Foxy said:

IanB2 said:

Anorak said:

Punches pulled: zero
https://twitter.com/POLITICOEurope/status/1027132314688663552

Having lived under the actually existing socialism Corbyn has only celebrated in speeches, most people in this part of the world are allergic to the Labour leader’s Marxist bromides

Die Linke, who are old school Communists, do continue to poll well in East Germany. A different sort of nostalgic throwback to AfD.

"We Germans are experts at forgetting. We forgot we were Nazis. Now we have forgotten 40 years of Communism - all gone."
- Bruno Ganz as Ernst Juergen in "Unknown" (2011).

Off-topic:

I've just arrived back from dropping someone off at Stansted airport, and it did not seem much busier than usual. I arrive home, turn on the TV, and the local news' top story is about disruption at Stansted, with bustling scenes which are far busier than the ones I saw less than an hour before.

Anecdata, eh?

grabcocque said:

CD13 said:

Dr Fox,
But hardly a sacking offence as the more hysterical have suggested (yes, I know that includes some Tory colleagues of his, but Brexit has sent some of them barmy too).

See, I don't know where *you* work, but if I started loudly and boorishly attacking ethnic minorities where *I* work, I think HR would very definitely see it as a sacking offence.

This is the same pb where a lot of people thought that browsing extreme porn at work shouldn't be a sacking offence.

Mr grabcocque,


"See, I don't know where *you* work, but if I started loudly and boorishly attacking ethnic minorities where *I* work, I think HR would very definitely see it as a sacking offence."

When I've discussed religious observance with Muslim colleagues, I never had animosity. Had I been a militant atheist, it may have been different.

It probably helps that they were observant Muslims and knew I was Catholic. None were Isis supporters but one or two had Talban tendencies. I remember one of the latter asking why we didn't protest more at what he saw as the many insults to our religion.

But we don't do we?

grabcocque said:

CD13 said:

Dr Fox,
But hardly a sacking offence as the more hysterical have suggested (yes, I know that includes some Tory colleagues of his, but Brexit has sent some of them barmy too).

See, I don't know where *you* work, but if I started loudly and boorishly attacking ethnic minorities where *I* work, I think HR would very definitely see it as a sacking offence.

ROFL

better hope they dont follow you on PB

Charles said:

rottenborough said:

Hertsmere_Pubgoer said:

JosiasJessop said:

Foxy said:

HYUFD said:

With the report yesterday that global warming and temperature rises of 2 to 5 degrees over the next century could lead to the world becoming a 'hothouse' with parts of the earth uninhabitable we certainly need to build on and accelerate the switch to renewables

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/science-environment-45084144

60 metre sea rises will be interesting. Perhaps not retire to Norfolk after all.

At sixty metres, I'd be living on a little island. Any more and I'd be a bit screwed.

Then again, we'd all be screwed as it would essentially bring down civilisation, especially if rapid.

Time to see if I can get some seed funding for my giant nanotube straw idea again.

A little bit more than 60 metres and my place becomes beach front property.

Honestly, the height of the sea will be the least of our problems. The total collapse of the food chain will mean it doesn't matter whether you drown or not. You will have starved already.

Pointy sticks come first.

With an increase in temperature of about 1.5-2.0 degrees rice doesn’t grow any more. That’s a lot of hungry people who might see Europe as a nice place to move to.

The aversion to GM food would evaporate like the morning mist in that situation. There'd be temperature-tolerant rice strains in the fields within 24 months. [I am neither a botantist, nor an agronomist, nor a geneticist]

Anorak said:

Charles said:

rottenborough said:

Hertsmere_Pubgoer said:

JosiasJessop said:

Foxy said:

HYUFD said:

With the report yesterday that global warming and temperature rises of 2 to 5 degrees over the next century could lead to the world becoming a 'hothouse' with parts of the earth uninhabitable we certainly need to build on and accelerate the switch to renewables

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/science-environment-45084144

60 metre sea rises will be interesting. Perhaps not retire to Norfolk after all.

At sixty metres, I'd be living on a little island. Any more and I'd be a bit screwed.

Then again, we'd all be screwed as it would essentially bring down civilisation, especially if rapid.

Time to see if I can get some seed funding for my giant nanotube straw idea again.

A little bit more than 60 metres and my place becomes beach front property.

Honestly, the height of the sea will be the least of our problems. The total collapse of the food chain will mean it doesn't matter whether you drown or not. You will have starved already.

Pointy sticks come first.

With an increase in temperature of about 1.5-2.0 degrees rice doesn’t grow any more. That’s a lot of hungry people who might see Europe as a nice place to move to.

The aversion to GM food would evaporate like the morning mist in that situation. There'd be temperature-tolerant rice strains in the fields within 24 months. [I am neither a botantist, nor an agronomist, nor a geneticist]

Then they don’t reproduce. Then Solent Green.

Sean_F said:

grabcocque said:

CD13 said:

Dr Fox,
But hardly a sacking offence as the more hysterical have suggested (yes, I know that includes some Tory colleagues of his, but Brexit has sent some of them barmy too).

See, I don't know where *you* work, but if I started loudly and boorishly attacking ethnic minorities where *I* work, I think HR would very definitely see it as a sacking offence.

If you were abusing workplace colleagues, it might be a sacking offence.

If your employer tried to discipline you for a newspaper article, then I think the law would be on your side.

No comfort to Ken Livingstone.

The racial divide is a huge issue where I live (Blackburn, one of the most racially divided and segregated towns in the UK).

There are well argued reasons for the banning of the Niqab or Burka (communication, being able to see the person you are talking to, able to read body language, racial integration etc), of course Boris couldn't expand on that because he doesn't have the Emotional Intelligence to form a reasonable debate on the issue.

Letter Boxes and Bank Robbers is typical Boris guff, he can't help himself.

https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1027172841681289218

archer101au said:

williamglenn said:

https://twitter.com/craigprescott/status/1027167590567825409?s=21

Remainers seem scared to death of Johnson judging by today's reaction.

Not me. Boris is a busted flush desperate for attention.

Ohio 12th:

GOP 101,574
Dem 99,820

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/08/07/us/elections/results-ohio-special-house-election-district-12.html

Nigelb said:

JosiasJessop said:

Off-topic:

I've just arrived back from dropping someone off at Stansted airport, and it did not seem much busier than usual. I arrive home, turn on the TV, and the local news' top story is about disruption at Stansted, with bustling scenes which are far busier than the ones I saw less than an hour before.

Anecdata, eh?

Either that, to you left some unfortunate at the wrong airport...

My wife once arranged a flight to Glasgow and a hire car.

So we flew into Glasgow International to discover she'd booked the car at Prestwick.

archer101au said:

williamglenn said:

https://twitter.com/craigprescott/status/1027167590567825409?s=21

Remainers seem scared to death of Johnson judging by today's reaction.

Boris is entertaining, but the problem is he's just not very good. His time as London Mayor was unremarkable at best, and his time as FS poor. He's lazy and a contravertialist, and will divide rather than bring together the party and the country.

In short: I see little reason to think he'd be a good PM.

However: he did beat Labour - twice - to become Mayor of London. He has something that *might* be electable. On the other hand, aside from that he's only ever stood as MP in safe seats.

It's just that if he gets the job, he won't be very good. However none of the other major candidates seem very good, either. But most of them won't be quite so divisive, and might actually do some work.

Such is the depths the Conservative Party have sunk to.

williamglenn said:

https://twitter.com/craigprescott/status/1027167590567825409?s=21

Wasn't this basically Gove's argument last time, from a different wing of the party?

IanB2 said:

Anorak said:

Starting to wonder whether the splintering of parties and factionalisation of the electorate will be the death knell for FPTP. I suspect it will take a Johnson or a Corbyn as PM to force the issue.

If only somebody would write an article about the various other voting schemes we could use.

Can't see either of them pushing the issue.

The prospect of splits in the Tory party following a Boris coup would be some sort of silver lining, I guess.

But where will all the not-Corbyn not-Boris folks go? That is where electoral reform will come from.

It would need to be a push from the 60% of people between the political poles. At some point the votes to be gained from endorsing a shift to PR (or whatever) would outweigh the resistance to it.

And we've already had a referendum on a change (to another pile-of shite-system) recently, which indicates that the vested interests can be overcome.

Fenman said:

Anyone seen the Iowa result?

Yes, the Republican won by 1%.

NickPalmer said:

Fenman said:

Anyone seen the Iowa result?

Yes, the Republican won by 1%.

?? The GOP won by 1% in Ohio, no idea about Iowa.

Pulpstar said:

Anorak said:

Off topic: Has anyone seen The Expanse on Netflix. One of the best SF series I've seen for a very long time. [relatively!] realistic depictions of space travel and physics, solid and believable characters, and excellent politics.

I tried to read the books a few years ago and gave up part way through book two. Perhaps I shall try again.

Watching through it - as an aside you're not Ryan Kennedy on the SpaceX group are you ?

Note
https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/26/17379736/the-expanse-amazon-prime-season-four-saved

JosiasJessop said:

However: he did beat Labour - twice - to become Mayor of London. He has something that *might* be electable. On the other hand, aside from that he's only ever stood as MP in safe seats.

It's just that if he gets the job, he won't be very good. However none of the other major candidates seem very good, either. But most of them won't be quite so divisive, and might actually do some work.

Such is the depths the Conservative Party have sunk to.

He has the X factor - celebrity. Like Trump, Jesse Ventura and Arnold Schwarzenegger. They usually do well in single-candidate elections. Our general elections are not quite single-candidate yet, but they are heading that way.

It's not the Conservative Party that's mainly at fault, it's the ghastly, vacuous celebrity obsession. But that doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

TheScreamingEagles said:

Anorak said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sean_F said:

ydoethur said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

AlastairMeeks said:

DavidL said:

Chelsea have signed a Keeper called Kepa. Still not finding Mr Centre Forward though.

There was a certain honesty about having a footballer called Immobile though. Didn't raise your expectations too high.

I kept on hoping Ciro Immobile had a sister called Donna.

Even that's not as good as the junior Turkish diplomat in Moscow in 1942.

I once met a Turk called Ferhat Anus.

Did you ever meet/deal with Anal Sheikh?

There was an Indian chap at uni called Anil Banga. And I worked with a Swiss chap called Willy Pfister. Both true!

I’ve had to deal with a Scotsman called ‘Willie Balloch’

I have mentioned before the former Tory Staffordshire councillor Ramon Mycock...

Brom said:

NickPalmer said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/davidlammy/status/1027123798582194177?s=21

I think Nadine inadvertently illustrates why *some* women like the burka. Lots of us feel that grid girls are being exploited for blokes to leer at, and some women feel that exposing themselves at all in public has the same problem. I think this shyness is a pity but not helpfully addressed by either derision (Boris) or a ban (Denmark), both of which will make them feel they can't go out at all.

Lammy seems to think that he can criticise those who hold Christian beliefs yet will come to the defence of conservative Islamic dress if critiqued. The guy is something of an opportunist and has a rather curious ill-educated but loyal lynchmob who follow him on twitter. Perhaps even more so than Boris he is a perfect example of the diminishing quality of our politicians.

David Lammy is a practising Christian, even if not an expert on electing popes.
https://www.canterburydiocese.org/david-lammy-mp-tells-christians-it-is-time-to-turn-up-the-volume-if-we-want-to-transform-society/

NickPalmer said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/davidlammy/status/1027123798582194177?s=21

I think Nadine inadvertently illustrates why *some* women like the burka. Lots of us feel that grid girls are being exploited for blokes to leer at, and some women feel that exposing themselves at all in public has the same problem. I think this shyness is a pity but not helpfully addressed by either derision (Boris) or a ban (Denmark), both of which will make them feel they can't go out at all.

So women wear the Burka because they are shy?

O/T

I didn't know that the trade in illegal drugs is included in GDP figures. But according to a Radio 4 programme a couple of days ago, they are.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bd6jj7

currystar said:

Does anyone know why women in Iran and Afghanistan dress so differently now than they did in the 1970s. Have they all suddenly become shy, is it a fashion statement or are they forced to dress all the same now?

I can't think of anything that's changed in either of those places.

Other than the Islamic Revolution and the rise of the Taliban. But I can't see why that would have anything to do with it...

Anorak said:

Jonathan said:

Then they don’t reproduce. Then Solent Green.

Is that where we eat the population of the Isle of Wight?

Well yes, because we need somewhere safe when the Triffids arrive...

NickPalmer said:

Fenman said:

Anyone seen the Iowa result?

Yes, the Republican won by 1%.

That's even closer than Brexit - but not as close as Wales 1997

Sunil_Prasannan said:

Personally, I think TSE would look rather lovely in a burqa.

Mwah!

If Boris wore a burka, he'd find it a lot more difficult to put his foot in his mouth.

Anazina said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Anorak said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Sean_F said:

ydoethur said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

AlastairMeeks said:

DavidL said:

Chelsea have signed a Keeper called Kepa. Still not finding Mr Centre Forward though.

There was a certain honesty about having a footballer called Immobile though. Didn't raise your expectations too high.

I kept on hoping Ciro Immobile had a sister called Donna.

Even that's not as good as the junior Turkish diplomat in Moscow in 1942.

I once met a Turk called Ferhat Anus.

Did you ever meet/deal with Anal Sheikh?

There was an Indian chap at uni called Anil Banga. And I worked with a Swiss chap called Willy Pfister. Both true!

I’ve had to deal with a Scotsman called ‘Willie Balloch’

I have mentioned before the former Tory Staffordshire councillor Ramon Mycock...

I'm flabbergasted there has been no mention so far of former Labour MP Seymour Cocks.

MarqueeMark said:

Sandpit said:

AndyJS said:

O/T

I didn't know that the trade in illegal drugs is included in GDP figures. But according to a Radio 4 programme a couple of days ago, they are.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bd6jj7

Yes, they changed it a couple of years ago to include estimates of things like drugs and prostitution, as if there’s any chance of the government getting a realistic estimate of the size of the black market.

It increased our contributions to the EU as a result:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/oct/24/drugs-prostitution-uk-gdp-eu-bill-increase

So including prostitution screwed us over?

Sunil_Prasannan said:

currystar said:

Does anyone know why women in Iran and Afghanistan dress so differently now than they did in the 1970s. Have they all suddenly become shy, is it a fashion statement or are they forced to dress all the same now?

Not just those places, my mum, who grew up in Kerala in south India (which has a 25% Muslim community) reckons burqas are far more frequent than when she was growing up there. In fact, she says she hardly saw any back then.
Traditional Kerala Muslim female costumes looked like this:

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3zMZxRIfUps/hqdefault.jpg

Do you think Burqas are used to oppress women by men forcing them to wear them?

currystar said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

currystar said:

Does anyone know why women in Iran and Afghanistan dress so differently now than they did in the 1970s. Have they all suddenly become shy, is it a fashion statement or are they forced to dress all the same now?

Not just those places, my mum, who grew up in Kerala in south India (which has a 25% Muslim community) reckons burqas are far more frequent than when she was growing up there. In fact, she says she hardly saw any back then.
Traditional Kerala Muslim female costumes looked like this:

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3zMZxRIfUps/hqdefault.jpg

Do you think Burqas are used to oppress women by men forcing them to wear them?

I would reckon in most cases, yes.

NickPalmer said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/davidlammy/status/1027123798582194177?s=21

I think Nadine inadvertently illustrates why *some* women like the burka. Lots of us feel that grid girls are being exploited for blokes to leer at, and some women feel that exposing themselves at all in public has the same problem. I think this shyness is a pity but not helpfully addressed by either derision (Boris) or a ban (Denmark), both of which will make them feel they can't go out at all.

In all fairness to Nadine, she has long since publicly renounced her opposition to gay marriage – choosing a fairly high profile women's magazine column to do so. As I recall, she was pretty contrite about it and says it was a major mistake of her career.

Sean_F said:

grabcocque said:

CD13 said:

Dr Fox,
But hardly a sacking offence as the more hysterical have suggested (yes, I know that includes some Tory colleagues of his, but Brexit has sent some of them barmy too).

See, I don't know where *you* work, but if I started loudly and boorishly attacking ethnic minorities where *I* work, I think HR would very definitely see it as a sacking offence.

If you were abusing workplace colleagues, it might be a sacking offence.

If your employer tried to discipline you for a newspaper article, then I think the law would be on your side.

A friend of mine was recently given an official warning after making a political statement on her personal twitter feed (she resigned soon after, having been incensed and having found a better job). Given the fact that she had left anyway, she didn't pursue it but we commented at the time that the employer was on very dodgy ground legally – had she done so.

currystar said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

currystar said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

currystar said:

Does anyone know why women in Iran and Afghanistan dress so differently now than they did in the 1970s. Have they all suddenly become shy, is it a fashion statement or are they forced to dress all the same now?

Not just those places, my mum, who grew up in Kerala in south India (which has a 25% Muslim community) reckons burqas are far more frequent than when she was growing up there. In fact, she says she hardly saw any back then.
Traditional Kerala Muslim female costumes looked like this:

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3zMZxRIfUps/hqdefault.jpg

Do you think Burqas are used to oppress women by men forcing them to wear them?

I would reckon in most cases, yes.

I think so too, yet Boris is getting hammered for saying what he did, yet the whole concept of women wearing this nonsense outfit is defended as they are a bit shy and no one dare criticise their husbands/family for forcing women to wear it.

Well, it would seem that some people take some sort of delight in being offended on behalf of Muslims.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Mr. JS, there was irritation a few years ago when the EU decided that drugs and hookers should be included in GDP stats when considering the financial contribution the UK should make.

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