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That Was The Week That Was – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 11,002
edited November 2020 in General
imageThat Was The Week That Was – politicalbetting.com

It was Anti-Bullying Week. It was also 17 years since the notorious Section 28 was repealed. The  government came out and admitted that last March it stopped funding schools anti-LGBT bullying programmes, despite knowing the harm that such bullying can cause. Perhaps they misunderstood what the “anti” bit actually means. After all the Home Secretary had some difficulty understanding what counter-terrorism meant. Maybe her staff were too scared to tell the fragrant Priti for, yes, she was found by an independent investigation (almost certainly the last truly independent investigation we’ll have under this government) to have bullied some of her staff in breach of the Ministerial Code. But unintentionally of course. She never realised that shouting and swearing at staff are, well, sub-optimal (despite being very firmly against bullying in March 2019). Apparently, you have to be specifically told not to. Was she brought up by wolves? Learning basic politeness is usually something you learn from your parents long before you are in the position of having any staff at all.

Read the full story here

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Comments

  • Indeed, oh and first?
  • The worst thing about this is the defence offered that the Home Office civil service deserve this but her bullying goes back to her time at DFID.

    She's a disgrace and Mrs Thatcher is turning in her grave at the state of the modern Tory party.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,127
    Let us be fair. Technically, Mr Cummings didn't call the First Lady-to-be what you say he did. It was, actually, "... Nut Nuts".

    But otherwise - quite so.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,052

    The worst thing about this is the defence offered that the Home Office civil service deserve this but her bullying goes back to her time at DFID.

    She's a disgrace and Mrs Thatcher is turning in her grave at the state of the modern Tory party.

    What evidence is that the Home Office Civil Servants have obstructed any of Patel's policies?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,847
    Hair down to look softer, I see, but I'm not fooled.
  • Foxy said:

    The worst thing about this is the defence offered that the Home Office civil service deserve this but her bullying goes back to her time at DFID.

    She's a disgrace and Mrs Thatcher is turning in her grave at the state of the modern Tory party.

    What evidence is that the Home Office Civil Servants have obstructed any of Patel's policies?
    Not much, but who knows, it might explain why Boris Johnson sat on the report for so long.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)
  • GratGrat Posts: 2
    edited November 2020
    If these were the % probabilities:

    Biden 93
    Harris 3
    Trump 2
    Pelosi, Pence, or none of the above 2

    what would a) Warren Buffett, b) Nassim Taleb, c) George Soros do?
  • The worst thing about this is the defence offered that the Home Office civil service deserve this but her bullying goes back to her time at DFID.

    She's a disgrace and Mrs Thatcher is turning in her grave at the state of the modern Tory party.

    Indeed. The Methodist in her would have been appalled by recent events.
  • Nice to see Labour MPs realise Corbyn is just like the epic ultimate loser Hannibal.

    https://twitter.com/Mendelpol/status/1330105871691632641
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,583
    kinabalu said:

    Hair down to look softer, I see, but I'm not fooled.

    Are you sure? I find Priti quite alluring, except of course for the hanging, flogging, independent foreign policy, oh and the bullying, but other than that...
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,127
    edited November 2020
    FPT
    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:
    You've been missing Mr Leonard's recentr speech.
    Scottish Labour voters are starting to vote tactically for the Tories to beat the SNP as last week's local by election in Clackmannanshire showed, if Labour are going to regain Glasgow and central belt seats from the SNP they in turn will need Tory tactical votes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1329576355068080130?s=20

    Do you happen to know whether the leaving councillor got the first place in the original slate at the previous election, or whether s/he was lower down (in which case we are not comparing like with like)? It's a crucial piece of data for any Scottish local gmt election which cannot be meaningfully discussed until this is established.
    Do my eyes deceive me or does that imply that the Unionist vote is down 3.8% pts and the Indy vote up 3.8% pts? Pleasingly symmetrical.
    Irrelevant as most Holyrood seats are constituencies elected under FPTP not preferential voting, so as long as the lead Unionist party's vote is up it does not matter if the combined Unionist total is down in terms of beating the SNP (though obviously the other Unionist parties would also gain seats on the PR list).

    So that is why Labour voters last time voting Tory as their first preference this time in that by election could be so crucial if it becomes a trend for Holyrood 2021
    I though the polling showed that Labour voters break more for the SNP than the Tories as second choice.
    I'm also puzzled - HYUFD was all over Tories voting for Labour as being crucial for Unionist triumph. Now he's saying Labour voting for Tories is crucial. In a voting system specifically designed to make tactical voting both very difficult and unnecessary.
    Of course it is, in the central belt Tories voting for Labour is crucial to beat the SNP, in the Borders, Aberdeenshire and much of the Highlands Labour voting for the Tories or LDs is crucial to beat the SNP.

    Most Holyrood seats are FPTP and for them tactical voting is pivotal
    You are back not one day and already stretching the meaning of words in English language. Most Holyrood seats are not FPTP - in fact the constituencies comprise rather less than three-fifths, ie. a bare majority. And the list votes counteract success in the constituency seats.

    Excuse me, since when did 3/5 not constitute a majority? The SNP and Green current majority and combined seat total of 69 mainly comes from the 59 constituency seats the SNP won in 2016 under FPTP.

    You said "most Holyrood seats are FPTP". "Most." It begins with M for Man, through O for orange, S for seashell, and T for tea.

    I drew your attention to ths, earlier on [erdit] the previous thread, using the word "majority" myself.

    You do understand this percentage business? 73 constituencies out of 129 seats = 56.6%. A thin majority.

    You're not back a day and already moving the goals like a demented groundsman getting ready for the local five-a-side footie tournament.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709
    Carnyx said:

    FPT

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:
    You've been missing Mr Leonard's recentr speech.
    Scottish Labour voters are starting to vote tactically for the Tories to beat the SNP as last week's local by election in Clackmannanshire showed, if Labour are going to regain Glasgow and central belt seats from the SNP they in turn will need Tory tactical votes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1329576355068080130?s=20

    Do you happen to know whether the leaving councillor got the first place in the original slate at the previous election, or whether s/he was lower down (in which case we are not comparing like with like)? It's a crucial piece of data for any Scottish local gmt election which cannot be meaningfully discussed until this is established.
    Do my eyes deceive me or does that imply that the Unionist vote is down 3.8% pts and the Indy vote up 3.8% pts? Pleasingly symmetrical.
    Irrelevant as most Holyrood seats are constituencies elected under FPTP not preferential voting, so as long as the lead Unionist party's vote is up it does not matter if the combined Unionist total is down in terms of beating the SNP (though obviously the other Unionist parties would also gain seats on the PR list).

    So that is why Labour voters last time voting Tory as their first preference this time in that by election could be so crucial if it becomes a trend for Holyrood 2021
    I though the polling showed that Labour voters break more for the SNP than the Tories as second choice.
    I'm also puzzled - HYUFD was all over Tories voting for Labour as being crucial for Unionist triumph. Now he's saying Labour voting for Tories is crucial. In a voting system specifically designed to make tactical voting both very difficult and unnecessary.
    Of course it is, in the central belt Tories voting for Labour is crucial to beat the SNP, in the Borders, Aberdeenshire and much of the Highlands Labour voting for the Tories or LDs is crucial to beat the SNP.

    Most Holyrood seats are FPTP and for them tactical voting is pivotal
    You are back not one day and already stretching the meaning of words in English language. Most Holyrood seats are not FPTP - in fact the constituencies comprise rather less than three-fifths, ie. a bare majority. And the list votes counteract success in the constituency seats.

    Excuse me, since when did 3/5 not constitute a majority? The SNP and Green current majority and combined seat total of 69 mainly comes from the 59 constituency seats the SNP won in 2016 under FPTP.

    You said "most Holyrood seats are FPTP". "Most." It begins with M for Man, through O for orange, S for seashell, and T for tea.

    I drew your attention to ths, earlier on [erdit] the previous thread, using the word "majority" myself.

    You do understand this percentage business? 73 constituencies out of 129 seats = 56.6%. A thin majority.

    You're not back a day and already moving the goals like a demented groundsman getting ready for the local five-a-side footie tournament.
    So 56.6% ie a majority, thanks for the confirmation I was right
  • "the talk of Westminster and Whitehall is that the overwhelming majority of the Cabinet favour a compromise with the EU because they are conscious of the consequences of failing to get a deal. But the ambitious amongst them know that to be seen to be associated with compromise on Brexit is a career damaging move.

    As a consequence, they keep their heads down, content to let others challenge the prejudices of their party’s more extreme supporters. If things ultimately go as badly as they might, history will not judge kindly."

    https://www.conservativehome.com/thecolumnists/2020/11/david-gauke-next-weeks-spending-review-and-why-our-holiday-from-spending-restraint-is-coming-to-an-end.html
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,127
    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    FPT

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:
    You've been missing Mr Leonard's recentr speech.
    Scottish Labour voters are starting to vote tactically for the Tories to beat the SNP as last week's local by election in Clackmannanshire showed, if Labour are going to regain Glasgow and central belt seats from the SNP they in turn will need Tory tactical votes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1329576355068080130?s=20

    Do you happen to know whether the leaving councillor got the first place in the original slate at the previous election, or whether s/he was lower down (in which case we are not comparing like with like)? It's a crucial piece of data for any Scottish local gmt election which cannot be meaningfully discussed until this is established.
    Do my eyes deceive me or does that imply that the Unionist vote is down 3.8% pts and the Indy vote up 3.8% pts? Pleasingly symmetrical.
    Irrelevant as most Holyrood seats are constituencies elected under FPTP not preferential voting, so as long as the lead Unionist party's vote is up it does not matter if the combined Unionist total is down in terms of beating the SNP (though obviously the other Unionist parties would also gain seats on the PR list).

    So that is why Labour voters last time voting Tory as their first preference this time in that by election could be so crucial if it becomes a trend for Holyrood 2021
    I though the polling showed that Labour voters break more for the SNP than the Tories as second choice.
    I'm also puzzled - HYUFD was all over Tories voting for Labour as being crucial for Unionist triumph. Now he's saying Labour voting for Tories is crucial. In a voting system specifically designed to make tactical voting both very difficult and unnecessary.
    Of course it is, in the central belt Tories voting for Labour is crucial to beat the SNP, in the Borders, Aberdeenshire and much of the Highlands Labour voting for the Tories or LDs is crucial to beat the SNP.

    Most Holyrood seats are FPTP and for them tactical voting is pivotal
    You are back not one day and already stretching the meaning of words in English language. Most Holyrood seats are not FPTP - in fact the constituencies comprise rather less than three-fifths, ie. a bare majority. And the list votes counteract success in the constituency seats.

    Excuse me, since when did 3/5 not constitute a majority? The SNP and Green current majority and combined seat total of 69 mainly comes from the 59 constituency seats the SNP won in 2016 under FPTP.

    You said "most Holyrood seats are FPTP". "Most." It begins with M for Man, through O for orange, S for seashell, and T for tea.

    I drew your attention to ths, earlier on [erdit] the previous thread, using the word "majority" myself.

    You do understand this percentage business? 73 constituencies out of 129 seats = 56.6%. A thin majority.

    You're not back a day and already moving the goals like a demented groundsman getting ready for the local five-a-side footie tournament.
    So 56.6% ie a majority, thanks for the confirmation I was right
    I was the one who said 'majority'. You said 'most'.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709
    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    FPT

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:
    You've been missing Mr Leonard's recentr speech.
    Scottish Labour voters are starting to vote tactically for the Tories to beat the SNP as last week's local by election in Clackmannanshire showed, if Labour are going to regain Glasgow and central belt seats from the SNP they in turn will need Tory tactical votes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1329576355068080130?s=20

    Do you happen to know whether the leaving councillor got the first place in the original slate at the previous election, or whether s/he was lower down (in which case we are not comparing like with like)? It's a crucial piece of data for any Scottish local gmt election which cannot be meaningfully discussed until this is established.
    Do my eyes deceive me or does that imply that the Unionist vote is down 3.8% pts and the Indy vote up 3.8% pts? Pleasingly symmetrical.
    Irrelevant as most Holyrood seats are constituencies elected under FPTP not preferential voting, so as long as the lead Unionist party's vote is up it does not matter if the combined Unionist total is down in terms of beating the SNP (though obviously the other Unionist parties would also gain seats on the PR list).

    So that is why Labour voters last time voting Tory as their first preference this time in that by election could be so crucial if it becomes a trend for Holyrood 2021
    I though the polling showed that Labour voters break more for the SNP than the Tories as second choice.
    I'm also puzzled - HYUFD was all over Tories voting for Labour as being crucial for Unionist triumph. Now he's saying Labour voting for Tories is crucial. In a voting system specifically designed to make tactical voting both very difficult and unnecessary.
    Of course it is, in the central belt Tories voting for Labour is crucial to beat the SNP, in the Borders, Aberdeenshire and much of the Highlands Labour voting for the Tories or LDs is crucial to beat the SNP.

    Most Holyrood seats are FPTP and for them tactical voting is pivotal
    You are back not one day and already stretching the meaning of words in English language. Most Holyrood seats are not FPTP - in fact the constituencies comprise rather less than three-fifths, ie. a bare majority. And the list votes counteract success in the constituency seats.

    Excuse me, since when did 3/5 not constitute a majority? The SNP and Green current majority and combined seat total of 69 mainly comes from the 59 constituency seats the SNP won in 2016 under FPTP.

    You said "most Holyrood seats are FPTP". "Most." It begins with M for Man, through O for orange, S for seashell, and T for tea.

    I drew your attention to ths, earlier on [erdit] the previous thread, using the word "majority" myself.

    You do understand this percentage business? 73 constituencies out of 129 seats = 56.6%. A thin majority.

    You're not back a day and already moving the goals like a demented groundsman getting ready for the local five-a-side footie tournament.
    So 56.6% ie a majority, thanks for the confirmation I was right
    I was the one who said 'majority'. You said 'most'.
    73 constituencies out of 129 is most and also a majority, otherwise back to basic Maths class for you!
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733

    Nice to see Labour MPs realise Corbyn is just like the epic ultimate loser Hannibal.

    https://twitter.com/Mendelpol/status/1330105871691632641

    Well, his recent comments on the EHRC did remind me somewhat of Hannibal’s unfortunate decision to order his elephants to charge at the Battle of Zama.

    Ironically, of course, since Hannibal ultimately was destroyed entirely and had to kill himself, they are effect admitting he was somebody who had brief glory and came very close to success but will achieve nothing.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,847
    edited November 2020
    This is an amusing and accurate piece, Cyclefree. I try to steer clear of too much cynicism but I fear it is increasingly justified. The lesser spotted 'honesty, integrity and competence in government' is becoming a rare bird indeed. One gets quite excited when one spots it.
  • ydoethur said:

    Nice to see Labour MPs realise Corbyn is just like the epic ultimate loser Hannibal.

    https://twitter.com/Mendelpol/status/1330105871691632641

    Well, his recent comments on the EHRC did remind me somewhat of Hannibal’s unfortunate decision to order his elephants to charge at the Battle of Zama.

    Ironically, of course, since Hannibal ultimately was destroyed entirely and had to kill himself, they are effect admitting he was somebody who had brief glory and came very close to success but will achieve nothing.
    Indeed.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,127
    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    FPT

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:
    You've been missing Mr Leonard's recentr speech.
    Scottish Labour voters are starting to vote tactically for the Tories to beat the SNP as last week's local by election in Clackmannanshire showed, if Labour are going to regain Glasgow and central belt seats from the SNP they in turn will need Tory tactical votes

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1329576355068080130?s=20

    Do you happen to know whether the leaving councillor got the first place in the original slate at the previous election, or whether s/he was lower down (in which case we are not comparing like with like)? It's a crucial piece of data for any Scottish local gmt election which cannot be meaningfully discussed until this is established.
    Do my eyes deceive me or does that imply that the Unionist vote is down 3.8% pts and the Indy vote up 3.8% pts? Pleasingly symmetrical.
    Irrelevant as most Holyrood seats are constituencies elected under FPTP not preferential voting, so as long as the lead Unionist party's vote is up it does not matter if the combined Unionist total is down in terms of beating the SNP (though obviously the other Unionist parties would also gain seats on the PR list).

    So that is why Labour voters last time voting Tory as their first preference this time in that by election could be so crucial if it becomes a trend for Holyrood 2021
    I though the polling showed that Labour voters break more for the SNP than the Tories as second choice.
    I'm also puzzled - HYUFD was all over Tories voting for Labour as being crucial for Unionist triumph. Now he's saying Labour voting for Tories is crucial. In a voting system specifically designed to make tactical voting both very difficult and unnecessary.
    Of course it is, in the central belt Tories voting for Labour is crucial to beat the SNP, in the Borders, Aberdeenshire and much of the Highlands Labour voting for the Tories or LDs is crucial to beat the SNP.

    Most Holyrood seats are FPTP and for them tactical voting is pivotal
    You are back not one day and already stretching the meaning of words in English language. Most Holyrood seats are not FPTP - in fact the constituencies comprise rather less than three-fifths, ie. a bare majority. And the list votes counteract success in the constituency seats.

    Excuse me, since when did 3/5 not constitute a majority? The SNP and Green current majority and combined seat total of 69 mainly comes from the 59 constituency seats the SNP won in 2016 under FPTP.

    You said "most Holyrood seats are FPTP". "Most." It begins with M for Man, through O for orange, S for seashell, and T for tea.

    I drew your attention to ths, earlier on [erdit] the previous thread, using the word "majority" myself.

    You do understand this percentage business? 73 constituencies out of 129 seats = 56.6%. A thin majority.

    You're not back a day and already moving the goals like a demented groundsman getting ready for the local five-a-side footie tournament.
    So 56.6% ie a majority, thanks for the confirmation I was right
    I was the one who said 'majority'. You said 'most'.
    73 constituencies out of 129 is most and also a majority, otherwise back to basic Maths class for you!
    You are still wriggling aboiut what you said in the first place, and using severe strains on the English language at best.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    edited November 2020
    Hey HYUFD and Carnyx:

    All very entertaining, but when does the discussion about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin begin?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,052
    In this from a recent byelection, most SLAB voters broke for SNP and SGreen or SLD over SCon as second choice. It would be interesting to see similar analysis of this by-election, as local factors may vary. It doesn't look like Unionism dominates other policy in switching behaviour.


  • BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 7,979
    Great article. Stinging. I bet Cyclefree felt better after writing that!
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    Barnesian said:

    Great article. Stinging. I bet Cyclefree felt better after writing that!

    Given how low she’s been feeling, I do hope so.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709
    Foxy said:

    In this from a recent byelection, most SLAB voters broke for SNP and SGreen or SLD over SCon as second choice. It would be interesting to see similar analysis of this by-election, as local factors may vary. It doesn't look like Unionism dominates other policy in switching behaviour.


    Utterly irrelevant in terms of Holyrood next year as there are no second or third choices and no preferential voting.

    Holyrood seats are mainly constituencies elected by FPTP in which tactical voting will be crucial with the remainder elected by straight PR on the list.

    The Tory vote was up 10% and the Tories won 51% and the election on the first round as the Labour first preference vote was down 12% as Labour voters switched directly to back the Tories as their first preference, for Holyrood next year that is all that matters

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1329576355068080130?s=20
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    Grat said:

    If these were the % probabilities:

    Biden 93
    Harris 3
    Trump 2
    Pelosi, Pence, or none of the above 2

    what would a) Warren Buffett, b) Nassim Taleb, c) George Soros do?

    Emigrate.
  • Fysics_TeacherFysics_Teacher Posts: 6,060
    edited November 2020
    FPT
    ydoethur said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    I have a Zoom quiz in a couple of hours and no questions for my round as yet. Any charitable PBers who wish to lob me any interesting questions, they would (as ever) be most welcome. I'm going to do pot luck, so they don't have to be on a theme.

    What happened in London on the 10th of September 1752?
    Without googling, something to do with cricket?
    Riots because of a change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar (or the other way round - I can never remember which is which).

    It meant the date jumped from the 10th to the 22nd September 1752, and people thought they were being cheated of 11 days.
    2nd to 14th: the 10th of September 1752 had as much happening as the 30th of February did this year.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,042
    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 24,583
    ydoethur said:

    Nice to see Labour MPs realise Corbyn is just like the epic ultimate loser Hannibal.

    https://twitter.com/Mendelpol/status/1330105871691632641

    Well, his recent comments on the EHRC did remind me somewhat of Hannibal’s unfortunate decision to order his elephants to charge at the Battle of Zama.

    Ironically, of course, since Hannibal ultimately was destroyed entirely and had to kill himself, they are effect admitting he was somebody who had brief glory and came very close to success but will achieve nothing.
    Jeremy isn't the falling on his sword type. Moreso the bringing the crumbling edifice down around himself type.
  • FPT

    ydoethur said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    I have a Zoom quiz in a couple of hours and no questions for my round as yet. Any charitable PBers who wish to lob me any interesting questions, they would (as ever) be most welcome. I'm going to do pot luck, so they don't have to be on a theme.

    What happened in London on the 10th of September 1752?
    Without googling, something to do with cricket?
    Riots because of a change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar (or the other way round - I can never remember which is which).

    It meant the date jumped from the 10th to the 22nd September 1752, and people thought they were being cheated of 11 days.
    2nd to 14th: the 10th of September 1752 had as much happening as the 30th of February did this year.
    We really should have 13 months of 28 days length (well 12 months of 28 days and 1 month of 29 days.)
  • Foxy said:

    In this from a recent byelection, most SLAB voters broke for SNP and SGreen or SLD over SCon as second choice. It would be interesting to see similar analysis of this by-election, as local factors may vary. It doesn't look like Unionism dominates other policy in switching behaviour.


    As the Conservatives got a majority on the first round in the Clackmannshire local byelection there aren't any voting movements.
  • Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,764
    ydoethur said:

    Hey HYUFD and Carnyx:

    All very entertaining, but when does the discussion about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin begin?

    Or, what happens when a fly lands in a vat of holy water? is the water defiled, or the fly sanctified?

    And is the Father of one substance with the son, or is He of like substance?
  • Great stuff @Cyclefree

    "Was she brought up by wolves?" - excellent :lol:
  • BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 7,979
    Is Trump "saving his ass" or is he on a mission to undermine US democracy and provoke civil unrest? It really feels more like the latter to me.

    If so, who is pulling his strings? In whose interest is it that the USA is weakened, and who might have a lever on Trump to get him to do this?
  • This week's events don't bode well for the Public Inquiry on Covid which on Johnson's form so far will be the whitewash to end all whitewashes.

    It'll probably conclude with a proposal to build huge public statues to the titans like Hancock, Ferguson and Dido Harding who have 'managed' the crisis.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,957
    edited November 2020

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    Q: How many Labour Prime Ministers have had the first name James?

    A: 3. James Ramsay MacDonald, James Harold Wilson, and James Gordon Brown.

    Leonard James Callaghan doesn't count.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709

    Foxy said:

    In this from a recent byelection, most SLAB voters broke for SNP and SGreen or SLD over SCon as second choice. It would be interesting to see similar analysis of this by-election, as local factors may vary. It doesn't look like Unionism dominates other policy in switching behaviour.


    As the Conservatives got a majority on the first round in the Clackmannshire local byelection there aren't any voting movements.
    Plus on that poll those voters who still voted SLab first put the LDs not the SNP as their second preference and the LDs put Labour not the SNP as their second preference, so there was still some Unionist tactical voting from them too even if not for the Tories
  • another_richardanother_richard Posts: 24,967
    edited November 2020
    FPT
    HYUFD said:

    Some interesting comments from Obama in his new book about his relationship with Cameron

    https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1328667012529352704?s=20

    Given that the UK economy didn't 'fall deeper into a recession' we can assume Obama is some mix of:

    1) A liar
    2) An economic illiterate
    3) Is talking about things he knows sod all about
    4) Can't be bothered to do basic research

    Or as he's a politician probably a mixture of all four.
  • sladeslade Posts: 1,921
    I think that Basil was more popular than Boris.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709
    edited November 2020

    FPT

    HYUFD said:

    Some interesting comments from Obama in his new book about his relationship with Cameron

    https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1328667012529352704?s=20

    Given that the UK economy didn't 'fall deeper into a recession' we can assume Obama is some mix of:

    1) A liar
    2) An economic illiterate
    3) Is talking about things he knows sod all about
    4) Can't be bothered to do basic research

    Or as he's a politician probably a mixture of all four.
    Yes Obama was wrong on that but ideologically that paragraph says on economics he was closer to Gordon Brown than David Cameron, even if he had some connection with Cameron on social policy.

    That suggests there will also be some links on economic policy between President elect Biden's team and Starmer's team (albeit Boris is less keen on austerity than Cameron was)
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,127
    ydoethur said:

    Hey HYUFD and Carnyx:

    All very entertaining, but when does the discussion about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin begin?

    I leave that for HYUFD and the local mediaevalist.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608
    UK case by specimen date

    image
  • FPT

    ydoethur said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    I have a Zoom quiz in a couple of hours and no questions for my round as yet. Any charitable PBers who wish to lob me any interesting questions, they would (as ever) be most welcome. I'm going to do pot luck, so they don't have to be on a theme.

    What happened in London on the 10th of September 1752?
    Without googling, something to do with cricket?
    Riots because of a change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar (or the other way round - I can never remember which is which).

    It meant the date jumped from the 10th to the 22nd September 1752, and people thought they were being cheated of 11 days.
    2nd to 14th: the 10th of September 1752 had as much happening as the 30th of February did this year.
    We really should have 13 months of 28 days length (well 12 months of 28 days and 1 month of 29 days.)
    Tolkien had a similar idea, though he went for 12 of 30 with 5 or 6 extra days:
    http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Shire_Calendar
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,042

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    Q: How many Labour Prime Ministers have had the first name James?

    A: 3. James Ramsay MacDonald, James Harold Wilson, and James Gordon Brown.

    Leonard James Callaghan doesn't count.
    Great question, thanks!
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608
    UK case by specimen date and scaled to 100k population

    image
  • ydoethur said:

    Hey HYUFD and Carnyx:

    All very entertaining, but when does the discussion about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin begin?

    Most angels can dance on the head of a pin.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608
    UK local R

    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608
    UK case summary

    image
    image
    image
    image
  • HYUFD said:

    Foxy said:

    In this from a recent byelection, most SLAB voters broke for SNP and SGreen or SLD over SCon as second choice. It would be interesting to see similar analysis of this by-election, as local factors may vary. It doesn't look like Unionism dominates other policy in switching behaviour.


    Utterly irrelevant in terms of Holyrood next year as there are no second or third choices and no preferential voting.

    Holyrood seats are mainly constituencies elected by FPTP in which tactical voting will be crucial with the remainder elected by straight PR on the list.

    The Tory vote was up 10% and the Tories won 51% and the election on the first round as the Labour first preference vote was down 12% as Labour voters switched directly to back the Tories as their first preference, for Holyrood next year that is all that matters

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1329576355068080130?s=20
    I would be wary of assuming that tactical voting played such a large part without knowledge of the actual election.

    There might have been other issues involved.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608
    UK deaths

    image
    image
    image
  • rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    Q: How many Labour Prime Ministers have had the first name James?

    A: 3. James Ramsay MacDonald, James Harold Wilson, and James Gordon Brown.

    Leonard James Callaghan doesn't count.
    Does that mean that only two Labour PMs used their given first name?
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    ydoethur said:

    Nice to see Labour MPs realise Corbyn is just like the epic ultimate loser Hannibal.

    https://twitter.com/Mendelpol/status/1330105871691632641

    Well, his recent comments on the EHRC did remind me somewhat of Hannibal’s unfortunate decision to order his elephants to charge at the Battle of Zama.

    Ironically, of course, since Hannibal ultimately was destroyed entirely and had to kill himself, they are effect admitting he was somebody who had brief glory and came very close to success but will achieve nothing.
    Also, he was from youth a sworn lifelong enemy of Rome (I assume Labour is Rome in the analogy?) , and he actively and underhandedly carried on the fight after his defeat by giving bad advice to Antiochus in his war against Rome. This is the worst historical parallel ever, until Priti's increasingly deranged defenders go full Joan of Arc later this evening.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,127

    HYUFD said:

    Foxy said:

    In this from a recent byelection, most SLAB voters broke for SNP and SGreen or SLD over SCon as second choice. It would be interesting to see similar analysis of this by-election, as local factors may vary. It doesn't look like Unionism dominates other policy in switching behaviour.


    Utterly irrelevant in terms of Holyrood next year as there are no second or third choices and no preferential voting.

    Holyrood seats are mainly constituencies elected by FPTP in which tactical voting will be crucial with the remainder elected by straight PR on the list.

    The Tory vote was up 10% and the Tories won 51% and the election on the first round as the Labour first preference vote was down 12% as Labour voters switched directly to back the Tories as their first preference, for Holyrood next year that is all that matters

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1329576355068080130?s=20
    I would be wary of assuming that tactical voting played such a large part without knowledge of the actual election.

    There might have been other issues involved.
    In any case, tactical voting is an absurd concept in the Scottish local election system - everyone and nobody does it, in a sense.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    edited November 2020
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hey HYUFD and Carnyx:

    All very entertaining, but when does the discussion about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin begin?

    Most angels can dance on the head of a pin.
    Most, or a majority?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited November 2020

    UK case summary

    image
    image
    image
    image

    Welsh circuit breaker two incoming...
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608
    UK Hospitals

    image
    image
  • Re covid.

    It looks like the UK second wave might be held to a level a third of the size of the first wave.

    I wonder if someone can compare how each European country is doing second wave compared to first wave.

    The UK might very well have the 'best score' on such a comparison.

    Something which would be more luck than judgement IMO.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    You can also go with American license plate slogans.

    Name the following states:

    The Empire State
    The Garden State
    Wild & Wonderful (yes, really)
    The Peach State

    Three points to the first PBer to get all four
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608
    UK R

    From case data

    image
    image

    From hospital admission data

    image
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    Q: How many Labour Prime Ministers have had the first name James?

    A: 3. James Ramsay MacDonald, James Harold Wilson, and James Gordon Brown.

    Leonard James Callaghan doesn't count.
    Does that mean that only two Labour PMs used their given first name?
    Just one, surely? Clement Attlee.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 39,127
    ydoethur said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hey HYUFD and Carnyx:

    All very entertaining, but when does the discussion about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin begin?

    Most angels can dance on the head of a pin.
    Most, or a majority?
    Quite. HYUFD would argue that white was black because he found an obscure reference in the OED of a once-only usage in a Spencerian poem, and then suddenly shift seamlessly to a discussion of the Japanese linguistic distinction between blue and green.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    You can also go with American license plate slogans.

    Name the following states:

    The Empire State
    The Garden State
    Wild & Wonderful (yes, really)
    The Peach State

    Three points to the first PBer to get all four
    You could also go with "which is 'the Show Me state'"?
  • rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    Q: How many Labour Prime Ministers have had the first name James?

    A: 3. James Ramsay MacDonald, James Harold Wilson, and James Gordon Brown.

    Leonard James Callaghan doesn't count.
    Does that mean that only two Labour PMs used their given first name?
    Yup, but interestingly one of them went into coalition with a racist Tory PM whilst the other was a Tory.
  • Roy_G_BivRoy_G_Biv Posts: 998
    edited November 2020

    FPT

    HYUFD said:

    Some interesting comments from Obama in his new book about his relationship with Cameron

    https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1328667012529352704?s=20

    Given that the UK economy didn't 'fall deeper into a recession' we can assume Obama is some mix of:

    1) A liar
    2) An economic illiterate
    3) Is talking about things he knows sod all about
    4) Can't be bothered to do basic research

    Or as he's a politician probably a mixture of all four.
    I was wondering that myself.
    Attempt at charitable interpretation: is there a different definition for recession in the US? A quick glance at Q-by-Q growth in the UK shows four months from Cameron's election through to 2014 where quarterly growth in the UK was negative, and one where it was zero. The zero was between two negatives.
    As I understand it, that's not technically a recession in UK terms, but I do not know whether that's a shared metric.

    Either way, if it is false, it's as close to the truth as you can get without touching it, and the central charge is still possibly valid, that austerity didn't serve the economy well. I leave it up to others to argue the toss over that one.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    IshmaelZ said:

    ydoethur said:

    Nice to see Labour MPs realise Corbyn is just like the epic ultimate loser Hannibal.

    https://twitter.com/Mendelpol/status/1330105871691632641

    Well, his recent comments on the EHRC did remind me somewhat of Hannibal’s unfortunate decision to order his elephants to charge at the Battle of Zama.

    Ironically, of course, since Hannibal ultimately was destroyed entirely and had to kill himself, they are effect admitting he was somebody who had brief glory and came very close to success but will achieve nothing.
    Also, he was from youth a sworn lifelong enemy of Rome (I assume Labour is Rome in the analogy?) , and he actively and underhandedly carried on the fight after his defeat by giving bad advice to Antiochus in his war against Rome. This is the worst historical parallel ever, until Priti's increasingly deranged defenders go full Joan of Arc later this evening.
    Sounding like the best from here.

    The obvious difference is Hannibal did become the suffete of Carthage while Corbyn has no chance of becoming PM.
  • ydoethur said:

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    Q: How many Labour Prime Ministers have had the first name James?

    A: 3. James Ramsay MacDonald, James Harold Wilson, and James Gordon Brown.

    Leonard James Callaghan doesn't count.
    Does that mean that only two Labour PMs used their given first name?
    Just one, surely? Clement Attlee.
    I was counting Tony as a short form of Anthony, but I see your point.
  • rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    You can also go with American license plate slogans.

    Name the following states:

    The Empire State
    The Garden State
    Wild & Wonderful (yes, really)
    The Peach State

    Three points to the first PBer to get all four
    You could also go with "which is 'the Show Me state'"?
    NY
    NJ
    Alaska
    Kansas
    Missouri

    Sure about some, guessing with others.
  • Re covid.

    It looks like the UK second wave might be held to a level a third of the size of the first wave.

    I wonder if someone can compare how each European country is doing second wave compared to first wave.

    The UK might very well have the 'best score' on such a comparison.

    Something which would be more luck than judgement IMO.

    Poland is far and away the "worse scorers" wave #1 vs wave #2.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    You can also go with American license plate slogans.

    Name the following states:

    The Empire State
    The Garden State
    Wild & Wonderful (yes, really)
    The Peach State

    Three points to the first PBer to get all four
    New York
    New Jersey
    West Virginia
    Georgia.
  • Carnyx said:

    ydoethur said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hey HYUFD and Carnyx:

    All very entertaining, but when does the discussion about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin begin?

    Most angels can dance on the head of a pin.
    Most, or a majority?
    Quite. HYUFD would argue that white was black because he found an obscure reference in the OED of a once-only usage in a Spencerian poem, and then suddenly shift seamlessly to a discussion of the Japanese linguistic distinction between blue and green.
    That reminds me of another trivia question: what is the blackest object in the solar system?
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    FPT

    HYUFD said:

    Some interesting comments from Obama in his new book about his relationship with Cameron

    https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1328667012529352704?s=20

    Given that the UK economy didn't 'fall deeper into a recession' we can assume Obama is some mix of:

    1) A liar
    2) An economic illiterate
    3) Is talking about things he knows sod all about
    4) Can't be bothered to do basic research

    Or as he's a politician probably a mixture of all four.
    I was wondering that myself.
    Attempt at charitable interpretation: is there a different definition for recession in the US? A quick glance at Q-by-Q growth in the UK shows four months from Cameron's election through to 2014 where quarterly growth in the UK was negative, and one where it was zero. The zero was between two negatives.
    As I understand it, that's not technically a recession in UK terms, but I do not know whether that's a shared metric.

    Either way, if it is false, it's as close to the truth as you can get without touching it, and the central charge is still possibly valid, that austerity didn't serve the economy well. I leave it up to others to argue the toss over that one.
    It's factually incorrect. It's as far as all other false statements are to the truth.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    You can also go with American license plate slogans.

    Name the following states:

    The Empire State
    The Garden State
    Wild & Wonderful (yes, really)
    The Peach State

    Three points to the first PBer to get all four
    You could also go with "which is 'the Show Me state'"?
    NY
    NJ
    Alaska
    Kansas
    Missouri

    Sure about some, guessing with others.
    3/5
  • Carnyx said:

    ydoethur said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hey HYUFD and Carnyx:

    All very entertaining, but when does the discussion about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin begin?

    Most angels can dance on the head of a pin.
    Most, or a majority?
    Quite. HYUFD would argue that white was black because he found an obscure reference in the OED of a once-only usage in a Spencerian poem, and then suddenly shift seamlessly to a discussion of the Japanese linguistic distinction between blue and green.
    Funnily enough, "black" derives from the same Indoeuropean word as "blanc". I shit you not.
    Black and white literally derive from the same word.
    The thinking is they derive from words to do with fire: black as in the ashes left over, white as a loose synonym for light, which is how a fire appears before it's extinguished.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733

    Carnyx said:

    ydoethur said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hey HYUFD and Carnyx:

    All very entertaining, but when does the discussion about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin begin?

    Most angels can dance on the head of a pin.
    Most, or a majority?
    Quite. HYUFD would argue that white was black because he found an obscure reference in the OED of a once-only usage in a Spencerian poem, and then suddenly shift seamlessly to a discussion of the Japanese linguistic distinction between blue and green.
    That reminds me of another trivia question: what is the blackest object in the solar system?
    Rudy Giuliani’s heart?
  • rcs1000 said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    You can also go with American license plate slogans.

    Name the following states:

    The Empire State
    The Garden State
    Wild & Wonderful (yes, really)
    The Peach State

    Three points to the first PBer to get all four
    You could also go with "which is 'the Show Me state'"?
    NY
    NJ
    Alaska
    Kansas
    Missouri

    Sure about some, guessing with others.
    3/5
    Well, that's alright, I was only sure about 2. Got lucky with one of them, don't know which.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,761

    FPT

    ydoethur said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    I have a Zoom quiz in a couple of hours and no questions for my round as yet. Any charitable PBers who wish to lob me any interesting questions, they would (as ever) be most welcome. I'm going to do pot luck, so they don't have to be on a theme.

    What happened in London on the 10th of September 1752?
    Without googling, something to do with cricket?
    Riots because of a change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar (or the other way round - I can never remember which is which).

    It meant the date jumped from the 10th to the 22nd September 1752, and people thought they were being cheated of 11 days.
    2nd to 14th: the 10th of September 1752 had as much happening as the 30th of February did this year.
    We really should have 13 months of 28 days length (well 12 months of 28 days and 1 month of 29 days.)
    We're missing a Julius Caesar. In so many ways.
  • Has anyone posted that workplace bullying is fine yet? Tough jobs demand tough characters and all that.
  • ydoethur said:

    Carnyx said:

    ydoethur said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hey HYUFD and Carnyx:

    All very entertaining, but when does the discussion about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin begin?

    Most angels can dance on the head of a pin.
    Most, or a majority?
    Quite. HYUFD would argue that white was black because he found an obscure reference in the OED of a once-only usage in a Spencerian poem, and then suddenly shift seamlessly to a discussion of the Japanese linguistic distinction between blue and green.
    That reminds me of another trivia question: what is the blackest object in the solar system?
    Rudy Giuliani’s heart?
    :smiley:
  • justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527
    HYUFD said:

    Foxy said:

    In this from a recent byelection, most SLAB voters broke for SNP and SGreen or SLD over SCon as second choice. It would be interesting to see similar analysis of this by-election, as local factors may vary. It doesn't look like Unionism dominates other policy in switching behaviour.


    Utterly irrelevant in terms of Holyrood next year as there are no second or third choices and no preferential voting.

    Holyrood seats are mainly constituencies elected by FPTP in which tactical voting will be crucial with the remainder elected by straight PR on the list.

    The Tory vote was up 10% and the Tories won 51% and the election on the first round as the Labour first preference vote was down 12% as Labour voters switched directly to back the Tories as their first preference, for Holyrood next year that is all that matters

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1329576355068080130?s=20
    Why would Labour's first preference vote have fallen here? Surely under the electoral system used a Labour voter inclined to vote tactically could achieve that by giving a second preference to the Tory or SNP.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,279
    "Crossrail ‘needs extra £80m to avoid being mothballed’, TfL chief reportedly warns Government"

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/crossrail-tfl-london-funding-delayed-b75781.html
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,761
    Life is full of mysteries and things beyond our comprehension. Like how City are still losing this game.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    You can also go with American license plate slogans.

    Name the following states:

    The Empire State
    The Garden State
    Wild & Wonderful (yes, really)
    The Peach State

    Three points to the first PBer to get all four
    You could also go with "which is 'the Show Me state'"?
    NY
    NJ
    Alaska
    Kansas
    Missouri

    Sure about some, guessing with others.
    3/5
    Well, that's alright, I was only sure about 2. Got lucky with one of them, don't know which.
    Your correct answers were 1,2,5.

    I'm impressed you got 5.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    Andy_JS said:

    "Crossrail ‘needs extra £80m to avoid being mothballed’, TfL chief reportedly warns Government"

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/crossrail-tfl-london-funding-delayed-b75781.html

    Hard to believe they'd bin it after spending all that money on it so far.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    ydoethur said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    You can also go with American license plate slogans.

    Name the following states:

    The Empire State
    The Garden State
    Wild & Wonderful (yes, really)
    The Peach State

    Three points to the first PBer to get all four
    New York
    New Jersey
    West Virginia
    Georgia.
    Three points, congratulations.
  • Re covid.

    It looks like the UK second wave might be held to a level a third of the size of the first wave.

    I wonder if someone can compare how each European country is doing second wave compared to first wave.

    The UK might very well have the 'best score' on such a comparison.

    Something which would be more luck than judgement IMO.

    Poland is far and away the "worse scorers" wave #1 vs wave #2.
    Proportionally I think the Czechs are similar.

    Possibly some other Eastern European countries as well.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    rcs1000 said:

    ydoethur said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    You can also go with American license plate slogans.

    Name the following states:

    The Empire State
    The Garden State
    Wild & Wonderful (yes, really)
    The Peach State

    Three points to the first PBer to get all four
    New York
    New Jersey
    West Virginia
    Georgia.
    Three points, congratulations.
    Ok.

    Which is the beaver state, and which is the badger?
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    FPT

    HYUFD said:

    Some interesting comments from Obama in his new book about his relationship with Cameron

    https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1328667012529352704?s=20

    Given that the UK economy didn't 'fall deeper into a recession' we can assume Obama is some mix of:

    1) A liar
    2) An economic illiterate
    3) Is talking about things he knows sod all about
    4) Can't be bothered to do basic research

    Or as he's a politician probably a mixture of all four.
    I was wondering that myself.
    Attempt at charitable interpretation: is there a different definition for recession in the US? A quick glance at Q-by-Q growth in the UK shows four months from Cameron's election through to 2014 where quarterly growth in the UK was negative, and one where it was zero. The zero was between two negatives.
    As I understand it, that's not technically a recession in UK terms, but I do not know whether that's a shared metric.

    Either way, if it is false, it's as close to the truth as you can get without touching it, and the central charge is still possibly valid, that austerity didn't serve the economy well. I leave it up to others to argue the toss over that one.
    There was the curious case of Paul Krugman, who came to believe that Gordon Brown was the greatest economic genius in the world. and in his columns in the New York Times promulgated the view that any restrain on spending would lead to complete economic collapse REAL SOON! When it didn't happen it was because REASONS! and would happen REAL SOON!
  • A big difference between the spring and autumn covid waves in the UK is that London has only been lightly affected in the second wave.

    Any ideas as to why ?

    Other places hit hard in the spring - Lombardy and Belgium for example - have been hit hard again in the autumn.
  • RobD said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    FPT

    HYUFD said:

    Some interesting comments from Obama in his new book about his relationship with Cameron

    https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1328667012529352704?s=20

    Given that the UK economy didn't 'fall deeper into a recession' we can assume Obama is some mix of:

    1) A liar
    2) An economic illiterate
    3) Is talking about things he knows sod all about
    4) Can't be bothered to do basic research

    Or as he's a politician probably a mixture of all four.
    I was wondering that myself.
    Attempt at charitable interpretation: is there a different definition for recession in the US? A quick glance at Q-by-Q growth in the UK shows four months from Cameron's election through to 2014 where quarterly growth in the UK was negative, and one where it was zero. The zero was between two negatives.
    As I understand it, that's not technically a recession in UK terms, but I do not know whether that's a shared metric.

    Either way, if it is false, it's as close to the truth as you can get without touching it, and the central charge is still possibly valid, that austerity didn't serve the economy well. I leave it up to others to argue the toss over that one.
    It's factually incorrect. It's as far as all other false statements are to the truth.
    Yes, in the same way that saying queen Victoria died on 23 January 1901 is factually incorrect. But as close as you can get whilst still being wrong. It really does free one from the charge of being stupid or illiterate, even if the charge of "not checking things" sticks. Because that's where the discussion came from.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    RobD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "Crossrail ‘needs extra £80m to avoid being mothballed’, TfL chief reportedly warns Government"

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/crossrail-tfl-london-funding-delayed-b75781.html

    Hard to believe they'd bin it after spending all that money on it so far.
    It would cost more to fill it back in again.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,761

    Has anyone posted that workplace bullying is fine yet? Tough jobs demand tough characters and all that.

    Nope. We are a bunch of wimps. But kudos for sticking your head above the parapet.

    Now that you have done so can I (somewhat pathetically) agree? Bullying junior staff is morally disgusting and repulsive and bullying. Having a stand up row with senior officials who are impeding the Home Secretary's policies is not. I am genuinely not clear what category this falls into.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 58,941
    edited November 2020
    Roy_G_Biv said:

    RobD said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    FPT

    HYUFD said:

    Some interesting comments from Obama in his new book about his relationship with Cameron

    https://twitter.com/lewis_goodall/status/1328667012529352704?s=20

    Given that the UK economy didn't 'fall deeper into a recession' we can assume Obama is some mix of:

    1) A liar
    2) An economic illiterate
    3) Is talking about things he knows sod all about
    4) Can't be bothered to do basic research

    Or as he's a politician probably a mixture of all four.
    I was wondering that myself.
    Attempt at charitable interpretation: is there a different definition for recession in the US? A quick glance at Q-by-Q growth in the UK shows four months from Cameron's election through to 2014 where quarterly growth in the UK was negative, and one where it was zero. The zero was between two negatives.
    As I understand it, that's not technically a recession in UK terms, but I do not know whether that's a shared metric.

    Either way, if it is false, it's as close to the truth as you can get without touching it, and the central charge is still possibly valid, that austerity didn't serve the economy well. I leave it up to others to argue the toss over that one.
    It's factually incorrect. It's as far as all other false statements are to the truth.
    Yes, in the same way that saying queen Victoria died on 23 January 1901 is factually incorrect. But as close as you can get whilst still being wrong. It really does free one from the charge of being stupid or illiterate, even if the charge of "not checking things" sticks. Because that's where the discussion came from.
    That's bollocks. The statement even implies the UK was already in recession (fall deeper into recession). Last time I checked the UK was not in recession for any quarter during his tenure.
  • rcs1000 said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Roy_G_Biv said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    You can also go with American license plate slogans.

    Name the following states:

    The Empire State
    The Garden State
    Wild & Wonderful (yes, really)
    The Peach State

    Three points to the first PBer to get all four
    You could also go with "which is 'the Show Me state'"?
    NY
    NJ
    Alaska
    Kansas
    Missouri

    Sure about some, guessing with others.
    3/5
    Well, that's alright, I was only sure about 2. Got lucky with one of them, don't know which.
    Your correct answers were 1,2,5.

    I'm impressed you got 5.
    Just lucky you chose one knew. I have quite a few connections with people in Missouri.
    If we did a quiz about the USA, I would probably finish in the bottom half, but if it was about Missouri I'd be well above average.
  • justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527

    rcs1000 said:

    @Luckyguy1983

    There are three American State Capitals with populations under 20,000, and one with a population over 1,000,000.

    Can you name either the states, or the capitals themselves?

    Lowest:

    Vermont (Montpellier), Maine (Augusta), South Dakota (Pierre)

    Highest:

    Arizona (Phoenix)

    Awesome!! Thanks.
    Q: How many Labour Prime Ministers have had the first name James?

    A: 3. James Ramsay MacDonald, James Harold Wilson, and James Gordon Brown.

    Leonard James Callaghan doesn't count.
    Does that mean that only two Labour PMs used their given first name?
    I believe that Callaghan's real name was Leonard - and he was known as such for some years into his political career. He decided that 'Jim' rather than 'Len' Callaghan would serve him better politically - though he continued to be known as Len within his family for many years.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    DavidL said:

    Has anyone posted that workplace bullying is fine yet? Tough jobs demand tough characters and all that.

    Nope. We are a bunch of wimps. But kudos for sticking your head above the parapet.

    Now that you have done so can I (somewhat pathetically) agree? Bullying junior staff is morally disgusting and repulsive and bullying. Having a stand up row with senior officials who are impeding the Home Secretary's policies is not. I am genuinely not clear what category this falls into.
    That's broadly my view.

    And I'm reminded of another saying:

    Someone who is nice to you but not the waiter is not a nice person.
This discussion has been closed.