger told me, explaining what had pushed him to finally break with the president. “I do when he’s getting ready to destroy democracy—and we saw that culminate on January 6th.”

    This was the sort of language a number of Republicans used in the immediate aftermath of the riot. “The president bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said on January 13. But by the end of the month, McCarthy was traveling hat in hand to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump.

    “I was really pissed—I wasn’t surprised, but I was really upset,” Kinzinger said. “And to have seen it in just such a short amount of time go from ‘Donald Trump bears blame’ to ‘I’m going to go down and kiss the ring’ because you want to win your speakership. I mean, really? It’s that important? For what?”...


  • stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    The question of what to do with ex-leaders is a hardy perennial for political parties everywhere.

    The Conservatives have John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Cameron and Theresa May in their ex-leaders club and they have certainly played very different roles since ceasing to be leader whether in support of or criticising the current leadership.

    Labour have Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn and that's not been problem-free either.

    It's easier when the ex-leader never got to the top job but when you have a former Prime Minister and Cabinet colleague behind you (as Thatcher had with Heath and Johnson does with May), it's even more problematic as the former Prime Minister is able to bring their own gravitas to the subject.

    So much depends on whether the party itself has moved on - seven years after her departure, Thatcher's endorsement of William Hague proved significant in 1997. She had a much longer shadow over the Party than Blair or Brown had on Labour.

    Indeed, parties are often very quick to move on from some leaders as the mood of the party changes abruptly but in the case of the GOP let's not forget the wounds are still open and the body warm. In 1990, some Conservative associations threatened to deselect MPs who voted against Thatcher but a more pragmatic approach prevailed. Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters? In a sense, that's the difference between a party and a faction.

    It's the same question all parties confront - what is the price of power?

    Most ex PMs have in recent years had the quiet dignity to leave the political scene behind.

    Sadly not Theresa May.
    Gordon Brown and John Major kept their own counsel. Mr Heath, Mrs Thatcher and Tony Blair, not so much.
  • tlg86 said:

    Omnium said:

    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    The question of what to do with ex-leaders is a hardy perennial for political parties everywhere.

    The Conservatives have John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Cameron and Theresa May in their ex-leaders club and they have certainly played very different roles since ceasing to be leader whether in support of or criticising the current leadership.

    Labour have Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn and that's not been problem-free either.

    It's easier when the ex-leader never got to the top job but when you have a former Prime Minister and Cabinet colleague behind you (as Thatcher had with Heath and Johnson does with May), it's even more problematic as the former Prime Minister is able to bring their own gravitas to the subject.

    So much depends on whether the party itself has moved on - seven years after her departure, Thatcher's endorsement of William Hague proved significant in 1997. She had a much longer shadow over the Party than Blair or Brown had on Labour.

    Indeed, parties are often very quick to move on from some leaders as the mood of the party changes abruptly but in the case of the GOP let's not forget the wounds are still open and the body warm. In 1990, some Conservative associations threatened to deselect MPs who voted against Thatcher but a more pragmatic approach prevailed. Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters? In a sense, that's the difference between a party and a faction.

    It's the same question all parties confront - what is the price of power?

    Most ex PMs have in recent years had the quiet dignity to leave the political scene behind.

    Sadly not Theresa May.
    You can see that she might think that she never really got a chance.
    Err, no! She was PM with a majority and voluntarily gave it up.
    Although she didn’t have a majority. She needlessly lost 13 seats at the 2017 General Election and lost the majority she had inherited.

    She was forced into a supply and demand coalition with the unionists.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    Smithers said:

    tlg86 said:

    Omnium said:

    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    The question of what to do with ex-leaders is a hardy perennial for political parties everywhere.

    The Conservatives have John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Cameron and Theresa May in their ex-leaders club and they have certainly played very different roles since ceasing to be leader whether in support of or criticising the current leadership.

    Labour have Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn and that's not been problem-free either.

    It's easier when the ex-leader never got to the top job but when you have a former Prime Minister and Cabinet colleague behind you (as Thatcher had with Heath and Johnson does with May), it's even more problematic as the former Prime Minister is able to bring their own gravitas to the subject.

    So much depends on whether the party itself has moved on - seven years after her departure, Thatcher's endorsement of William Hague proved significant in 1997. She had a much longer shadow over the Party than Blair or Brown had on Labour.

    Indeed, parties are often very quick to move on from some leaders as the mood of the party changes abruptly but in the case of the GOP let's not forget the wounds are still open and the body warm. In 1990, some Conservative associations threatened to deselect MPs who voted against Thatcher but a more pragmatic approach prevailed. Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters? In a sense, that's the difference between a party and a faction.

    It's the same question all parties confront - what is the price of power?

    Most ex PMs have in recent years had the quiet dignity to leave the political scene behind.

    Sadly not Theresa May.
    You can see that she might think that she never really got a chance.
    Err, no! She was PM with a majority and voluntarily gave it up.
    Although she didn’t have a majority. She needlessly lost 13 seats at the 2017 General Election and lost the majority she had inherited.

    She was forced into a supply and demand coalition with the unionists.
    Sorry, I meant she gave up the majority by calling the election.

    What must really annoy her is that things could not have worked out so well for Boris without that election.
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 10,770

    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    The question of what to do with ex-leaders is a hardy perennial for political parties everywhere.

    The Conservatives have John Major, William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith, Michael Howard, David Cameron and Theresa May in their ex-leaders club and they have certainly played very different roles since ceasing to be leader whether in support of or criticising the current leadership.

    Labour have Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn and that's not been problem-free either.

    It's easier when the ex-leader never got to the top job but when you have a former Prime Minister and Cabinet colleague behind you (as Thatcher had with Heath and Johnson does with May), it's even more problematic as the former Prime Minister is able to bring their own gravitas to the subject.

    So much depends on whether the party itself has moved on - seven years after her departure, Thatcher's endorsement of William Hague proved significant in 1997. She had a much longer shadow over the Party than Blair or Brown had on Labour.

    Indeed, parties are often very quick to move on from some leaders as the mood of the party changes abruptly but in the case of the GOP let's not forget the wounds are still open and the body warm. In 1990, some Conservative associations threatened to deselect MPs who voted against Thatcher but a more pragmatic approach prevailed. Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters? In a sense, that's the difference between a party and a faction.

    It's the same question all parties confront - what is the price of power?

    Most ex PMs have in recent years had the quiet dignity to leave the political scene behind.

    Sadly not Theresa May.
    Gordon Brown and John Major kept their own counsel. Mr Heath, Mrs Thatcher and Tony Blair, not so much.
    Brown is happy to pontificate wherever they'll have him.

    Cameron has done very well to keep quiet (Given the special Brexit circumstances).

    Heath was very quiet, Thatcher, given the circumstances, astonishingly so. Major never really had that much to say anyway.

    Blair - history has been unkind.
  • My fav quiz question is

    What decade saw the last US Civil War pension paid?
  • EPGEPG Posts: 6,652
    edited February 2021

    My fav quiz question is

    What decade saw the last US Civil War pension paid?

    Presumably a late marriage to a young bride or possibly a war widow.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,380
    Off topic.

    Get rid of one dimensional Eddie Jones.

    RFU, make that call to Shaun Edwards!
  • Dont know if this has been mentioned before but Starmer saying it was terrible Serco was paying dividend was stupid and arrogant as well. With universal pension schemes for all employment many low paid workers will have shares in it for a start and secondly why shoudn't it pay a dividend? Thats what private companies do. If he thinks they messed up track and trace then say they should be sued for it not attack the completely normal way private companies give cash back to shareholders
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,486

    Off topic.

    Get rid of one dimensional Eddie Jones.

    RFU, make that call to Shaun Edwards!

    Agreed. We are boring and actually quite shit. Surprised more people haven’t realised this.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,126
    rcs1000 said:

    Here's a really tough one.

    Brigham Young is Utah's famously Mormon University. It is no surprise that both of Utah's Senators, Mitt Romney and Mike Lee, are graduates.

    But two other US Senators are graduates. Can you name either of them?

    Expecting British people to know 4 US Senators itself seems unreasonable - they're supposed to have some chance.
  • EPG said:

    My fav quiz question is

    What decade saw the last US Civil War pension paid?

    Presumably a late marriage to a young bride or possibly a war widow.
    I think the year is 2016 (according to toptenz on youtube- 10 facts that will seem wrong (or something like that ) ) a kid of a young wife of a veteren.
  • Seem UK is now started giving Moderna jabs...
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,126
    Nigelb said:

    stodge said:

    Evening all :)

    Has the GOP got any sense of pragmatism or is ideological purity all that matters?

    Neither.
    There’s no ideology; just an idol at whose feet they worship.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/man-who-refused-bow/618156/
    ... “I don’t have a constitutional duty to defend against a guy that is a jerk and maybe says some things I don’t like,” Kinzinger told me, explaining what had pushed him to finally break with the president. “I do when he’s getting ready to destroy democracy—and we saw that culminate on January 6th.”

    This was the sort of language a number of Republicans used in the immediate aftermath of the riot. “The president bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said on January 13. But by the end of the month, McCarthy was traveling hat in hand to Mar-a-Lago to meet with Trump.

    “I was really pissed—I wasn’t surprised, but I was really upset,” Kinzinger said. “And to have seen it in just such a short amount of time go from ‘Donald Trump bears blame’ to ‘I’m going to go down and kiss the ring’ because you want to win your speakership. I mean, really? It’s that important? For what?”...


    Quite - is dignity worth that much, even if you don't have any actual values?
  • Justin incoming in 5...4...3....2...1....to tell.us it is still a good poll for Labour because of a similar situation in 1894.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,083
    edited February 2021

    Off topic.

    Get rid of one dimensional Eddie Jones.

    RFU, make that call to Shaun Edwards!

    Agreed. We are boring and actually quite shit. Surprised more people haven’t realised this.
    The box kick....again and again and again....today wasn't the worst for that, but since the WC, that has been England's gameplan.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 4,939
    malcolmg said:

    FTP


    Fairliered said:

    » show previous quotes
    The senior SNP people are likely to be staffers, rather than MPs or MSPs. People like Peter Murrell and Sue Ruddick.

    Fairlie surely you know well some of the close circle involved, more than staffers involved in this conspiracy.

    Agreed, but I think Alex will want to get rid of the hired help. The others he can deal with sepatately.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,209
    kle4 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Here's a really tough one.

    Brigham Young is Utah's famously Mormon University. It is no surprise that both of Utah's Senators, Mitt Romney and Mike Lee, are graduates.

    But two other US Senators are graduates. Can you name either of them?

    Expecting British people to know 4 US Senators itself seems unreasonable - they're supposed to have some chance.
    OK.

    This question'll help.

    Utah has the highest proportion of Mormons of any US states. What are numbers two and three?
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,541
    Which current Premier League team won the Kent Junior Cup in 1890, their first silverware?
  • Pro_RataPro_Rata Posts: 5,288
    tlg86 said:

    dixiedean said:

    tlg86 said:

    It is a shame that the Italians don't play cricket. Would make for a very nice tour.

    They do.

    I know a few clubs do go tours to Italy to play against Italian sides.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy_national_cricket_team
    Christian Vieri was a decent all rounder (he grew up in Oz).
    He was asked at a presser who his sporting hero was.
    Told bemused Italian journalists about Allan Border at great length.

    Edit. I give up. @tlg86 is all over me with the quick tap penalties.
    Sorry! I actually didn't know about this until this week.
    Check Wikipedia, but IIRC I'm sure a number of the big historic Italian football teams were founded in part as cricket clubs. Genoa and AC spring to mind.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,126

    Off topic.

    Get rid of one dimensional Eddie Jones.

    RFU, make that call to Shaun Edwards!

    Agreed. We are boring and actually quite shit. Surprised more people haven’t realised this.
    Some people take that as a motto for life.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,486

    Off topic.

    Get rid of one dimensional Eddie Jones.

    RFU, make that call to Shaun Edwards!

    Agreed. We are boring and actually quite shit. Surprised more people haven’t realised this.
    The box kick....again and again and again....today wasn't the worst for that, but since the WC, that has been England's gameplan.
    It’s predictable and dull.

    Eddie Jones most go. We are a dour team.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,870
    edited February 2021
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    DougSeal said:

    Which current Premier League team won the Kent Junior Cup in 1890, their first silverware?

    Arsenal?
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 12,541
    tlg86 said:

    DougSeal said:

    Which current Premier League team won the Kent Junior Cup in 1890, their first silverware?

    Arsenal?
    You win Bully’s special prize!
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,209

    My fav quiz question is

    What decade saw the last US Civil War pension paid?

    1980s?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,083
    edited February 2021

    Off topic.

    Get rid of one dimensional Eddie Jones.

    RFU, make that call to Shaun Edwards!

    Agreed. We are boring and actually quite shit. Surprised more people haven’t realised this.
    The box kick....again and again and again....today wasn't the worst for that, but since the WC, that has been England's gameplan.
    It’s predictable and dull.

    Eddie Jones most go. We are a dour team.
    England on field are clearly leaderless / thickos....today it was absolutely crystal clear old French ref would give a penalty against the defending team for merely breathing on the opposition player, so it was vitally important to be the ones with the ball as much as possible. What did England do, kicccccccccckkkkkkk.....rather than go through the phases for a couple of minutes, until old Pierre the ref decided he hadn't been involved.enough and finds a penalty.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,209
    edited February 2021

    My fav quiz question is

    What decade saw the last US Civil War pension paid?

    The last Union pensioner was Albert Woolson who died in 1956, but that was not the end of Civil War pensions. The last known widow died in 2008 and there were still at least two dependents receiving benefits in 2012.

  • Pro_RataPro_Rata Posts: 5,288
    Pro_Rata said:

    tlg86 said:

    dixiedean said:

    tlg86 said:

    It is a shame that the Italians don't play cricket. Would make for a very nice tour.

    They do.

    I know a few clubs do go tours to Italy to play against Italian sides.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy_national_cricket_team
    Christian Vieri was a decent all rounder (he grew up in Oz).
    He was asked at a presser who his sporting hero was.
    Told bemused Italian journalists about Allan Border at great length.

    Edit. I give up. @tlg86 is all over me with the quick tap penalties.
    Sorry! I actually didn't know about this until this week.
    Check Wikipedia, but IIRC I'm sure a number of the big historic Italian football teams were founded in part as cricket clubs. Genoa and AC spring to mind.
    Indeed (apologies my edit button still just greys everything).

    https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/how-italy-s-football-giants-began-as-cricket-clubs
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,126
    It's easy to lose track of which country he is PM of, admittedly.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,209

    Seem UK is now started giving Moderna jabs...

    I'm slightly surprised, because the US has an export ban, and (AIUI) the Swiss plant producing Moderna is still in ramp up.

    Maybe it's an early batch. Good news, nonetheless.

    (The Swiss plant is due to reach 800,000 doses per day by the end of April.)
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,676
    edited February 2021

    Justin incoming in 5...4...3....2...1....to tell.us it is still a good poll for Labour because of a similar situation in 1894.
    SKS fans please explain

    Labour going backward in every poll.

    Dont blame me I voted Nandy (DBMIVN)
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    France shares its longest land border with which country?
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,870
    edited February 2021
    tlg86 said:

    France shares its longest land border with which country?

    Brazil Russia
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,421
    tlg86 said:

    France shares its longest land border with which country?

    Spain?
  • Belgium.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,126
    ydoethur said:

    tlg86 said:

    France shares its longest land border with which country?

    Spain?
    Too easy - got to be one of the overseas territories, seen as part of France proper. Guyana?
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 36,001
    dixiedean said:

    Which is the only football league club to have won a Rugby League Championship?

    Rangers are named after a rugby club...
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,209
    kle4 said:

    ydoethur said:

    tlg86 said:

    France shares its longest land border with which country?

    Spain?
    Too easy - got to be one of the overseas territories, seen as part of France proper. Guyana?
    Brazil?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,083
    edited February 2021

    Justin incoming in 5...4...3....2...1....to tell.us it is still a good poll for Labour because of a similar situation in 1894.
    SKS fans please explain

    Labour going backward in every poll.

    Dont blame me I voted Nandy (DBMIVN)
    Its far from over for Gordon Brittas lookalikey....Boris is still useless and COVID has cost the country a small fortune and the economic fallout will scar the nation for years to come.
This discussion has been closed.