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Gavin Williamson has done another whoopsie – politicalbetting.com

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  • Well done Raducanu
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,089
    6-3, 6-4. Job done :smile:
  • Andy_JS said:

    Sandpit said:

    On security:

    More than two decades ago, a place I know implemented its own security and alarm system - apparently it was an experiment to see whether it was a business area they wanted to move into.

    It was all rather a mess. Firstly, locks were put on the doors leading into the toilets, so you had to wave your security card at an RFID receiver to get in and out. People complained, because it potentially gave the management the chance to see how long people were spending on loo breaks.

    Then there was an incident one weekend. Some engineers were working when the alarm was triggered. All the doors locked. Because some idiots had designed it as a fail-secure, not fail-safe system, they were trapped in their parts of the building. The site security guard was also locked in, and could not reset the system. In the end a couple of engineers had to smash the window into a server room, climb in, and reboot the computer. Only then did the doors unlock.

    The system was abandoned, and an alarm firm further up the road came in to do a proper job ...

    Who the hell would implement a fail-secure system, on a building that wasn’t a prison or MI5 HQ?

    Doesn’t come close to meeting any known building code.

    And their server room had a window? There’s your security hole, right there.
    This was back in 1997/8 period, when things were a little different. But yes, failing secure was insane. Especially as the system was designed in their spare time by a couple of engineers (AIUI). I don't think they had a spec aside from 'build an alarm system'. The window was an internal one, inside the building; not an external one.

    If there'd been a fire and the system failed (power cut?) we'd have been toast.

    Oh, and the computer controlling the system might have been running a development version of the OS, not a stable one. Just to add to the hilarity.
    Sounds like an episode of the mid/late 1990s BBC TV drama Bugs. Precisely the sort of thing that used to happen on the show.
    Never heard of it. This was a Cambridge company; I worked there when this happened. The loo security thing caused a lot of controversy; I couldn't see what the fuss was about at the time. I would now, though.

    Looking back, it was a bit of a crazy place to work. But it changed the world. ;)

    ISTR that in the 1980s they wrote their own accounting software as well, which they sold off to another company.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,157
    eek said:

    The ability for humans to create secure passwords is surely something we can evolutionarily adapt to

    I suspect passwords will eventually go the way of the dinosaur...
    Like the ones shiteing all over my nice new shed?
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,089
    The good news: Raducanu is the last of the five players* still standing in the women's draw not to have dropped a set. It also appears that she is the first qualifier to reach the semi-finals in a US Open singles draw, although it has happened a handful of times at other major tournaments.

    The bad news: no qualifier, male or female, has ever reached a Grand Slam singles final...

    *Pliskova and Sakkari play their quarter-final tonight. Raducanu will play the winner.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,769

    Told you, balls of steel......30/30, maasive ace, match point, hits net, totally calm....

    If she had balls of any description she'd not be playing women's singles.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited September 2021
    ydoethur said:

    Told you, balls of steel......30/30, maasive ace, match point, hits net, totally calm....

    If she had balls of any description she'd not be playing women's singles.
    Careful.....its 2021..... don't want to be acccused of being transphobic.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,102
    What a fantastic performance by Emma.

    Wow. Wow. Wow.
  • ydoethur said:

    Told you, balls of steel......30/30, maasive ace, match point, hits net, totally calm....

    If she had balls of any description she'd not be playing women's singles.
    TERF!
  • Well done Raducanu

    On topic, let's hope Gavin doesn't mistake her for Virginia Wade.
    Or Ilie Nastase.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,769

    ydoethur said:

    Told you, balls of steel......30/30, maasive ace, match point, hits net, totally calm....

    If she had balls of any description she'd not be playing women's singles.
    Careful.....its 2021..... don't want to be acccused of being transphobic.
    They haven't changed the rules, or at least, not yet!
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
  • Well done Raducanu

    On topic, let's hope Gavin doesn't mistake her for Virginia Wade.
    Or Ilie Nastase.
    That's better than mine - kudos.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,860

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,102
    I like the fact that this has gone under the UK radar so all of that crazy post-lockdown hype she had to endure from the media at Wimledon isn't piling on her this time. She's enjoying it.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,102
    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    As a comeback from what happened, she ought to win SPOTY. It's phenomenal.

    But I expect it will come down to whether or not she wins.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Heathener said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    As a comeback from what happened, she ought to win SPOTY. It's phenomenal.

    But I expect it will come down to whether or not she wins.
    She has no chance of SPoTY. There’s a dozen Olympians to be nominated, and this tournament isn’t even on TV.

    They do, however, have a young personality award. Can we bet on that one?
  • Quite a good line from Labour's Nadia Whittome in the HoC debate on the social care 'plan':

    Why is it that Amazon is only paying around 7.5% of its income in tax when a graduate on a standard starting salary is expected to give up around 50%?

    Labour should keep banging on like this.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,769

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    Has there been a Spoty teenager before?
    They represent the acne of professional competition.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,769

    ydoethur said:

    Told you, balls of steel......30/30, maasive ace, match point, hits net, totally calm....

    If she had balls of any description she'd not be playing women's singles.
    TERF!
    Nah, it’s on concrete these days.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,778
    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
  • Sandpit said:

    Heathener said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    As a comeback from what happened, she ought to win SPOTY. It's phenomenal.

    But I expect it will come down to whether or not she wins.
    She has no chance of SPoTY. There’s a dozen Olympians to be nominated, and this tournament isn’t even on TV.

    They do, however, have a young personality award. Can we bet on that one?
    No, but if we could, don't forget Sky the skateboarder.
  • ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    Has there been a Spoty teenager before?
    They represent the acne of professional competition.
    Oh dear, not surprised you squeezed that one out.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,860
    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    Creep.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,102
    edited September 2021
    Sandpit said:

    Heathener said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    As a comeback from what happened, she ought to win SPOTY. It's phenomenal.

    But I expect it will come down to whether or not she wins.
    She has no chance of SPoTY. There’s a dozen Olympians to be nominated, and this tournament isn’t even on TV.

    They do, however, have a young personality award. Can we bet on that one?
    Of course it's on TV: I was just watching it. Do you mean terrestrial UK television?

    The Olympics isn't my cup of tea I have to be honest. I gave up watching it some years ago. I'm always suspicious these days about performance enhancing drugs.


    I find this site rather unnecessarily argumentative, I have to say, which is why I'm posting seldom. It seems like people just enter a bear pit. I mean, not singling you out, but a comment such as 'she has no chance of SPOTY' is clearly an exaggeration so I wonder why you wrote it? She has some chance of winning, especially if she were to win the US Open Tennis.

    A LOT (six) of tennis players have won SPOTY over the years. Andy Murray has won SPOTY more than any other individual.

    I could go on. Point is: plenty of precedence so to write 'no chance' is a bit silly really.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,719
    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html
  • Quite a good line from Labour's Nadia Whittome in the HoC debate on the social care 'plan':

    Why is it that Amazon is only paying around 7.5% of its income in tax when a graduate on a standard starting salary is expected to give up around 50%?

    Labour should keep banging on like this.

    Trouble is that the next thing they'll be saying is that there isn't enough investment...
  • pingping Posts: 3,724
    edited September 2021
    kinabalu said:

    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    Creep.
    That’s a bit harsh

    Hehe

    Anyway, I heard they came to hate that song. I can see why. Still a great tune.

    Personally I’ve rediscovered REM’s earlier stuff. Country feedback is bloody amazing.
  • HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    LOL. All a matter of opinion and subjectivity dressed up with a veneer of objective sounding analysis.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,165
    Raducanu is now 5.3 to win SPoTY, which isn’t much longer than the 4.5 to win the US Open.

    She has a chance to win SPoTY in that the vote might be split quite evenly among different people. Chuck Lewis Hamilton into the mix and there are half a dozen potential winners.
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    The bends is a special album though because every track is good. What do you make of the sound of The Smile spin off?

    The National would be harder to suggest a starting point, because although there are many great tracks, in various musical styles, it’s fair to say there isn’t a stand out album? The National are top drawer for metaphor in song writing IMO almost like poetry
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,165

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    Has there been a Spoty teenager before?
    I know that’s a joke, but Michael Owen was 19 when he won.
  • stodgestodge Posts: 12,745
    Mid evening all :)

    https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1435639590283628548/photo/1

    The INSA projection for the constituency vote in the German election looks horrendous for the Union and especially the CDU which is going to be driven out of most of North Germany and forced back to strongholds in Nord Rhein-Westfalen and Baden-Wurttemberg. The CSU will win most of the rural seats in Bavaria but looks set to be driven out of Munich and Nuremburg by the SPD and to face a few seat losses to the Greens.

    The AfD looks set to do very well in Saxony while the Greens aren't going to win as many seats as seemed likely a few months ago as the SPD sweep across the north and east.

    The Allensbach poll is as usual the "best" for the Union but 25% is hardly a number to get the pulse racing - Allensbach always polls highest for the Union - they were the ones who had the Union over 30% in mid summer - and conversely lowest for the FDP (below 10% while some pollsters have the FDP at 13%).

    It may be right, it may be an outlier, we'll see.

    The earlier Trend Research poll fits well into the pack - the Greens easing back to 15% as the SPD move forward to 26% and open up a six point lead on the Union.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,860
    ping said:

    kinabalu said:

    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    Creep.
    That’s a bit harsh

    Hehe

    Anyway, I heard they came to hate that song. I can see why. Still a great tune.

    Personally I’ve rediscovered REM’s earlier stuff. Country feedback is bloody amazing.
    I like it a lot, esp the crashing guitar bit, also the vocals and the lyrics are great, sweet incel, ie without the gun, or maybe with it the next day, who knows. But they're a group I haven't really explored. Should do really. Same goes for REM. I only know the hits.
  • Heathener said:

    Sandpit said:

    Heathener said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    As a comeback from what happened, she ought to win SPOTY. It's phenomenal.

    But I expect it will come down to whether or not she wins.
    She has no chance of SPoTY. There’s a dozen Olympians to be nominated, and this tournament isn’t even on TV.

    They do, however, have a young personality award. Can we bet on that one?
    Of course it's on TV: I was just watching it. Do you mean terrestrial UK television?

    The Olympics isn't my cup of tea I have to be honest. I gave up watching it some years ago. I'm always suspicious these days about performance enhancing drugs.


    I find this site rather unnecessarily argumentative, I have to say, which is why I'm posting seldom. It seems like people just enter a bear pit. I mean, not singling you out, but a comment such as 'she has no chance of SPOTY' is clearly an exaggeration so I wonder why you wrote it? She has some chance of winning, especially if she were to win the US Open Tennis.

    A LOT (six) of tennis players have won SPOTY over the years. Andy Murray has won SPOTY more than any other individual.

    I could go on. Point is: plenty of precedence so to write 'no chance' is a bit silly really.
    How many people even watch TV nowadays?

    Seriously her performance is on the internet and that's all a lot of people even follow nowadays.
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    kinabalu said:

    ping said:

    kinabalu said:

    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    Creep.
    That’s a bit harsh

    Hehe

    Anyway, I heard they came to hate that song. I can see why. Still a great tune.

    Personally I’ve rediscovered REM’s earlier stuff. Country feedback is bloody amazing.
    I like it a lot, esp the crashing guitar bit, also the vocals and the lyrics are great, sweet incel, ie without the gun, or maybe with it the next day, who knows. But they're a group I haven't really explored. Should do really. Same goes for REM. I only know the hits.
    Dylan covered creep he loved it so much.
  • Heathener said:

    Sandpit said:

    Heathener said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    As a comeback from what happened, she ought to win SPOTY. It's phenomenal.

    But I expect it will come down to whether or not she wins.
    She has no chance of SPoTY. There’s a dozen Olympians to be nominated, and this tournament isn’t even on TV.

    They do, however, have a young personality award. Can we bet on that one?
    Of course it's on TV: I was just watching it. Do you mean terrestrial UK television?

    The Olympics isn't my cup of tea I have to be honest. I gave up watching it some years ago. I'm always suspicious these days about performance enhancing drugs.


    I find this site rather unnecessarily argumentative, I have to say, which is why I'm posting seldom. It seems like people just enter a bear pit. I mean, not singling you out, but a comment such as 'she has no chance of SPOTY' is clearly an exaggeration so I wonder why you wrote it? She has some chance of winning, especially if she were to win the US Open Tennis.

    A LOT (six) of tennis players have won SPOTY over the years. Andy Murray has won SPOTY more than any other individual.

    I could go on. Point is: plenty of precedence so to write 'no chance' is a bit silly really.
    Yes, Emma Raducanu can win SPotY. As you say, Andy Murray has won SPotY three times. However, Murray's first win was in 2013, when he won Wimbledon. In 2012, Murray had won the Olympics and also the US Open but this was not enough. So if, like @kinabalu, you are on at 100/1 then you have an excellent bet. But right now, Emma is only 9/2 in an Olympics year, and she is still 7/2 to win the US Open, which was not enough for Andy Murray, on a minor internet channel, often in the middle of the night.

    Yes, she can do it but is not a tempting bet right now at the current prices.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,860
    gealbhan said:

    kinabalu said:

    ping said:

    kinabalu said:

    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    Creep.
    That’s a bit harsh

    Hehe

    Anyway, I heard they came to hate that song. I can see why. Still a great tune.

    Personally I’ve rediscovered REM’s earlier stuff. Country feedback is bloody amazing.
    I like it a lot, esp the crashing guitar bit, also the vocals and the lyrics are great, sweet incel, ie without the gun, or maybe with it the next day, who knows. But they're a group I haven't really explored. Should do really. Same goes for REM. I only know the hits.
    Dylan covered creep he loved it so much.
    Ah well there you go then. I am moved to seek that out asap as in NOW.

    Edit: No, the chops are burning.
  • Heathener said:

    Sandpit said:

    Heathener said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    As a comeback from what happened, she ought to win SPOTY. It's phenomenal.

    But I expect it will come down to whether or not she wins.
    She has no chance of SPoTY. There’s a dozen Olympians to be nominated, and this tournament isn’t even on TV.

    They do, however, have a young personality award. Can we bet on that one?
    Of course it's on TV: I was just watching it. Do you mean terrestrial UK television?

    The Olympics isn't my cup of tea I have to be honest. I gave up watching it some years ago. I'm always suspicious these days about performance enhancing drugs.


    I find this site rather unnecessarily argumentative, I have to say, which is why I'm posting seldom. It seems like people just enter a bear pit. I mean, not singling you out, but a comment such as 'she has no chance of SPOTY' is clearly an exaggeration so I wonder why you wrote it? She has some chance of winning, especially if she were to win the US Open Tennis.

    A LOT (six) of tennis players have won SPOTY over the years. Andy Murray has won SPOTY more than any other individual.

    I could go on. Point is: plenty of precedence so to write 'no chance' is a bit silly really.
    How many people even watch TV nowadays?

    Seriously her performance is on the internet and that's all a lot of people even follow nowadays.
    The public who vote on SPotY watch telly, specifically the BBC.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,719
    edited September 2021
    stodge said:

    Mid evening all :)

    https://twitter.com/EuropeElects/status/1435639590283628548/photo/1

    The INSA projection for the constituency vote in the German election looks horrendous for the Union and especially the CDU which is going to be driven out of most of North Germany and forced back to strongholds in Nord Rhein-Westfalen and Baden-Wurttemberg. The CSU will win most of the rural seats in Bavaria but looks set to be driven out of Munich and Nuremburg by the SPD and to face a few seat losses to the Greens.

    The AfD looks set to do very well in Saxony while the Greens aren't going to win as many seats as seemed likely a few months ago as the SPD sweep across the north and east.

    The Allensbach poll is as usual the "best" for the Union but 25% is hardly a number to get the pulse racing - Allensbach always polls highest for the Union - they were the ones who had the Union over 30% in mid summer - and conversely lowest for the FDP (below 10% while some pollsters have the FDP at 13%).

    It may be right, it may be an outlier, we'll see.

    The earlier Trend Research poll fits well into the pack - the Greens easing back to 15% as the SPD move forward to 26% and open up a six point lead on the Union.

    Clearly a big shift to the SPD who will move from 59 constituency seats in 2017 to 198 now.

    Terrible result for the CDU who will move from 185 constituency seats in 2017 to about 40 now. Indeed the CSU with about 38 constituency seats will have nearly as many as the CDU now and be almost as influential in the Union whereas in 2017 they were about 140 constituency seats behind the CDU.

    That will likely shift the Union in a more conservative direction in opposition, even if the CDU pick up a few more on the list
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,089

    Quite a good line from Labour's Nadia Whittome in the HoC debate on the social care 'plan':

    Why is it that Amazon is only paying around 7.5% of its income in tax when a graduate on a standard starting salary is expected to give up around 50%?

    Labour should keep banging on like this.

    Trouble is that the next thing they'll be saying is that there isn't enough investment...
    Johnson has presumably calculated that Labour's attacks will bounce off him for two reasons:

    1. People will think Labour is being hypocritical, because they trust one party no more than the other and assume that it would like to spend even more than the Tories
    2. Labour won't say where else the money is going to come from if not from the NI ramp, and it won't take very long for voters to conclude either the Labour has no plan, or that it depends on unlimited borrowing, or that it depends on taxing property (which is the biggest, easiest, most obvious target to go for as an alternative to wages, but will make the enormous grey vote vomit)

    If the Government's poll lead survives both the new tax and the decision to suspend the triple lock along with it, then he can consider himself vindicated.
  • Heathener said:

    What a fantastic performance by Emma.

    Wow. Wow. Wow.

    [Vic Reeves voice] RADUCANU!!!!
  • stodgestodge Posts: 12,745
    Another country voting this autumn is the Czech Republic or Czechia as it seems to be called.

    Polling days are 8-9 October and the latest Median poll as follows:

    Changes from the 2017 election:

    ANO 2011: 27.0% (-2.6)
    SPOLU Alliance: 21.0% (-1.4)
    Pirates & Mayors: 20.5% (+4.5)
    Freedom & Direct Democracy: 9.0% (-1.6)
    Communists: 6.0% (-1.8)
    Social Democrats: 4.5% (-2.8)
    Přísaha (anti corruption): 4% (+4)
    Free Citizens: 3.0% (+1.4)
    Greens: 2.5% (+1)

    The Communists and Social Democrats took a beating last time losing 53 of their 83 seats but while Andrej Babis and his political vehicle, ANO 2011, won the election, he couldn't find any governing partners and in the end formed a coalition with the Social Democrats and this Government is backed in the Chamber of Deputies by the Communists so it has 108 out of 200 seats.

    The two main challengers to Babis are two electoral alliances - the centre-right SPOLU and the centrist Pirates & Mayors. Threshold for getting seats in the Chamber of Deputies is 5%.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,769

    ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    Has there been a Spoty teenager before?
    They represent the acne of professional competition.
    Oh dear, not surprised you squeezed that one out.
    Surely you can do better than that? Or are you saying that zit?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,165
    I wonder if Raducanu has already done enough to get nominated? I reckon reach the final and she’s on the list, but needs to win it to have a chance in SPoTY.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,157
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    Has there been a Spoty teenager before?
    They represent the acne of professional competition.
    Oh dear, not surprised you squeezed that one out.
    Surely you can do better than that? Or are you saying that zit?
    Must you in cyst?
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950
    kinabalu said:

    gealbhan said:

    kinabalu said:

    ping said:

    kinabalu said:

    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    Creep.
    That’s a bit harsh

    Hehe

    Anyway, I heard they came to hate that song. I can see why. Still a great tune.

    Personally I’ve rediscovered REM’s earlier stuff. Country feedback is bloody amazing.
    I like it a lot, esp the crashing guitar bit, also the vocals and the lyrics are great, sweet incel, ie without the gun, or maybe with it the next day, who knows. But they're a group I haven't really explored. Should do really. Same goes for REM. I only know the hits.
    Dylan covered creep he loved it so much.
    Ah well there you go then. I am moved to seek that out asap as in NOW.

    Edit: No, the chops are burning.
    Just a few carrots at lunch?
  • BalrogBalrog Posts: 207
    Comments below refer to points made on previous post:

    1. Tax difference between personally owned BTL and company owned is a lot more extreme than commented as interest is not allowed against tax for individual. so say 1k pcm rental income, 750pcm mortgage interest. Individual is taxed on income at say 40%, so 4k8. So have post tax income of 7200 and 9k mortgage to pay. So -ve rental yield. Company gets 12k income, offsets 9k mortgage and then 19% tax (increasing to 25%), so about 2k4 profit to distribute.

    2. There was a comment that companies should be taxed more because personal taxes have gone up. Firstly there is the increase to 25% on its way. But dividends then get the extra 1.25% anyway.

    Also there is a significant tax on property values - stamp duty, which can easily get over 100k for company or if buyer has other properties. I don't know what the mean time between transactions is, but if say 5 years then that could be 1% to 2% pa equivalent for higher value properties.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,860

    Heathener said:

    Sandpit said:

    Heathener said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    As a comeback from what happened, she ought to win SPOTY. It's phenomenal.

    But I expect it will come down to whether or not she wins.
    She has no chance of SPoTY. There’s a dozen Olympians to be nominated, and this tournament isn’t even on TV.

    They do, however, have a young personality award. Can we bet on that one?
    Of course it's on TV: I was just watching it. Do you mean terrestrial UK television?

    The Olympics isn't my cup of tea I have to be honest. I gave up watching it some years ago. I'm always suspicious these days about performance enhancing drugs.


    I find this site rather unnecessarily argumentative, I have to say, which is why I'm posting seldom. It seems like people just enter a bear pit. I mean, not singling you out, but a comment such as 'she has no chance of SPOTY' is clearly an exaggeration so I wonder why you wrote it? She has some chance of winning, especially if she were to win the US Open Tennis.

    A LOT (six) of tennis players have won SPOTY over the years. Andy Murray has won SPOTY more than any other individual.

    I could go on. Point is: plenty of precedence so to write 'no chance' is a bit silly really.
    Yes, Emma Raducanu can win SPotY. As you say, Andy Murray has won SPotY three times. However, Murray's first win was in 2013, when he won Wimbledon. In 2012, Murray had won the Olympics and also the US Open but this was not enough. So if, like @kinabalu, you are on at 100/1 then you have an excellent bet. But right now, Emma is only 9/2 in an Olympics year, and she is still 7/2 to win the US Open, which was not enough for Andy Murray, on a minor internet channel, often in the middle of the night.

    Yes, she can do it but is not a tempting bet right now at the current prices.
    Agree with your Spoty punditry but my juicy looking bet is her for the US Open. It's lay back time now though. I don't want to but a pro has to do these bloodless things.
  • 319 v 248 majority of 71
  • Heathener said:

    Sandpit said:

    Heathener said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    As a comeback from what happened, she ought to win SPOTY. It's phenomenal.

    But I expect it will come down to whether or not she wins.
    She has no chance of SPoTY. There’s a dozen Olympians to be nominated, and this tournament isn’t even on TV.

    They do, however, have a young personality award. Can we bet on that one?
    Of course it's on TV: I was just watching it. Do you mean terrestrial UK television?

    The Olympics isn't my cup of tea I have to be honest. I gave up watching it some years ago. I'm always suspicious these days about performance enhancing drugs.


    I find this site rather unnecessarily argumentative, I have to say, which is why I'm posting seldom. It seems like people just enter a bear pit. I mean, not singling you out, but a comment such as 'she has no chance of SPOTY' is clearly an exaggeration so I wonder why you wrote it? She has some chance of winning, especially if she were to win the US Open Tennis.

    A LOT (six) of tennis players have won SPOTY over the years. Andy Murray has won SPOTY more than any other individual.

    I could go on. Point is: plenty of precedence so to write 'no chance' is a bit silly really.
    How many people even watch TV nowadays?

    Seriously her performance is on the internet and that's all a lot of people even follow nowadays.
    The public who vote on SPotY watch telly, specifically the BBC.
    The BBC are certainly going into overdrive on her behalf. All their high pitched fervor from the Olympics & Paralympics is now directed towards her.
  • stodgestodge Posts: 12,745
    HYUFD said:


    Clearly a big shift to the SPD who will move from 59 constituency seats in 2017 to 198 now.

    Terrible result for the CDU who will move from 185 constituency seats in 2017 to about 40 now. Indeed the CSU with about 38 constituency seats will have nearly as many as the CDU now and be almost as influential in the Union whereas in 2017 they were about 140 constituency seats behind the CDU.

    That will likely shift the Union in a more conservative direction in opposition, even if the CDU pick up a few more on the list

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_German_federal_election#/media/File:German_Federal_Election_2017_-_Results_by_Constituency_&_Regional_Seats.svg

    Note the List results from last time - the Union won 231 constituency and 15 regional seats. The SPD won 59 constituency seats and 94 regional seats.

    The split last time was 299 constituency seats and 410 regional list seats giving a total Bundestag of 709 seats. In theory, it should be 598 but there were another 111 levelling and overhanging seats awarded.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,719
    edited September 2021

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,860
    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    gealbhan said:

    kinabalu said:

    ping said:

    kinabalu said:

    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    Creep.
    That’s a bit harsh

    Hehe

    Anyway, I heard they came to hate that song. I can see why. Still a great tune.

    Personally I’ve rediscovered REM’s earlier stuff. Country feedback is bloody amazing.
    I like it a lot, esp the crashing guitar bit, also the vocals and the lyrics are great, sweet incel, ie without the gun, or maybe with it the next day, who knows. But they're a group I haven't really explored. Should do really. Same goes for REM. I only know the hits.
    Dylan covered creep he loved it so much.
    Ah well there you go then. I am moved to seek that out asap as in NOW.

    Edit: No, the chops are burning.
    Just a few carrots at lunch?
    Modest lunch, modest dinner. This is how I navigate my way through a typical day. Banana for breakfast.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,860
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    Raducanu, balls of steel that lass...Saves 3 break points by pulling out blazing shots like she is practising down the local park.

    How often in an Olympic year has SPOTY gone to a non-Olympian?
    She won't win it regardless of what happens in the US Open, but she has something special....again crucial 30/30, smashes a perfect Ace.

    The best seem to get better when the pressure is being turned up.
    Yes, the US Open is not on proper telly so it doesn't count except that she may pick up some adverts on the back of this. At the moment, Emma Radacanu is not even the British number one, or even number two, though she should go top when the rankings are recalculated.
    She is the real deal...she is duffing up very good players....despite hardly any tennis during the pandemic, certainly not against world class opposition.
    Yep. Spoty is hard to call but this is potentially a very big thing in women's tennis and Brit sport.
    Has there been a Spoty teenager before?
    They represent the acne of professional competition.
    Oh dear, not surprised you squeezed that one out.
    Surely you can do better than that? Or are you saying that zit?
    You are just impussible.
  • HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 40,950
    kinabalu said:

    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    gealbhan said:

    kinabalu said:

    ping said:

    kinabalu said:

    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    Creep.
    That’s a bit harsh

    Hehe

    Anyway, I heard they came to hate that song. I can see why. Still a great tune.

    Personally I’ve rediscovered REM’s earlier stuff. Country feedback is bloody amazing.
    I like it a lot, esp the crashing guitar bit, also the vocals and the lyrics are great, sweet incel, ie without the gun, or maybe with it the next day, who knows. But they're a group I haven't really explored. Should do really. Same goes for REM. I only know the hits.
    Dylan covered creep he loved it so much.
    Ah well there you go then. I am moved to seek that out asap as in NOW.

    Edit: No, the chops are burning.
    Just a few carrots at lunch?
    Modest lunch, modest dinner. This is how I navigate my way through a typical day. Banana for breakfast.
    Chops for dinner sounds lavish.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 11,184
    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    Now I bow to no-one in my civic pride, but really?
    You can have a very good quality of life here. Certainly better than London, where there is more going on but you can't afford to do any of it and live. Oh, and the countryside is splendid. There isn't a city I'd rather live in. But to visit? If you were crossing the Atlantic, I'd honestly say you would have a lovelier weekend in any one of 20 or 30 other European cities, coronarestrictions permitting.
    That said, if you live in the UK and have a spare weekend you could do a lot worse.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,778
    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    The bends is a special album though because every track is good. What do you make of the sound of The Smile spin off?

    The National would be harder to suggest a starting point, because although there are many great tracks, in various musical styles, it’s fair to say there isn’t a stand out album? The National are top drawer for metaphor in song writing IMO almost like poetry
    Well, with The National you should start with Boxer or High Violet, and then work your way from there.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,769

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,778
    edited September 2021
    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    San Francisco number one.

    Excuse me while I spill my drink.

    San Francisco isn't even in the top two cities in California.

    It is:

    (a) expensive
    (b) dirty
    (c) has poor nightlife and food
    (d) has an appalling homeless problem
    (e) terrible, terrible traffic
    (f) doesn't have a great theatre, music or comedy scene
    (g) or art, for that matter
    (h) and it has pretty poor weather

    On the other hand, it does have reasonable public transport.

  • ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
    I do not know to be honest

    The figures seem strange, but Sky are painting it as a personal success for Boris
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,089
    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
    I can't find out who the missing opposition voters were, but I would assume that the SNP were whipped against it as the NI changes clearly affect Scotland and they have been complaining about them vociferously.

    It looks more like about 50 opposition MPs simply declined to turn up, the majority of them probably because they had concluded that the Government was bound to win the vote.
  • Which party is Philip Thompson going to.join? I cannot see him going to the dark side....
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,778
    pigeon said:

    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
    I can't find out who the missing opposition voters were, but I would assume that the SNP were whipped against it as the NI changes clearly affect Scotland and they have been complaining about them vociferously.

    It looks more like about 50 opposition MPs simply declined to turn up, the majority of them probably because they had concluded that the Government was bound to win the vote.
    Surely it was simple pairing.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,769

    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
    I do not know to be honest

    The figures seem strange, but Sky are painting it as a personal success for Boris
    There may be 44 Con MPs who didn’t vote for the government but over 30 opposition missing as well. The only block large enough to account for that on their own would be the SNP but it seems a strange thing to abstain on.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,297

    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    LOL. All a matter of opinion and subjectivity dressed up with a veneer of objective sounding analysis.
    At least a quarter of the cities on that list are right now impossible to visit. Due to covid and quarantine. Sydney? Bangkok? Really?
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    edited September 2021
    Balrog said:

    Comments below refer to points made on previous post:

    1. Tax difference between personally owned BTL and company owned is a lot more extreme than commented as interest is not allowed against tax for individual. so say 1k pcm rental income, 750pcm mortgage interest. Individual is taxed on income at say 40%, so 4k8. So have post tax income of 7200 and 9k mortgage to pay. So -ve rental yield. Company gets 12k income, offsets 9k mortgage and then 19% tax (increasing to 25%), so about 2k4 profit to distribute.

    2. There was a comment that companies should be taxed more because personal taxes have gone up. Firstly there is the increase to 25% on its way. But dividends then get the extra 1.25% anyway.

    Also there is a significant tax on property values - stamp duty, which can easily get over 100k for company or if buyer has other properties. I don't know what the mean time between transactions is, but if say 5 years then that could be 1% to 2% pa equivalent for higher value properties.

    Not quite true there is a tax allowance for that provides 20% relief on interest payments.

    However, personally no relief should be allowed on interest charges on residential property - as that would straighten the market for homeowners against landlords.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,408
    pigeon said:

    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
    I can't find out who the missing opposition voters were, but I would assume that the SNP were whipped against it as the NI changes clearly affect Scotland and they have been complaining about them vociferously.

    It looks more like about 50 opposition MPs simply declined to turn up, the majority of them probably because they had concluded that the Government was bound to win the vote.
    That'd be terrible if so. Of course it is usually true, but you still have to play your part and you might get lucky, or at least give the government a spool - equally so some Tory potential rebel could claim they saw loads of opposition not there so knew there was no point in being brave and so chickened out.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    San Francisco number one.

    Excuse me while I spill my drink.

    San Francisco isn't even in the top two cities in California.

    It is:

    (a) expensive
    (b) dirty
    (c) has poor nightlife and food
    (d) has an appalling homeless problem
    (e) terrible, terrible traffic
    (f) doesn't have a great theatre, music or comedy scene
    (g) or art, for that matter
    (h) and it has pretty poor weather

    On the other hand, it does have reasonable public transport.

    Makes the whole list completely suspect. Anyone who has been to SF knows it's terrible. It's among my least favourite places to go in the US. The people who say they like SF like the idea of it, not what it actually is.
  • Quite a good line from Labour's Nadia Whittome in the HoC debate on the social care 'plan':

    Why is it that Amazon is only paying around 7.5% of its income in tax when a graduate on a standard starting salary is expected to give up around 50%?

    Labour should keep banging on like this.

    Only if you ignore the fact that corporation tax is currently 19% and going upto 25% and dividends on that same profit are taxed at upto 38.1% soon to go upto 39.3% of the remaining 75%. A future blended rate of of upto 54% in the hands of the eventual recipient.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,860
    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    gealbhan said:

    kinabalu said:

    ping said:

    kinabalu said:

    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    Creep.
    That’s a bit harsh

    Hehe

    Anyway, I heard they came to hate that song. I can see why. Still a great tune.

    Personally I’ve rediscovered REM’s earlier stuff. Country feedback is bloody amazing.
    I like it a lot, esp the crashing guitar bit, also the vocals and the lyrics are great, sweet incel, ie without the gun, or maybe with it the next day, who knows. But they're a group I haven't really explored. Should do really. Same goes for REM. I only know the hits.
    Dylan covered creep he loved it so much.
    Ah well there you go then. I am moved to seek that out asap as in NOW.

    Edit: No, the chops are burning.
    Just a few carrots at lunch?
    Modest lunch, modest dinner. This is how I navigate my way through a typical day. Banana for breakfast.
    Chops for dinner sounds lavish.
    Just the one, with sweetcorn plus 2 small potatoes. It's restrained. I think that's the word.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,944
    edited September 2021
    MaxPB said:

    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    San Francisco number one.

    Excuse me while I spill my drink.

    San Francisco isn't even in the top two cities in California.

    It is:

    (a) expensive
    (b) dirty
    (c) has poor nightlife and food
    (d) has an appalling homeless problem
    (e) terrible, terrible traffic
    (f) doesn't have a great theatre, music or comedy scene
    (g) or art, for that matter
    (h) and it has pretty poor weather

    On the other hand, it does have reasonable public transport.

    Makes the whole list completely suspect. Anyone who has been to SF knows it's terrible. It's among my least favourite places to go in the US. The people who say they like SF like the idea of it, not what it actually is.
    A friend went to SF on business and on a day off went to see the sights. She asked an American couple to take a photo of her by the Golden Gate Bridge. Sure, they said, but you should know this isn't the Golden Gate Bridge.
  • gealbhangealbhan Posts: 2,362
    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    gealbhan said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    rcs1000 said:

    I might be wrong but I believed Foxy to be a woman? Many apologies if I am wrong

    All man, well he was when I met him in 2015.
    Times change.

    I always find it polite to make sure that I am not misgendering people, so I like to start each conversation with "[x], how nice to see you. Tell me, how do you self identify these days?"

    Of course, there are limits to this. One shouldn't ask more than once (or at most twice) per day.
    Do you still insist you like R****h**d ?
    You seem like a smart guy, @Nigelb.

    Are you really saying that you don't like them. I mean, differences of opinion are fine and all that. So, I understand you could have a different opinion.

    But I'm reminded of something a musician friend of mine said "people who say they like music, who don't like Radiohead, don't really like music."
    I'm unfamiliar with their oeuvre, so just wanted to check you still thought them worth investigation.
    Are you genuinely unfamiliar?

    If so, can I suggest you start with the Bends and go from there. Personally, alongside The National, I think they are among the best bands of the last quarter century.
    Absolutely start with the bends.

    It’s completely untypical of their excessively shoe gazing output which followed, hence best place to start and finish. 😆

    Am I banned now?
    I started with OK Computer, then went to The Bends, then Pablo Honey, then Kid A, etc.

    I think their best album is In Rainbows, but every single one of their releases has absolute gems on them - from Lotus Flower on The King of Limbs to Present Tense on A Moon Shaped Pool.
    The bends is a special album though because every track is good. What do you make of the sound of The Smile spin off?

    The National would be harder to suggest a starting point, because although there are many great tracks, in various musical styles, it’s fair to say there isn’t a stand out album? The National are top drawer for metaphor in song writing IMO almost like poetry
    Well, with The National you should start with Boxer or High Violet, and then work your way from there.
    That is the most solid answer. For me High Violet is the most complete listen all through, Boxer starts well, finishes very well, but doesn’t hold up in the middle. It certainly doesn’t reach the crescendo of high violet.

    Sleep Well Beast repays getting into it. Eventually.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,297
    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    San Francisco number one.

    Excuse me while I spill my drink.

    San Francisco isn't even in the top two cities in California.

    It is:

    (a) expensive
    (b) dirty
    (c) has poor nightlife and food
    (d) has an appalling homeless problem
    (e) terrible, terrible traffic
    (f) doesn't have a great theatre, music or comedy scene
    (g) or art, for that matter
    (h) and it has pretty poor weather

    On the other hand, it does have reasonable public transport.

    The crass stupidity of that list is summarised in this quote about the silver medalist Amsterdam



    'During the pandemic, Amsterdam has felt the absence of culture and social life more acutely than most,' says Time Out. 'Yet the city has used the time wisely, focusing inwards on its famous beauty, history and community spirit – while vowing to do away with the coffeeshops, brothels and drunken debauchery that so blighted its historic centre.'

    Er, what? Take away the ‘coffee shops, brothels and drunken debauchery’, chuck in ‘an absence of culture and social life’, and Amsterdam is a small series of canals with nice old empty houses and boring shops mostly shuttered. And crap food if you can find a restaurant that’s open. Also, some people cycle. Alone.



  • MaxPB said:

    rcs1000 said:

    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    San Francisco number one.

    Excuse me while I spill my drink.

    San Francisco isn't even in the top two cities in California.

    It is:

    (a) expensive
    (b) dirty
    (c) has poor nightlife and food
    (d) has an appalling homeless problem
    (e) terrible, terrible traffic
    (f) doesn't have a great theatre, music or comedy scene
    (g) or art, for that matter
    (h) and it has pretty poor weather

    On the other hand, it does have reasonable public transport.

    Makes the whole list completely suspect. Anyone who has been to SF knows it's terrible. It's among my least favourite places to go in the US. The people who say they like SF like the idea of it, not what it actually is.
    I visited in 2005 and it was really nice. But it sounds like it has gone downhill since then, ruined by income inequality.
  • Gavin Williamson being stupid is kind of priced in. And lets be honest, he doesn't know or care who either of these people are. His type of Tory never does.
  • kle4 said:

    pigeon said:

    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
    I can't find out who the missing opposition voters were, but I would assume that the SNP were whipped against it as the NI changes clearly affect Scotland and they have been complaining about them vociferously.

    It looks more like about 50 opposition MPs simply declined to turn up, the majority of them probably because they had concluded that the Government was bound to win the vote.
    That'd be terrible if so. Of course it is usually true, but you still have to play your part and you might get lucky, or at least give the government a spool - equally so some Tory potential rebel could claim they saw loads of opposition not there so knew there was no point in being brave and so chickened out.
    5 conservatives voted against, 37 abstained as well as 21 Labour mps
  • kle4 said:

    pigeon said:

    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
    I can't find out who the missing opposition voters were, but I would assume that the SNP were whipped against it as the NI changes clearly affect Scotland and they have been complaining about them vociferously.

    It looks more like about 50 opposition MPs simply declined to turn up, the majority of them probably because they had concluded that the Government was bound to win the vote.
    That'd be terrible if so. Of course it is usually true, but you still have to play your part and you might get lucky, or at least give the government a spool - equally so some Tory potential rebel could claim they saw loads of opposition not there so knew there was no point in being brave and so chickened out.
    5 conservatives voted against, 37 abstained as well as 21 Labour mps
    Who are the 5 Tories with principles?

    Remarkable that of the 2 manifesto breaches more Tory MPs chose to stand up for giving billions more away to foreign countries and aid organisations, than stood up against increasing taxes by billions.
  • Leon said:

    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    LOL. All a matter of opinion and subjectivity dressed up with a veneer of objective sounding analysis.
    At least a quarter of the cities on that list are right now impossible to visit. Due to covid and quarantine. Sydney? Bangkok? Really?
    Last year Aussies were complaining that they weren't allowed back home. Right now those who succeeded probably envy those who didn't.
  • Cookie said:

    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    Now I bow to no-one in my civic pride, but really?
    You can have a very good quality of life here. Certainly better than London, where there is more going on but you can't afford to do any of it and live. Oh, and the countryside is splendid. There isn't a city I'd rather live in. But to visit? If you were crossing the Atlantic, I'd honestly say you would have a lovelier weekend in any one of 20 or 30 other European cities, coronarestrictions permitting.
    That said, if you live in the UK and have a spare weekend you could do a lot worse.
    I still haven't done the tram to the Trafford Centre. The branch opened on 22nd March last year - the day before the first lockdown!
  • The HOC record has it at 317 v 248 (not 319) majority 69
  • Is Grealish becoming a diver or was it ever thus
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,093
    edited September 2021

    kle4 said:

    pigeon said:

    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
    I can't find out who the missing opposition voters were, but I would assume that the SNP were whipped against it as the NI changes clearly affect Scotland and they have been complaining about them vociferously.

    It looks more like about 50 opposition MPs simply declined to turn up, the majority of them probably because they had concluded that the Government was bound to win the vote.
    That'd be terrible if so. Of course it is usually true, but you still have to play your part and you might get lucky, or at least give the government a spool - equally so some Tory potential rebel could claim they saw loads of opposition not there so knew there was no point in being brave and so chickened out.
    5 conservatives voted against, 37 abstained as well as 21 Labour mps
    Who are the 5 Tories with principles?

    Remarkable that of the 2 manifesto breaches more Tory MPs chose to stand up for giving billions more away to foreign countries and aid organisations, than stood up against increasing taxes by billions.
    Chope, Davies, Hudson, McVey, Redwood.

    https://twitter.com/PARLYapp/status/1435677627042443273?s=19
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,089
    The takeaway from recent political events:

    1. The new gerontocracy means that incomes will be taxed ever more heavily as the population continues to age, in order that elderly priorities should be funded without taxing elderly assets
    2. The new NHS tax has just got started. It will be ramped at regular intervals until it is eyewatering
    3. The rising cost of living in general and property in particular means that rock bottom interest rates are here to stay indefinitely: if they rose to any significant extent then heavily indebted governments, businesses and individuals - most of the population has to service either mortgage repayments or rents, which are very often cripplingly high, and many are dependent on credit cards to stay afloat - would buckle under the strain and we would have another financial crisis. This is to be avoided at all costs
    4. Consequently, money in the bank just inflates away and so people with disposable income will be pushed into investing it in property and equities. That in and of itself will guarantee runaway asset price inflation, to the huge benefit of the haves, whilst pulling up the ladder in front of the have nots

    Conclusion: if you're a worker with some spare money left over at the end of each month then invest it for growth. Over time, your assets will become more valuable as your wages become less so.

    If, on the other hand, you're not wealthy enough to invest for your future then you are completely fucked.
  • HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    Ha ha. Manchester isn't even the best city to visit in the North of England. I'd rather spend a weekend in Liverpool or Newcastle.
    Just spent a beautiful evening on the South Bank having pizza to celebrate my youngest's 9th birthday. Vivid purples and oranges of the sunset along the Thames, the path packed with beautiful people enjoying the balmy evening, blazing red sun setting behind the bridges. You can't beat London.
  • Is Grealish becoming a diver or was it ever thus

    Not exactly a diver but he is known for drawing fouls.
  • Is Grealish becoming a diver or was it ever thus

    Not exactly a diver but he is known for drawing fouls.
    Grealish goes down easier and more often than a cheap hooker.
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,089

    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    Ha ha. Manchester isn't even the best city to visit in the North of England. I'd rather spend a weekend in Liverpool or Newcastle.
    Just spent a beautiful evening on the South Bank having pizza to celebrate my youngest's 9th birthday. Vivid purples and oranges of the sunset along the Thames, the path packed with beautiful people enjoying the balmy evening, blazing red sun setting behind the bridges. You can't beat London.
    It's all a matter of taste. There are many attractions worth visiting in London and I'll make the trek down there if I'm strongly motivated to do so, but I wouldn't want to live there. Some of the leafier bits out to the South West look quite habitable but most of it feels noisy, crowded and dirty - especially when you want to get somewhere and you're obliged to use the tube. The deep level lines are grimy, airless, frequently ram packed solid and always roasting hot, even in the middle of Winter. Ghastly.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited September 2021

    Is Grealish becoming a diver or was it ever thus

    Not exactly a diver but he is known for drawing fouls.
    Grealish goes down easier and more often than a cheap hooker.
    I believe he has plenty of experience of that....
  • It is said London will be hit the hardest by the 1.25% charge

    It was so funny when a conservative mp said to Adam Boulton that television presenters on £400 000 will need to find another £4,500
  • kle4 said:

    pigeon said:

    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
    I can't find out who the missing opposition voters were, but I would assume that the SNP were whipped against it as the NI changes clearly affect Scotland and they have been complaining about them vociferously.

    It looks more like about 50 opposition MPs simply declined to turn up, the majority of them probably because they had concluded that the Government was bound to win the vote.
    That'd be terrible if so. Of course it is usually true, but you still have to play your part and you might get lucky, or at least give the government a spool - equally so some Tory potential rebel could claim they saw loads of opposition not there so knew there was no point in being brave and so chickened out.
    5 conservatives voted against, 37 abstained as well as 21 Labour mps
    Who are the 5 Tories with principles?

    Remarkable that of the 2 manifesto breaches more Tory MPs chose to stand up for giving billions more away to foreign countries and aid organisations, than stood up against increasing taxes by billions.
    Christopher Chope, Philip Davies, Neil Hudson, Esther McVey, and John Redwood.
  • pigeon said:

    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    Ha ha. Manchester isn't even the best city to visit in the North of England. I'd rather spend a weekend in Liverpool or Newcastle.
    Just spent a beautiful evening on the South Bank having pizza to celebrate my youngest's 9th birthday. Vivid purples and oranges of the sunset along the Thames, the path packed with beautiful people enjoying the balmy evening, blazing red sun setting behind the bridges. You can't beat London.
    It's all a matter of taste. There are many attractions worth visiting in London and I'll make the trek down there if I'm strongly motivated to do so, but I wouldn't want to live there. Some of the leafier bits out to the South West look quite habitable but most of it feels noisy, crowded and dirty - especially when you want to get somewhere and you're obliged to use the tube. The deep level lines are grimy, airless, frequently ram packed solid and always roasting hot, even in the middle of Winter. Ghastly.
    Come to South London then, the tube barely deigns to operate South of the river.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,165

    kle4 said:

    pigeon said:

    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
    I can't find out who the missing opposition voters were, but I would assume that the SNP were whipped against it as the NI changes clearly affect Scotland and they have been complaining about them vociferously.

    It looks more like about 50 opposition MPs simply declined to turn up, the majority of them probably because they had concluded that the Government was bound to win the vote.
    That'd be terrible if so. Of course it is usually true, but you still have to play your part and you might get lucky, or at least give the government a spool - equally so some Tory potential rebel could claim they saw loads of opposition not there so knew there was no point in being brave and so chickened out.
    5 conservatives voted against, 37 abstained as well as 21 Labour mps
    Who are the 5 Tories with principles?

    Remarkable that of the 2 manifesto breaches more Tory MPs chose to stand up for giving billions more away to foreign countries and aid organisations, than stood up against increasing taxes by billions.
    Christopher Chope, Philip Davies, Neil Hudson, Esther McVey, and John Redwood.
    Sounds like the basis for a leadership challenge:

    https://www.newschainonline.com/bsp-static/image/2020/12/24/11/040830332358627fdea9871df1d0765bY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA4ODkzMTkx-2.846919.jpg?width=640&crop=61:45,smart&auto=webp
  • It is said London will be hit the hardest by the 1.25% charge

    It was so funny when a conservative mp said to Adam Boulton that television presenters on £400 000 will need to find another £4,500

    Hilarious. Why are the Tories hitting people who work hard for their money instead of landlords, billionaires and pensioners?
  • stodgestodge Posts: 12,745

    MaxPB said:


    Makes the whole list completely suspect. Anyone who has been to SF knows it's terrible. It's among my least favourite places to go in the US. The people who say they like SF like the idea of it, not what it actually is.

    I visited in 2005 and it was really nice. But it sounds like it has gone downhill since then, ruined by income inequality.
    I was also there in 2005 - March. I'm afraid I'm with @MaxPB - it was the most "alien" city I've ever visited. Beggars on every corner and an undercurrent of tension and hostility. The Japanese Garden in Golden Gate Park was, by contrast, delightful and it's not as though the weather was bad (we had four cloudless days) and the airport was decent but I wasn't taken with either SF or LA.

    I loved San Diego.
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,089

    pigeon said:

    HYUFD said:

    Manchester beats London in the world's best cities according to TimeOut.

    1 San Francisco
    2 Amsterdam
    3 Manchester

    13th London

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-9968921/The-worlds-best-cities-ranked-Time-San-Francisco-thats-No1-MANCHESTER-third.html

    Ha ha. Manchester isn't even the best city to visit in the North of England. I'd rather spend a weekend in Liverpool or Newcastle.
    Just spent a beautiful evening on the South Bank having pizza to celebrate my youngest's 9th birthday. Vivid purples and oranges of the sunset along the Thames, the path packed with beautiful people enjoying the balmy evening, blazing red sun setting behind the bridges. You can't beat London.
    It's all a matter of taste. There are many attractions worth visiting in London and I'll make the trek down there if I'm strongly motivated to do so, but I wouldn't want to live there. Some of the leafier bits out to the South West look quite habitable but most of it feels noisy, crowded and dirty - especially when you want to get somewhere and you're obliged to use the tube. The deep level lines are grimy, airless, frequently ram packed solid and always roasting hot, even in the middle of Winter. Ghastly.
    Come to South London then, the tube barely deigns to operate South of the river.
    The main advantage of the tube is that it's way more convenient than the buses...

    (And dear God, I once had the misfortune to need to use a London bus during a particularly hot Summer day. Sauna on wheels doesn't begin to describe it. I nearly died.)
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,769
    tlg86 said:

    kle4 said:

    pigeon said:

    ydoethur said:

    HYUFD said:

    319 v 248 majority of 71

    So a clear majority for the Government for the NI rise but 44 Tory MPs either voted against the proposals or abstained
    They were only 9 from their majority so how is that compatible, without pairing possibly
    Did the SNP vote?
    I can't find out who the missing opposition voters were, but I would assume that the SNP were whipped against it as the NI changes clearly affect Scotland and they have been complaining about them vociferously.

    It looks more like about 50 opposition MPs simply declined to turn up, the majority of them probably because they had concluded that the Government was bound to win the vote.
    That'd be terrible if so. Of course it is usually true, but you still have to play your part and you might get lucky, or at least give the government a spool - equally so some Tory potential rebel could claim they saw loads of opposition not there so knew there was no point in being brave and so chickened out.
    5 conservatives voted against, 37 abstained as well as 21 Labour mps
    Who are the 5 Tories with principles?

    Remarkable that of the 2 manifesto breaches more Tory MPs chose to stand up for giving billions more away to foreign countries and aid organisations, than stood up against increasing taxes by billions.
    Christopher Chope, Philip Davies, Neil Hudson, Esther McVey, and John Redwood.
    Sounds like the basis for a leadership challenge:

    https://www.newschainonline.com/bsp-static/image/2020/12/24/11/040830332358627fdea9871df1d0765bY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA4ODkzMTkx-2.846919.jpg?width=640&crop=61:45,smart&auto=webp
    I think I’d even vote for Boris Johnson ahead of that lot.

    A phrase about stopped clocks springs to mind.
This discussion has been closed.