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Supporting a better infrastructure is fine until it is your house that they want to demolish – polit
Supporting a better infrastructure is fine until it is your house that they want to demolish – politicalbetting.com
What is dominating politics where I live at the moment is nothing to do with the pandemic or Brexit but about the planned East West railway – an overall project that was announced by Chris Grayling when he was TransportSec in 2017.
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Well, it's an interesting one. On the one hand, the US is emerging from the pandemic, and New Mexico has done a great job vaccinating, and you'd expect the Democrats to benefit.
On the other hand, Albuquerque is a bit of a poverty stricken, crime ridden shit hole, that the Dems have controlled for a long-time. And the rural areas hate the the Dems.
I'd expect turnout in the (Democratic heavy) city to be down markedly, while it holds up well in the rural areas around.
Dems 135,000; Reps 125,000 - Dem hold on dramatically lower share of the vote.
Hoover, incidentally, lived in London for several years before becoming president and raised his family here.
I am struggling to see a story here.
But Piers Morgan decided there was one. Apparently, she's a "brat" and a "madam", because she chose to skip questions from the press.
Now Piers is entitled to his opinions. But didn't Piers Morgan walk off a Good Morning Britain show when faced with questions he didn't like?
Democrats have held NM CD1 since 2008, with over 55% since 2012 after last redistricting. And even with expected low turnout helping the GOP, Democrats SHOULD hold this seat. For one thing, would expect a MUCH more robust grassroots & GOTV effort from Dems in THIS race than in Texas CD06 special election.
For one thing, only one candidate per (each) party in this race. Plus the Libertarian & independent vote will tend to come more out of (potential at least) Republican than Democratic support.
According to wiki, last (and apparently only) public poll, May 18-21, 500 LV, had following result
Melanie Stansbury (Dem) 49%
Mark Moores (Rep) 33%
Aubrey Dunn (Ind) 5%
Chris Manning (Lib) 5%
undecided 9%
Robert's characterization of Albuquerque has high degree of truth. It's the kind of place where locals will warn you against trying to stay at any of the small hotels in the city along Route 66. Unless of course you (and/or Leon) are looking for some action! Aside from a small old town down by the river, pretty bland place, but some VERY cool stuff on the outskirts & nearby, such as pueblos and Sandia Mountain. Very hot & dry compared to Santa Fe which is more interesting, certainly for tourists & travelers.
As I noted last thred, New Mexico is the only state in US that has (by legislative enactment) an Official State Question:
"Red or Green?"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico's_1st_congressional_district#Election_results
In fact, that's what put him on the GOP ticket in 1928 as Herbert Hoover's VP running mate, because many GOP regulars distrusted Hoover (who in 1920 had been courted as a possible POTUS candidate by both Reps and Dems).
Once in office, Curtis became embroiled in Washington, DC high-society high jinks. He was a widower, and made his sister his official hostess, and she got into a protracted dispute over social precedence with the wife of the Speaker of the US House, who happened to be Alice Roosevelt Longworth, daughter of the late President Theodore Roosevelt. Who had been a Washington trend-setter & social arbiter since she was a girl living in the White House.
Hoover would have liked to dump Curtis from the ticket in 1932, but his own standing with the public was even worse than the VP's, and so they remained an electoral duo - but FAR less dynamic in 1932.
She's had some mental health issues, specifically difficulty dealing with being cross-examined about her ups & esp downs on the tennis court. There appears to have been a basic communications breakdown between her and French Open officials.
For which both share blame, but more goes on them methinks, because it sure seems she has a legitimate personal issue AND she's one of the more interesting & potentially great players on the court today? Or NOT on the court in this case.
Just wish the French Open would say that without having to take her issues into account.
It is ironic that some of the critics have been comparing Osaka with Meghan/Harry. One who has been trying to keep her personal issues private, and the others giving high profile interviews. But both effectively criticised the same.
Remarkably stupid and now makes the reopening of the line very difficult and expensive, because it needs to be effectively rebuilt from scratch east of Bedford.
ATB
The WHO has named four variants of concern, known to the public as the UK/Kent (B.1.1.7), South Africa (B.1.351), Brazil (P.1) and India (B.1.617.2) variants. They will now be given the letters Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta respectively, to reflect their order of detection, with any new variants following the pattern down the Greek alphabet.
Good morning, everyone.
Not sure why there’s a picture of a soon to be scrapped plastic pig (Class 442) on one of the posters. Perhaps if there was a promise for the trains to be loco hauled then that would make all the difference.
It’s hard to see how the government doesn’t go ahead with this railway. They can’t build HS2 and then pull the plug on anything else.
Mr. Irish, was Osaka the one who beat Williams in the US Open final but was apologetic and practically (actually?) in tears at the interview because Williams had thrown such a strop during the match?
However, I did argue for Man Utd to be docked points every time Fergie didn’t talk to the BBC.
She talks with her racket and the idea that players should have to dance for the media shows what a disgusting state of affairs our world has sunk into.
Mental wellbeing comes first. The tournaments and media should fuck right off until they get that message.
If someone wishes only to play tennis, and not to appear at press conferences, that doesn't seem unreasonable.
Of course, if that is unacceptable to the competition organizer, then they are free to make appearance a condition of play, and players are free to find that either tolerable or intolerable.
My issue - such that it was - was more about Piers Morgan being a dickwad.
However, we do need public transport infrastructure and several east-west routes also need to be developed. We particularly need better services under the Pennines e.g. from Manchester to Leeds.
It's very tough for those blighted by it and we're not a large island for the size of population but I'd much rather see this than new roads.
The first of their rollout is Exeter to Okehampton where they have already laid the new 15 miles of track. Two hourly services will begin 7 days a week later this year, rising to hourly next year.
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/western/dartmoor-line/#:~:text=railway to passengers.-,The Dartmoor Line,Kingdom from Exeter St Davids.
It looks as if they are going to build a new Okehampton Parkway station close to the A30 too.
https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/latest-plans-okehampton-parkway-railway-5360383
In due course it's possible they may complete the link around the north side of Dartmoor from Exeter to Plymouth. The line won't be a true alternative to the beautiful but precarious section around Dawlish but it would certainly provide an important emergency backup:
https://www.railfuture.org.uk/The+Okehampton+Line
Appearance at the press conferences is very much a condition of playing in the tournament, which Miss Osaka has now decided is unacceptable to her and withdrawn.
She's a professional tennis player, yes, and one of the best in the world. She talks with her racket.
She should NOT have to perform off court if it affects her wellbeing.
Tennis is displaying the fact that it is antediluvian and arrogant and, like football, that it stinks.
Still, Osaka should ignore Morgan's issues and move to Britain. We love people who refuse to submit themselves to press scrutiny so much in this country that we make them PM.
I don’t tell them that I don’t want to report to them because it stresses me out, and expect them to just keep paying me regardless. I get on and do what I’m being paid to do, the good bits and the bad bits. It’s called being a professional.
https://trundleage.co.uk/news-and-updates/
I live very close to a station on the Chiltern line and it makes getting into Oxford a doddle compared to driving there.
As @Sandpit says, the TV companies pay the piper and they call the tune.
"Every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions. No one shall be deprived of his possessions except in the public interest and subject to the conditions provided for by law and by the general principles of international law.
The preceding provisions shall not, however, in any way impair the right of the State to enforce such laws as it deems necessary to control the use of property in accordance with the general interest or to secure payment of taxes or other contributions or penalties."
So this is something fairly fundamental in human nature and in many respects the very basis of the rule of law.
Its frustrating we take so long to do these things but the alternative is a State with the power to run roughshod over our property rights: would we really want that?
So, winning fans in every corner.
A large chunk of the problem though is the decision to sell off old railway line trackbeds for housing, which was based on the - to put it mildly - naive belief of Civil Servants over three decades that all railways would be closing in the near future so there was no chance they would be required again.
And of course, some never will be. Nobody’s going to rebuild the Littleton Colliery line from Penkridge to Huntington. And I can’t see anyone reopening the Mid Wales railway from Talyllyn Junction to Three Cocks junction, although ironically the track bed is probably mostly in situ there.
But to assume there was not and never would be a need for a railway from Cambridge to Oxford? Bizarre.
https://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/19/asia/gallery/china-nail-houses/index.html
For missing the press conference in the final 20% of your prize money goes to charity.
For each press conference you miss when you win a match 10% of your tournament prize money goes to charity.
For each press conference after you have lost a match 5% of your tournament prize money goes to charity.
Players can choose to attend/not attend on that basis.
A finalist missing all their press conferences would lose 80% of their tournament fee.
Incentivises enough players to attend, but allows those with an issue to skip if needed and raises some cash for charity.
Better than a public spat over mental health.
It could certainly be argued that the press conferences don’t add much to the tournament, but the press around the events think that we want to hear from the competitors, and the TV companies are paying a lot of money for broadcast rights to the tournament.
I’m not an expert on what tennis tournament entry forms look like, but here’s an example of a sport I follow more closely, and the requirements for media engagement immediately following the event:
https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2021 Monaco Grand Prix - Race Directors Note - Post Race Procedure.pdf
‘You know that outfit you’re wearing? It sucks. You look like a lemon that’s been kept in sunlight.’
‘Your article yesterday contained five spelling mistakes. How does it feel, knowing that you’re so stupid you can’t do the basic parts of your job properly?’
‘Obviously, there’s been lots of talk about you shagging this other journalist. I hear your wife wants a divorce, have you a comment for the listeners at home?’
I think press conferences would come to a rather sudden halt...
In contrast near my house there is the old railway track from Dundee to Newtyle which disappeared the best part of 100 years ago. It is now a delightful walk very popular with horses too. Used it a lot during lockdown.
AIUI the discussion was
Osaka: I don’t want to do this. Can I do that as an alternative?
French: Non!
Osaka: I’m not well and find it really difficult
French: Non!
Osaka: fine, then I’ll quit
To quote Rolt, ‘Dr Beeching and his ilk have a great deal to answer for.’
It’s not just the political media that have lost all grasp of reality.
If it's in the contract to do media, then you do media. Though Article III.H allows exceptions as described. Were the tournament medical advisers consulted ?
Perhaps some better advisers, for both players and tournament, and a break for the players, required.
What is French media saying?
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/may/31/naomi-osaka-withdraws-french-open-press-conference-fines-tennis
Addendum - interesting to note which way the actual big-time tennis players are going on this.
Naomi Osaka apparently has serious mental health issues when it comes to appearing in front of the media and 5 live commented this morning that when she beat Serena Williams last year, her whole press conference was about Serena Williams and nothing to do with congratulating her on her success
The tennis authorities in their wisdom fined her 15,000 dollars and threatened to expel her from their tournament unless she appeared as required
This is unacceptable, and just shows how out of touch the authorities are with mental health issues.
They should immediately return the fine, apologise to her, and provide help for her to return to the sport
She has decided to take time out from the sport she loves and of course that is sensible for her, but I have to say that Piers Morgan is not fit to even talk about Naomi, he is quite the most objectionable of people in the media today and should be called out for his ill conceived and hurtful attitude
It sounds like the press conferences cause serious levels of anxiety. Not something she should be forced to do.
Two hours after Osaka’s announcement, Moretton conducted a press conference in which he read out a statement in French and English, calling Osaka’s withdrawal “unfortunate” and wishing her “the quickest possible recovery.” He left without fielding any questions from the press.
And how much value do sporting press conferences really add? Or is it more a way of putting these sporting types in their place? You may be rich and successful, but we pay your wages...
They presumably thought a bit of blackmail would do the trick. They were wrong.
Entirely unconnected to all this talk of fast vaccination, and with every acknowledgement that the contexts of the nations are very different, here are three of @BristOliver's case charts side by side.
https://twitter.com/paulmainwood/status/1399618541075185665?s=21
The only reason other players won't rally round her cause is that they are delighted she isn't there to beat them.
‘We have disqualified a player for not answering questions from the media as it stressed her out. I will not answer questions from the media on this subject.’
However, there were some homes just outside the immediate area that were equally affected and did not qualify for the Welsh Office scheme, though some in exceptional circumstances were considered and compensation agreed accordingly.
It is usually fairly soon after a route has been announced that compensation becomes available, and while there were issues with some home owners it was a relative small number