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Whoops – I nearly made an elementary mistake betting on a Senate Democratic majority – politicalbett

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  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,955

    Your periodic reminder that SCons think Scottish voters' heids zip up the back.

    https://twitter.com/bellacaledonia/status/1321061964861288453?s=19

    Further good strategy from Ross, ensuring the SCons have a distinctive agenda and do not get too closely associated with Boris
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    Slight improvement for Biden - it's probably more valuable to know the trend than the actual %.
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    eek said:

    You are aware that obesity is due to the fact cheap manufactured food is full of sugar and fat.

    Of course but vegetables are cheaper than manufactured food. In Aldi you can get a 1kg of carrots for 50 pence, 4 baking potatoes for 39p.

    The whole Rashford argument is about lack of money for food for those on UC and it is completely bogus.
    I admire your patience, but you can't reason people out of an opinion they didn't reason themselves into.

    It's blindingly obvious that there is cheap and healthy food available, but people are emotionally involved in this Rashford nonsense now and won't back down.
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    Jo Swinson genuinely thought Esher & Walton were in play which is why she went there a few days before the election rather than campaign in her own seat.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,390
    There's probably a moral in this story somewhere...

    Qian Xuesen: The man the US deported - who then helped China into space
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-54695598
  • Options

    HYUFD said:

    Shows the clash between a now largely secular France and the still very religious Muslim world, and how the 2 can come into conflict when the 2 collide particularly in inner city France.

    Macron is right that free speech is vital but he also needs to be aware of how Muslims will see his remarks and ensure he also shows respect to the Islamic faith
    ...and the Islamic world needs to respect French culture as well.

    But You Can't Say That!
    You just did so you can. And I agree with the first part.
  • Options

    HYUFD said:

    Shows the clash between a now largely secular France and the still very religious Muslim world, and how the 2 can come into conflict when the 2 collide particularly in inner city France.

    Macron is right that free speech is vital but he also needs to be aware of how Muslims will see his remarks and ensure he also shows respect to the Islamic faith
    ...and the Islamic world needs to respect French culture as well.

    But You Can't Say That!
    No they don't, they just need to wait a few years and demographics will take care of the rest.
  • Options

    Well he is right, you can and they are lovely. His point just demonstrates how cheap food is now when you see what a high end food retailer is charging. Spend £20 wisely at Aldi and you will get bags of food.
    So Rashford has made it all up has he? Can't quite see why he would. His mother doesn't exactly look like a crack addict or a scrounger to me. As an ex-Conservative Party member and activist (emphasis on the ex), I cannot understand why the most spendthrift Conservative (in name only) government in history wants to die in a ditch over this issue. I can only assume it is because The Clown has been told he has done far too many U-turns and people are beginning to realise he is weak and ineffectual. Children will go hungry to spare Mr. Johnson's blushes about being a hopeless case.
    How can you say children are going hungry due to lack of money when childhood obesity in the most deprived areas in twice the national average? 27% of children in deprived areas are obese. That is the most shocking stat.
    Oh dear, you really don't think much beyond your own very narrow frame of reference. Though it may seem paradoxical to you, obesity is often a result of poverty because the wrong foods are chosen due to their cheapness. Many poor households are unable to make good choices on food either because high sugar and fat content foods are cheap, and they also cause further sugar and fat cravings. Obesity is no more a sign of profligacy than your prolific posts on this site are a sign of your depth of understanding or intellect.
  • Options

    Well he is right, you can and they are lovely. His point just demonstrates how cheap food is now when you see what a high end food retailer is charging. Spend £20 wisely at Aldi and you will get bags of food.
    So Rashford has made it all up has he? Can't quite see why he would. His mother doesn't exactly look like a crack addict or a scrounger to me. As an ex-Conservative Party member and activist (emphasis on the ex), I cannot understand why the most spendthrift Conservative (in name only) government in history wants to die in a ditch over this issue. I can only assume it is because The Clown has been told he has done far too many U-turns and people are beginning to realise he is weak and ineffectual. Children will go hungry to spare Mr. Johnson's blushes about being a hopeless case.
    Its not about Shagger, its much bigger. The Osborne tweet highlights the issue - parents who are not dossers who simply are drowing on the money available to them. If the government gives in and admits children are perennially hungry and its not because their parents are crackheads then it admits that its policies have placed an underclass into grinding poverty.

    This is why they are both attacking Rashford and attacking recipients - they HAVE to maintain the image that UC/minimum wage is largesse and any issues are because of feckless layabouts.
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,249

    HYUFD said:

    Shows the clash between a now largely secular France and the still very religious Muslim world, and how the 2 can come into conflict when the 2 collide particularly in inner city France.

    Macron is right that free speech is vital but he also needs to be aware of how Muslims will see his remarks and ensure he also shows respect to the Islamic faith
    ...and the Islamic world needs to respect French culture as well.

    But You Can't Say That!
    You just did so you can. And I agree with the first part.
    There are quite a number of people who will start banging on about punching down, colonial history etc as a reason the French should shut up and apologise for the cartoons.

    It's a long running debate - all the way back to Salman Rushdie.
  • Options
    Roy_G_BivRoy_G_Biv Posts: 998

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
  • Options

    HYUFD said:

    Shows the clash between a now largely secular France and the still very religious Muslim world, and how the 2 can come into conflict when the 2 collide particularly in inner city France.

    Macron is right that free speech is vital but he also needs to be aware of how Muslims will see his remarks and ensure he also shows respect to the Islamic faith
    ...and the Islamic world needs to respect French culture as well.

    But You Can't Say That!
    You just did so you can. And I agree with the first part.
    There are quite a number of people who will start banging on about punching down, colonial history etc as a reason the French should shut up and apologise for the cartoons.

    It's a long running debate - all the way back to Salman Rushdie.
    They can say that as well, even though they are wrong. It is called freedom of speech!
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,955

    Jo Swinson genuinely thought Esher & Walton were in play which is why she went there a few days before the election rather than campaign in her own seat.
    It was, the Tories won Esher and Walton by just 2,743 votes last year, even in 1997 the Tories won it by 14,528 votes and in 2015 the Tories won it by a huge 28,616 votes.

    By contrast the Tories won Harlow last year by 14,063 votes, in 1997 Labour won it by 10,514 votes which shows some of the changes Brexit has brought to our politics, wealthy upper middle class areas have moved away from the Tories, white working class areas have moved to the Tories
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    ClippPClippP Posts: 1,680

    Jo Swinson genuinely thought Esher & Walton were in play which is why she went there a few days before the election rather than campaign in her own seat.
    Of course Esher was in play, Mr Eagles! Remind me.... Which Cabinet minister now holds his seat with the smallest majority......?
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    eristdooferistdoof Posts: 4,887

    HYUFD said:
    Are we sure that is a real Tweet? I would have expected someone of his education to use the subjunctive..
    ... correctly.
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    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,911
    HYUFD said:
    On the face of it, some pretty awful polling for Trumpton, but it would be good to know the trend as well as the absolute numbers.

    I'd expect the polling to tighten a bit in the final week.
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    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,163
    HYUFD said:

    Jo Swinson genuinely thought Esher & Walton were in play which is why she went there a few days before the election rather than campaign in her own seat.
    It was, the Tories won Esher and Walton by just 2,743 votes last year, even in 1997 the Tories won it by 14,528 votes and in 2015 the Tories won it by a huge 28,616 votes.

    By contrast the Tories won Harlow last year by 14,063 votes, in 1997 Labour won it by 10,514 votes which shows some of the changes Brexit has brought to our politics, wealthy upper middle class areas have moved away from the Tories, white working class areas have moved to the Tories
    Starmer needs a deal with Liberals to become PM.
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    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    In my experience the only people who get vexed about "political correctness" are reactionary far right nutters who think it is an outrage that golliwogs are no longer allowed to be on their jars of jam and lament that there was nothing wrong with the Black and White Minstrel Show. The same types also dislike "heath and safety gone mad" and would much prefer if there were much higher deaths and injury in the work place like there were in the old days.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,955

    HYUFD said:

    Jo Swinson genuinely thought Esher & Walton were in play which is why she went there a few days before the election rather than campaign in her own seat.
    It was, the Tories won Esher and Walton by just 2,743 votes last year, even in 1997 the Tories won it by 14,528 votes and in 2015 the Tories won it by a huge 28,616 votes.

    By contrast the Tories won Harlow last year by 14,063 votes, in 1997 Labour won it by 10,514 votes which shows some of the changes Brexit has brought to our politics, wealthy upper middle class areas have moved away from the Tories, white working class areas have moved to the Tories
    Starmer needs a deal with Liberals to become PM.
    Indeed, Esher and Walton will never vote Labour but it might vote Lib Dem in 2024
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    r/thatHappened
  • Options
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    Not at all, the driver is correct to say he has the right to say what he wants. He doesn't understand that others of course have the right to judge him for his words and actions.
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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,299
    edited October 2020
    ClippP said:

    Jo Swinson genuinely thought Esher & Walton were in play which is why she went there a few days before the election rather than campaign in her own seat.
    Of course Esher was in play, Mr Eagles! Remind me.... Which Cabinet minister now holds his seat with the smallest majority......?
    That's kinda the point, she went for symbolic places, rather than easier targets or even her own seat.

    I just hope the Biden campaign don't make those kind of mistake.
  • Options
    Roy_G_BivRoy_G_Biv Posts: 998

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    r/thatHappened
    It happened all right. On the way to Dublin airport from the city centre.
  • Options
    RH1992RH1992 Posts: 788

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    In my experience the only people who get vexed about "political correctness" are reactionary far right nutters who think it is an outrage that golliwogs are no longer allowed to be on their jars of jam and lament that there was nothing wrong with the Black and White Minstrel Show. The same types also dislike "heath and safety gone mad" and would much prefer if there were much higher deaths and injury in the work place like there were in the old days.
    Yes, these same people seem to think that showing two people of the same sex kissing or a multiracial family on TV is just box ticking, but in fact it's just showing a more accurate reflection of Britain today.
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,249

    HYUFD said:

    Shows the clash between a now largely secular France and the still very religious Muslim world, and how the 2 can come into conflict when the 2 collide particularly in inner city France.

    Macron is right that free speech is vital but he also needs to be aware of how Muslims will see his remarks and ensure he also shows respect to the Islamic faith
    ...and the Islamic world needs to respect French culture as well.

    But You Can't Say That!
    You just did so you can. And I agree with the first part.
    There are quite a number of people who will start banging on about punching down, colonial history etc as a reason the French should shut up and apologise for the cartoons.

    It's a long running debate - all the way back to Salman Rushdie.
    They can say that as well, even though they are wrong. It is called freedom of speech!
    There are plenty of people who would try and deny your right today anything off the script. Which generally goes that because White Colonialism, the French should apologise and ban the cartoons.
  • Options
    StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,375
    edited October 2020

    Well he is right, you can and they are lovely. His point just demonstrates how cheap food is now when you see what a high end food retailer is charging. Spend £20 wisely at Aldi and you will get bags of food.
    So Rashford has made it all up has he? Can't quite see why he would. His mother doesn't exactly look like a crack addict or a scrounger to me. As an ex-Conservative Party member and activist (emphasis on the ex), I cannot understand why the most spendthrift Conservative (in name only) government in history wants to die in a ditch over this issue. I can only assume it is because The Clown has been told he has done far too many U-turns and people are beginning to realise he is weak and ineffectual. Children will go hungry to spare Mr. Johnson's blushes about being a hopeless case.
    How can you say children are going hungry due to lack of money when childhood obesity in the most deprived areas in twice the national average? 27% of children in deprived areas are obese. That is the most shocking stat.
    Oh dear, you really don't think much beyond your own very narrow frame of reference. Though it may seem paradoxical to you, obesity is often a result of poverty because the wrong foods are chosen due to their cheapness. Many poor households are unable to make good choices on food either because high sugar and fat content foods are cheap, and they also cause further sugar and fat cravings. Obesity is no more a sign of profligacy than your prolific posts on this site are a sign of your depth of understanding or intellect.
    It's also, in some cases, literally what's on sale locally.

    Big supermarkets are great and cheap if you have a car, or there's one nearby. But there's about a quarter of the population who aren't within 15 minutes walk of a supermarket;

    http://www.geofutures.com/food/where-are-the-uk-food-deserts/

    Of course there are corner shops and similar. But trust me- they aren't a cornucopia of fresh healthy goodies and the prices aren't the same as Aldi.

    One of the problems with being poor is how expensive it is.
  • Options
    eristdooferistdoof Posts: 4,887
    Scott_xP said:
    Like those footbridges that go over a canal where the towpath crosses sides. You start going left but you end up going right.
  • Options
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    r/thatHappened
    It happened all right. On the way to Dublin airport from the city centre.
    Of course it did.

    Did he say he wanted to send them all back too?
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,249

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    In my experience the only people who get vexed about "political correctness" are reactionary far right nutters who think it is an outrage that golliwogs are no longer allowed to be on their jars of jam and lament that there was nothing wrong with the Black and White Minstrel Show. The same types also dislike "heath and safety gone mad" and would much prefer if there were much higher deaths and injury in the work place like there were in the old days.
    In my experience, it can also encompass the kind of enthusiasts who, in their haste to be more PC than thou, rush to do all kinds of stupid things.

    Such as the HR clowns who wanted to fire employees for not wanting to go to a Halal restaurant.
  • Options
    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    I see the decision written by Beer loving Kavanaugh has had at least 3 black-and-white factual errors in it so far.
  • Options
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    You were understandably controlling what opinions you didn't want to listen to while paying him a fair, which is a good thing. Well done btw.
  • Options

    Well he is right, you can and they are lovely. His point just demonstrates how cheap food is now when you see what a high end food retailer is charging. Spend £20 wisely at Aldi and you will get bags of food.
    So Rashford has made it all up has he? Can't quite see why he would. His mother doesn't exactly look like a crack addict or a scrounger to me. As an ex-Conservative Party member and activist (emphasis on the ex), I cannot understand why the most spendthrift Conservative (in name only) government in history wants to die in a ditch over this issue. I can only assume it is because The Clown has been told he has done far too many U-turns and people are beginning to realise he is weak and ineffectual. Children will go hungry to spare Mr. Johnson's blushes about being a hopeless case.
    How can you say children are going hungry due to lack of money when childhood obesity in the most deprived areas in twice the national average? 27% of children in deprived areas are obese. That is the most shocking stat.
    Oh dear, you really don't think much beyond your own very narrow frame of reference. Though it may seem paradoxical to you, obesity is often a result of poverty because the wrong foods are chosen due to their cheapness. Many poor households are unable to make good choices on food either because high sugar and fat content foods are cheap, and they also cause further sugar and fat cravings. Obesity is no more a sign of profligacy than your prolific posts on this site are a sign of your depth of understanding or intellect.
    It's also, in some cases, literally what's on sale locally.

    Big supermarkets are great and cheap if you have a car, or there's one nearby. But there's about a quarter of the population who aren't within 15 minutes walk of a supermarket;

    http://www.geofutures.com/food/where-are-the-uk-food-deserts/

    Of course there are corner shops and similar. But trust me- they aren't a cornucopia of fresh healthy goodies and the prices aren't the same as Aldi.

    One of the problems with being poor is how expensive it is.
    If the problem is there are no supermarkets nearby for some parents, then how is a scheme to give them a £15 supermarket voucher a week going to help exactly?
  • Options
    eristdooferistdoof Posts: 4,887
    The probability that "Trump wins Pennsylvania given that Biden wins Florida" has been very small from the beginning, as they are not independent events.
  • Options
    Roy_G_BivRoy_G_Biv Posts: 998

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    r/thatHappened
    It happened all right. On the way to Dublin airport from the city centre.
    Of course it did.

    Did he say he wanted to send them all back too?
    No. Not sure where you're so sceptical. I was there, you weren't. And it's not like taxi drivers never say things like that.

    Remarkable reactions, I have to say. I can understand why people are so down on the idea of political correctness if they literally cannot believe a fairly commonplace story of homophobic speech. You should get out more, people are capable of much, much worse than that.
  • Options
    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    HYUFD said:

    Your periodic reminder that SCons think Scottish voters' heids zip up the back.

    https://twitter.com/bellacaledonia/status/1321061964861288453?s=19

    Further good strategy from Ross, ensuring the SCons have a distinctive agenda and do not get too closely associated with Boris
    https://twitter.com/MrMo_J/status/1321054021252239360
  • Options

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    In my experience the only people who get vexed about "political correctness" are reactionary far right nutters who think it is an outrage that golliwogs are no longer allowed to be on their jars of jam and lament that there was nothing wrong with the Black and White Minstrel Show. The same types also dislike "heath and safety gone mad" and would much prefer if there were much higher deaths and injury in the work place like there were in the old days.
    In my experience, it can also encompass the kind of enthusiasts who, in their haste to be more PC than thou, rush to do all kinds of stupid things.

    Such as the HR clowns who wanted to fire employees for not wanting to go to a Halal restaurant.
    If there are any such "HR clowns who wanted to fire employees for not wanting to go to a Halal restaurant" then they are not very good at HR because said employees would have a very good case for unjustified dismissal. Sounds a bit like a Daily Express story: either made up, exaggerated or based upon an unrepresentative extreme case.
  • Options
    HYUFD said:

    Your periodic reminder that SCons think Scottish voters' heids zip up the back.

    https://twitter.com/bellacaledonia/status/1321061964861288453?s=19

    Further good strategy from Ross, ensuring the SCons have a distinctive agenda and do not get too closely associated with Boris
    Yep, 5 out of 6 SCon MPs voting against the school dinner amendment and DRoss abstaining were strokes of genius.
  • Options
    NerysHughesNerysHughes Posts: 3,347

    Well he is right, you can and they are lovely. His point just demonstrates how cheap food is now when you see what a high end food retailer is charging. Spend £20 wisely at Aldi and you will get bags of food.
    So Rashford has made it all up has he? Can't quite see why he would. His mother doesn't exactly look like a crack addict or a scrounger to me. As an ex-Conservative Party member and activist (emphasis on the ex), I cannot understand why the most spendthrift Conservative (in name only) government in history wants to die in a ditch over this issue. I can only assume it is because The Clown has been told he has done far too many U-turns and people are beginning to realise he is weak and ineffectual. Children will go hungry to spare Mr. Johnson's blushes about being a hopeless case.
    How can you say children are going hungry due to lack of money when childhood obesity in the most deprived areas in twice the national average? 27% of children in deprived areas are obese. That is the most shocking stat.
    Oh dear, you really don't think much beyond your own very narrow frame of reference. Though it may seem paradoxical to you, obesity is often a result of poverty because the wrong foods are chosen due to their cheapness. Many poor households are unable to make good choices on food either because high sugar and fat content foods are cheap, and they also cause further sugar and fat cravings. Obesity is no more a sign of profligacy than your prolific posts on this site are a sign of your depth of understanding or intellect.
    What a nice person you are, very brave behind a keyboard. Vegetables are the cheapest food in Supermarkets.
  • Options

    HYUFD said:

    Shows the clash between a now largely secular France and the still very religious Muslim world, and how the 2 can come into conflict when the 2 collide particularly in inner city France.

    Macron is right that free speech is vital but he also needs to be aware of how Muslims will see his remarks and ensure he also shows respect to the Islamic faith
    ...and the Islamic world needs to respect French culture as well.

    But You Can't Say That!
    You just did so you can. And I agree with the first part.
    There are quite a number of people who will start banging on about punching down, colonial history etc as a reason the French should shut up and apologise for the cartoons.

    It's a long running debate - all the way back to Salman Rushdie.
    They can say that as well, even though they are wrong. It is called freedom of speech!
    There are plenty of people who would try and deny your right today anything off the script. Which generally goes that because White Colonialism, the French should apologise and ban the cartoons.
    Freedom of speech means they can say what they want. Even when they are wrong. Or when they disagree with you or with me. You can still say what you want. That is the whole principle of freedom of speech. You seem to be wanting a world where people only agree with you?
  • Options
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    r/thatHappened
    It happened all right. On the way to Dublin airport from the city centre.
    Of course it did.

    Did he say he wanted to send them all back too?
    No. Not sure where you're so sceptical. I was there, you weren't. And it's not like taxi drivers never say things like that.

    Remarkable reactions, I have to say. I can understand why people are so down on the idea of political correctness if they literally cannot believe a fairly commonplace story of homophobic speech. You should get out more, people are capable of much, much worse than that.
    I have certainly heard taxi drivers saying similar things. Often it will start with " I am not racist but..." The variation when I used to visit Glasgow a lot was " I don't really hate the English but..."
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,249

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    In my experience the only people who get vexed about "political correctness" are reactionary far right nutters who think it is an outrage that golliwogs are no longer allowed to be on their jars of jam and lament that there was nothing wrong with the Black and White Minstrel Show. The same types also dislike "heath and safety gone mad" and would much prefer if there were much higher deaths and injury in the work place like there were in the old days.
    In my experience, it can also encompass the kind of enthusiasts who, in their haste to be more PC than thou, rush to do all kinds of stupid things.

    Such as the HR clowns who wanted to fire employees for not wanting to go to a Halal restaurant.
    If there are any such "HR clowns who wanted to fire employees for not wanting to go to a Halal restaurant" then they are not very good at HR because said employees would have a very good case for unjustified dismissal. Sounds a bit like a Daily Express story: either made up, exaggerated or based upon an unrepresentative extreme case.
    Happened in front of me.

    Company bash organised. Two of my reports said they wouldn't go. Since this was 20% of the group, I mentioned it to my boss. As in "We should try another place".

    Next thing I know HR rocked up. All fired up to fire "the bigots". The funny bit was that I was the one who had to explain the cultural sensitivities involved to HR.
  • Options
    Roy_G_BivRoy_G_Biv Posts: 998

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    You were understandably controlling what opinions you didn't want to listen to while paying him a fair, which is a good thing. Well done btw.
    I'm not looking for praise, the question was genuine. I know for sure I didn't want to hear it, and I was extremely uncomfortable. But the cabbie took a monetary hit for his troubles, which might be why he got nasty about it. We agreed to go to the airport, it ended up being a much shorter and cheaper ride than that. Perhaps next time he would say less, so maybe I did control his speech and thought. That's why I asked. I have no regrets and I would do it again, but I'm genuinely interested to hear whether someone sees it from the other point of view.
  • Options
    turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 15,130
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,390
    Something to look forward to from a second Trump term ?

    https://harpers.org/archive/2020/11/the-enemies-briefcase-secret-powers-of-the-presidency/
    A few hours before the inauguration ceremony, the prospective president receives an elaborate and highly classified briefing on the means and procedures for blowing up the world with a nuclear attack, a rite of passage that a former official described as “a sobering moment.” Secret though it may be, we are at least aware that this introduction to apocalypse takes place. At some point in the first term, however, experts surmise that an even more secret briefing occurs, one that has never been publicly acknowledged. In it, the new president learns how to blow up the Constitution.

    The session introduces “presidential emergency action documents,” or PEADs, orders that authorize a broad range of mortal assaults on our civil liberties. In the words of a rare declassified official description, the documents outline how to “implement extraordinary presidential authority in response to extraordinary situations”—by imposing martial law, suspending habeas corpus, seizing control of the internet, imposing censorship, and incarcerating so-called subversives, among other repressive measures. “We know about the nuclear briefcase that carries the launch codes,” Joel McCleary, a White House official in the Carter Administration, told me. “But over at the Office of Legal Counsel at the Justice Department there’s a list of all the so-called enemies of the state who would be rounded up in an emergency. I’ve heard it called the ‘enemies briefcase.’ ”

    These chilling directives have been silently proliferating since the dawn of the Cold War as an integral part of the hugely elaborate and expensive Continuity of Government (COG) program, a mechanism to preserve state authority (complete with well-provisioned underground bunkers for leaders) in the event of a nuclear holocaust. Compiled without any authorization from Congress, the emergency provisions long escaped public discussion—that is, until Donald Trump started to brag about them. “I have the right to do a lot of things that people don’t even know about,” he boasted in March, ominously echoing his interpretation of Article II of the Constitution, which, he has claimed, gives him “the right to do whatever I want as president.” He has also declared his “absolute right” to build a border wall, whatever Congress thinks, and even floated the possibility of delaying the election “until people can properly, securely, and safely vote.”...
  • Options

    Well he is right, you can and they are lovely. His point just demonstrates how cheap food is now when you see what a high end food retailer is charging. Spend £20 wisely at Aldi and you will get bags of food.
    So Rashford has made it all up has he? Can't quite see why he would. His mother doesn't exactly look like a crack addict or a scrounger to me. As an ex-Conservative Party member and activist (emphasis on the ex), I cannot understand why the most spendthrift Conservative (in name only) government in history wants to die in a ditch over this issue. I can only assume it is because The Clown has been told he has done far too many U-turns and people are beginning to realise he is weak and ineffectual. Children will go hungry to spare Mr. Johnson's blushes about being a hopeless case.
    How can you say children are going hungry due to lack of money when childhood obesity in the most deprived areas in twice the national average? 27% of children in deprived areas are obese. That is the most shocking stat.
    Oh dear, you really don't think much beyond your own very narrow frame of reference. Though it may seem paradoxical to you, obesity is often a result of poverty because the wrong foods are chosen due to their cheapness. Many poor households are unable to make good choices on food either because high sugar and fat content foods are cheap, and they also cause further sugar and fat cravings. Obesity is no more a sign of profligacy than your prolific posts on this site are a sign of your depth of understanding or intellect.
    It's also, in some cases, literally what's on sale locally.

    Big supermarkets are great and cheap if you have a car, or there's one nearby. But there's about a quarter of the population who aren't within 15 minutes walk of a supermarket;

    http://www.geofutures.com/food/where-are-the-uk-food-deserts/

    Of course there are corner shops and similar. But trust me- they aren't a cornucopia of fresh healthy goodies and the prices aren't the same as Aldi.

    One of the problems with being poor is how expensive it is.
    If the problem is there are no supermarkets nearby for some parents, then how is a scheme to give them a £15 supermarket voucher a week going to help exactly?
    No question, it's not a great solution. Keeping primary school kitchens open would probably be a better one, especially if secondary aged children could be directed there as well.

    The only real advantage of vouchers is that it could be done quickly, while a better plan is put in place.
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,115

    It so annoys me.

    I try so hard to position the party for electability and those twats let the side (and their constituents) down.
    I feel your pain but I kinda agree with him here.

    witter.com/EtanSmallman/status/1321069257929695233
    Really? I certainly can "afford" to have two children now, but can I be sure that I would still be able to afford them in ten years?

    What level of savings, or insurance, should I have to protect my ability to afford to have children until they are eighteen?
    You think they become cost free at eighteen?
    Well, no-one suggests paying extra social security to parents beyond that age (with the exception of a few months while they complete pre-university full-time education).
  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,140
    edited October 2020

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.
    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    You want to go back to the days - not so long ago - when casual racism and sexism was the accepted and often celebrated norm rather than a frowned upon sign of stale and dated attitudes. Rhetorical question because I know that you don't.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,390
    HYUFD said:
    Spelling again.
    That should be "whining".
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,955
    edited October 2020

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    r/thatHappened
    It happened all right. On the way to Dublin airport from the city centre.
    Of course it did.

    Did he say he wanted to send them all back too?
    No. Not sure where you're so sceptical. I was there, you weren't. And it's not like taxi drivers never say things like that.

    Remarkable reactions, I have to say. I can understand why people are so down on the idea of political correctness if they literally cannot believe a fairly commonplace story of homophobic speech. You should get out more, people are capable of much, much worse than that.
    I have certainly heard taxi drivers saying similar things. Often it will start with " I am not racist but..." The variation when I used to visit Glasgow a lot was " I don't really hate the English but..."
    Glasgow voted 53% for independence even in 2014 before the Brexit vote so it has always been one of the most nationalist parts of Scotland, support for breaking away from England there is certainly not down to just wanting to rejoin the EU
  • Options
    turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 15,130
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    You could have asked him why he thought that? Or ignored it?
  • Options

    Well he is right, you can and they are lovely. His point just demonstrates how cheap food is now when you see what a high end food retailer is charging. Spend £20 wisely at Aldi and you will get bags of food.
    So Rashford has made it all up has he? Can't quite see why he would. His mother doesn't exactly look like a crack addict or a scrounger to me. As an ex-Conservative Party member and activist (emphasis on the ex), I cannot understand why the most spendthrift Conservative (in name only) government in history wants to die in a ditch over this issue. I can only assume it is because The Clown has been told he has done far too many U-turns and people are beginning to realise he is weak and ineffectual. Children will go hungry to spare Mr. Johnson's blushes about being a hopeless case.
    How can you say children are going hungry due to lack of money when childhood obesity in the most deprived areas in twice the national average? 27% of children in deprived areas are obese. That is the most shocking stat.
    Oh dear, you really don't think much beyond your own very narrow frame of reference. Though it may seem paradoxical to you, obesity is often a result of poverty because the wrong foods are chosen due to their cheapness. Many poor households are unable to make good choices on food either because high sugar and fat content foods are cheap, and they also cause further sugar and fat cravings. Obesity is no more a sign of profligacy than your prolific posts on this site are a sign of your depth of understanding or intellect.
    It's also, in some cases, literally what's on sale locally.

    Big supermarkets are great and cheap if you have a car, or there's one nearby. But there's about a quarter of the population who aren't within 15 minutes walk of a supermarket;

    http://www.geofutures.com/food/where-are-the-uk-food-deserts/

    Of course there are corner shops and similar. But trust me- they aren't a cornucopia of fresh healthy goodies and the prices aren't the same as Aldi.

    One of the problems with being poor is how expensive it is.
    If the problem is there are no supermarkets nearby for some parents, then how is a scheme to give them a £15 supermarket voucher a week going to help exactly?
    Say they have £15 already.

    Without voucher - spend £15 at local minimart on poor and expensive food.
    With voucher - spend £5 on bus fare to bigger supermarket and £25 on nutritious and cheap food.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,903
    Massive numbers for Warnock here. Wonder if he wins without a runoff ?
    https://twitter.com/PpollingNumbers/status/1321082492368130049
  • Options
    MrEdMrEd Posts: 5,578
    Presumably some implications for the House given the Republicans won a number of House seats in 2016 that they lost in 2018,
  • Options
    eristdoof said:

    The probability that "Trump wins Pennsylvania given that Biden wins Florida" has been very small from the beginning, as they are not independent events.
    eristdoof said:

    The probability that "Trump wins Pennsylvania given that Biden wins Florida" has been very small from the beginning, as they are not independent events.
    Pennsaylvania and Florida are however very different States. Florida has a large pro-Trump contingent of Cuban-Americans for a start.

    I'd be more surprised with a divergence between Pa and say Ohio and Michigan.
  • Options
    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,249

    HYUFD said:

    Shows the clash between a now largely secular France and the still very religious Muslim world, and how the 2 can come into conflict when the 2 collide particularly in inner city France.

    Macron is right that free speech is vital but he also needs to be aware of how Muslims will see his remarks and ensure he also shows respect to the Islamic faith
    ...and the Islamic world needs to respect French culture as well.

    But You Can't Say That!
    You just did so you can. And I agree with the first part.
    There are quite a number of people who will start banging on about punching down, colonial history etc as a reason the French should shut up and apologise for the cartoons.

    It's a long running debate - all the way back to Salman Rushdie.
    They can say that as well, even though they are wrong. It is called freedom of speech!
    There are plenty of people who would try and deny your right today anything off the script. Which generally goes that because White Colonialism, the French should apologise and ban the cartoons.
    Freedom of speech means they can say what they want. Even when they are wrong. Or when they disagree with you or with me. You can still say what you want. That is the whole principle of freedom of speech. You seem to be wanting a world where people only agree with you?
    Absolutely. God told me The Truth. All others are heretics. Obviously. As mentioned previously, I and my fellows will be merciful. With megatons......

    No, what I am trying to point out is that there are plenty of people who want an "answer" on each subject. Stray off the script and your are in the shit.
  • Options
    MrEdMrEd Posts: 5,578
    Both of them also have Senate races that are seen as toss-ups. He thinks the states are winnable for him or is he boosting the Senate candidates?
  • Options
    malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,818
    HYUFD said:

    Your periodic reminder that SCons think Scottish voters' heids zip up the back.

    https://twitter.com/bellacaledonia/status/1321061964861288453?s=19

    Further good strategy from Ross, ensuring the SCons have a distinctive agenda and do not get too closely associated with Boris
    HYUFD said:

    Your periodic reminder that SCons think Scottish voters' heids zip up the back.

    https://twitter.com/bellacaledonia/status/1321061964861288453?s=19

    Further good strategy from Ross, ensuring the SCons have a distinctive agenda and do not get too closely associated with Boris
    :D:D:D:D:D:D:p:p
  • Options
    BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 7,987
    edited October 2020

    Barnesian said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.
    Political correctness is the pole opposite of "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views".
    I'm genuinely surprised you think that, given I tend to agree with you on much. Being 'politically correct' in its original incarnation would include, for example, not making casual sexist remarks about women's appearance, or not indulging in lazy stereotypes based on race or sexuality. I don't see how that's the polar opposite of respect/tolerance etc.
    @Northern_Al
    I think the meaning has changed to one of intolerance and aggressively correcting people who use the "wrong terminology" whatever the latest fashion is.

    "Political correctness" was always a poor choice of words. "Political" suggests an agenda. "Correctness" suggests righteousness and correcting people.

    I think "Respect and Tolerance" is a much better phrase. As a liberal, I'm 100% in favour of that.

    The phrase "Political Correctness" has outlived its original usefulness and is now only useful for describing intolerant behaviour and public shaming. I'm against that.
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    Nigelb said:

    HYUFD said:
    Spelling again.
    That should be "whining".
    Nebraska?! Just how far is Biden penetrating?
  • Options

    Well he is right, you can and they are lovely. His point just demonstrates how cheap food is now when you see what a high end food retailer is charging. Spend £20 wisely at Aldi and you will get bags of food.
    So Rashford has made it all up has he? Can't quite see why he would. His mother doesn't exactly look like a crack addict or a scrounger to me. As an ex-Conservative Party member and activist (emphasis on the ex), I cannot understand why the most spendthrift Conservative (in name only) government in history wants to die in a ditch over this issue. I can only assume it is because The Clown has been told he has done far too many U-turns and people are beginning to realise he is weak and ineffectual. Children will go hungry to spare Mr. Johnson's blushes about being a hopeless case.
    How can you say children are going hungry due to lack of money when childhood obesity in the most deprived areas in twice the national average? 27% of children in deprived areas are obese. That is the most shocking stat.
    Oh dear, you really don't think much beyond your own very narrow frame of reference. Though it may seem paradoxical to you, obesity is often a result of poverty because the wrong foods are chosen due to their cheapness. Many poor households are unable to make good choices on food either because high sugar and fat content foods are cheap, and they also cause further sugar and fat cravings. Obesity is no more a sign of profligacy than your prolific posts on this site are a sign of your depth of understanding or intellect.
    What a nice person you are, very brave behind a keyboard. Vegetables are the cheapest food in Supermarkets.
    A man ( I assume that is what you are) bravely hiding behind his keyboard and making out poor people are feckless and inferior is in no position to question someone else's "niceness". Maybe you are just a contrarian, or an idiot, maybe both, but please don't expect to insult those who are the most vulnerable in society and expect your repulsive views to be treated with anything less than the contempt that they deserve. I pity you and those that hold views like yours. Please don't expect any further response from me, your pathetic trolling really should be ignored by anyone with a shred of decency.
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    HYUFD said:

    Shows the clash between a now largely secular France and the still very religious Muslim world, and how the 2 can come into conflict when the 2 collide particularly in inner city France.

    Macron is right that free speech is vital but he also needs to be aware of how Muslims will see his remarks and ensure he also shows respect to the Islamic faith
    ...and the Islamic world needs to respect French culture as well.

    But You Can't Say That!
    You just did so you can. And I agree with the first part.
    There are quite a number of people who will start banging on about punching down, colonial history etc as a reason the French should shut up and apologise for the cartoons.

    It's a long running debate - all the way back to Salman Rushdie.
    They can say that as well, even though they are wrong. It is called freedom of speech!
    There are plenty of people who would try and deny your right today anything off the script. Which generally goes that because White Colonialism, the French should apologise and ban the cartoons.
    Freedom of speech means they can say what they want. Even when they are wrong. Or when they disagree with you or with me. You can still say what you want. That is the whole principle of freedom of speech. You seem to be wanting a world where people only agree with you?
    Absolutely. God told me The Truth. All others are heretics. Obviously. As mentioned previously, I and my fellows will be merciful. With megatons......

    No, what I am trying to point out is that there are plenty of people who want an "answer" on each subject. Stray off the script and your are in the shit.
    You are not in the shit at all, you can continue to live a perfectly normal happy life, just understanding that some people dont like your view. It really isnt a big deal.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,955
    edited October 2020

    eristdoof said:

    The probability that "Trump wins Pennsylvania given that Biden wins Florida" has been very small from the beginning, as they are not independent events.
    eristdoof said:

    The probability that "Trump wins Pennsylvania given that Biden wins Florida" has been very small from the beginning, as they are not independent events.
    Pennsaylvania and Florida are however very different States. Florida has a large pro-Trump contingent of Cuban-Americans for a start.

    I'd be more surprised with a divergence between Pa and say Ohio and Michigan.
    Pennsylvania has a top 10 US city by population in Philadelphia, Ohio, Michigan and Florida do not and we know Biden's largest lead is in urban areas and he has seen a swing to him relative to Hillary in suburban areas since 2016 but Trump still leads comfortably in rural areas and has seen a swing to him with Cuban Americans.

    So on that basis I think of the 4 PA is most likely to go to Biden, rural and small town PA will vote similarly as strong for Trump as rural and small town Ohio, Michigan and Florida but Philadelphia and its suburbs should put Biden across the line (plus he has local links through being born and raised in Scranton).

    I also think Arizona might be more likely to go Biden than the remaining 3, Phoenix is also a top 10 city by population in the US and its suburbs will go Biden and could swing the state therefore away from Trump even if again Trump wins rural Arizona comfortably
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    TimTTimT Posts: 6,328
    edited October 2020
    Some extraordinary numbers building up. In NC - Chatham County is already at 60.2% of registered voters having voted. This county went to Hillary by 10%. The neighboring counties of Orange, Durham and Wake went for her by 50%, 60% and 20% margins, and they are all at above 50% voted. OTOH, Brunswick, which went to Trump by 30%, is also at over 50%.

    4.63m voted in NC in 2016: so far this year NC is at 3.11m. So, who has the voters left? And does Trump have the differential within what's left and the non-partisan vote to overhaul the Dems voted advantage of 315k (down from 355k yesterday) by party affiliation?
  • Options
    Daveyboy1961Daveyboy1961 Posts: 3,382

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    You could have asked him why he thought that? Or ignored it?
    Some of my best friends are Black Cab drivers.......
    :smile:
  • Options
    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,226

    IanB2 said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:
    New Zealand is the world's most overrated country. Great landscapes (although many other countries also have great landscapes) – but deathly boring and nothing to do, nothing good to eat and nowhere nice to drink in large portions of it – including many of the 'big' towns.
    Indeed, if I lived anywhere other than the UK it would be New England or New York or France, New Zealand is a beautiful country to visit with nice people on the whole who live there but not exactly full of culture and gastronomy, with no really big global city and thousands of miles from anywhere
    France is a lot harder to move to as a Brit these days, of course, because of you-know-what. New York is horrible, there are a lot of nicer places in North America - I have a real soft spot for Vancouver, and even Washington DC is better than NYC in my opinion. If I didn't live here I'd probably go for something completely different, like Sri Lanka or the Caribbean. I mean, if I wanted to live in a cosmopolitan Western city why would I leave London, which is the greatest such city in the world?
    Dc was the surprise of my trip last year. All round the States, especially away from the coasts, people told me how horrible it was and a fair few tried to persuade me not to go there. Yet I thought it was probably the nicest large city I visited. A lot of the streets are more similar to London's - tree lined and with parallel streetside parking, putting some distance between the sidewalk and the traffic - which helps a lot compared to New York and Chicago where it feels like you're walking along the side of a motorway.
    DC is very nice, I lived there for a while. There are some lovely neighbourhoods including Capitol Hill, my favourite, just as you describe, and there is an interesting mix of people. It has improved a lot and some of the disdain with which it is viewed elsewhere reflects an outdated view. The weather is a lot better than people say, too, I quite liked the hot summers. It is extremely divided on racial/social class lines, though.
    I stayed north of the DuPont Circle, which was certainly a pleasant area, and looked like quite a wealthy one. The streets just to the east were apparently, according to the signs about the place, the original black neighbourhood of D.C. when it was a much smaller place. Today the area seemed interesting and mixed, insofar as the US has mixed residential areas.
  • Options
    contrariancontrarian Posts: 5,818
    TimT said:

    Some extraordinary numbers building up. In NC - Chatham County is already at 60.2% of registered voters having voted. This county went to Hillary by 10%. The neighboring counties of Orange, Durham and Wake went for her by 50%, 60% and 20% margins, and they are all at above 50% voted. OTOH, Brunswick, which went to Trump by 30%, is also at over 50%.

    4.63m voted in NC in 2016: so far this year NC is at 3.11m. So, who has the voters left? And does Trump have the differential within what's left and the non-partisan vote to overhaul the Dems voted advantage of 315k (down from 355k yesterday) by party affiliation?
    One pollster claimed NC is a 'high crossover' state, with registrations by party affiliation sometimes rather 'in name only' I would be careful of reading the runes here on that basis.

  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,140
    edited October 2020
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    You were understandably controlling what opinions you didn't want to listen to while paying him a fair, which is a good thing. Well done btw.
    I'm not looking for praise, the question was genuine. I know for sure I didn't want to hear it, and I was extremely uncomfortable. But the cabbie took a monetary hit for his troubles, which might be why he got nasty about it. We agreed to go to the airport, it ended up being a much shorter and cheaper ride than that. Perhaps next time he would say less, so maybe I did control his speech and thought. That's why I asked. I have no regrets and I would do it again, but I'm genuinely interested to hear whether someone sees it from the other point of view.
    The opposite could be a thorny one too. London cabbie of reactionary ilk with an ultra woke passenger who decides to regale him with much talk of gender fluidity, the patriarchy and critical race theory. Does the cabbie go, "Oi, leave it out with all that poncy bollocks, mate, otherwise you're walking the rest." - or is the customer always right?
  • Options
    Barnesian said:

    Barnesian said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.
    Political correctness is the pole opposite of "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views".
    I'm genuinely surprised you think that, given I tend to agree with you on much. Being 'politically correct' in its original incarnation would include, for example, not making casual sexist remarks about women's appearance, or not indulging in lazy stereotypes based on race or sexuality. I don't see how that's the polar opposite of respect/tolerance etc.
    @Northern_Al
    I think the meaning has changed to one of intolerance and aggressively correcting people who use the "wrong terminology" whatever the latest fashion is.

    "Political correctness" was always a poor choice of words. "Political" suggests an agenda. "Correctness" suggests righteousness and correcting people.

    I think "Respect and Tolerance" is a much better phrase. As a liberal, I'm 100% in favour of that.

    The phrase "Political Correctness" has outlived its original usefulness and is now only useful for describing intolerant behaviour and public shaming. I'm against that.
    Whether its called respect and tolerance or political correctness doesnt matter much. It is how it is interpreted on the ground that really matters. Some will get it broadly right, some will be too far on the side of respect and/or tolerance, others will be too far on individual freedom of expression. "Broadly right" will also change as society and its views change.

    Whatever we call it, this tension will always exist. Perhaps renaming it does take some of the sting out of the debate but it wont stop it happening.
  • Options
    Roy_G_BivRoy_G_Biv Posts: 998

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    Dura_Ace said:


    The biggest problem with online-only learning is that you have no "relationship" with any of the teaching staff.


    Malcolm Bradbury would have some fun with today's identity and crit theory lecturers no doubt.
    The Tory culture war bollox.....
    The ‘false binaries’ of culture wars do not resonate with the reality of the attitudes of most of the British public. For example, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about hate speech and at the same time 72 per cent believe that political political correctness is a problem.

    Spot the outliers (hint - they're unlikely to be Tory)


    This is meaningless. Views on "political correctness" are negative because it is a loaded term with negative connotations, obviously. Change the question to: "Courtesy towards, respect for, and tolerance of, others' views is a problem in our country" and you'd get a very different result. Political correctness isn't that different.

    Now that's ironic - 'political correctness' is apparently no longer a politically-correct term because too many people have cottoned on to the noxious reality of what it entails, and so its cheerleaders must seek another euphemism for controlling speech and thought...
    I once had a taxi driver tell me that he didn't like Leo Varadkar "because he's nothing but a poof".
    I told him alright, stop the cab, I'll walk the rest of the way because I don't want to listen to his backwards opinions. Cue a sweary mouthful about political correctness and how he's got the right to say what he wants.

    So here's the question, was I controlling the cabbie's speech and thought?
    You could have asked him why he thought that? Or ignored it?
    Aye, I could have ignored it. But I felt pretty bad because it had been a while since I experienced any homophobia and I'd gotten it into my head that things were really getting better (and they are!). It was just a bit of a rude awakening that it's still out there. And the conversation had been quite friendly to that point.
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    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,226

    HYUFD said:

    Your periodic reminder that SCons think Scottish voters' heids zip up the back.

    https://twitter.com/bellacaledonia/status/1321061964861288453?s=19

    Further good strategy from Ross, ensuring the SCons have a distinctive agenda and do not get too closely associated with Boris
    Yep, 5 out of 6 SCon MPs voting against the school dinner amendment and DRoss abstaining were strokes of genius.
    He did come across as a plonker on Any Questions as a consequence.
  • Options
    isam said:
    He realised he needed an eye test and proceeded to drive directly to Barnard Castle?
  • Options
    MrEdMrEd Posts: 5,578

    TimT said:

    Some extraordinary numbers building up. In NC - Chatham County is already at 60.2% of registered voters having voted. This county went to Hillary by 10%. The neighboring counties of Orange, Durham and Wake went for her by 50%, 60% and 20% margins, and they are all at above 50% voted. OTOH, Brunswick, which went to Trump by 30%, is also at over 50%.

    4.63m voted in NC in 2016: so far this year NC is at 3.11m. So, who has the voters left? And does Trump have the differential within what's left and the non-partisan vote to overhaul the Dems voted advantage of 315k (down from 355k yesterday) by party affiliation?
    One pollster claimed NC is a 'high crossover' state, with registrations by party affiliation sometimes rather 'in name only' I would be careful of reading the runes here on that basis.

    This is exactly Bitzer's point at Old North State Politics. This is why the 3rd and 7th Congressional Districts are rated as Safe Republican despite party registrations for Democrats and Republicans being similar. You cannot just take the party registration details and extrapolate them across to votes
  • Options
    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,473

    Well he is right, you can and they are lovely. His point just demonstrates how cheap food is now when you see what a high end food retailer is charging. Spend £20 wisely at Aldi and you will get bags of food.
    So Rashford has made it all up has he? Can't quite see why he would. His mother doesn't exactly look like a crack addict or a scrounger to me. As an ex-Conservative Party member and activist (emphasis on the ex), I cannot understand why the most spendthrift Conservative (in name only) government in history wants to die in a ditch over this issue. I can only assume it is because The Clown has been told he has done far too many U-turns and people are beginning to realise he is weak and ineffectual. Children will go hungry to spare Mr. Johnson's blushes about being a hopeless case.
    How can you say children are going hungry due to lack of money when childhood obesity in the most deprived areas in twice the national average? 27% of children in deprived areas are obese. That is the most shocking stat.
    Oh dear, you really don't think much beyond your own very narrow frame of reference. Though it may seem paradoxical to you, obesity is often a result of poverty because the wrong foods are chosen due to their cheapness. Many poor households are unable to make good choices on food either because high sugar and fat content foods are cheap, and they also cause further sugar and fat cravings. Obesity is no more a sign of profligacy than your prolific posts on this site are a sign of your depth of understanding or intellect.
    Healthy food is usually cheaper than unhealthy food.
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    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    Pulpstar said:

    Massive numbers for Warnock here. Wonder if he wins without a runoff ?
    https://twitter.com/PpollingNumbers/status/1321082492368130049

    Lieberman stinking the joint up.
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    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,249

    HYUFD said:

    Shows the clash between a now largely secular France and the still very religious Muslim world, and how the 2 can come into conflict when the 2 collide particularly in inner city France.

    Macron is right that free speech is vital but he also needs to be aware of how Muslims will see his remarks and ensure he also shows respect to the Islamic faith
    ...and the Islamic world needs to respect French culture as well.

    But You Can't Say That!
    You just did so you can. And I agree with the first part.
    There are quite a number of people who will start banging on about punching down, colonial history etc as a reason the French should shut up and apologise for the cartoons.

    It's a long running debate - all the way back to Salman Rushdie.
    They can say that as well, even though they are wrong. It is called freedom of speech!
    There are plenty of people who would try and deny your right today anything off the script. Which generally goes that because White Colonialism, the French should apologise and ban the cartoons.
    Freedom of speech means they can say what they want. Even when they are wrong. Or when they disagree with you or with me. You can still say what you want. That is the whole principle of freedom of speech. You seem to be wanting a world where people only agree with you?
    Absolutely. God told me The Truth. All others are heretics. Obviously. As mentioned previously, I and my fellows will be merciful. With megatons......

    No, what I am trying to point out is that there are plenty of people who want an "answer" on each subject. Stray off the script and your are in the shit.
    You are not in the shit at all, you can continue to live a perfectly normal happy life, just understanding that some people dont like your view. It really isnt a big deal.
    Well, I've watched as people nearly got fired or received other kinds of harassment for stepping off the script.

    While it hasn't effected me, should I give a shit or not?
  • Options
    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    TimT said:

    Some extraordinary numbers building up. In NC - Chatham County is already at 60.2% of registered voters having voted. This county went to Hillary by 10%. The neighboring counties of Orange, Durham and Wake went for her by 50%, 60% and 20% margins, and they are all at above 50% voted. OTOH, Brunswick, which went to Trump by 30%, is also at over 50%.

    4.63m voted in NC in 2016: so far this year NC is at 3.11m. So, who has the voters left? And does Trump have the differential within what's left and the non-partisan vote to overhaul the Dems voted advantage of 315k (down from 355k yesterday) by party affiliation?
    One pollster claimed NC is a 'high crossover' state, with registrations by party affiliation sometimes rather 'in name only' I would be careful of reading the runes here on that basis.

    Could you give the name of the pollster so we can cross check.
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    sarissasarissa Posts: 1,767
    Weather watch: Tropical Storm Zeta probably strengthening to hit LA/MS where a hurricane warning has been issued, and into the interior from 8AM tomorow through Thursday. Potentially4-6 inhes of rain and some flooding across huge swathes of the gulf coast, up to Kentucky/Virginia.

    Could cause significant disruption?
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    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,911
    IBD/Tipp is 51/46 (I think)

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    contrariancontrarian Posts: 5,818
    MrEd said:

    TimT said:

    Some extraordinary numbers building up. In NC - Chatham County is already at 60.2% of registered voters having voted. This county went to Hillary by 10%. The neighboring counties of Orange, Durham and Wake went for her by 50%, 60% and 20% margins, and they are all at above 50% voted. OTOH, Brunswick, which went to Trump by 30%, is also at over 50%.

    4.63m voted in NC in 2016: so far this year NC is at 3.11m. So, who has the voters left? And does Trump have the differential within what's left and the non-partisan vote to overhaul the Dems voted advantage of 315k (down from 355k yesterday) by party affiliation?
    One pollster claimed NC is a 'high crossover' state, with registrations by party affiliation sometimes rather 'in name only' I would be careful of reading the runes here on that basis.

    This is exactly Bitzer's point at Old North State Politics. This is why the 3rd and 7th Congressional Districts are rated as Safe Republican despite party registrations for Democrats and Republicans being similar. You cannot just take the party registration details and extrapolate them across to votes
    As I understand it, this factor has made many an early runes reader look silly when the real vote comes.
  • Options

    Well he is right, you can and they are lovely. His point just demonstrates how cheap food is now when you see what a high end food retailer is charging. Spend £20 wisely at Aldi and you will get bags of food.
    So Rashford has made it all up has he? Can't quite see why he would. His mother doesn't exactly look like a crack addict or a scrounger to me. As an ex-Conservative Party member and activist (emphasis on the ex), I cannot understand why the most spendthrift Conservative (in name only) government in history wants to die in a ditch over this issue. I can only assume it is because The Clown has been told he has done far too many U-turns and people are beginning to realise he is weak and ineffectual. Children will go hungry to spare Mr. Johnson's blushes about being a hopeless case.
    How can you say children are going hungry due to lack of money when childhood obesity in the most deprived areas in twice the national average? 27% of children in deprived areas are obese. That is the most shocking stat.
    Oh dear, you really don't think much beyond your own very narrow frame of reference. Though it may seem paradoxical to you, obesity is often a result of poverty because the wrong foods are chosen due to their cheapness. Many poor households are unable to make good choices on food either because high sugar and fat content foods are cheap, and they also cause further sugar and fat cravings. Obesity is no more a sign of profligacy than your prolific posts on this site are a sign of your depth of understanding or intellect.
    It's also, in some cases, literally what's on sale locally.

    Big supermarkets are great and cheap if you have a car, or there's one nearby. But there's about a quarter of the population who aren't within 15 minutes walk of a supermarket;

    http://www.geofutures.com/food/where-are-the-uk-food-deserts/

    Of course there are corner shops and similar. But trust me- they aren't a cornucopia of fresh healthy goodies and the prices aren't the same as Aldi.

    One of the problems with being poor is how expensive it is.
    If the problem is there are no supermarkets nearby for some parents, then how is a scheme to give them a £15 supermarket voucher a week going to help exactly?
    No question, it's not a great solution. Keeping primary school kitchens open would probably be a better one, especially if secondary aged children could be directed there as well.

    The only real advantage of vouchers is that it could be done quickly, while a better plan is put in place.
    So school workers don't get a holiday anymore.

    I can't see who these vouchers are going to help.

    Parents who just can't be arsed to look after their kids properly - no.
    People who prefer takeaways and pizza rather than cook healthier and cheaper food - no
    People who can't get to a supermarket - no.
    People who are good parents, but after being given thousands in benefits are short exactly £15 a week for food - yes I suppose, although this is a vanishingly small % of parents IMO.
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    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    Nigelb said:

    HYUFD said:
    Spelling again.
    That should be "whining".
    Nebraska?! Just how far is Biden penetrating?
    NE-2 Every electoral vote counts.
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    MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 44,249
    It that going to be with a random assortment of cheap tat, pile up any-old-how, with zombie* staff.

    *The staff in the local Woolies were so miserable.. they shuffled around, dead-eyed.
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    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,581
    A quick check online reveals that the term 'JILF' has already been applied to the newest member of the US Supreme Court.

    I assume it stands for "Judge Isn't Liberal, Folks!".
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    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,911
    MrEd said:

    TimT said:

    Some extraordinary numbers building up. In NC - Chatham County is already at 60.2% of registered voters having voted. This county went to Hillary by 10%. The neighboring counties of Orange, Durham and Wake went for her by 50%, 60% and 20% margins, and they are all at above 50% voted. OTOH, Brunswick, which went to Trump by 30%, is also at over 50%.

    4.63m voted in NC in 2016: so far this year NC is at 3.11m. So, who has the voters left? And does Trump have the differential within what's left and the non-partisan vote to overhaul the Dems voted advantage of 315k (down from 355k yesterday) by party affiliation?
    One pollster claimed NC is a 'high crossover' state, with registrations by party affiliation sometimes rather 'in name only' I would be careful of reading the runes here on that basis.

    This is exactly Bitzer's point at Old North State Politics. This is why the 3rd and 7th Congressional Districts are rated as Safe Republican despite party registrations for Democrats and Republicans being similar. You cannot just take the party registration details and extrapolate them across to votes
    True, but they tend to be a decent rule of thumb. Not clear which (if any) party has a crossover advantage. If there is one, I'd expect it to be quite small.
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    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,140
    isam said:
    I sense you would start warming to him if this were true. Showing a bit of "personality".
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    contrariancontrarian Posts: 5,818
    Alistair said:

    TimT said:

    Some extraordinary numbers building up. In NC - Chatham County is already at 60.2% of registered voters having voted. This county went to Hillary by 10%. The neighboring counties of Orange, Durham and Wake went for her by 50%, 60% and 20% margins, and they are all at above 50% voted. OTOH, Brunswick, which went to Trump by 30%, is also at over 50%.

    4.63m voted in NC in 2016: so far this year NC is at 3.11m. So, who has the voters left? And does Trump have the differential within what's left and the non-partisan vote to overhaul the Dems voted advantage of 315k (down from 355k yesterday) by party affiliation?
    One pollster claimed NC is a 'high crossover' state, with registrations by party affiliation sometimes rather 'in name only' I would be careful of reading the runes here on that basis.

    Could you give the name of the pollster so we can cross check.
    I'm not because I am relying on this guy to make me some money. Posters like yourself would not give him the time of day, of course, but I will happily reveal it when the vote is over.
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    isamisam Posts: 40,901
    kinabalu said:

    isam said:
    I sense you would start warming to him if this were true. Showing a bit of "personality".
    No not really.

    But imagine if it were Farage or Boris who had done this!
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    contrariancontrarian Posts: 5,818

    MrEd said:

    TimT said:

    Some extraordinary numbers building up. In NC - Chatham County is already at 60.2% of registered voters having voted. This county went to Hillary by 10%. The neighboring counties of Orange, Durham and Wake went for her by 50%, 60% and 20% margins, and they are all at above 50% voted. OTOH, Brunswick, which went to Trump by 30%, is also at over 50%.

    4.63m voted in NC in 2016: so far this year NC is at 3.11m. So, who has the voters left? And does Trump have the differential within what's left and the non-partisan vote to overhaul the Dems voted advantage of 315k (down from 355k yesterday) by party affiliation?
    One pollster claimed NC is a 'high crossover' state, with registrations by party affiliation sometimes rather 'in name only' I would be careful of reading the runes here on that basis.

    This is exactly Bitzer's point at Old North State Politics. This is why the 3rd and 7th Congressional Districts are rated as Safe Republican despite party registrations for Democrats and Republicans being similar. You cannot just take the party registration details and extrapolate them across to votes
    True, but they tend to be a decent rule of thumb. Not clear which (if any) party has a crossover advantage. If there is one, I'd expect it to be quite small.
    If you look at voter registrations in, say Kentucky, they are apparently quite even stevens. But Kentucky is not even stevens.
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    Roy_G_BivRoy_G_Biv Posts: 998

    Alistair said:

    TimT said:

    Some extraordinary numbers building up. In NC - Chatham County is already at 60.2% of registered voters having voted. This county went to Hillary by 10%. The neighboring counties of Orange, Durham and Wake went for her by 50%, 60% and 20% margins, and they are all at above 50% voted. OTOH, Brunswick, which went to Trump by 30%, is also at over 50%.

    4.63m voted in NC in 2016: so far this year NC is at 3.11m. So, who has the voters left? And does Trump have the differential within what's left and the non-partisan vote to overhaul the Dems voted advantage of 315k (down from 355k yesterday) by party affiliation?
    One pollster claimed NC is a 'high crossover' state, with registrations by party affiliation sometimes rather 'in name only' I would be careful of reading the runes here on that basis.

    Could you give the name of the pollster so we can cross check.
    I'm not because I am relying on this guy to make me some money. Posters like yourself would not give him the time of day, of course, but I will happily reveal it when the vote is over.
    It's Dominic Cummings, isn't it?
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    algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 10,497
    edited October 2020

    HYUFD said:

    Shows the clash between a now largely secular France and the still very religious Muslim world, and how the 2 can come into conflict when the 2 collide particularly in inner city France.

    Macron is right that free speech is vital but he also needs to be aware of how Muslims will see his remarks and ensure he also shows respect to the Islamic faith
    ...and the Islamic world needs to respect French culture as well.

    But You Can't Say That!
    You just did so you can. And I agree with the first part.
    There are quite a number of people who will start banging on about punching down, colonial history etc as a reason the French should shut up and apologise for the cartoons.

    It's a long running debate - all the way back to Salman Rushdie.
    They can say that as well, even though they are wrong. It is called freedom of speech!
    There are plenty of people who would try and deny your right today anything off the script. Which generally goes that because White Colonialism, the French should apologise and ban the cartoons.
    Freedom of speech means they can say what they want. Even when they are wrong. Or when they disagree with you or with me. You can still say what you want. That is the whole principle of freedom of speech. You seem to be wanting a world where people only agree with you?
    Freedom of speech is an abbreviation for a slightly complex issue, as some forms of speech are like shouting 'Fire' unnecessarily in a crowded place which is pretty plainly a form of indirect violence.

    But no group is asking for the freedom to shout 'Fire' in such a way. What some Islamic members seem to be asking for is to limit for others the sorts of freedoms they want for themselves. Many Muslims feel free to express extremely strong views and criticisms of others, other religious traditions and so on. The thing which is troubling as much as anything is the sense that some of them can 'dish it out but can't take it'. In the long run that is not a sustainable position.

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