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Jason Kenny becomes the 30% favourite for this year BBC SPOTY election – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 11,002
edited August 2021 in General
imageJason Kenny becomes the 30% favourite for this year BBC SPOTY election – politicalbetting.com

One of the big betting events in the run-up to Christmas is on the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year. Whenever this has taken place in the December after the summer Olympics then it is almost a certainty that who gets crowned will have played a big part in the games.

Read the full story here

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Comments

  • MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    test
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited August 2021
    The way he won that Keirin was basically unheard of at that elite level. Nobody just goes off the front for 4 laps and manages to hold off the chasers like that. It wasn't even close even after he went over the line.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926
    edited August 2021
    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-
    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926
    edited August 2021
    The BBC has helpfully listed all the British medallists with videos of how they won.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/58007735
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926
    edited August 2021
    Here are the Olympics gold medal winners. The Paralympics is at the end of August into September. Luckily our footballers, cricketers and rugby players have simplified the nominations by not winning anything. Bear in mind, however, the Paralympics is at the end of August into September and it is almost certain at least one Paralympian will be shortlisted.

    Boxing - Women's middleweight Lauren Price
    Boxing - men's flyweight Galal Yafai

    Cycling - Men's Keirin Jason Kenny
    Cycling - Men's omnium Matt Walls
    Cycling - Women's madison Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny
    Cycling - men's cross-country Tom Pidcock
    Cycling - women's BMX Bethany Shriever
    Cycling - women's freestyle BMX Charlotte Worthington

    Diving - men's synchronised 10 metre platform Tom Daley & Matty Lee

    Equestrian - Individual Showjumping Ben Maher
    Equestrian - eventing team Oliver Townend, Tom McEwen & Laura Collett

    Gymnastics - pommel horse Max Whitlock

    Modern pentathlon - Women Kate French
    Modern pentathlon - men Joseph Choong

    Sailing - Men's 49er Dylan Fletcher & Stuart Bithell
    Sailing - Men's Finn Giles Scott
    Sailing - Women's 470 Hannah Mills & Eilidh McIntyre

    Swimming - 4x100m mixed medley relay Kathleen Dawson, Anna Hopkin, James Guy & Adam Peaty
    Swimming - men's 100m breaststroke Adam Peaty
    Swimming - men's 200m freestyle Tom Dean
    Swimming - men's 4×200m freestyle relay Tom Dean, James Guy, Matt Richards & Duncan Scott

    Triathlon - Mixed relay Jonny Brownlee, Jessica Learmonth, Georgia Taylor-Brown & Alex Yee
    (If anyone knows how to turn off the pretty colours Vanilla inserts into pre-formatted text...)
  • MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    Mark Cavendish was on ITV and the BBC don't have the copyright free videos
  • So who will be shortlisted? And how many?

    Let's guess Adam Peaty, Jason Kenny and Laura Kenny for lots of medals over the years, and probably Max Whitlock for the same reason. Then looking at the list of gold medallists posted earlier, perhaps both boxers, Lauren Price and Galal Yafai (who tick the BAME and Welsh boxes for those who attack the BBC as irredeemably woke); Tom Daley; at least one of the BMXers. That's only one swimmer and no Scots (probably) so let's add Duncan Scott. And at least one Paralympian to come.

    So a putative shortlist of ten, including three on bikes to split the cycling vote. I can see Jason Kenny winning but it's not certain.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926
    edited August 2021
    OT Admin – the text box is pretty sticky: you can type whole sentences before anything appears on screen. Together with the unwelcome colouring of pre-formatted blocks, this leads me to wonder if Vanilla has changed the defaults and has turned on an option to laboriously scan and pre-process messages.
  • Interesting video on all the technology advances that make up track cyclists improvements / edge...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0LW1eQ1adU
  • No athletics golds, though a couple of silvers and bronzes. It is a shame Dina Asher-Smith was injured (and how right @Quincel was to oppose her for SPotY when she was favourite) and Zarnell Hughes was disqualified from the 100m.
  • No athletics golds, though a couple of silvers and bronzes. It is a shame Dina Asher-Smith was injured (and how right @Quincel was to oppose her for SPotY when she was favourite) and Zarnell Hughes was disqualified from the 100m.

    Given the winning times in those events, I don't think either would have featured in the medals.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    edited August 2021

    OT Admin – the text box is pretty sticky: you can type whole sentences before anything appears on screen. Together with the unwelcome colouring of pre-formatted blocks, this leads me to wonder if Vanilla has changed the defaults and has turned on an option to laboriously scan and pre-process messages.

    Restart your device. I had that problem last week and simple maintenance like freeing up disc space and a browser clearout, followed by reboot worked a treat.

    That said, PB is easily the worst blog, technically, that I have ever used. It is quite literally impossible to comment on the main url. Only by logging in directly to Vanilla have you got a chance, and even then it is a total pain. I strongly suspect that this is why the threads are dominated by “regulars”. New users simply can’t be arsed and give up.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164
    Very likely to be nominated:

    Jason Kenny
    Laura Kenny
    Adam Peaty
    Max Whitlock

    It would be a shock if Tom Daley wasn’t nominated, but if he is, the BBC might feel the need to also add Tom Dean, James Guy and possibly Duncan Scott. So if the BBC were being tight on nominations and doing it on merit, Daley might miss out. But his sexuality probably gets him in.

    I’d be surprised if any other Olympians get a look-in.

    @DecrepiterJohnL - don’t rule out any cricketers or footballers just yet. James Anderson is a short price (though probably not much liquidity), but I think the one to watch is Joe Root. And given how hideously white the shortlist is looking, I can see Raheem Sterling getting nominated. Of course, Lewis Hamilton helps in that regard, and I think he could win the whole thing if he clinched the title again.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    edited August 2021

    Luckily our footballers, cricketers and rugby players have simplified the nominations by not winning anything.

    Nonsense.

    Those silver medals in the Euros is the second highest achievement by English footballers of all time, and football is that nation’s favourite sport by a country mile.

    If I was English I would vote for the footballers. (If I liked the BBC, which I don’t; and if I thought it was not rigged, which it is; and if I voted in tv popularity contests, which I don’t.)

    Footballers, cricketers and rugby players are hampered in the current climate because they are not competing under the correct flag.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    And he’s won SPoTY before...

    Hard to call if he gets nominated. I think he should be, but a view might be taken that it wasn’t the strongest of years in the Green Jersey.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    Incidentally, the most promising English cyclist so far this year is Tom Pidcock. If he keeps himself injury free, and has a bit of luck, one day he could be one of the legends too.

    Only 22 years of age, he has the raw talent and steely determination to be right up there with Pogačar, van Aert, Roglič, van der Poel, Alaphilippe, Vingegaard etc. In fact, he’s pretty much already there in my eyes.

    Anyone who excels at cyclo-cross, mtb and one-day classics at a young age has got greatness written all over them. If he can just get in a team which supported him for GC…
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    tlg86 said:

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    And he’s won SPoTY before...

    Hard to call if he gets nominated. I think he should be, but a view might be taken that it wasn’t the strongest of years in the Green Jersey.
    Ah yes, I’d forgotten that.

    And valid point regarding Green Jersey: it was a very weak year for sprinters. Most of his opponents were taken out by injuries and crashes. He only had to beat Philipsen, Merlier and other second-order sprinters (and Philipsen and Merlier couldn’t even decide who was leading out who). The most bizarre thing was Colbrelli, who suddenly stopped going for sprints and showed his climbing and breakaway talents. Tremendously entertaining, but unproductive. And van Aert largely kept himself out of the bunch sprints, until he got to the Champs-Élysées, where he gave Cavendish a masterclass.

    Incidentally, that Champs-Élysées defeat is another reason Cavendish won’t win. With it he’d have been a shoo in.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,735

    If he can just get in a team which supported him for GC…

    Does he not have a contract with INEOS?

    If so, all he has to do is be leading the team after the first mountain stage
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,735

    The way he won that Keirin was basically unheard of at that elite level. Nobody just goes off the front for 4 laps and manages to hold off the chasers like that. It wasn't even close even after he went over the line.

    @kevverage Kenny's keirin is a reminder, if one was even necessary, that if you disrespect the King he will club you to death in front of the whole world as an example to the rest.
    https://twitter.com/fatshez/status/1424470365103955968
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164
    Scott_xP said:

    The way he won that Keirin was basically unheard of at that elite level. Nobody just goes off the front for 4 laps and manages to hold off the chasers like that. It wasn't even close even after he went over the line.

    @kevverage Kenny's keirin is a reminder, if one was even necessary, that if you disrespect the King he will club you to death in front of the whole world as an example to the rest.
    https://twitter.com/fatshez/status/1424470365103955968
    I wonder if it might count against Kenny that his opponents fucked up. Or will the public just hear most golds and vote for him?

    The Mr v Mrs aspect of it could make for an interesting dynamic, too.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766

    OT Admin – the text box is pretty sticky: you can type whole sentences before anything appears on screen. Together with the unwelcome colouring of pre-formatted blocks, this leads me to wonder if Vanilla has changed the defaults and has turned on an option to laboriously scan and pre-process messages.

    Restart your device. I had that problem last week and simple maintenance like freeing up disc space and a browser clearout, followed by reboot worked a treat.

    That said, PB is easily the worst blog, technically, that I have ever used. It is quite literally impossible to comment on the main url. Only by logging in directly to Vanilla have you got a chance, and even then it is a total pain. I strongly suspect that this is why the threads are dominated by “regulars”. New users simply can’t be arsed and give up.
    Vanilla is poor, and it affects the whole site. We also still have some redirect issues that I haven't gotten to the bottom of.

    If I didn't have an incredibly demanding job running a start-up, I'd probably be able to do a better job.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,766
    tlg86 said:

    Scott_xP said:

    The way he won that Keirin was basically unheard of at that elite level. Nobody just goes off the front for 4 laps and manages to hold off the chasers like that. It wasn't even close even after he went over the line.

    @kevverage Kenny's keirin is a reminder, if one was even necessary, that if you disrespect the King he will club you to death in front of the whole world as an example to the rest.
    https://twitter.com/fatshez/status/1424470365103955968
    I wonder if it might count against Kenny that his opponents fucked up. Or will the public just hear most golds and vote for him?

    The Mr v Mrs aspect of it could make for an interesting dynamic, too.
    Kenny's victory was enormous, though. He didn't go out on a flyer, and was then reeled back in, winning by a few wheels and a little bit of luck. He went for it, and he established a massive, massive lead. Now, sure, should his opponents have gone straight after him? Possibly. But the margin of victory was such, that I think it would have made no difference.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    Scott_xP said:

    If he can just get in a team which supported him for GC…

    Does he not have a contract with INEOS?

    If so, all he has to do is be leading the team after the first mountain stage
    INEOS Grenadiers are a ruthless bunch. I really think it is completely the wrong outfit for young Pidcock. Yes, you have a strong (and amusing) point about the standings after the first big mountains, but would they even give him that much leeway? I doubt it.

    If he stays there he will be labelled as a classics specialist who has a bit of fun in the mud during the winter. Otherwise they’ll just treat him as a domestique.

    I hope I’m wrong, but INEOS Grenadiers are a cruel and harsh bunch sometimes.

    The model might be fellow mud ace van der Poel, who got himself into the relatively modest ProTeam outfit Alpecin–Fenix, and rules the roost there. His Strade Bianche and Tirreno–Adriatico victories this year were works of sheer, gobsmacking beauty (and in the case of Tirreno–Adriatico, idiocy).

    Pidcock is only 22. He should maybe look at teams like TotalEnergies, Uno-X, Rally or Sport Vlaanderen–Baloise. Show what he can do in some second-ranking stage races to start off with. After all, few remember, but the highlight of the pre-cancer Armstrong’s palmarès was the Tour de Luxembourg.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164
    rcs1000 said:

    tlg86 said:

    Scott_xP said:

    The way he won that Keirin was basically unheard of at that elite level. Nobody just goes off the front for 4 laps and manages to hold off the chasers like that. It wasn't even close even after he went over the line.

    @kevverage Kenny's keirin is a reminder, if one was even necessary, that if you disrespect the King he will club you to death in front of the whole world as an example to the rest.
    https://twitter.com/fatshez/status/1424470365103955968
    I wonder if it might count against Kenny that his opponents fucked up. Or will the public just hear most golds and vote for him?

    The Mr v Mrs aspect of it could make for an interesting dynamic, too.
    Kenny's victory was enormous, though. He didn't go out on a flyer, and was then reeled back in, winning by a few wheels and a little bit of luck. He went for it, and he established a massive, massive lead. Now, sure, should his opponents have gone straight after him? Possibly. But the margin of victory was such, that I think it would have made no difference.
    The mistake was falling back from his wheel to begin with. Once he’d gone the rest were focused on battling for silver!
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    Mark Cavendish won it in 2011. Has he stopped being English since then? Didn’t notice Andy Murray or Ryan Giggs becoming English either. Or indeed Geraint Thomas who won it (checks) as recently as 2018. Still, always good to get in an anti factual, anti-English jibe before breakfast, eh? Sets you up for the day.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    Good morning, everyone.

    If Hamilton beats Verstappen in a closely fight title victory, he'll be nominated.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    tlg86 said:

    Scott_xP said:

    The way he won that Keirin was basically unheard of at that elite level. Nobody just goes off the front for 4 laps and manages to hold off the chasers like that. It wasn't even close even after he went over the line.

    @kevverage Kenny's keirin is a reminder, if one was even necessary, that if you disrespect the King he will club you to death in front of the whole world as an example to the rest.
    https://twitter.com/fatshez/status/1424470365103955968
    I wonder if it might count against Kenny that his opponents fucked up. Or will the public just hear most golds and vote for him?
    The public don’t understand cycling. They do however absorb state propaganda.

    I just wish the BBC tried something ambitious, like, oh I don’t know, explaining elementary concepts like drafting, blocking and kicking. Instead of educating, they gush and wail and preach, and ask folk how they “feel”. And forget about respecting opponents. It is all very infantile and depressing.
  • MikeLMikeL Posts: 7,281
    I think Duncan Scott has to be nominated as he has set the record for most medals ever by a GB athlete at one Olympic Games.

    He has almost no chance of winning but he will still occupy one nomination slot.

    Daley and Whitlock also have to be nominated for adding gold to an already strong Olympic history.

    So I think there are six certain Olympic nominees:

    J Kenny
    L Kenny
    Peaty
    Scott
    Daley
    Whitlock
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715
    Good morning everyone.
    Not the brightest of days again, but the forecast, after today, is for an improvement.
    Just over 13degC according to the app on my phone.

    Mr Seal, isn't Mark Cavendish Manx? Or does he just live on the Isle?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,164
    MikeL said:

    I think Duncan Scott has to be nominated as he has set the record for most medals ever by a GB athlete at one Olympic Games.

    He has almost no chance of winning but he will still occupy one nomination slot.

    Daley and Whitlock also have to be nominated for adding gold to an already strong Olympic history.

    So I think there are six certain Olympic nominees:

    J Kenny
    L Kenny
    Peaty
    Scott
    Daley
    Whitlock

    I think if Scott is nominated, then Dean and Guy get nominated too.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    DougSeal said:

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    Mark Cavendish won it in 2011. Has he stopped being English since then? Didn’t notice Andy Murray or Ryan Giggs becoming English either. Or indeed Geraint Thomas who won it (checks) as recently as 2018. Still, always good to get in an anti factual, anti-English jibe before breakfast, eh? Sets you up for the day.
    How can someone “stop being English” when they weren’t English in the first place? It’s like Charles yesterday saying that Shetland should “remain part of England”. A bit tricky when it never has been English.

    The Isle of Man isn’t even a member of the UK, let alone part of one of the member countries.

    England has moved in the wrong direction since Murray, Giggs and Thomas. Call it Brexit Derangement Syndrome.

    And self-pity is an unattractive characteristic. Make yourself a fresh coffee, tickle the hound behind the ears and snog the wife. It’ll cheer you up no end.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    edited August 2021
    rcs1000 said:

    OT Admin – the text box is pretty sticky: you can type whole sentences before anything appears on screen. Together with the unwelcome colouring of pre-formatted blocks, this leads me to wonder if Vanilla has changed the defaults and has turned on an option to laboriously scan and pre-process messages.

    Restart your device. I had that problem last week and simple maintenance like freeing up disc space and a browser clearout, followed by reboot worked a treat.

    That said, PB is easily the worst blog, technically, that I have ever used. It is quite literally impossible to comment on the main url. Only by logging in directly to Vanilla have you got a chance, and even then it is a total pain. I strongly suspect that this is why the threads are dominated by “regulars”. New users simply can’t be arsed and give up.
    Vanilla is poor, and it affects the whole site. We also still have some redirect issues that I haven't gotten to the bottom of.

    If I didn't have an incredibly demanding job running a start-up, I'd probably be able to do a better job.
    I’m sorry Robert. I do realise it’s not easy. It must be extremely time consuming and irritating. But in fairness, you have said much the same thing for years now. How does one benchmark? What are the absolute best blogs out there? I mean technically. Blogs which have vast comment threads, but are easy to use, unintimidating for new users and pleasant to use for regulars?

    Then just copy them. (That’s how TeamGB picked themselves off the floor of the 80s.)
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,564
    Eight-year-old becomes youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan
    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/09/eight-year-old-becomes-youngest-person-charged-with-blasphemy-in-pakistan

    And potentially faces the death penalty.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673
    DougSeal said:

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    Mark Cavendish won it in 2011. Has he stopped being English since then? Didn’t notice Andy Murray or Ryan Giggs becoming English either. Or indeed Geraint Thomas who won it (checks) as recently as 2018. Still, always good to get in an anti factual, anti-English jibe before breakfast, eh? Sets you up for the day.
    LOL, Mr Insecure whining about anti-English in the middle of the night as well now. Did poor diddums put his tanktop on back to front this morning and make himself all sensitive and cranky.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673
    edited August 2021

    DougSeal said:

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    Mark Cavendish won it in 2011. Has he stopped being English since then? Didn’t notice Andy Murray or Ryan Giggs becoming English either. Or indeed Geraint Thomas who won it (checks) as recently as 2018. Still, always good to get in an anti factual, anti-English jibe before breakfast, eh? Sets you up for the day.
    How can someone “stop being English” when they weren’t English in the first place? It’s like Charles yesterday saying that Shetland should “remain part of England”. A bit tricky when it never has been English.

    The Isle of Man isn’t even a member of the UK, let alone part of one of the member countries.

    England has moved in the wrong direction since Murray, Giggs and Thomas. Call it Brexit Derangement Syndrome.

    And self-pity is an unattractive characteristic. Make yourself a fresh coffee, tickle the hound behind the ears and snog the wife. It’ll cheer you up no end.
    You expect it from a Hooray fanny like Charles though, the 5 silver spoons mean he could say little else.
    PS: You should know well how much they love adopting winners
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673

    Good morning, everyone.

    If Hamilton beats Verstappen in a closely fight title victory, he'll be nominated.

    Not many interested in Scalextric MD
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715
    Did you enjoy your lunch, yesterday, Malc?
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    Nigelb said:

    Eight-year-old becomes youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan
    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/09/eight-year-old-becomes-youngest-person-charged-with-blasphemy-in-pakistan

    And potentially faces the death penalty.

    I seriously don't see very much merit in Pakistan being a formal ally. Absolutely disgusting.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,080
    A letter to Boris Johnson sent a fortnight ago by James Ramsbotham called on the prime minister to save the north-east from the “damage being done to our economy” by Brexit and urged him to give it his “most urgent and personal attention”. Two weeks later, it remains unanswered.

    Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.

    “This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 14,772
    edited August 2021
    Really strange numbers in this article. Did anyone at the Guardian check them? How can it take 256.6m doses to give everyone in the UK a maximum of three doses each? The analysis completely neglects the 7m doses already being distributed to other countries, only having those mentioned by HMG's rebuttal.

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/09/uk-set-to-hoard-up-to-210m-doses-of-covid-vaccine-research-suggests
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,762
    MaxPB said:

    Nigelb said:

    Eight-year-old becomes youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan
    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/09/eight-year-old-becomes-youngest-person-charged-with-blasphemy-in-pakistan

    And potentially faces the death penalty.

    I seriously don't see very much merit in Pakistan being a formal ally. Absolutely disgusting.
    If anyone was daft enough to have any doubts about how things are going to end up in Afghanistan this sort of frankly mad behaviour should resolve them. It will remain a benighted part of the world, trapped in a medieval theocracy whose principal export will be refugees. Oh, and heroin, natch.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    Mr. L, can't be sure, but don't think I've heard of eight year olds being killed for blasphemy in the medieval era.
  • TazTaz Posts: 10,702
    IanB2 said:

    A letter to Boris Johnson sent a fortnight ago by James Ramsbotham called on the prime minister to save the north-east from the “damage being done to our economy” by Brexit and urged him to give it his “most urgent and personal attention”. Two weeks later, it remains unanswered.

    Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.

    “This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”

    “Levelling up”
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,735
    I did have ‘the army delivering food’ on my Brexit Bingo card - jus’ sayin’.
    https://twitter.com/Daria_QT/status/1424464736629006345

    Turns out we need the truck drivers more than they need us.
    https://twitter.com/DMinghella/status/1424505786865180676
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,762

    Really strange numbers in this article. Did anyone at the Guardian check them? How can it take 256.6m doses to give everyone in the UK a maximum of three doses each? The analysis completely neglects the 7m doses already being distributed to other countries, only having those mentioned by HMG's rebuttal.

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/09/uk-set-to-hoard-up-to-210m-doses-of-covid-vaccine-research-suggests

    You can always count on innumeracy in our media.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    I’m prettty happy with my book, on a lay-whoever-just-won strategy.

    At some point, it’s going to be worth backing people - but not until we have a full list of sporting successes, and an understanding of how the competition will operate in practice.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673

    Did you enjoy your lunch, yesterday, Malc?

    OKC, Yes it was very pleasant indeed thanks. Excellent food and even though stormy was picturesque overlooking the marina and out to sea. Most enjoyable.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715
    DavidL said:

    MaxPB said:

    Nigelb said:

    Eight-year-old becomes youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan
    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/09/eight-year-old-becomes-youngest-person-charged-with-blasphemy-in-pakistan

    And potentially faces the death penalty.

    I seriously don't see very much merit in Pakistan being a formal ally. Absolutely disgusting.
    If anyone was daft enough to have any doubts about how things are going to end up in Afghanistan this sort of frankly mad behaviour should resolve them. It will remain a benighted part of the world, trapped in a medieval theocracy whose principal export will be refugees. Oh, and heroin, natch.
    Sadly, I agree. To some extent is a case of reaping the whirlwind after we supported the nascent Talib against the Soviets, consequent on their suicidal decision to invade Afghanistan.
    And, AIUI, Islam really doesn't have to be like this, and in many countries, isn't.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 23,926
    edited August 2021
    Galal Yafai does not even seem to be quoted, and Betfair's "contact us" link goes nowhere. This is a timely reminder that in these open-ended markets, all the quoted players can lose.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,735
    Brexit has given us the sovereignty to ask our army to drive supermarket lorries before we run out of food 👍
    https://twitter.com/FlyOnNo10Wall/status/1424398535638896645
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 14,772

    Mr. L, can't be sure, but don't think I've heard of eight year olds being killed for blasphemy in the medieval era.

    I'd be doubtful, given how the treatment of, for example, Anne Askew, was seen during the very bloody Tudor century.

    In general things are better than they were many centuries ago, but sometimes they are worse, and I think having an eight year old facing death for blasphemy might be one of those.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,762

    DavidL said:

    MaxPB said:

    Nigelb said:

    Eight-year-old becomes youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan
    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/09/eight-year-old-becomes-youngest-person-charged-with-blasphemy-in-pakistan

    And potentially faces the death penalty.

    I seriously don't see very much merit in Pakistan being a formal ally. Absolutely disgusting.
    If anyone was daft enough to have any doubts about how things are going to end up in Afghanistan this sort of frankly mad behaviour should resolve them. It will remain a benighted part of the world, trapped in a medieval theocracy whose principal export will be refugees. Oh, and heroin, natch.
    Sadly, I agree. To some extent is a case of reaping the whirlwind after we supported the nascent Talib against the Soviets, consequent on their suicidal decision to invade Afghanistan.
    And, AIUI, Islam really doesn't have to be like this, and in many countries, isn't.
    It is the horrendous combination of an extremist religion and a profoundly patriarchal society. When Islam doesn't have the latter it tends to be more tolerant. We see this in SE Asia, for example. All our efforts and money spent trying to give the girls and women of Afghanistan some future are sadly going to come to naught.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715
    How about Lauren Price for Sportswoman?
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614

    Galal Yafai does not even seem to be quoted, and Betfair's "contact us" link goes nowhere. This is a timely reminder that in these open-ended markets, all the quoted players can lose.

    Yes, he has a great chance of a nomination. There’s a huge boxing community, and especially Asian boxing community who could mobilse a big vote for Yafai.

    Seeing two or three cyclists nominated, could at the same time split that vote.
  • squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 6,287
    edited August 2021
    rcs1000 said:

    OT Admin – the text box is pretty sticky: you can type whole sentences before anything appears on screen. Together with the unwelcome colouring of pre-formatted blocks, this leads me to wonder if Vanilla has changed the defaults and has turned on an option to laboriously scan and pre-process messages.
    Restart your device. I had that problem last week and simple maintenance like freeing up disc space and a browser clearout, followed by reboot worked a treat.

    That said, PB is easily the worst blog, technically, that I have ever used. It is quite literally impossible to comment on the main url. Only by logging in directly to Vanilla have you got a chance, and even then it is a total pain. I strongly suspect that this is why the threads are dominated by “regulars”. New users simply can’t be arsed and give up.
    Vanilla is poor, and it affects the whole site. We also still have some redirect issues that I haven't gotten to the bottom of.

    If I didn't have an incredibly demanding job running a start-up, I'd probably be able to do a better job.

    Sqrt2

    The main site is plagued by a virus fruit machine game. I never log on that way... and you cannot edit on a phone either.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    MaxPB said:

    Nigelb said:

    Eight-year-old becomes youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan
    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/09/eight-year-old-becomes-youngest-person-charged-with-blasphemy-in-pakistan

    And potentially faces the death penalty.

    I seriously don't see very much merit in Pakistan being a formal ally. Absolutely disgusting.
    If anyone was daft enough to have any doubts about how things are going to end up in Afghanistan this sort of frankly mad behaviour should resolve them. It will remain a benighted part of the world, trapped in a medieval theocracy whose principal export will be refugees. Oh, and heroin, natch.
    Sadly, I agree. To some extent is a case of reaping the whirlwind after we supported the nascent Talib against the Soviets, consequent on their suicidal decision to invade Afghanistan.
    And, AIUI, Islam really doesn't have to be like this, and in many countries, isn't.
    It is the horrendous combination of an extremist religion and a profoundly patriarchal society. When Islam doesn't have the latter it tends to be more tolerant. We see this in SE Asia, for example. All our efforts and money spent trying to give the girls and women of Afghanistan some future are sadly going to come to naught.
    Sadly I agree (again). Not just Islam; Christian Puritanism could be pretty nasty, too, especially in the 17th Century.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,038
    Taz said:

    IanB2 said:

    A letter to Boris Johnson sent a fortnight ago by James Ramsbotham called on the prime minister to save the north-east from the “damage being done to our economy” by Brexit and urged him to give it his “most urgent and personal attention”. Two weeks later, it remains unanswered.

    Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.

    “This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”

    “Levelling up”
    Johnson isn't very good at reading letters.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    BBC Scotland Business and Economy Editor, tweets:

    Wind turbine blade-maker Siemens Gamesa doubling the size of its Hull factory, with £186m investment. 200 more jobs, adding to 1000 now.....

    Also in Hull, GRI Renewable Industries announces £78 million investment in an offshore wind turbine tower factory, creating up to 260 direct jobs.


    https://twitter.com/BBCDouglasF/status/1424620811520970753?s=20
  • Galal Yafai does not even seem to be quoted, and Betfair's "contact us" link goes nowhere. This is a timely reminder that in these open-ended markets, all the quoted players can lose.

    I've got past the badly-programmed chatbot so with a bit of luck, he might be added.
  • squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 6,287
    Scott_xP said:

    Brexit has given us the sovereignty to ask our army to drive supermarket lorries before we run out of food 👍
    https://twitter.com/FlyOnNo10Wall/status/1424398535638896645

    You really are a very sad individual. Its over its done we are out ... accept it.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    IanB2 said:

    A letter to Boris Johnson sent a fortnight ago by James Ramsbotham called on the prime minister to save the north-east from the “damage being done to our economy” by Brexit and urged him to give it his “most urgent and personal attention”. Two weeks later, it remains unanswered.

    Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.

    “This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”

    Johnson wanted the office, he did not want the job. Actual work is for underlings.

    A substantive letter from the chief exec of a significant chamber of commerce deserves a considered, serious and prompt reply. Otherwise one suspects that the recipient does not have any answers. Or is an ignoramous. Or, in Johnson’s case, both.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,762

    Taz said:

    IanB2 said:

    A letter to Boris Johnson sent a fortnight ago by James Ramsbotham called on the prime minister to save the north-east from the “damage being done to our economy” by Brexit and urged him to give it his “most urgent and personal attention”. Two weeks later, it remains unanswered.

    Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.

    “This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”

    “Levelling up”
    Johnson isn't very good at reading letters.
    Especially, perhaps, letters which seem to be more interested in making partisan points than simply raising technical issues he would like the negotiations by Lord Frost to address. If he was genuinely wanting to help those businesses he wouldn't have written in the terms that he did. But of course that was not the point.
  • DavidL said:

    MaxPB said:

    Nigelb said:

    Eight-year-old becomes youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan
    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/09/eight-year-old-becomes-youngest-person-charged-with-blasphemy-in-pakistan

    And potentially faces the death penalty.

    I seriously don't see very much merit in Pakistan being a formal ally. Absolutely disgusting.
    If anyone was daft enough to have any doubts about how things are going to end up in Afghanistan this sort of frankly mad behaviour should resolve them. It will remain a benighted part of the world, trapped in a medieval theocracy whose principal export will be refugees. Oh, and heroin, natch.
    Sadly, I agree. To some extent is a case of reaping the whirlwind after we supported the nascent Talib against the Soviets, consequent on their suicidal decision to invade Afghanistan.
    And, AIUI, Islam really doesn't have to be like this, and in many countries, isn't.
    No, it is a consequence of IMF/World Bank cuts leading to an influx of Saudi-funded madrassas.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,762

    BBC Scotland Business and Economy Editor, tweets:

    Wind turbine blade-maker Siemens Gamesa doubling the size of its Hull factory, with £186m investment. 200 more jobs, adding to 1000 now.....

    Also in Hull, GRI Renewable Industries announces £78 million investment in an offshore wind turbine tower factory, creating up to 260 direct jobs.


    https://twitter.com/BBCDouglasF/status/1424620811520970753?s=20

    Well it could have been Bifab in Methil had the Scottish government not been so incompetent.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    MaxPB said:

    Nigelb said:

    Eight-year-old becomes youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan
    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/09/eight-year-old-becomes-youngest-person-charged-with-blasphemy-in-pakistan

    And potentially faces the death penalty.

    I seriously don't see very much merit in Pakistan being a formal ally. Absolutely disgusting.
    If anyone was daft enough to have any doubts about how things are going to end up in Afghanistan this sort of frankly mad behaviour should resolve them. It will remain a benighted part of the world, trapped in a medieval theocracy whose principal export will be refugees. Oh, and heroin, natch.
    Sadly, I agree. To some extent is a case of reaping the whirlwind after we supported the nascent Talib against the Soviets, consequent on their suicidal decision to invade Afghanistan.
    And, AIUI, Islam really doesn't have to be like this, and in many countries, isn't.
    It is the horrendous combination of an extremist religion and a profoundly patriarchal society. When Islam doesn't have the latter it tends to be more tolerant. We see this in SE Asia, for example. All our efforts and money spent trying to give the girls and women of Afghanistan some future are sadly going to come to naught.
    That was always obvious, it was a vanity project from the very start with UK desperate to try and get some reflected glory from US coattails. Only a moron would have gone in there rather than sorting out the real culprits.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715

    DavidL said:

    MaxPB said:

    Nigelb said:

    Eight-year-old becomes youngest person charged with blasphemy in Pakistan
    https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/09/eight-year-old-becomes-youngest-person-charged-with-blasphemy-in-pakistan

    And potentially faces the death penalty.

    I seriously don't see very much merit in Pakistan being a formal ally. Absolutely disgusting.
    If anyone was daft enough to have any doubts about how things are going to end up in Afghanistan this sort of frankly mad behaviour should resolve them. It will remain a benighted part of the world, trapped in a medieval theocracy whose principal export will be refugees. Oh, and heroin, natch.
    Sadly, I agree. To some extent is a case of reaping the whirlwind after we supported the nascent Talib against the Soviets, consequent on their suicidal decision to invade Afghanistan.
    And, AIUI, Islam really doesn't have to be like this, and in many countries, isn't.
    No, it is a consequence of IMF/World Bank cuts leading to an influx of Saudi-funded madrassas.
    That too.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    Laura Kenny drifting. Now out to 15/1

    The diver still FAV: 11/4

    Hamilton 16/1
    Cavendish 19/1
    Froome 50/1 (!!!! what? he’s had a nightmare season, should be 500/1)

    Shortest footballer seems to be Sterling, at 59/1. Kane is at 100/1. One almost feels sorry for them. So near, and yet so far.

    Almost.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    DavidL said:

    Taz said:

    IanB2 said:

    A letter to Boris Johnson sent a fortnight ago by James Ramsbotham called on the prime minister to save the north-east from the “damage being done to our economy” by Brexit and urged him to give it his “most urgent and personal attention”. Two weeks later, it remains unanswered.

    Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.

    “This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”

    “Levelling up”
    Johnson isn't very good at reading letters.
    Especially, perhaps, letters which seem to be more interested in making partisan points than simply raising technical issues he would like the negotiations by Lord Frost to address. If he was genuinely wanting to help those businesses he wouldn't have written in the terms that he did. But of course that was not the point.
    David, it is unlike you to be so blindly partisan and loyal. Leave that to the experts (eg me). You’re at your best when you’re a bit cynical.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    Doubt Ms Cherry will be thrilled by the idea of a coalition with the Greens in Holyrood:

    The ideological bullying & intimidation that @andywightman describes is being experienced by good people across our society, especially women. If it can happen to one of Holyrood’s most effective & respected politicians it can happen to anyone......

    ...The attempts to destroy Andy’s reputation at a time when he’s looking for work are unconscionable. During his career he has achieved more than most of his detractors put together & he has so much more to give.


    https://twitter.com/joannaccherry/status/1424625054927708160?s=20
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    edited August 2021
    DavidL said:

    BBC Scotland Business and Economy Editor, tweets:

    Wind turbine blade-maker Siemens Gamesa doubling the size of its Hull factory, with £186m investment. 200 more jobs, adding to 1000 now.....

    Also in Hull, GRI Renewable Industries announces £78 million investment in an offshore wind turbine tower factory, creating up to 260 direct jobs.


    https://twitter.com/BBCDouglasF/status/1424620811520970753?s=20

    Well it could have been Bifab in Methil had the Scottish government not been so incompetent.
    There isn't anything else that could be adding to business uncertainty in Scotland is there?
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,735

    Its over its done we are out ... accept it.

    I have accepted it.

    I accept that it's causing food shortages.

    You appear to be the one in denial.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 14,772
    DavidL said:

    Really strange numbers in this article. Did anyone at the Guardian check them? How can it take 256.6m doses to give everyone in the UK a maximum of three doses each? The analysis completely neglects the 7m doses already being distributed to other countries, only having those mentioned by HMG's rebuttal.

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/09/uk-set-to-hoard-up-to-210m-doses-of-covid-vaccine-research-suggests

    You can always count on innumeracy in our media.
    Well, I've tried tweeting the journalist.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    malcolmg said:

    DougSeal said:

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    Mark Cavendish won it in 2011. Has he stopped being English since then? Didn’t notice Andy Murray or Ryan Giggs becoming English either. Or indeed Geraint Thomas who won it (checks) as recently as 2018. Still, always good to get in an anti factual, anti-English jibe before breakfast, eh? Sets you up for the day.
    How can someone “stop being English” when they weren’t English in the first place? It’s like Charles yesterday saying that Shetland should “remain part of England”. A bit tricky when it never has been English.

    The Isle of Man isn’t even a member of the UK, let alone part of one of the member countries.

    England has moved in the wrong direction since Murray, Giggs and Thomas. Call it Brexit Derangement Syndrome.

    And self-pity is an unattractive characteristic. Make yourself a fresh coffee, tickle the hound behind the ears and snog the wife. It’ll cheer you up no end.
    You expect it from a Hooray fanny like Charles though, the 5 silver spoons mean he could say little else.
    PS: You should know well how much they love adopting winners
    Hooray fanny. VG.

    Actually I quite like Charles. He reminds me of an horrific snob, social climber and name-dropper I used to know in the 80s. Lovely, entertaining, dashing chap. Extraordinarily popular with the ladies (on one evening in Oxford I met four - yes 4 - of his girlfriends; each one firmly believing they were in a monogamous relationship). Shame he got involved in credit card fraud, shoplifting, pilfering, common assault and an astonishing number of road traffic and drug offences.

    I’ve often wondered why the English are so keen to adopt winners. It’s not as though they’re short of sporting achievers of their own. I’m sure a psychologist could enlighten me.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,038
    Learning to code is no longer fit for purpose

    Software developers from coding schools are losing out in the jobs market to self-starters who demonstrate genuine intellectual curiosity

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/08/09/learning-code-no-longer-fit-purpose/
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059

    DougSeal said:

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    Mark Cavendish won it in 2011. Has he stopped being English since then? Didn’t notice Andy Murray or Ryan Giggs becoming English either. Or indeed Geraint Thomas who won it (checks) as recently as 2018. Still, always good to get in an anti factual, anti-English jibe before breakfast, eh? Sets you up for the day.
    How can someone “stop being English” when they weren’t English in the first place? It’s like Charles yesterday saying that Shetland should “remain part of England”. A bit tricky when it never has been English.

    The Isle of Man isn’t even a member of the UK, let alone part of one of the member countries.

    England has moved in the wrong direction since Murray, Giggs and Thomas. Call it Brexit Derangement Syndrome.

    And self-pity is an unattractive characteristic. Make yourself a fresh coffee, tickle the hound behind the ears and snog the wife. It’ll cheer you up no end.
    Moron. I am fully aware he is Manx. You were the one suggesting non-English people don’t win it. Ergo, he must have been English when he won it, and stopped being English since. You need to get out of your pyjamas and stop posting your deranged blood and soil rantings on here.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146

    DavidL said:

    BBC Scotland Business and Economy Editor, tweets:

    Wind turbine blade-maker Siemens Gamesa doubling the size of its Hull factory, with £186m investment. 200 more jobs, adding to 1000 now.....

    Also in Hull, GRI Renewable Industries announces £78 million investment in an offshore wind turbine tower factory, creating up to 260 direct jobs.


    https://twitter.com/BBCDouglasF/status/1424620811520970753?s=20

    Well it could have been Bifab in Methil had the Scottish government not been so incompetent.
    There isn't anything else that could be adding to business uncertainty in Scotland is there?
    Yes Jim, we feel the love.

    image
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059
    malcolmg said:

    DougSeal said:

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    Mark Cavendish won it in 2011. Has he stopped being English since then? Didn’t notice Andy Murray or Ryan Giggs becoming English either. Or indeed Geraint Thomas who won it (checks) as recently as 2018. Still, always good to get in an anti factual, anti-English jibe before breakfast, eh? Sets you up for the day.
    LOL, Mr Insecure whining about anti-English in the middle of the night as well now. Did poor diddums put his tanktop on back to front this morning and make himself all sensitive and cranky.
    A bit early to be on the sauce Malc. Some of us have jobs that require us to get out of bed at 6. Not all of us can open the Fosters at 7. Poor guy, must be hard being so full of self doubt that he has to come on here and rant at strangers all day and every day.
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059

    Good morning everyone.
    Not the brightest of days again, but the forecast, after today, is for an improvement.
    Just over 13degC according to the app on my phone.

    Mr Seal, isn't Mark Cavendish Manx? Or does he just live on the Isle?

    I know he’s Manx but Dickson says only the English win SPOTY so he must have been English in 2011 or, in Dickson’s world, he wouldn’t have won it. But Dickson doesn’t let the facts get in the way of his English expertise from Sweden.
  • tlg86 said:

    Very likely to be nominated:

    Jason Kenny
    Laura Kenny
    Adam Peaty
    Max Whitlock

    It would be a shock if Tom Daley wasn’t nominated, but if he is, the BBC might feel the need to also add Tom Dean, James Guy and possibly Duncan Scott. So if the BBC were being tight on nominations and doing it on merit, Daley might miss out. But his sexuality probably gets him in.

    I’d be surprised if any other Olympians get a look-in.

    @DecrepiterJohnL - don’t rule out any cricketers or footballers just yet. James Anderson is a short price (though probably not much liquidity), but I think the one to watch is Joe Root. And given how hideously white the shortlist is looking, I can see Raheem Sterling getting nominated. Of course, Lewis Hamilton helps in that regard, and I think he could win the whole thing if he clinched the title again.

    England (football) for Team of the Year perhaps?

    Re Hideous Whiteness – yes, which is why I'd be surprised if the shortlist is not a good deal longer than most are suggesting. I'd expect a more diverse shortlist than five White blokes and Laura Kenny, all from England.

    Can Lewis Hamilton win another title in time, though, or does SPotY fall before the end of the Formula One season?

    Anthony Joshua is fighting no-one in particular (sorry, Oleksandr Usyk fans) in September but he probably needs to face (and beat) Tyson Fury to win SPotY. The AJ/Fury bout was planned but kyboshed by mandatory defences against other fighters.
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 7,252
    edited August 2021
    Sandpit said:

    I’m prettty happy with my book, on a lay-whoever-just-won strategy.

    At some point, it’s going to be worth backing people - but not until we have a full list of sporting successes, and an understanding of how the competition will operate in practice.

    I haven't dabbled, but have watched with interest. It looks to me that the optimum was probably to lay whoever just won with a bit of a delay to let people notice (news etc), get excited, back and draw the price in.

    Daley, for example. I considered backing him just after the synchro gold at somewhere near 8, but didn't.* With hindsight it was obvious he would come in as people noticed his gold splashed all over the news/papers etc so good opportunity to back and then lay off.

    *I've been unusually disciplined in not dabbling in the things I know nothing about, this olympics. I bemoaned not backing China for most golds at tempting odds a few days ago, but as it turns out being disciplined saved me money this time :smile:

    Edit: China was good value though, and plenty of opportunities to have laid it off for a profit if I had backed them early on
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059

    DavidL said:

    BBC Scotland Business and Economy Editor, tweets:

    Wind turbine blade-maker Siemens Gamesa doubling the size of its Hull factory, with £186m investment. 200 more jobs, adding to 1000 now.....

    Also in Hull, GRI Renewable Industries announces £78 million investment in an offshore wind turbine tower factory, creating up to 260 direct jobs.


    https://twitter.com/BBCDouglasF/status/1424620811520970753?s=20

    Well it could have been Bifab in Methil had the Scottish government not been so incompetent.
    There isn't anything else that could be adding to business uncertainty in Scotland is there?
    Yes Jim, we feel the love.

    image
    Sweden’s resident Scotch expert manages to completely miss the point again.
  • SouthamObserverSouthamObserver Posts: 38,876
    edited August 2021
    To be fair, Brexit did not cause the logistics issues now affecting supermarkets. Instead, it’s entirely down to the decisions about how to handle Brexit the government has taken and its refusal to engage with the difficult choices it entails. It should surprise no-one that under a government led by Boris Johnson the UK is encountering food supply issues that other countries are not.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    DougSeal said:

    DougSeal said:

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    Mark Cavendish won it in 2011. Has he stopped being English since then? Didn’t notice Andy Murray or Ryan Giggs becoming English either. Or indeed Geraint Thomas who won it (checks) as recently as 2018. Still, always good to get in an anti factual, anti-English jibe before breakfast, eh? Sets you up for the day.
    How can someone “stop being English” when they weren’t English in the first place? It’s like Charles yesterday saying that Shetland should “remain part of England”. A bit tricky when it never has been English.

    The Isle of Man isn’t even a member of the UK, let alone part of one of the member countries.

    England has moved in the wrong direction since Murray, Giggs and Thomas. Call it Brexit Derangement Syndrome.

    And self-pity is an unattractive characteristic. Make yourself a fresh coffee, tickle the hound behind the ears and snog the wife. It’ll cheer you up no end.
    Moron. I am fully aware he is Manx. You were the one suggesting non-English people don’t win it. Ergo, he must have been English when he won it, and stopped being English since. You need to get out of your pyjamas and stop posting your deranged blood and soil rantings on here.
    OldKingCole made exactly the same interpretation (“Mr Seal, isn't Mark Cavendish Manx? Or does he just live on the Isle?”) Is he a “moron” too? Don’t blame us if you cannot write clearly. There are some excellent night classes if you need some remedial work.

    England has changed. See Brexit Derangement Syndrome.

    I sleep commando.

    And as for blood and soil rantings, I leave that to the Tories:

    (£) https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/let-scots-in-whole-of-uk-vote-on-independence-boris-johnson-is-urged-8d09pdxcl

    How’s that gonna work? How does one identify “Scots” resident in England?
    - DNA?
    - Membership of the Conservative Party?
    - Donations to Johnson’s latest John Lewis invoice?

  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059

    IanB2 said:

    A letter to Boris Johnson sent a fortnight ago by James Ramsbotham called on the prime minister to save the north-east from the “damage being done to our economy” by Brexit and urged him to give it his “most urgent and personal attention”. Two weeks later, it remains unanswered.

    Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.

    “This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”

    Johnson wanted the office, he did not want the job. Actual work is for underlings.

    A substantive letter from the chief exec of a significant chamber of commerce deserves a considered, serious and prompt reply. Otherwise one suspects that the recipient does not have any answers. Or is an ignoramous. Or, in Johnson’s case, both.
    This is the North East England Chamber of Commerce, not Scotland.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    DougSeal said:

    malcolmg said:

    DougSeal said:

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    Mark Cavendish won it in 2011. Has he stopped being English since then? Didn’t notice Andy Murray or Ryan Giggs becoming English either. Or indeed Geraint Thomas who won it (checks) as recently as 2018. Still, always good to get in an anti factual, anti-English jibe before breakfast, eh? Sets you up for the day.
    LOL, Mr Insecure whining about anti-English in the middle of the night as well now. Did poor diddums put his tanktop on back to front this morning and make himself all sensitive and cranky.
    A bit early to be on the sauce Malc. Some of us have jobs that require us to get out of bed at 6. Not all of us can open the Fosters at 7. Poor guy, must be hard being so full of self doubt that he has to come on here and rant at strangers all day and every day.
    How’s your glass house looking today? A bit worse for wear?
  • DavidL said:

    BBC Scotland Business and Economy Editor, tweets:

    Wind turbine blade-maker Siemens Gamesa doubling the size of its Hull factory, with £186m investment. 200 more jobs, adding to 1000 now.....

    Also in Hull, GRI Renewable Industries announces £78 million investment in an offshore wind turbine tower factory, creating up to 260 direct jobs.


    https://twitter.com/BBCDouglasF/status/1424620811520970753?s=20

    Well it could have been Bifab in Methil had the Scottish government not been so incompetent.
    There isn't anything else that could be adding to business uncertainty in Scotland is there?
    Yes Jim, we feel the love.

    image
    I'm sure this picture makes a really important and powerful point and I'm just too stupid to figure out what it is
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 7,252
    edited August 2021

    Learning to code is no longer fit for purpose

    Software developers from coding schools are losing out in the jobs market to self-starters who demonstrate genuine intellectual curiosity

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/08/09/learning-code-no-longer-fit-purpose/

    I can see that. Self-taught are probably learning either by developing something themselves (likely open source, public, may become popular) or scraching an itch contributing to an existing open source project. Both more real world experience than just doing the coding assignments.

    I used to contribute to KDE and many of the companies in that space recruited directly from the git repositories and the contributor conferences.

    Having said that, the ideal is both. Get the formal education in the overall theory of it as well in addition to getting the real world work experience. I've learned some coding on various jobs and whenever I've subsequently done a formal course I've discovered big gaps in my knowledge.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    DougSeal said:

    IanB2 said:

    A letter to Boris Johnson sent a fortnight ago by James Ramsbotham called on the prime minister to save the north-east from the “damage being done to our economy” by Brexit and urged him to give it his “most urgent and personal attention”. Two weeks later, it remains unanswered.

    Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.

    “This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”

    Johnson wanted the office, he did not want the job. Actual work is for underlings.

    A substantive letter from the chief exec of a significant chamber of commerce deserves a considered, serious and prompt reply. Otherwise one suspects that the recipient does not have any answers. Or is an ignoramous. Or, in Johnson’s case, both.
    This is the North East England Chamber of Commerce, not Scotland.
    Your point being?
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    edited August 2021
    DougSeal said:

    IanB2 said:

    A letter to Boris Johnson sent a fortnight ago by James Ramsbotham called on the prime minister to save the north-east from the “damage being done to our economy” by Brexit and urged him to give it his “most urgent and personal attention”. Two weeks later, it remains unanswered.

    Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.

    “This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”

    Johnson wanted the office, he did not want the job. Actual work is for underlings.

    A substantive letter from the chief exec of a significant chamber of commerce deserves a considered, serious and prompt reply. Otherwise one suspects that the recipient does not have any answers. Or is an ignoramous. Or, in Johnson’s case, both.
    This is the North East England Chamber of Commerce, not Scotland.
    The paperwork is a figment of their imagination.

    The fact I highlighted that back in November 2019 that paperwork would be the end result of Brexit while our (new) MP told me that it wouldn't be an issue tells you everything you need to know...

    The reality is that the Government really doesn't care but as this is something he cannot fix I can see why he hasn't bothered to reply to it.

    Equally given that it seems No 10 "lost" a letter from the Chancellor, it's hardly surprising that other letters also seem to have got lost.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146

    DavidL said:

    BBC Scotland Business and Economy Editor, tweets:

    Wind turbine blade-maker Siemens Gamesa doubling the size of its Hull factory, with £186m investment. 200 more jobs, adding to 1000 now.....

    Also in Hull, GRI Renewable Industries announces £78 million investment in an offshore wind turbine tower factory, creating up to 260 direct jobs.


    https://twitter.com/BBCDouglasF/status/1424620811520970753?s=20

    Well it could have been Bifab in Methil had the Scottish government not been so incompetent.
    There isn't anything else that could be adding to business uncertainty in Scotland is there?
    Yes Jim, we feel the love.

    image
    I'm sure this picture makes a really important and powerful point and I'm just too stupid to figure out what it is
    Dinnae fash yersel laddie. I’m just a huge Jim fan.
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059

    DougSeal said:

    DougSeal said:

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    Mark Cavendish won it in 2011. Has he stopped being English since then? Didn’t notice Andy Murray or Ryan Giggs becoming English either. Or indeed Geraint Thomas who won it (checks) as recently as 2018. Still, always good to get in an anti factual, anti-English jibe before breakfast, eh? Sets you up for the day.
    How can someone “stop being English” when they weren’t English in the first place? It’s like Charles yesterday saying that Shetland should “remain part of England”. A bit tricky when it never has been English.

    The Isle of Man isn’t even a member of the UK, let alone part of one of the member countries.

    England has moved in the wrong direction since Murray, Giggs and Thomas. Call it Brexit Derangement Syndrome.

    And self-pity is an unattractive characteristic. Make yourself a fresh coffee, tickle the hound behind the ears and snog the wife. It’ll cheer you up no end.
    Moron. I am fully aware he is Manx. You were the one suggesting non-English people don’t win it. Ergo, he must have been English when he won it, and stopped being English since. You need to get out of your pyjamas and stop posting your deranged blood and soil rantings on here.
    OldKingCole made exactly the same interpretation (“Mr Seal, isn't Mark Cavendish Manx? Or does he just live on the Isle?”) Is he a “moron” too? Don’t blame us if you cannot write clearly. There are some excellent night classes if you need some remedial work.

    England has changed. See Brexit Derangement Syndrome.

    I sleep commando.

    And as for blood and soil rantings, I leave that to the Tories:

    (£) https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/let-scots-in-whole-of-uk-vote-on-independence-boris-johnson-is-urged-8d09pdxcl

    How’s that gonna work? How does one identify “Scots” resident in England?
    - DNA?
    - Membership of the Conservative Party?
    - Donations to Johnson’s latest John Lewis invoice?

    Don’t care about what Johnson says, he’s a moron, that plan is unworkable. Your “only people born in Scotland are Scots” rubbish is the most blood and soil thing ever written on here, England has not changed since Thomas won in 2018. Two and a half years after the referendum. I know, I live here, you live in Sweden.
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059

    DougSeal said:

    IanB2 said:

    A letter to Boris Johnson sent a fortnight ago by James Ramsbotham called on the prime minister to save the north-east from the “damage being done to our economy” by Brexit and urged him to give it his “most urgent and personal attention”. Two weeks later, it remains unanswered.

    Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.

    “This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”

    Johnson wanted the office, he did not want the job. Actual work is for underlings.

    A substantive letter from the chief exec of a significant chamber of commerce deserves a considered, serious and prompt reply. Otherwise one suspects that the recipient does not have any answers. Or is an ignoramous. Or, in Johnson’s case, both.
    This is the North East England Chamber of Commerce, not Scotland.
    Your point being?
    They don’t count in your world as people who matter.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 14,878
    Scott_xP said:

    Its over its done we are out ... accept it.

    I have accepted it.

    I accept that it's causing food shortages.

    You appear to be the one in denial.
    Where? Not in my shopping it isn't.
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059

    DougSeal said:

    malcolmg said:

    DougSeal said:

    The question is, how many people will be shortlisted? If six, like the last couple of years, then JK looks good. There is a large cycling block vote and seven gold medals should nail it. If 16, like the last Olympics year, then it might be more complicated, especially if the cycling vote is split, and there were no fewer than seven cycling gold medallists, and that is betting without Mark Cavendish who equalled Eddy Merckx's Tour de France record.

    Cycling gold medallists:-

    Jason Kenny                      Cycling - Men's Keirin
    Matt Walls Cycling - Men's omnium
    Katie Archibald & Laura Kenny Cycling - Women's madison
    Tom Pidcock Cycling - men's cross-country
    Bethany Shriever Cycling - women's BMX
    Charlotte Worthington Cycling - women's freestyle BMX
    In a hundred year’s time, the cycling community will still be talking about Mark Cavendish. He is up there with the immortals now. Merckx, Bartali, Anquetil, Indurain, Armstrong, Pantani, Sagan, Bugno, Gimondi, LeMond, Cipollini, Kelly, Hinault, Cancellara, Boonen, Cavendish. He is *that* good.

    A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.

    It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)

    Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
    - he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
    - the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
    - split vote
    - he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
    - he is not English
    Mark Cavendish won it in 2011. Has he stopped being English since then? Didn’t notice Andy Murray or Ryan Giggs becoming English either. Or indeed Geraint Thomas who won it (checks) as recently as 2018. Still, always good to get in an anti factual, anti-English jibe before breakfast, eh? Sets you up for the day.
    LOL, Mr Insecure whining about anti-English in the middle of the night as well now. Did poor diddums put his tanktop on back to front this morning and make himself all sensitive and cranky.
    A bit early to be on the sauce Malc. Some of us have jobs that require us to get out of bed at 6. Not all of us can open the Fosters at 7. Poor guy, must be hard being so full of self doubt that he has to come on here and rant at strangers all day and every day.
    How’s your glass house looking today? A bit worse for wear?
    When you’ve finished sweeping up your own come and polish my windows.
  • Laura Kenny drifting. Now out to 15/1

    The diver still FAV: 11/4

    Hamilton 16/1
    Cavendish 19/1
    Froome 50/1 (!!!! what? he’s had a nightmare season, should be 500/1)

    Shortest footballer seems to be Sterling, at 59/1. Kane is at 100/1. One almost feels sorry for them. So near, and yet so far.

    Almost.

    At almost all bookmakers, Jason Kenny is favourite at around 2/1 and Tom Daley second-favourite at around 5/2.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,080
    edited August 2021

    Really strange numbers in this article. Did anyone at the Guardian check them? How can it take 256.6m doses to give everyone in the UK a maximum of three doses each? The analysis completely neglects the 7m doses already being distributed to other countries, only having those mentioned by HMG's rebuttal.

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/09/uk-set-to-hoard-up-to-210m-doses-of-covid-vaccine-research-suggests

    Morning all.

    Being boring, isn't this just the Guardian being the Guardian?

    The number is bigger than the number of fingers, so they are confused as usual, whilst wanting a big sensationalist claim. Yes they seem to have forgotten about the vaccines being given away by UK, and also assumed that vaccine takeup is only 80%, and that no new groups will be added, and forgotten that some suppliers may not meet their commitments. "Up to" is working very hard.

    The numbers are from the group known as Global Justice Now, who used to be the World Development Movement. Their basic campaign is anti-corporate anti-multinational, and they have been flubbing around in the media about it since March 2020. They are slightly threatened by corporate Pharma having delivered, and seem to me to have a credibility problem on this question.

    Also, how good is Airfinity data on Covid?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    Getting closer:

    Andrew Cuomo: Top aide to governor resigns amid scandal
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58141548
This discussion has been closed.