Howdy, Stranger!

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

Sending best wishes to PBer JohnO – politicalbetting.com

12357

Comments

  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,134
    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    isam said:

    isam said:

    isam said:

    David Herdson on Boris’s 16 point best PM lead in today’s YouGov

    “These are dreadful results for Starmer, much worse than last time the gap was this big.

    Then, he had much more scope to create an impression with the public. Now, the impression has already been formed and will be much harder to shift - not least because it's probably right.”

    https://twitter.com/davidherdson/status/1396059844474458112?s=21

    Just wait until he does Piers Moron....20 point poll bounce incoming.
    That will be a proper bit of ‘can’t watch tv’
    Will be interesting to see what ratings it gets. That show has been losing viewership for quite a while now.
    Who will watch, other than some of the 24% who like him? If they all did the ratings would be pretty good I suppose, without changing his levels

    Political journalists will too. I can’t see what’s so interesting about his life that you’d want to make a show about it. Private School, Uni, more uni, Lawyer, knighthood, unpopular, boring politician. Hardly a rollercoaster.

    I was about to say I’m surprised Farage hadn’t done it, but of course he has!

    https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/24/piers-morgans-life-stories-review-not-a-bad-interview-if-you-can-stomach-it
    Let go of the hate. If he bounces back you'll need hospital treatment. Don't risk it.
    No hate here for man like Sir Keir! If he bounces back, good for him
    You fool no-one. Well you probably do, but not me. You have really taken against the guy. He epitomises something for you. Something that gets your goat. It's to do with upward mobility and moral rectitude.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,405
    gealbhan said:

    The Sunday Times story.

    Does Boris end up in the history books as initially wanting herd immunity when the pandemic began, hence the high number of deaths?

    Interesting. Without vaccines this was a way through this. Horrific though it would have been. We’ve done it before, in pretty much every pandemic since the dawn of time.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    While we're talking of gayness and music, can I recommend Elton John's "Me", possibly one of the best celebrity autobiographies I have ever read. Up there with William Goldman, David Niven - but better than them

    Mind-boggling gossip, and extremely funny. It is also explains why he is possibly the most successful solo star of all time, and his bravery in being Out and gay so early.

    He's a dude, the book is superb

    That’s been sitting behind my tv cabinet unread, along with Andrew Ridgey’s book, for about 18 months!

    Along with every other book I’ve bought in the last three years other than ‘The Great Betrayal’ by Ian Smith, and ‘Treasure Island’

    *and ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’ which I lent to my Dad
    I entreat you to read it. I bet you will be laughing out loud within 10 pages. It is dazzling, and OMFG the stories. Why is it to entertaining to read of someone fucking up everything in a haze of cocaine, booze, and rent boys, possibly involving the Queen Mother? I dunno, but it is. I guess we all love gossip

    To be fair it does decline once he goes sober (sober people are just a bit more boring) but even then it is excellent - as against brilliant

    It's a world class autobiography, and he has led a life unmatched by any

    I will read it... just no time!

    Funny you type this just as a wild mate of mine who has been in AA for about ten years is what’s apping that he is struggling

    In his mad days he once went into a Romford brass house, off his head on gear and booze, and shagged every one of them, then left his Oyster card, work tools and wallet behind and his long suffering dad had to go pick them up the next day!

    As another mate said ‘how I wish I had that lack of self control’!!
    As a prodigious musical genius, Elton John is up there with Mozart. He is basically the gay-clown-shoes-wearing Mozart of our time. I never realised the scale of his achievement until I read his book

    AND he had sex with 10,000 people and sniffed metric tonnes of coke, and then got properly serious with the booze and strippers, while buying entire villages and chateaux

    I salute him
    The ‘Star Stories’ show about him is hilarious

    https://www.channel4.com/programmes/star-stories/on-demand/45162-001
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,011
    Diana Bashir spilling over into the Sunday papers. Day 5 of this rubbish.
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    edited May 2021
    Leon said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Leon said:

    rcs1000 said:

    MaxPB said:

    tlg86 said:

    Israel going ultra-woke with a lady of colour :lol:

    UK is favourite to come last but based on Oddschecker, the money for the wooden spoon is pouring on Germany and Israel.
    I actually thought the Israel entry was half-decent. But I guess they won't be getting many votes from the public.
    Nah, Palestine doesn't get a lot of sympathy outside of a the Anglo Saxon lefty world.
    You sure? 138 of 193 UN members recognise a Palestinian state. None of them Anglo-Saxon...

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_recognition_of_the_State_of_Palestine#/media/File:Palestine_recognition_only.svg

    100+ member of FIFA have just voted to consider holding the World Cup biennially. That doesn’t make it right.
    So, are you saying Palestine shouldn't exist as a state?

    Ok. In which case, the people who live there must be Israelis, and therefore should be accorded the same rights as other Israeli citizens.
    This is the terrible logic Israel must face

    Either it allows Palestinians sovereignty, or it goes the whole hog and becomes an apartheid state, in a single state with lower class Arab citizens (it is already horribly close).

    Or it expels all the Palestinians from Palestine, and maybe Israeli Arabs as well

    It is hideous choice, but they have made it this way, by insisting on a Jewish state allowing only Jewish immigration and a lesser status for Arabs
    Yes. It's an ugly choice.

    And expelling millions of people from lands where they were born, who have no other nationality, is nothing less than ethnic cleansing on a massive scale.

    Israel's best option was always to have a Palestinian state that was dependent on it. But the settler movement has made a viable Palestinian state a near impossibility.
    Yes, somehow Israel took the wrong fork in the road, in the 1970s or 80s, when it still had massive international sympathy, as the plucky little country. Now it is the Evil Oppressor, and that generally doesn't end well
    Or is it

    A) once their opponents visited UN with pistol in their apparel now it’s slick publicrelations spin
    B because of E.T. Opponents now fight asymmetric away from battlefields making it harder for decisive victories?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,647

    kle4 said:

    Can I separate the sheep from the goats by asking all those who think the UK’s Eurovision entry will do badly because the nasssty EUssssr hatessss ussss rather than it being crap to put their hands up?

    Get well soon JohnO.

    A good or bad song can break free of things a bit, as it is hardly a universal rule, but I don't think it is controversial or partisan that people have historically noted some pretty obvious geopolitical points scoring in Eurovision over the years. As an attempt at trolling goes it is a bit below standard. But you can fall back on saying the answer is obsessed with you or something (as you simultaneously seek out idiot unionists online for us all to laugh at)
    Perhaps, but a lot of what people take to be politics is often just regional musical trends, and on that note, keep an eye on where there are large ex-pat communities.
    On which note, keep an eye on whether Eastern European support for Ukraine materialises.
    Not a good enough song.

    There may be votes for Russia both from Putinistas and from those who knows the song is a challenge to his agenda.

    I think Germany worth an each way at 251
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    edited May 2021

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Times - Hitler placards at the Free Palestine Demo...

    https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1396212960167698432?s=20

    Ironically, Hitler was quite favorable to the idea of Israel...
    You are Ken Livingston and I claim my £10. 😆
    You beat me!
    Your undercutting me. Since when was it £5? 🙂
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    edited May 2021
    kinabalu said:

    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    isam said:

    isam said:

    isam said:

    David Herdson on Boris’s 16 point best PM lead in today’s YouGov

    “These are dreadful results for Starmer, much worse than last time the gap was this big.

    Then, he had much more scope to create an impression with the public. Now, the impression has already been formed and will be much harder to shift - not least because it's probably right.”

    https://twitter.com/davidherdson/status/1396059844474458112?s=21

    Just wait until he does Piers Moron....20 point poll bounce incoming.
    That will be a proper bit of ‘can’t watch tv’
    Will be interesting to see what ratings it gets. That show has been losing viewership for quite a while now.
    Who will watch, other than some of the 24% who like him? If they all did the ratings would be pretty good I suppose, without changing his levels

    Political journalists will too. I can’t see what’s so interesting about his life that you’d want to make a show about it. Private School, Uni, more uni, Lawyer, knighthood, unpopular, boring politician. Hardly a rollercoaster.

    I was about to say I’m surprised Farage hadn’t done it, but of course he has!

    https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/24/piers-morgans-life-stories-review-not-a-bad-interview-if-you-can-stomach-it
    Let go of the hate. If he bounces back you'll need hospital treatment. Don't risk it.
    No hate here for man like Sir Keir! If he bounces back, good for him
    You fool no-one. Well you probably do, but not me. You have really taken against the guy. He epitomises something for you. Something that gets your goat. It's to do with upward mobility and moral rectitude.
    I just don’t think he has what it takes to beat Boris. That’s all I’ve said from the start, nothing malicious. He seems an upright, decent person.

    I don’t like him because he was one of the leading voices in trying to stop Brexit, and I think he comes across as really dull. But that goes for lots of people!

    If he bounces back I’ll owe you £300 though
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,207
    Wow - Nyiragongo Volcano, erupts near Goma (amazing views from a plane)

    https://twitter.com/lookner/status/1396220294528909313
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,134

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    All very interesting but unlikely to shift many votes.
    These things can do. Andy Murray with Sue Barker after losing the Wimbledon final in 2012. Instant transformation to national treasure. Also Hugh Grant on Oprah after Devine Brown.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,368

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    All very interesting but unlikely to shift many votes.
    I presume it is going to be part of a wider push to reboot his image.
    Starmer's image isn't the problem.

    He is a dull speaker, for which he should seek coaching. He needs to nail Boris to the wall. It is no good collecting evidence at PMQs if he never uses it: the electorate is not the Supreme Court bench who will have noted each answer; it is a jury waiting for the summing-up. Some policies would be nice too, though it is hard to create clear blue water against a backdrop of the covid pandemic.
    If Blair were LOTO he would be 15 points behind Johnson at this moment in time.

    That isn't to say Starmer shouldn't be banging on about Johnsonian corruption, Covid failures, Brexit shortcomings and the rampant inflation just around the corner.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,437
    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    While we're talking of gayness and music, can I recommend Elton John's "Me", possibly one of the best celebrity autobiographies I have ever read. Up there with William Goldman, David Niven - but better than them

    Mind-boggling gossip, and extremely funny. It is also explains why he is possibly the most successful solo star of all time, and his bravery in being Out and gay so early.

    He's a dude, the book is superb

    That’s been sitting behind my tv cabinet unread, along with Andrew Ridgey’s book, for about 18 months!

    Along with every other book I’ve bought in the last three years other than ‘The Great Betrayal’ by Ian Smith, and ‘Treasure Island’

    *and ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’ which I lent to my Dad
    I entreat you to read it. I bet you will be laughing out loud within 10 pages. It is dazzling, and OMFG the stories. Why is it to entertaining to read of someone fucking up everything in a haze of cocaine, booze, and rent boys, possibly involving the Queen Mother? I dunno, but it is. I guess we all love gossip

    To be fair it does decline once he goes sober (sober people are just a bit more boring) but even then it is excellent - as against brilliant

    It's a world class autobiography, and he has led a life unmatched by any

    I will read it... just no time!

    Funny you type this just as a wild mate of mine who has been in AA for about ten years is what’s apping that he is struggling

    In his mad days he once went into a Romford brass house, off his head on gear and booze, and shagged every one of them, then left his Oyster card, work tools and wallet behind and his long suffering dad had to go pick them up the next day!

    As another mate said ‘how I wish I had that lack of self control’!!
    As a prodigious musical genius, Elton John is up there with Mozart. He is basically the gay-clown-shoes-wearing Mozart of our time. I never realised the scale of his achievement until I read his book

    AND he had sex with 10,000 people and sniffed metric tonnes of coke, and then got properly serious with the booze and strippers, while buying entire villages and chateaux

    I salute him
    Who would have sex with Elton John?

    He's an ugly bugger.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,647

    Diana Bashir spilling over into the Sunday papers. Day 5 of this rubbish.

    Did he really do anything worse than other journalists of the day? Phone hacking, bribing policemen for stories, searching through rubbish and using freelance paparazzi to harass?
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,821
    kinabalu said:

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    All very interesting but unlikely to shift many votes.
    These things can do. Andy Murray with Sue Barker after losing the Wimbledon final in 2012. Instant transformation to national treasure. Also Hugh Grant on Oprah after Devine Brown.
    And Gazza 1990!
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 21,661
    Forgive the pessimism, but I am not confident that the U.K. are going to win tonight
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,134

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    How do "a series of devastating family tragedies" shape him into the boring man he is today?
    Boring didn't stop John Major winning a record number of votes in 92.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,821
    tlg86 said:

    FFS, 18 more minutes of voting! :angry:

    VOTING OVER!

    Let the "fun" begin :lol:
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,557
    The Spanish People's Party has abruptly taken a lead in the opinion polls.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_Spanish_general_election#Voting_intention_estimates
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    While we're talking of gayness and music, can I recommend Elton John's "Me", possibly one of the best celebrity autobiographies I have ever read. Up there with William Goldman, David Niven - but better than them

    Mind-boggling gossip, and extremely funny. It is also explains why he is possibly the most successful solo star of all time, and his bravery in being Out and gay so early.

    He's a dude, the book is superb

    That’s been sitting behind my tv cabinet unread, along with Andrew Ridgey’s book, for about 18 months!

    Along with every other book I’ve bought in the last three years other than ‘The Great Betrayal’ by Ian Smith, and ‘Treasure Island’

    *and ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’ which I lent to my Dad
    I entreat you to read it. I bet you will be laughing out loud within 10 pages. It is dazzling, and OMFG the stories. Why is it to entertaining to read of someone fucking up everything in a haze of cocaine, booze, and rent boys, possibly involving the Queen Mother? I dunno, but it is. I guess we all love gossip

    To be fair it does decline once he goes sober (sober people are just a bit more boring) but even then it is excellent - as against brilliant

    It's a world class autobiography, and he has led a life unmatched by any

    I will read it... just no time!

    Funny you type this just as a wild mate of mine who has been in AA for about ten years is what’s apping that he is struggling

    In his mad days he once went into a Romford brass house, off his head on gear and booze, and shagged every one of them, then left his Oyster card, work tools and wallet behind and his long suffering dad had to go pick them up the next day!

    As another mate said ‘how I wish I had that lack of self control’!!
    As a prodigious musical genius, Elton John is up there with Mozart. He is basically the gay-clown-shoes-wearing Mozart of our time. I never realised the scale of his achievement until I read his book

    AND he had sex with 10,000 people and sniffed metric tonnes of coke, and then got properly serious with the booze and strippers, while buying entire villages and chateaux

    I salute him
    Who would have sex with Elton John?

    He's an ugly bugger.
    Judging by the book, he is funny, candid, entertaining and smart. MUCH funnier than I expected, TBH

    Also he's not that ugly. He's just a bit bald, and slightly round-faced. Set against that an immortal talent, huge intelligence, great sense of humour.... and the personal possession of £100m, and yeah, I can see why he was quite popular. Good for him

    He's very funny about his mundane suburban upbringing in Pinner

  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    Foxy said:

    Diana Bashir spilling over into the Sunday papers. Day 5 of this rubbish.

    Did he really do anything worse than other journalists of the day? Phone hacking, bribing policemen for stories, searching through rubbish and using freelance paparazzi to harass?
    You saying The Mail and The Sun lambasting that kind of journalism rings hollow because it is so laugh out loud embarrassing from them?
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    edited May 2021
    kinabalu said:

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    How do "a series of devastating family tragedies" shape him into the boring man he is today?
    Boring didn't stop John Major winning a record number of votes in 92.
    His rival was not seen as much less boring really. Boris vs Sir Keir is one of the biggest disparity’s in personality scores since polling on it began. I think Thatcher vs Foot and Blair vs Hague might just beat it. But the next IPSOS poll is next month
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,557
    edited May 2021
    Part Time Love by Elton John is one of the best songs of the late 70s IMO. Genius songwriting.

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k0rJYtoJz4
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,647
    gealbhan said:

    Foxy said:

    Diana Bashir spilling over into the Sunday papers. Day 5 of this rubbish.

    Did he really do anything worse than other journalists of the day? Phone hacking, bribing policemen for stories, searching through rubbish and using freelance paparazzi to harass?
    You saying The Mail and The Sun lambasting that kind of journalism rings hollow because it is so laugh out loud embarrassing from them?
    Not just those two. The press were completely out of control at that time.
  • CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,310
    Just come to this thread and wanted to add my best wishes to @JohnO for a speedy and full recovery.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    While we're talking of gayness and music, can I recommend Elton John's "Me", possibly one of the best celebrity autobiographies I have ever read. Up there with William Goldman, David Niven - but better than them

    Mind-boggling gossip, and extremely funny. It is also explains why he is possibly the most successful solo star of all time, and his bravery in being Out and gay so early.

    He's a dude, the book is superb

    That’s been sitting behind my tv cabinet unread, along with Andrew Ridgey’s book, for about 18 months!

    Along with every other book I’ve bought in the last three years other than ‘The Great Betrayal’ by Ian Smith, and ‘Treasure Island’

    *and ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’ which I lent to my Dad
    I entreat you to read it. I bet you will be laughing out loud within 10 pages. It is dazzling, and OMFG the stories. Why is it to entertaining to read of someone fucking up everything in a haze of cocaine, booze, and rent boys, possibly involving the Queen Mother? I dunno, but it is. I guess we all love gossip

    To be fair it does decline once he goes sober (sober people are just a bit more boring) but even then it is excellent - as against brilliant

    It's a world class autobiography, and he has led a life unmatched by any

    I will read it... just no time!

    Funny you type this just as a wild mate of mine who has been in AA for about ten years is what’s apping that he is struggling

    In his mad days he once went into a Romford brass house, off his head on gear and booze, and shagged every one of them, then left his Oyster card, work tools and wallet behind and his long suffering dad had to go pick them up the next day!

    As another mate said ‘how I wish I had that lack of self control’!!
    As a prodigious musical genius, Elton John is up there with Mozart. He is basically the gay-clown-shoes-wearing Mozart of our time. I never realised the scale of his achievement until I read his book

    AND he had sex with 10,000 people and sniffed metric tonnes of coke, and then got properly serious with the booze and strippers, while buying entire villages and chateaux

    I salute him
    Who would have sex with Elton John?

    He's an ugly bugger.
    Judging by the book, he is funny, candid, entertaining and smart. MUCH funnier than I expected, TBH

    Also he's not that ugly. He's just a bit bald, and slightly round-faced. Set against that an immortal talent, huge intelligence, great sense of humour.... and the personal possession of £100m, and yeah, I can see why he was quite popular. Good for him

    He's very funny about his mundane suburban upbringing in Pinner

    Have you seen the film?
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    How do "a series of devastating family tragedies" shape him into the boring man he is today?
    Boring didn't stop John Major winning a record number of votes in 92.
    His rival was not seen as much less boring really. Boris vs Sir Keir is one of the biggest disparity’s in personality scores since polling on it began. I think Thatcher vs Foot and Blair vs Hague might just beat it. But the next IPSOS poll is next month
    Surely you employ someone on basis of character, not personality?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,175
    Switzerland!
  • alex_alex_ Posts: 7,518
    edited May 2021

    gealbhan said:

    The Sunday Times story.

    Does Boris end up in the history books as initially wanting herd immunity when the pandemic began, hence the high number of deaths?

    Interesting. Without vaccines this was a way through this. Horrific though it would have been. We’ve done it before, in pretty much every pandemic since the dawn of time.
    So basically the story is...

    “Ministers backed “herd immunity” approach but they were, er, overruled by those people taking the decisions”?

    As opposed to, say, “ministers backed herd immunity approach, but they changed course when the health and political consequences of this became apparent”?
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,958
    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    While we're talking of gayness and music, can I recommend Elton John's "Me", possibly one of the best celebrity autobiographies I have ever read. Up there with William Goldman, David Niven - but better than them

    Mind-boggling gossip, and extremely funny. It is also explains why he is possibly the most successful solo star of all time, and his bravery in being Out and gay so early.

    He's a dude, the book is superb

    That’s been sitting behind my tv cabinet unread, along with Andrew Ridgey’s book, for about 18 months!

    Along with every other book I’ve bought in the last three years other than ‘The Great Betrayal’ by Ian Smith, and ‘Treasure Island’

    *and ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’ which I lent to my Dad
    I entreat you to read it. I bet you will be laughing out loud within 10 pages. It is dazzling, and OMFG the stories. Why is it to entertaining to read of someone fucking up everything in a haze of cocaine, booze, and rent boys, possibly involving the Queen Mother? I dunno, but it is. I guess we all love gossip

    To be fair it does decline once he goes sober (sober people are just a bit more boring) but even then it is excellent - as against brilliant

    It's a world class autobiography, and he has led a life unmatched by any

    I will read it... just no time!

    Funny you type this just as a wild mate of mine who has been in AA for about ten years is what’s apping that he is struggling

    In his mad days he once went into a Romford brass house, off his head on gear and booze, and shagged every one of them, then left his Oyster card, work tools and wallet behind and his long suffering dad had to go pick them up the next day!

    As another mate said ‘how I wish I had that lack of self control’!!
    As a prodigious musical genius, Elton John is up there with Mozart. He is basically the gay-clown-shoes-wearing Mozart of our time. I never realised the scale of his achievement until I read his book

    AND he had sex with 10,000 people and sniffed metric tonnes of coke, and then got properly serious with the booze and strippers, while buying entire villages and chateaux

    I salute him
    On a slightly connected note, in my previous life as a purveyor of chaps’ finest second hand clothing I had one of John Reid’s Tommy Nutter suits pass through my hands. It was both horrific and wonderful, 3 piece double breasted in a pale caramel window pane check, silk and wool. I sort of wish I’d kept it but a Japanese tourist made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

    Huge waist btw.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,134
    gealbhan said:

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    rcs1000 said:

    MaxPB said:

    tlg86 said:

    Israel going ultra-woke with a lady of colour :lol:

    UK is favourite to come last but based on Oddschecker, the money for the wooden spoon is pouring on Germany and Israel.
    I actually thought the Israel entry was half-decent. But I guess they won't be getting many votes from the public.
    Nah, Palestine doesn't get a lot of sympathy outside of a the Anglo Saxon lefty world.
    You sure? 138 of 193 UN members recognise a Palestinian state. None of them Anglo-Saxon...

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_recognition_of_the_State_of_Palestine#/media/File:Palestine_recognition_only.svg

    100+ member of FIFA have just voted to consider holding the World Cup biennially. That doesn’t make it right.
    So, are you saying Palestine shouldn't exist as a state?

    Ok. In which case, the people who live there must be Israelis, and therefore should be accorded the same rights as other Israeli citizens.
    This is the terrible logic Israel must face

    Either it allows Palestinians sovereignty, or it goes the whole hog and becomes an apartheid state, in a single state with lower class Arab citizens (it is already horribly close).

    Or it expels all the Palestinians from Palestine, and maybe Israeli Arabs as well

    It is hideous choice, but they have made it this way, by insisting on a Jewish state allowing only Jewish immigration and a lesser status for Arabs
    Don't see what's hideous about that choice. It's only one of the options - continued oppression - that's hideous.
    It’s a sinister development this week, Israel losing one of these skirmishes leaving the terrorists dancing in their tunnels tonight. Far cry from whipping surprise attack from the whole of the Middle East in just six days.

    Ben goes into history books as his watch strutting tough whilst delivering weakness?
    Well he thought the Palestinians could be squeezed into irrelevance, forgotten by all. Rethink required. Or rather replacement required in order to make a rethink possible.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    gealbhan said:

    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    How do "a series of devastating family tragedies" shape him into the boring man he is today?
    Boring didn't stop John Major winning a record number of votes in 92.
    His rival was not seen as much less boring really. Boris vs Sir Keir is one of the biggest disparity’s in personality scores since polling on it began. I think Thatcher vs Foot and Blair vs Hague might just beat it. But the next IPSOS poll is next month
    Surely you employ someone on basis of character, not personality?
    I’ve never employed anyone. But for political leaders to be seen as lacking in personality, relative to their opponents, is a huge disadvantage
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,647
    Cyclefree said:

    Just come to this thread and wanted to add my best wishes to @JohnO for a speedy and full recovery.

    Me too. Out of hospital arrests are nasty. Having a CPR capable person nearby must have made the difference.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277
    isam said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    While we're talking of gayness and music, can I recommend Elton John's "Me", possibly one of the best celebrity autobiographies I have ever read. Up there with William Goldman, David Niven - but better than them

    Mind-boggling gossip, and extremely funny. It is also explains why he is possibly the most successful solo star of all time, and his bravery in being Out and gay so early.

    He's a dude, the book is superb

    That’s been sitting behind my tv cabinet unread, along with Andrew Ridgey’s book, for about 18 months!

    Along with every other book I’ve bought in the last three years other than ‘The Great Betrayal’ by Ian Smith, and ‘Treasure Island’

    *and ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’ which I lent to my Dad
    I entreat you to read it. I bet you will be laughing out loud within 10 pages. It is dazzling, and OMFG the stories. Why is it to entertaining to read of someone fucking up everything in a haze of cocaine, booze, and rent boys, possibly involving the Queen Mother? I dunno, but it is. I guess we all love gossip

    To be fair it does decline once he goes sober (sober people are just a bit more boring) but even then it is excellent - as against brilliant

    It's a world class autobiography, and he has led a life unmatched by any

    I will read it... just no time!

    Funny you type this just as a wild mate of mine who has been in AA for about ten years is what’s apping that he is struggling

    In his mad days he once went into a Romford brass house, off his head on gear and booze, and shagged every one of them, then left his Oyster card, work tools and wallet behind and his long suffering dad had to go pick them up the next day!

    As another mate said ‘how I wish I had that lack of self control’!!
    As a prodigious musical genius, Elton John is up there with Mozart. He is basically the gay-clown-shoes-wearing Mozart of our time. I never realised the scale of his achievement until I read his book

    AND he had sex with 10,000 people and sniffed metric tonnes of coke, and then got properly serious with the booze and strippers, while buying entire villages and chateaux

    I salute him
    Who would have sex with Elton John?

    He's an ugly bugger.
    Judging by the book, he is funny, candid, entertaining and smart. MUCH funnier than I expected, TBH

    Also he's not that ugly. He's just a bit bald, and slightly round-faced. Set against that an immortal talent, huge intelligence, great sense of humour.... and the personal possession of £100m, and yeah, I can see why he was quite popular. Good for him

    He's very funny about his mundane suburban upbringing in Pinner

    Have you seen the film?
    No, is it good?

    I absolutely adored the Freddie Mercury movie. Genius (him and the film). But I was told the Elton John movie was poor in comparison, so I didn't bother

    Worth a punt?
  • TazTaz Posts: 14,385
    U.K. performing as expected so far.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,647
    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    While we're talking of gayness and music, can I recommend Elton John's "Me", possibly one of the best celebrity autobiographies I have ever read. Up there with William Goldman, David Niven - but better than them

    Mind-boggling gossip, and extremely funny. It is also explains why he is possibly the most successful solo star of all time, and his bravery in being Out and gay so early.

    He's a dude, the book is superb

    That’s been sitting behind my tv cabinet unread, along with Andrew Ridgey’s book, for about 18 months!

    Along with every other book I’ve bought in the last three years other than ‘The Great Betrayal’ by Ian Smith, and ‘Treasure Island’

    *and ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’ which I lent to my Dad
    I entreat you to read it. I bet you will be laughing out loud within 10 pages. It is dazzling, and OMFG the stories. Why is it to entertaining to read of someone fucking up everything in a haze of cocaine, booze, and rent boys, possibly involving the Queen Mother? I dunno, but it is. I guess we all love gossip

    To be fair it does decline once he goes sober (sober people are just a bit more boring) but even then it is excellent - as against brilliant

    It's a world class autobiography, and he has led a life unmatched by any

    I will read it... just no time!

    Funny you type this just as a wild mate of mine who has been in AA for about ten years is what’s apping that he is struggling

    In his mad days he once went into a Romford brass house, off his head on gear and booze, and shagged every one of them, then left his Oyster card, work tools and wallet behind and his long suffering dad had to go pick them up the next day!

    As another mate said ‘how I wish I had that lack of self control’!!
    As a prodigious musical genius, Elton John is up there with Mozart. He is basically the gay-clown-shoes-wearing Mozart of our time. I never realised the scale of his achievement until I read his book

    AND he had sex with 10,000 people and sniffed metric tonnes of coke, and then got properly serious with the booze and strippers, while buying entire villages and chateaux

    I salute him
    Who would have sex with Elton John?

    He's an ugly bugger.
    Judging by the book, he is funny, candid, entertaining and smart. MUCH funnier than I expected, TBH

    Also he's not that ugly. He's just a bit bald, and slightly round-faced. Set against that an immortal talent, huge intelligence, great sense of humour.... and the personal possession of £100m, and yeah, I can see why he was quite popular. Good for him

    He's very funny about his mundane suburban upbringing in Pinner

    Have you seen the film?
    No, is it good?

    I absolutely adored the Freddie Mercury movie. Genius (him and the film). But I was told the Elton John movie was poor in comparison, so I didn't bother

    Worth a punt?
    Very good indeed.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277
    Even Malta didn't give us a point

    lol
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,175
    I have £5 on Switzerland @ 12-1.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277
    tlg86 said:

    I have £5 on Switzerland @ 12-1.

    Looks like France v Switzerland. Good bet
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,821
    Switzerland in the lead at the mo.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,647
    Leon said:

    Even Malta didn't give us a point

    lol

    These are the jury rather than public votes.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    While we're talking of gayness and music, can I recommend Elton John's "Me", possibly one of the best celebrity autobiographies I have ever read. Up there with William Goldman, David Niven - but better than them

    Mind-boggling gossip, and extremely funny. It is also explains why he is possibly the most successful solo star of all time, and his bravery in being Out and gay so early.

    He's a dude, the book is superb

    That’s been sitting behind my tv cabinet unread, along with Andrew Ridgey’s book, for about 18 months!

    Along with every other book I’ve bought in the last three years other than ‘The Great Betrayal’ by Ian Smith, and ‘Treasure Island’

    *and ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’ which I lent to my Dad
    I entreat you to read it. I bet you will be laughing out loud within 10 pages. It is dazzling, and OMFG the stories. Why is it to entertaining to read of someone fucking up everything in a haze of cocaine, booze, and rent boys, possibly involving the Queen Mother? I dunno, but it is. I guess we all love gossip

    To be fair it does decline once he goes sober (sober people are just a bit more boring) but even then it is excellent - as against brilliant

    It's a world class autobiography, and he has led a life unmatched by any

    I will read it... just no time!

    Funny you type this just as a wild mate of mine who has been in AA for about ten years is what’s apping that he is struggling

    In his mad days he once went into a Romford brass house, off his head on gear and booze, and shagged every one of them, then left his Oyster card, work tools and wallet behind and his long suffering dad had to go pick them up the next day!

    As another mate said ‘how I wish I had that lack of self control’!!
    As a prodigious musical genius, Elton John is up there with Mozart. He is basically the gay-clown-shoes-wearing Mozart of our time. I never realised the scale of his achievement until I read his book

    AND he had sex with 10,000 people and sniffed metric tonnes of coke, and then got properly serious with the booze and strippers, while buying entire villages and chateaux

    I salute him
    Who would have sex with Elton John?

    He's an ugly bugger.
    Judging by the book, he is funny, candid, entertaining and smart. MUCH funnier than I expected, TBH

    Also he's not that ugly. He's just a bit bald, and slightly round-faced. Set against that an immortal talent, huge intelligence, great sense of humour.... and the personal possession of £100m, and yeah, I can see why he was quite popular. Good for him

    He's very funny about his mundane suburban upbringing in Pinner

    Have you seen the film?
    No, is it good?

    I absolutely adored the Freddie Mercury movie. Genius (him and the film). But I was told the Elton John movie was poor in comparison, so I didn't bother

    Worth a punt?
    I loved the Freddie one, and enjoyed Elton’s too. It’s why I got bought the book for Christmas (2019!) Def worth a punt


    But the Star Stories is better! It’s on More4 now to download, absolutely brilliant, you will love it
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,557
    Last time I watched the Eurovision Song Contest they went through each country that had been awarded between 1 and 12 points. They seem to have scrapped that now, probably because it wasn't exciting enough.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277
    Foxy said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    While we're talking of gayness and music, can I recommend Elton John's "Me", possibly one of the best celebrity autobiographies I have ever read. Up there with William Goldman, David Niven - but better than them

    Mind-boggling gossip, and extremely funny. It is also explains why he is possibly the most successful solo star of all time, and his bravery in being Out and gay so early.

    He's a dude, the book is superb

    That’s been sitting behind my tv cabinet unread, along with Andrew Ridgey’s book, for about 18 months!

    Along with every other book I’ve bought in the last three years other than ‘The Great Betrayal’ by Ian Smith, and ‘Treasure Island’

    *and ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’ which I lent to my Dad
    I entreat you to read it. I bet you will be laughing out loud within 10 pages. It is dazzling, and OMFG the stories. Why is it to entertaining to read of someone fucking up everything in a haze of cocaine, booze, and rent boys, possibly involving the Queen Mother? I dunno, but it is. I guess we all love gossip

    To be fair it does decline once he goes sober (sober people are just a bit more boring) but even then it is excellent - as against brilliant

    It's a world class autobiography, and he has led a life unmatched by any

    I will read it... just no time!

    Funny you type this just as a wild mate of mine who has been in AA for about ten years is what’s apping that he is struggling

    In his mad days he once went into a Romford brass house, off his head on gear and booze, and shagged every one of them, then left his Oyster card, work tools and wallet behind and his long suffering dad had to go pick them up the next day!

    As another mate said ‘how I wish I had that lack of self control’!!
    As a prodigious musical genius, Elton John is up there with Mozart. He is basically the gay-clown-shoes-wearing Mozart of our time. I never realised the scale of his achievement until I read his book

    AND he had sex with 10,000 people and sniffed metric tonnes of coke, and then got properly serious with the booze and strippers, while buying entire villages and chateaux

    I salute him
    Who would have sex with Elton John?

    He's an ugly bugger.
    Judging by the book, he is funny, candid, entertaining and smart. MUCH funnier than I expected, TBH

    Also he's not that ugly. He's just a bit bald, and slightly round-faced. Set against that an immortal talent, huge intelligence, great sense of humour.... and the personal possession of £100m, and yeah, I can see why he was quite popular. Good for him

    He's very funny about his mundane suburban upbringing in Pinner

    Have you seen the film?
    No, is it good?

    I absolutely adored the Freddie Mercury movie. Genius (him and the film). But I was told the Elton John movie was poor in comparison, so I didn't bother

    Worth a punt?
    Very good indeed.
    Persuaded. I shall give it a go!
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,557
    Did anyone bet on the UK receiving zero points overall?
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,894
    Foxy said:

    gealbhan said:

    Foxy said:

    Diana Bashir spilling over into the Sunday papers. Day 5 of this rubbish.

    Did he really do anything worse than other journalists of the day? Phone hacking, bribing policemen for stories, searching through rubbish and using freelance paparazzi to harass?
    You saying The Mail and The Sun lambasting that kind of journalism rings hollow because it is so laugh out loud embarrassing from them?
    Not just those two. The press were completely out of control at that time.
    Murder in the Car Park, the Channel 4 documentary series about the Daniel Morgan case, available to view on their web site, is strong on the News of the World in particular paying a detective agency that in turn bribed the police for stories. I think it was the second episode.

    We should remember some journalists went to prison, including Andy Coulson who worked for David Cameron, so it's not just the BBC with bad judgement.
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    isam said:

    gealbhan said:

    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    How do "a series of devastating family tragedies" shape him into the boring man he is today?
    Boring didn't stop John Major winning a record number of votes in 92.
    His rival was not seen as much less boring really. Boris vs Sir Keir is one of the biggest disparity’s in personality scores since polling on it began. I think Thatcher vs Foot and Blair vs Hague might just beat it. But the next IPSOS poll is next month
    Surely you employ someone on basis of character, not personality?
    I’ve never employed anyone. But for political leaders to be seen as lacking in personality, relative to their opponents, is a huge disadvantage
    You got evidence to support that? I still reckon in final analysis character matters more.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,175
    I think France will win in the end once the public votes get added.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,921
    isam said:

    gealbhan said:

    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    How do "a series of devastating family tragedies" shape him into the boring man he is today?
    Boring didn't stop John Major winning a record number of votes in 92.
    His rival was not seen as much less boring really. Boris vs Sir Keir is one of the biggest disparity’s in personality scores since polling on it began. I think Thatcher vs Foot and Blair vs Hague might just beat it. But the next IPSOS poll is next month
    Surely you employ someone on basis of character, not personality?
    I’ve never employed anyone. But for political leaders to be seen as lacking in personality, relative to their opponents, is a huge disadvantage
    Depends on the circumstances, that is usually the case but Biden had less personality than Trump, Hollande less personality than Sarkozy, Major less personality than Kinnock they still won
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277
    We are going to come LAST. They hate our vaccine
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,821
    Andy_JS said:

    Last time I watched the Eurovision Song Contest they went through each country that had been awarded between 1 and 12 points. They seem to have scrapped that now, probably because it wasn't exciting enough.

    Andy, it's been like that for a few years now.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,894
    Eurovision betting is all over the shop. France is now favourite; you can't give Italy away; big move for Switzerland into second favourite.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,175
    FFS! UK give the French 12 points.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,821
    Douze points from UK to France!
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,402
    We've given France 12?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,647

    Eurovision betting is all over the shop. France is now favourite; you can't give Italy away; big move for Switzerland into second favourite.

    Yes, but just the jury votes.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 4,931
    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    isam said:

    Leon said:

    While we're talking of gayness and music, can I recommend Elton John's "Me", possibly one of the best celebrity autobiographies I have ever read. Up there with William Goldman, David Niven - but better than them

    Mind-boggling gossip, and extremely funny. It is also explains why he is possibly the most successful solo star of all time, and his bravery in being Out and gay so early.

    He's a dude, the book is superb

    That’s been sitting behind my tv cabinet unread, along with Andrew Ridgey’s book, for about 18 months!

    Along with every other book I’ve bought in the last three years other than ‘The Great Betrayal’ by Ian Smith, and ‘Treasure Island’

    *and ‘The Friends of Eddie Coyle’ which I lent to my Dad
    I entreat you to read it. I bet you will be laughing out loud within 10 pages. It is dazzling, and OMFG the stories. Why is it to entertaining to read of someone fucking up everything in a haze of cocaine, booze, and rent boys, possibly involving the Queen Mother? I dunno, but it is. I guess we all love gossip

    To be fair it does decline once he goes sober (sober people are just a bit more boring) but even then it is excellent - as against brilliant

    It's a world class autobiography, and he has led a life unmatched by any

    I will read it... just no time!

    Funny you type this just as a wild mate of mine who has been in AA for about ten years is what’s apping that he is struggling

    In his mad days he once went into a Romford brass house, off his head on gear and booze, and shagged every one of them, then left his Oyster card, work tools and wallet behind and his long suffering dad had to go pick them up the next day!

    As another mate said ‘how I wish I had that lack of self control’!!
    As a prodigious musical genius, Elton John is up there with Mozart. He is basically the gay-clown-shoes-wearing Mozart of our time. I never realised the scale of his achievement until I read his book

    AND he had sex with 10,000 people and sniffed metric tonnes of coke, and then got properly serious with the booze and strippers, while buying entire villages and chateaux

    I salute him
    He sounds like a kindred spirit, Leon!
  • GarethoftheVale2GarethoftheVale2 Posts: 2,242
    Null points!
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,921
    Andy_JS said:

    The Spanish People's Party has abruptly taken a lead in the opinion polls.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_Spanish_general_election#Voting_intention_estimates

    Shows what comes from taking a firm line against upstart Nationalists
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,175
    Greece jury giving 12 points to Cyprus. Shameless.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,437
    Hold on. Are these all the votes now, or just the jury votes or just the public votes?

    Confused.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,793
    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    How do "a series of devastating family tragedies" shape him into the boring man he is today?
    Boring didn't stop John Major winning a record number of votes in 92.
    His rival was not seen as much less boring really. Boris vs Sir Keir is one of the biggest disparity’s in personality scores since polling on it began. I think Thatcher vs Foot and Blair vs Hague might just beat it. But the next IPSOS poll is next month
    Neither Foot nor Hague were boring. Both were capable of being interesting, thoughtful and amusing. Neither had the looks for television though. Keir does have the looks for television. But he's boring. Not boring as in geeky. Not boring as in dull. Just bereft of any particular interesting features. Like a minor character in a film whose purpose is simply not to detract from the main action.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,561
    We gave Iceland 10..... Doing OK
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,921
    edited May 2021

    Null points!

    Post Brexit we will be lucky to ever get a point again let alone win it whoever we pick, don't know why we bother
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    edited May 2021

    Foxy said:

    gealbhan said:

    Foxy said:

    Diana Bashir spilling over into the Sunday papers. Day 5 of this rubbish.

    Did he really do anything worse than other journalists of the day? Phone hacking, bribing policemen for stories, searching through rubbish and using freelance paparazzi to harass?
    You saying The Mail and The Sun lambasting that kind of journalism rings hollow because it is so laugh out loud embarrassing from them?
    Not just those two. The press were completely out of control at that time.
    Murder in the Car Park, the Channel 4 documentary series about the Daniel Morgan case, available to view on their web site, is strong on the News of the World in particular paying a detective agency that in turn bribed the police for stories. I think it was the second episode.

    We should remember some journalists went to prison, including Andy Coulson who worked for David Cameron, so it's not just the BBC with bad judgement.
    But the point here though, when those organs go on attack with this bad journalistic practice line, does it carry any weight? When Even their own brainwashed readership will cringe and turn to the feature pages. A lot of this weeks Front pages, what a complete waste of time writing them.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,175

    Hold on. Are these all the votes now, or just the jury votes or just the public votes?

    Confused.

    Jury only, I think.
  • alex_alex_ Posts: 7,518
    Andy_JS said:

    Last time I watched the Eurovision Song Contest they went through each country that had been awarded between 1 and 12 points. They seem to have scrapped that now, probably because it wasn't exciting enough.

    It’s because there’s too many countries voting and it would take 4 hours
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,821
    Irish give us NUL POINTS!
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,402
    My youngest, "12 points to Switzerland! Fuck the French"
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,524

    Hold on. Are these all the votes now, or just the jury votes or just the public votes?

    Confused.

    Jury only I think?
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,805
    0!
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,921

    Irish give us NUL POINTS!

    No surprise either, they were the ones who wanted a border in the Irish sea after all!
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,011
    Crossover!
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,821
    tlg86 said:

    Hold on. Are these all the votes now, or just the jury votes or just the public votes?

    Confused.

    Jury only, I think.
    Jury only.

    Public voting will add HUNDREDS to the leading countries.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,437
    Thanks. Question is: can Italy overtake in the public?

    If not they're looking at good lay at 3.9
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 21,661
    Based on the song, the performance and the general low regard for us in Europe. Nil points was towards the upper end of my expectations for the U.K. entry.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,647

    We gave Iceland 10..... Doing OK

    I think the public vote will be good for Iceland.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,913
    Good Luck JohnO! One of the few PBers I've actually met and certainly one of the nicest and funniest.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    gealbhan said:

    isam said:

    gealbhan said:

    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    How do "a series of devastating family tragedies" shape him into the boring man he is today?
    Boring didn't stop John Major winning a record number of votes in 92.
    His rival was not seen as much less boring really. Boris vs Sir Keir is one of the biggest disparity’s in personality scores since polling on it began. I think Thatcher vs Foot and Blair vs Hague might just beat it. But the next IPSOS poll is next month
    Surely you employ someone on basis of character, not personality?
    I’ve never employed anyone. But for political leaders to be seen as lacking in personality, relative to their opponents, is a huge disadvantage
    You got evidence to support that? I still reckon in final analysis character matters more.
    42 years of IPSOS-MORI Polls

    https://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2020/06/06/the-case-for-making-personality-ratings-a-good-electoral-indicator/
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,958
    HYUFD said:

    Null points!

    Post Brexit we will be lucky to ever get a point again let alone win it whoever we pick, don't know why we bother
    But why aren’t the non EU countries voting for plucky little us?
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,011
    Belgium screws over France
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277

    HYUFD said:

    Null points!

    Post Brexit we will be lucky to ever get a point again let alone win it whoever we pick, don't know why we bother
    But why aren’t the non EU countries voting for plucky little us?
    Because they are all speaking English. We are the Man Utd, mid-Ferguson-era, of culture
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,402
    Jonathan said:

    Based on the song, the performance and the general low regard for us in Europe. Nil points was towards the upper end of my expectations for the U.K. entry.

    Every single year the commentators whinge that our song was better than its score.
    I strongly beg to differ.
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 21,661
    Will Boris announce a commonwealth song contest tomorrow?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,134
    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    isam said:

    isam said:

    isam said:

    David Herdson on Boris’s 16 point best PM lead in today’s YouGov

    “These are dreadful results for Starmer, much worse than last time the gap was this big.

    Then, he had much more scope to create an impression with the public. Now, the impression has already been formed and will be much harder to shift - not least because it's probably right.”

    https://twitter.com/davidherdson/status/1396059844474458112?s=21

    Just wait until he does Piers Moron....20 point poll bounce incoming.
    That will be a proper bit of ‘can’t watch tv’
    Will be interesting to see what ratings it gets. That show has been losing viewership for quite a while now.
    Who will watch, other than some of the 24% who like him? If they all did the ratings would be pretty good I suppose, without changing his levels

    Political journalists will too. I can’t see what’s so interesting about his life that you’d want to make a show about it. Private School, Uni, more uni, Lawyer, knighthood, unpopular, boring politician. Hardly a rollercoaster.

    I was about to say I’m surprised Farage hadn’t done it, but of course he has!

    https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/24/piers-morgans-life-stories-review-not-a-bad-interview-if-you-can-stomach-it
    Let go of the hate. If he bounces back you'll need hospital treatment. Don't risk it.
    No hate here for man like Sir Keir! If he bounces back, good for him
    You fool no-one. Well you probably do, but not me. You have really taken against the guy. He epitomises something for you. Something that gets your goat. It's to do with upward mobility and moral rectitude.
    I just don’t think he has what it takes to beat Boris. That’s all I’ve said from the start, nothing malicious. He seems an upright, decent person.

    I don’t like him because he was one of the leading voices in trying to stop Brexit, and I think he comes across as really dull. But that goes for lots of people!

    If he bounces back I’ll owe you £300 though
    That too. Mental anguish PLUS money down. Odds still on your side though. Very much so. But time is on mine.

    Kinnock wasn't boring btw. Don't know why you say that. He was Mr Personality vs Grey John Major. And he lost.

    But these are different times. Reality TV and social media times. Your pet theory does have some merit. It's not obvious and total bollocks.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,821
    France leading at the mo. Swiss second.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 122,921
    edited May 2021

    HYUFD said:

    Null points!

    Post Brexit we will be lucky to ever get a point again let alone win it whoever we pick, don't know why we bother
    But why aren’t the non EU countries voting for plucky little us?
    What non EU countries? Iceland, Norway and Switzerland but they are still in the EEA or EFTA and the Russians hate us too as we are close to the US.

    We might get a point from Israel and Australia, that is it (not this time from the latter though it seems)
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,524

    Belgium screws over France

    To be fair there's not much regional voting this year (apart from Cyprus).
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,557

    Andy_JS said:

    Last time I watched the Eurovision Song Contest they went through each country that had been awarded between 1 and 12 points. They seem to have scrapped that now, probably because it wasn't exciting enough.

    Andy, it's been like that for a few years now.
    I haven't bothered watching it properly for a number of years.
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    edited May 2021
    isam said:

    gealbhan said:

    isam said:

    gealbhan said:

    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    How do "a series of devastating family tragedies" shape him into the boring man he is today?
    Boring didn't stop John Major winning a record number of votes in 92.
    His rival was not seen as much less boring really. Boris vs Sir Keir is one of the biggest disparity’s in personality scores since polling on it began. I think Thatcher vs Foot and Blair vs Hague might just beat it. But the next IPSOS poll is next month
    Surely you employ someone on basis of character, not personality?
    I’ve never employed anyone. But for political leaders to be seen as lacking in personality, relative to their opponents, is a huge disadvantage
    You got evidence to support that? I still reckon in final analysis character matters more.
    42 years of IPSOS-MORI Polls

    https://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2020/06/06/the-case-for-making-personality-ratings-a-good-electoral-indicator/
    Do people actually understand the difference between personality and character traits? Or think they are same thing?

    Personality, you get from first birth into your family, funny, extroverted, energetic, optimistic, confident—as well as overly serious, lazy, negative, and shy as some traits.

    Character you get from your second birth, into your tribe. traits like honesty, virtue, and kindliness. That treating others in the right way is important. sympathy, loyalty, reciprocity, bravery, respect, fairness, all come from tribe membership.

    Tribe you could try to read across as religion, nationalism or society, or the second birth honouring some form of rights of passage, perhaps earn’t in some way by displaying resilience and wisdom.

    Wisdom doesn’t burst forth fully developed like Athena out of Zeus’s head; it is built up, small step by small step, from most irrational beginnings.

    Character always trumps Personality in GE voting, 2019 fine example. In fact every election has been a fine example.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,647
    Jonathan said:

    Will Boris announce a commonwealth song contest tomorrow?

    From Australia, null points....
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 28,368
    Nil point from Aussie!
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    Cookie said:

    isam said:

    kinabalu said:

    Keir Starmer's tears for his father: Labour leader breaks down in tears on Piers Morgan's Life Stories as he talks for first time about three shattering family tragedies - including how his mother died weeks before he was sworn in as an MP.

    Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has given the most 'searingly honest and intensely emotional' interview of his life, in which he reveals how a series of devastating family tragedies shaped him into the man he is today.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9608419/Keir-Starmer-breaks-tears-Piers-Morgans-TV-show.html

    How do "a series of devastating family tragedies" shape him into the boring man he is today?
    Boring didn't stop John Major winning a record number of votes in 92.
    His rival was not seen as much less boring really. Boris vs Sir Keir is one of the biggest disparity’s in personality scores since polling on it began. I think Thatcher vs Foot and Blair vs Hague might just beat it. But the next IPSOS poll is next month
    Neither Foot nor Hague were boring. Both were capable of being interesting, thoughtful and amusing. Neither had the looks for television though. Keir does have the looks for television. But he's boring. Not boring as in geeky. Not boring as in dull. Just bereft of any particular interesting features. Like a minor character in a film whose purpose is simply not to detract from the main action.
    I have my own opinions, but for this argument I defer to IPSOS-MORIs leader image ratings 1979-2021
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,175

    Belgium screws over France

    To be fair there's not much regional voting this year (apart from Cyprus).
    Well, these are juries so it should be better than the public. But still Greece and Cyprus vote for each other.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,805
    dixiedean said:

    Jonathan said:

    Based on the song, the performance and the general low regard for us in Europe. Nil points was towards the upper end of my expectations for the U.K. entry.

    Every single year the commentators whinge that our song was better than its score.
    I strongly beg to differ.
    Indeed. Bland song, badly sung. Honestly we need to start sending in novelty acts. We're never going to win so let's just send in gimmicks that make the people laugh.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,011

    Belgium screws over France

    To be fair there's not much regional voting this year (apart from Cyprus).
    And Moldova Bulgaria
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,557
    Can't believe they hate our vaccine success this much. 😊
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 51,821
    Swiss leading just!
  • alex_alex_ Posts: 7,518

    Belgium screws over France

    To be fair there's not much regional voting this year (apart from Cyprus).
    That’ll kick in for the public vote. It was the reason the jury voting was reintroduced.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,402
    MaxPB said:

    dixiedean said:

    Jonathan said:

    Based on the song, the performance and the general low regard for us in Europe. Nil points was towards the upper end of my expectations for the U.K. entry.

    Every single year the commentators whinge that our song was better than its score.
    I strongly beg to differ.
    Indeed. Bland song, badly sung. Honestly we need to start sending in novelty acts. We're never going to win so let's just send in gimmicks that make the people laugh.
    Either that, or we could find a decent song from one of our many more than decent bands.
This discussion has been closed.