Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

Mayday! Mayday! – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 11,002
edited January 2022 in General
imageMayday! Mayday! – politicalbetting.com

Looking ahead to 2022 one period where Boris Johnson might be at most risk this year will be in the aftermath of May’s local elections, helpfully Smarkets have a market up on these crucial local elections.

Read the full story here

«1345

Comments

  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,771
    I suspect that TSE is correct: Labour is likely to win the NEV comfortably in May. Still a 25% return, while probably fair, is not that enticing.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,574
    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Aren’t you supposed to say it three times?

    Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, England are are about to run out of batsmen.
  • TazTaz Posts: 10,703
    Sandpit said:

    Aren’t you supposed to say it three times?

    Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, England are are about to run out of batsmen.

    Bairstow,just gone
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,718
    Sandpit said:

    Aren’t you supposed to say it three times?

    Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, England are are about to run out of batsmen.

    Hello all.

    8th wicket just gone down; got to hang on for 10 overs.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,165
    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Five overs to go. It’s the hope that kills you.
  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,555
    rcs1000 said:

    I suspect that TSE is correct: Labour is likely to win the NEV comfortably in May. Still a 25% return, while probably fair, is not that enticing.

    Barely covers inflation, these days...
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,097
    I really think this thread is a very important reminder to those who seem convinced the tories will bounce back. We're all fed up with covid but please don't think that simply because (if) covid starts abating in 2022 that the fortunes of the tories will rise. I don't believe they will. Some reasons:

    1. Cost of living crisis (as per TSE's thread)

    2. Fiscal hole

    3. High taxation

    4. Inflationary pressures

    5. Ongoing supply and trade problems

    6. Boris Johnson
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,097
    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,718
    edited January 2022
    Broad and Anderson need to survive two overs. Chances????

    Any chance of bad light or rain?
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 25,165
    A draw! Take that convicts!
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,969
    edited January 2022
    That was the greatest rearguard since Cardiff 2009 Rorke's Drift.
  • That's the draw.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,718
    From the relief, you'd think we'd won. However, overall that was a better effort.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    YES! When a draw feels as good as a win.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842
    A draw xD
    No changes needed with the batting then
  • Pulpstar said:

    A draw xD
    No changes needed with the batting then

    I suspect no Stokes, Buttler, and Bairstow next time.
  • Often accused of arrogance and lacking the sharpest of wits, Andrew was always going to be difficult to defend. Last week it emerged that advisers who initially questioned him about his links to Epstein — whom he first befriended in 1999 — were sent packing with a curt: “F*** off out of my office.”

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-andrew-good-news-gary-pricey-aides-ghislaine-maxwell-0n39pdspd
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,718
    Pulpstar said:

    A draw xD
    No changes needed with the batting then

    What does Lawrence have to do to get a game?
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    Presumably the Birmingham Erdington by-election will be held on the same day?

    It’s Starmer’s decision, but it would seem to make sense in order to maximise the Labour turnout.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Pulpstar said:

    A draw xD
    No changes needed with the batting then

    Once again England’s bowlers do the job with the bat, to save the match that their batsmen rightfully lost.
  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,555
    Heathener said:

    I really think this thread is a very important reminder to those who seem convinced the tories will bounce back. We're all fed up with covid but please don't think that simply because (if) covid starts abating in 2022 that the fortunes of the tories will rise. I don't believe they will. Some reasons:

    1. Cost of living crisis (as per TSE's thread)

    2. Fiscal hole

    3. High taxation

    4. Inflationary pressures

    5. Ongoing supply and trade problems

    6. Boris Johnson

    I think generally people tend to look to the future in judging politicians, and mostly consider the past only if it seems to offer a good guide to the challenges of the future.

    Of course the classic example of this is Churchill in 1945 - many thought he had done a good job in the war, but wanted a different approach for peacetime. In the same way, the challenges of the problems you list may not the same as those for handling a mass vaccination programme in a pandemic, or for leaving the EU.
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    rcs1000 said:

    I suspect that TSE is correct: Labour is likely to win the NEV comfortably in May. Still a 25% return, while probably fair, is not that enticing.

    What other investments return 25% in the next 4 months?
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614

    Presumably the Birmingham Erdington by-election will be held on the same day?

    It’s Starmer’s decision, but it would seem to make sense in order to maximise the Labour turnout.

    That would make sense, better as the incumbent to want the by-election at the same time as the locals, rather than as a stand-alone campaign.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,958
    Those last couple of overs were he first time there has been any tension in this entire Ashes series.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,718

    Having avoided a whitewash, this will now end as England's second-best away Ashes result in the last 19 years.

    We haven't lost in Hobart yet. Conditions are a bit more like home!
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751

    Pulpstar said:

    A draw xD
    No changes needed with the batting then

    I suspect no Stokes, Buttler, and Bairstow next time.
    Presumably the replacements would be Lawrence, Pope and Billings? Hard to see who else they could be!
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751

    Having avoided a whitewash, this will now end as England's second-best away Ashes result in the last 19 years.

    Joint second. It was 4-0 last time too after Cook had a flat track and remembered which way up you hold the bat.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,124
    Sandpit said:

    Presumably the Birmingham Erdington by-election will be held on the same day?

    It’s Starmer’s decision, but it would seem to make sense in order to maximise the Labour turnout.

    That would make sense, better as the incumbent to want the by-election at the same time as the locals, rather than as a stand-alone campaign.
    Indeed - but if it is anything other than a thumping hold Labour would be in real trouble. Fortunately the local by-election in Gedling the other day will have re-assured them:

    Cavendish (Gedling) council by-election result:

    LDEM: 35.5% (+15.8)
    LAB: 30.8% (-24.8)
    CON: 25.4% (+0.6)
    IND: 5.7% (+5.7)
    GRN: 2.6% (+2.6)

    Votes cast: 985

    Liberal Democrat GAIN from Labour.
  • ydoethur said:

    Pulpstar said:

    A draw xD
    No changes needed with the batting then

    I suspect no Stokes, Buttler, and Bairstow next time.
    Presumably the replacements would be Lawrence, Pope and Billings? Hard to see who else they could be!
    Root said in the post match interview that Buttler is going home after this test with a serious injury, but he didn't mention Stokes or Bairstow, so they might play in Hobart.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751
    Jos Buttler is being sent home injured.
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 14,912
    Heathener said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
    Really? We watched the first two episodes on catch up last night with the kids and it was perfect family viewing, everyone enjoyed it, not a mean feat in our household.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,083
    Fishing said:

    Heathener said:

    I really think this thread is a very important reminder to those who seem convinced the tories will bounce back. We're all fed up with covid but please don't think that simply because (if) covid starts abating in 2022 that the fortunes of the tories will rise. I don't believe they will. Some reasons:

    1. Cost of living crisis (as per TSE's thread)

    2. Fiscal hole

    3. High taxation

    4. Inflationary pressures

    5. Ongoing supply and trade problems

    6. Boris Johnson

    I think generally people tend to look to the future in judging politicians, and mostly consider the past only if it seems to offer a good guide to the challenges of the future.

    Of course the classic example of this is Churchill in 1945 - many thought he had done a good job in the war, but wanted a different approach for peacetime. In the same way, the challenges of the problems you list may not the same as those for handling a mass vaccination programme in a pandemic, or for leaving the EU.
    This will nevertheless be a challenge for the government - both because of all the parties the Tories struggle most to project a positive agenda, and all too easily fall back on negative campaigning - and because they are likely to be slow to perceive and adapt to changing attitudes and aspirations after the pandemic
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,097

    Heathener said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
    Really? We watched the first two episodes on catch up last night with the kids and it was perfect family viewing, everyone enjoyed it, not a mean feat in our household.
    I thought it was incredibly dull, especially compared to both the book and the David Niven film. Such slow pacing.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    ydoethur said:

    Jos Buttler is being sent home injured.

    Just as well we have a strong lineup of replacements available, like the Aussies had in Usman Khawaja.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751
    Sandpit said:

    ydoethur said:

    Jos Buttler is being sent home injured.

    Just as well we have a strong lineup of replacements available, like the Aussies had in Usman Khawaja.
    On the other hand, at least if Billings plays the keeping will likely be much better.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,083
    Are Smarkets as bad as the stack of negative reviews on Trustpilot suggest?
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,958
    felix said:

    Sandpit said:

    Presumably the Birmingham Erdington by-election will be held on the same day?

    It’s Starmer’s decision, but it would seem to make sense in order to maximise the Labour turnout.

    That would make sense, better as the incumbent to want the by-election at the same time as the locals, rather than as a stand-alone campaign.
    Indeed - but if it is anything other than a thumping hold Labour would be in real trouble. Fortunately the local by-election in Gedling the other day will have re-assured them:

    Cavendish (Gedling) council by-election result:

    LDEM: 35.5% (+15.8)
    LAB: 30.8% (-24.8)
    CON: 25.4% (+0.6)
    IND: 5.7% (+5.7)
    GRN: 2.6% (+2.6)

    Votes cast: 985

    Liberal Democrat GAIN from Labour.
    But the West Midlands has long been a desert for the LibDems.
  • HeathenerHeathener Posts: 5,097
    ydoethur said:

    Having avoided a whitewash, this will now end as England's second-best away Ashes result in the last 19 years.

    after Cook [...] remembered which way up you hold the bat.
    That's a fairly extraordinary comment* about the fifth highest scorer in test history, the leading test run scorer of all-time for England, the youngest ever player to score 12,000 runs in test cricket, the highest scoring left-handed test batter of all-time, the only ever opener to score over 12,000 runs in test cricket.



    * and not in a good way
  • IanB2 said:

    Are Smarkets as bad as the stack of negative reviews on Trustpilot suggest?

    They used to be but since Shadsy has taken over the political operation they have been pretty good.

    A damn sight better than Betfair have been in recent times.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751
    edited January 2022
    Heathener said:

    ydoethur said:

    Having avoided a whitewash, this will now end as England's second-best away Ashes result in the last 19 years.

    after Cook [...] remembered which way up you hold the bat.
    That's a fairly extraordinary comment* about the fifth highest scorer in test history, the leading test run scorer of all-time for England, the youngest ever player to score 12,000 runs in test cricket, the highest scoring left-handed test batter of all-time, the only ever opener to score over 12,000 runs in test cricket.



    * and not in a good way
    If you actually took the trouble to check his record on that tour I think you will find it is not extraordinary:

    9 innings
    376 runs
    Highest score - in that drawn game - 244.

    https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=11645;team=1;type=series

    Very typical of his later career in fact - huge scores interspersed with long fallow periods.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,958
    edited January 2022
    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
    Really? We watched the first two episodes on catch up last night with the kids and it was perfect family viewing, everyone enjoyed it, not a mean feat in our household.
    I thought it was incredibly dull, especially compared to both the book and the David Niven film. Such slow pacing.
    Haven't watched it yet, but your comment suggests they filmed it in real time..... Not sure I can invest 80 days of binge watching!
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    ydoethur said:

    Heathener said:

    ydoethur said:

    Having avoided a whitewash, this will now end as England's second-best away Ashes result in the last 19 years.

    after Cook [...] remembered which way up you hold the bat.
    That's a fairly extraordinary comment* about the fifth highest scorer in test history, the leading test run scorer of all-time for England, the youngest ever player to score 12,000 runs in test cricket, the highest scoring left-handed test batter of all-time, the only ever opener to score over 12,000 runs in test cricket.



    * and not in a good way
    If you actually took the trouble to check his record on that tour and I think you will find it is less extraordinary:

    9 innings
    376 runs
    Highest score - in that drawn game - 244.

    https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=11645;team=1;type=series

    Very typical of his later career in fact - huge scores interspersed with long fallow periods.
    So in the other eight innings of that series, he scored 132, an average of 16.5?
  • TimSTimS Posts: 9,161
    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
    Really? We watched the first two episodes on catch up last night with the kids and it was perfect family viewing, everyone enjoyed it, not a mean feat in our household.
    I thought it was incredibly dull, especially compared to both the book and the David Niven film. Such slow pacing.
    We warmed to it. Second episode better than first.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,969
    edited January 2022
    ydoethur said:

    Heathener said:

    ydoethur said:

    Having avoided a whitewash, this will now end as England's second-best away Ashes result in the last 19 years.

    after Cook [...] remembered which way up you hold the bat.
    That's a fairly extraordinary comment* about the fifth highest scorer in test history, the leading test run scorer of all-time for England, the youngest ever player to score 12,000 runs in test cricket, the highest scoring left-handed test batter of all-time, the only ever opener to score over 12,000 runs in test cricket.



    * and not in a good way
    If you actually took the trouble to check his record on that tour I think you will find it is not extraordinary:

    9 innings
    376 runs
    Highest score - in that drawn game - 244.

    https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=11645;team=1;type=series

    Very typical of his later career in fact - huge scores interspersed with long fallow periods.
    Amusingly that was his second test double century in six months.

    Edit - Second test double century in seven tests in fact.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751
    Sandpit said:

    ydoethur said:

    Heathener said:

    ydoethur said:

    Having avoided a whitewash, this will now end as England's second-best away Ashes result in the last 19 years.

    after Cook [...] remembered which way up you hold the bat.
    That's a fairly extraordinary comment* about the fifth highest scorer in test history, the leading test run scorer of all-time for England, the youngest ever player to score 12,000 runs in test cricket, the highest scoring left-handed test batter of all-time, the only ever opener to score over 12,000 runs in test cricket.



    * and not in a good way
    If you actually took the trouble to check his record on that tour and I think you will find it is less extraordinary:

    9 innings
    376 runs
    Highest score - in that drawn game - 244.

    https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=11645;team=1;type=series

    Very typical of his later career in fact - huge scores interspersed with long fallow periods.
    So in the other eight innings of that series, he scored 132, an average of 16.5?
    Yep.

    Hence ‘remembered which way up to hold the bat.’
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751

    ydoethur said:

    Heathener said:

    ydoethur said:

    Having avoided a whitewash, this will now end as England's second-best away Ashes result in the last 19 years.

    after Cook [...] remembered which way up you hold the bat.
    That's a fairly extraordinary comment* about the fifth highest scorer in test history, the leading test run scorer of all-time for England, the youngest ever player to score 12,000 runs in test cricket, the highest scoring left-handed test batter of all-time, the only ever opener to score over 12,000 runs in test cricket.



    * and not in a good way
    If you actually took the trouble to check his record on that tour I think you will find it is not extraordinary:

    9 innings
    376 runs
    Highest score - in that drawn game - 244.

    https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=11645;team=1;type=series

    Very typical of his later career in fact - huge scores interspersed with long fallow periods.
    Amusingly that was his second test double century in six months.
    and IIRC those were his only scores over 50 in that time.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,969
    edited January 2022
    Poor lad, this is proper village cricket, not test match cricket.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751

    Poor lad.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Seven overthrows? How did they manage that?
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 113,969
    edited January 2022
    ydoethur said:

    Poor lad.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Seven overthrows? How did they manage that?
    Ran three plus four overthrows.

    See the video in the tweet.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,083
    McElvoy: Surging global energy price rises are bedevilling leaders across Europe and while the energy price cap has given consumers some protection this winter, many household fuel bills will double by April – the time when national insurance rises will also kick in and May elections will look like a punishing midterm test. This impending “Krakatoa moment”, as one minister put it, means that priorities (cutting NHS waiting lists) collide with a pledge the PM gave his colleagues after the budget to avoid further tax rises to pay for more spending.

    While the government equivocates about options, Labour can wield pressure on a subject it knows gets the electorate’s attention.

    The objection to criticism of Johnson as a caricature of Tory stinginess is that he has, in fact, turned out to be rather fond of spending other people’s money. And that is precisely the pain point now, as the emergency period of Covid abates and decisions about wider spending priorities cannot be fudged or delegated.

    A burst of spring inflation plus an energy squeeze sounds like the most miserable bits of the 1970s in one inglorious go. With a party divided between those who see looser spending as inevitable or even welcome and those who see it as a betrayal of fiscal discipline, Johnson finds himself riding two unruly horses pulling in opposite directions.

  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751

    ydoethur said:

    Poor lad.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Seven overthrows? How did they manage that?
    Ran three plus four overthrows.

    See the video in the tweet.
    That's not seven 'overthrows' though, is it? It's three off the bat plus four overthrows.

    Seven would be if they ran three off one overthrow, then there was another misfield and a four off the second overthrow.
  • Poor lad, this is proper village cricket, not test match cricket.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Did Wisden really misspell “off”?
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    Presumably the Birmingham Erdington by-election will be held on the same day?

    It’s Starmer’s decision, but it would seem to make sense in order to maximise the Labour turnout.

    Technically I think any MP can move the writ? By convention it’s the defending party, but I have a vague memory that Labour pulled a fast one a few years ago by moving a writ on a Tory seat?
  • Poor lad, this is proper village cricket, not test match cricket.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Did Wisden really misspell “off”?
    In their defence they did post that Tweet at 3.16 am.
  • Poor lad, this is proper village cricket, not test match cricket.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Did Wisden really misspell “off”?
    In their defence they did post that Tweet at 3.16 am.
    And it is presumably unlikely that they had someone in Australia covering the match, given the restrictions on getting in.
  • BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 7,979

    felix said:

    Sandpit said:

    Presumably the Birmingham Erdington by-election will be held on the same day?

    It’s Starmer’s decision, but it would seem to make sense in order to maximise the Labour turnout.

    That would make sense, better as the incumbent to want the by-election at the same time as the locals, rather than as a stand-alone campaign.
    Indeed - but if it is anything other than a thumping hold Labour would be in real trouble. Fortunately the local by-election in Gedling the other day will have re-assured them:

    Cavendish (Gedling) council by-election result:

    LDEM: 35.5% (+15.8)
    LAB: 30.8% (-24.8)
    CON: 25.4% (+0.6)
    IND: 5.7% (+5.7)
    GRN: 2.6% (+2.6)

    Votes cast: 985

    Liberal Democrat GAIN from Labour.
    But the West Midlands has long been a desert for the LibDems.
    I hope the LibDems run a low key campaign in Bham Erdington.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    May's local elections sounds like Botham's Ashes.

    Presumably the baseline for this May's lot is May's May 2017 locals? 2019 would flatter the results a bit.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751

    Poor lad, this is proper village cricket, not test match cricket.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Did Wisden really misspell “off”?
    In their defence they did post that Tweet at 3.16 am.
    And it is presumably unlikely that they had someone in Australia covering the match, given the restrictions on getting in.
    Why didn't they ask Novak Djokovic? He knows all about comedy with lots of balls...
  • IshmaelZ said:

    May's local elections sounds like Botham's Ashes.

    Presumably the baseline for this May's lot is May's May 2017 locals? 2019 would flatter the results a bit.

    2018, as noted in the header, were a tie.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    Poor lad, this is proper village cricket, not test match cricket.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Did Wisden really misspell “off”?
    In their defence they did post that Tweet at 3.16 am.
    And it is presumably unlikely that they had someone in Australia covering the match, given the restrictions on getting in.
    NZ....
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 14,912
    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
    Really? We watched the first two episodes on catch up last night with the kids and it was perfect family viewing, everyone enjoyed it, not a mean feat in our household.
    I thought it was incredibly dull, especially compared to both the book and the David Niven film. Such slow pacing.
    Perhaps I'm used to a slower pace of life! I thought they'd packed a lot in by the end of episode two and I found the characters pretty interesting. I've read other people complaining that the first episode was slow but I don't really get that, there was a certain amount of scene setting, character setting etc that always needs to be done at the start. The three leads are all great. Looking forward to the rest of it.
  • tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    It is *spectacularly* good. Casting, acting, script. Its a bit close to the bone for some hence the attacks it gets. Meanwhile in America Tucker Carlson interviews Ted Cruz demanding Cruz withdraws what he said about seeing a comet because true patriots know there is no comet.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,718

    Poor lad, this is proper village cricket, not test match cricket.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Did Wisden really misspell “off”?
    In their defence they did post that Tweet at 3.16 am.
    And it is presumably unlikely that they had someone in Australia covering the match, given the restrictions on getting in.
    New Zealand, not Australia, but the comment about 'getting in' stands, of course. Looks like the Kiwis have decided on revenge for Taurunga!
    349-1 at close.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,068
    TimS said:

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
    Really? We watched the first two episodes on catch up last night with the kids and it was perfect family viewing, everyone enjoyed it, not a mean feat in our household.
    I thought it was incredibly dull, especially compared to both the book and the David Niven film. Such slow pacing.
    We warmed to it. Second episode better than first.
    I rather enjoyed it, and finished the final episode last weekend. Quite a lot of deviations from previous versions, but in the same spirit. A bit of fun.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,124

    felix said:

    Sandpit said:

    Presumably the Birmingham Erdington by-election will be held on the same day?

    It’s Starmer’s decision, but it would seem to make sense in order to maximise the Labour turnout.

    That would make sense, better as the incumbent to want the by-election at the same time as the locals, rather than as a stand-alone campaign.
    Indeed - but if it is anything other than a thumping hold Labour would be in real trouble. Fortunately the local by-election in Gedling the other day will have re-assured them:

    Cavendish (Gedling) council by-election result:

    LDEM: 35.5% (+15.8)
    LAB: 30.8% (-24.8)
    CON: 25.4% (+0.6)
    IND: 5.7% (+5.7)
    GRN: 2.6% (+2.6)

    Votes cast: 985

    Liberal Democrat GAIN from Labour.
    But the West Midlands has long been a desert for the LibDems.
    As I said - it's a thumping Labour hold or Starmer misses the markMarquee ! :smiley:
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,718

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    It is *spectacularly* good. Casting, acting, script. Its a bit close to the bone for some hence the attacks it gets. Meanwhile in America Tucker Carlson interviews Ted Cruz demanding Cruz withdraws what he said about seeing a comet because true patriots know there is no comet.
    If there's no comet, how is JFK going to return?
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 14,772

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
    Really? We watched the first two episodes on catch up last night with the kids and it was perfect family viewing, everyone enjoyed it, not a mean feat in our household.
    I thought it was incredibly dull, especially compared to both the book and the David Niven film. Such slow pacing.
    Perhaps I'm used to a slower pace of life! I thought they'd packed a lot in by the end of episode two and I found the characters pretty interesting. I've read other people complaining that the first episode was slow but I don't really get that, there was a certain amount of scene setting, character setting etc that always needs to be done at the start. The three leads are all great. Looking forward to the rest of it.
    I was somewhat thrown by the first two episodes - they hadn't even managed to get out of Europe, while the book jumps straight past Suez. I'm not sure I like the change in the Fogg character - to an insecure nervous wreck - from the confident character in the book. I think having him be confident, and achieving almost impossible things with that confidence, is the better set-up to the crushing disappointment towards the end of the story.

    The other weird thing is that the story is about circling the world in 80 days, about meeting that time limit, with the necessity of making tight connections so as not to fall behind, and at the end of one episode they had ten minutes to make it to the departing steamship, but instead of showing a helter skelter chase through the port's streets you didn't see that at all. They seem to have relegated the core story to the background while they foreground the character development of the incidental characters they meet in each episode.

    But I do enjoy watching David Tennant, so we'll see where they take it.
  • TazTaz Posts: 10,703

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    It is *spectacularly* good. Casting, acting, script. Its a bit close to the bone for some hence the attacks it gets. Meanwhile in America Tucker Carlson interviews Ted Cruz demanding Cruz withdraws what he said about seeing a comet because true patriots know there is no comet.
    Nah, it’s dull. We started watching, as it was trending, it and turned it off after an hour, zzzz.
  • ApplicantApplicant Posts: 3,379

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    It is *spectacularly* good. Casting, acting, script. Its a bit close to the bone for some hence the attacks it gets.
    The Guardian criticised its "smug superiority".

    Yes, the *Guardian*.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Applicant said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    It is *spectacularly* good. Casting, acting, script. Its a bit close to the bone for some hence the attacks it gets.
    The Guardian criticised its "smug superiority".

    Yes, the *Guardian*.
    I thought it was cracking
  • kjhkjh Posts: 10,458
    IshmaelZ said:

    Poor lad, this is proper village cricket, not test match cricket.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Did Wisden really misspell “off”?
    In their defence they did post that Tweet at 3.16 am.
    And it is presumably unlikely that they had someone in Australia covering the match, given the restrictions on getting in.
    NZ....
    @IshmaelZ re our previous discussion. This morning l looked at your posts for the last few days and I found the post you were referring to and it wasn't me. That has put my mind at rest but by your reaction to me you were obviously upset by that post. I hope you appreciate that your mistaken reaction to me has the same effect.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 14,878
    Watching Drakeford on Sky, it occurs to me he is very scared of Covid, possibly as he is older than Johnson. How much does personal health affect people’s perception of Covid?
  • Applicant said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    It is *spectacularly* good. Casting, acting, script. Its a bit close to the bone for some hence the attacks it gets.
    The Guardian criticised its "smug superiority".

    Yes, the *Guardian*.
    The Guardian's film reviewer only seems to like art house movies or stories of socialist solidarity starring Maxine Peak. They tore chunks off Ghostbusters Afterlife despite it being fabulous.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709
    The Conservatives will undoubtedly make losses compared to 2018 given the current polls but will also likely still do better than in 2019 where the voteshare for May's Tories fell below 30% and the Tories lost over 1,000 councillors.

    Remember too most of the seats up in are Labour territory with all of the London and Welsh councils up and most of the big cities but only a minority of councils elsewhere in England. So on that basis if the Tories manage to hold a few key London councils like Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea without too heavy losses elsewhere, made easier by the fact Labour already hold the majority of councils up this year (as do the SNP in the Scottish councils up) that could be spun as a reasonable result. See too 1990 where despite Kinnock's Labour leading Thatcher's Tories by a big 11% margin in the popular vote for that year's locals and despite the Tories losing over 200 councillors, Kenneth Baker spun the results as better than expected for the blues as they held Westminster and Wandsworth
  • felix said:

    felix said:

    Sandpit said:

    Presumably the Birmingham Erdington by-election will be held on the same day?

    It’s Starmer’s decision, but it would seem to make sense in order to maximise the Labour turnout.

    That would make sense, better as the incumbent to want the by-election at the same time as the locals, rather than as a stand-alone campaign.
    Indeed - but if it is anything other than a thumping hold Labour would be in real trouble. Fortunately the local by-election in Gedling the other day will have re-assured them:

    Cavendish (Gedling) council by-election result:

    LDEM: 35.5% (+15.8)
    LAB: 30.8% (-24.8)
    CON: 25.4% (+0.6)
    IND: 5.7% (+5.7)
    GRN: 2.6% (+2.6)

    Votes cast: 985

    Liberal Democrat GAIN from Labour.
    But the West Midlands has long been a desert for the LibDems.
    As I said - it's a thumping Labour hold or Starmer misses the markMarquee ! :smiley:
    Another reason why holding the Birmingham by-election in May is sensible- it reduces the capacity for the Lib Dems to run "Operation Kitchen Sink".

    Though it does look like the Red and Yellow teams, whilst not having a deal, do understand each other at Westminster level.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281
    IshmaelZ said:

    Applicant said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    It is *spectacularly* good. Casting, acting, script. Its a bit close to the bone for some hence the attacks it gets.
    The Guardian criticised its "smug superiority".

    Yes, the *Guardian*.
    I thought it was cracking
    We're planning to give it a try this evening. Interesting how divisive it seems to be.

    I'm looking forward to Munich: Edge of War, out on Netflix in a couple of weeks. I really enjoyed the book, Robert Harris is a great writer, I hope they do it justice.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    kjh said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Poor lad, this is proper village cricket, not test match cricket.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Did Wisden really misspell “off”?
    In their defence they did post that Tweet at 3.16 am.
    And it is presumably unlikely that they had someone in Australia covering the match, given the restrictions on getting in.
    NZ....
    @IshmaelZ re our previous discussion. This morning l looked at your posts for the last few days and I found the post you were referring to and it wasn't me. That has put my mind at rest but by your reaction to me you were obviously upset by that post. I hope you appreciate that your mistaken reaction to me has the same effect.
    ah OK well done apologies in that case
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281

    Applicant said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    It is *spectacularly* good. Casting, acting, script. Its a bit close to the bone for some hence the attacks it gets.
    The Guardian criticised its "smug superiority".

    Yes, the *Guardian*.
    The Guardian's film reviewer only seems to like art house movies or stories of socialist solidarity starring Maxine Peak. They tore chunks off Ghostbusters Afterlife despite it being fabulous.
    I tend to agree.

    On the subject of Maxine Peake, we have just watched the Hillsborough series, Anne. Very powerful. Gut-wrenching performances from Peake and many others. Highly recommended.
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797

    IshmaelZ said:

    May's local elections sounds like Botham's Ashes.

    Presumably the baseline for this May's lot is May's May 2017 locals? 2019 would flatter the results a bit.

    2018, as noted in the header, were a tie.
    Ipsos Mori has labour at 42%, Tories 38% in April 2018. https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2018-04/pm-april-2018-tables.pdf
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751
    Jos Buttler has a broken finger. Stokes and Bairstow to be 'assessed' going forward, but from the sound of it Bairstow will almost certainly not be able to keep even if he plays as a batsman.

    https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ashes-2021-22-4th-test-scg-jos-buttler-to-return-to-england-with-broken-finger-1296117

    Good news for Sam Billings, but they were still mad to send the Lions home. Billings is a good keeper and batsman, but Foakes is better.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 10,458
    HYUFD said:

    The Conservatives will undoubtedly make losses compared to 2018 given the current polls but will also likely still do better than in 2019 where the voteshare for May's Tories fell below 30% and the Tories lost over 1,000 councillors.

    Remember too most of the seats up in are Labour territory with all of the London and Welsh councils up and most of the big cities but only a minority of councils elsewhere in England. So on that basis if the Tories manage to hold a few key London councils like Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea without too heavy losses elsewhere, made easier by the fact Labour already hold the majority of councils up this year (as do the SNP in the Scottish councils up) that could be spun as a reasonable result. See too 1990 where despite Kinnock's Labour leading Thatcher's Tories by a big 11% margin in the popular vote for that year's locals and despite the Tories losing over 200 councillors, Kenneth Baker spun the results as better than expected for the blues as they held Westminster and Wandsworth

    I tend to agree. I also remember Kenneth Baker's spin. It was quite impressive. It seemed to work. I remember thinking 'What?'
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 14,772
    I've watched a lot of asteroid disaster movies (and series like Salvation) and I thought Don't Look Up was a smart and funny twist on the tropes of the genre by having very few people take the threat seriously.

    I think a whole bunch of people have sucked the fun out of the film by fighting battles over parallels with global warming.
  • Applicant said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    It is *spectacularly* good. Casting, acting, script. Its a bit close to the bone for some hence the attacks it gets.
    The Guardian criticised its "smug superiority".

    Yes, the *Guardian*.
    The Guardian's film reviewer only seems to like art house movies or stories of socialist solidarity starring Maxine Peak. They tore chunks off Ghostbusters Afterlife despite it being fabulous.
    I tend to agree.

    On the subject of Maxine Peake, we have just watched the Hillsborough series, Anne. Very powerful. Gut-wrenching performances from Peake and many others. Highly recommended.
    Don't get me wrong - she is a fantastic actor. Its just that she does like doing righteous roles these days and the Guardian gives them 12 out of 10 and everything else 2.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,281

    Applicant said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    It is *spectacularly* good. Casting, acting, script. Its a bit close to the bone for some hence the attacks it gets.
    The Guardian criticised its "smug superiority".

    Yes, the *Guardian*.
    The Guardian's film reviewer only seems to like art house movies or stories of socialist solidarity starring Maxine Peak. They tore chunks off Ghostbusters Afterlife despite it being fabulous.
    I tend to agree.

    On the subject of Maxine Peake, we have just watched the Hillsborough series, Anne. Very powerful. Gut-wrenching performances from Peake and many others. Highly recommended.
    Don't get me wrong - she is a fantastic actor. Its just that she does like doing righteous roles these days and the Guardian gives them 12 out of 10 and everything else 2.
    Oh I agree. Her politics seems to come to the fore in everything she does and that becomes very wearing after a while. But this was a stupendous performance, as were many of the others.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 10,458
    IshmaelZ said:

    kjh said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Poor lad, this is proper village cricket, not test match cricket.

    A dropped catch of his bowling, and then seven overthrows conceded which ended with him chasing the ball all the way to the boundary. Spare a thought for Ebadot Hossain.

    https://twitter.com/WisdenCricket/status/1480015667927687171

    Did Wisden really misspell “off”?
    In their defence they did post that Tweet at 3.16 am.
    And it is presumably unlikely that they had someone in Australia covering the match, given the restrictions on getting in.
    NZ....
    @IshmaelZ re our previous discussion. This morning l looked at your posts for the last few days and I found the post you were referring to and it wasn't me. That has put my mind at rest but by your reaction to me you were obviously upset by that post. I hope you appreciate that your mistaken reaction to me has the same effect.
    ah OK well done apologies in that case
    No problem. Glad to have put that to bed. Apologies if you think I have overreacted, but it did throw me.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,046

    Heathener said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
    Really? We watched the first two episodes on catch up last night with the kids and it was perfect family viewing, everyone enjoyed it, not a mean feat in our household.
    Really? What was it that you all enjoyed? Episode and a half before I bailed. Slow, boring, trying to overload even episode 1 with sludgy 'pathos' as per most BBC efforts these days. A shame, as the set up was OK. With Passepartous (sp?) handled well by a black actor, and Fix changed to an outgoing female journalist, I thought 'great - we've covered our PC bases and can now get on and have fun'. Sadly that wasn't to be.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 3,869

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
    Really? We watched the first two episodes on catch up last night with the kids and it was perfect family viewing, everyone enjoyed it, not a mean feat in our household.
    I thought it was incredibly dull, especially compared to both the book and the David Niven film. Such slow pacing.
    Perhaps I'm used to a slower pace of life! I thought they'd packed a lot in by the end of episode two and I found the characters pretty interesting. I've read other people complaining that the first episode was slow but I don't really get that, there was a certain amount of scene setting, character setting etc that always needs to be done at the start. The three leads are all great. Looking forward to the rest of it.
    I was somewhat thrown by the first two episodes - they hadn't even managed to get out of Europe, while the book jumps straight past Suez. I'm not sure I like the change in the Fogg character - to an insecure nervous wreck - from the confident character in the book. I think having him be confident, and achieving almost impossible things with that confidence, is the better set-up to the crushing disappointment towards the end of the story.

    The other weird thing is that the story is about circling the world in 80 days, about meeting that time limit, with the necessity of making tight connections so as not to fall behind, and at the end of one episode they had ten minutes to make it to the departing steamship, but instead of showing a helter skelter chase through the port's streets you didn't see that at all. They seem to have relegated the core story to the background while they foreground the character development of the incidental characters they meet in each episode.

    But I do enjoy watching David Tennant, so we'll see where they take it.

    Watching Drakeford on Sky, it occurs to me he is very scared of Covid, possibly as he is older than Johnson. How much does personal health affect people’s perception of Covid?

    John Swinney is the same. Maybe because his wife has MS and is shielding?
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    The Secret Barrister in the Coltston Four Jury and the several potential routes to their verdict (and why critics and supporters have got it wrong):

    https://twitter.com/jerryhayes1/status/1480096836845195266?s=21
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
    Really? We watched the first two episodes on catch up last night with the kids and it was perfect family viewing, everyone enjoyed it, not a mean feat in our household.
    I thought it was incredibly dull, especially compared to both the book and the David Niven film. Such slow pacing.
    Perhaps I'm used to a slower pace of life! I thought they'd packed a lot in by the end of episode two and I found the characters pretty interesting. I've read other people complaining that the first episode was slow but I don't really get that, there was a certain amount of scene setting, character setting etc that always needs to be done at the start. The three leads are all great. Looking forward to the rest of it.
    I was somewhat thrown by the first two episodes - they hadn't even managed to get out of Europe, while the book jumps straight past Suez. I'm not sure I like the change in the Fogg character - to an insecure nervous wreck - from the confident character in the book. I think having him be confident, and achieving almost impossible things with that confidence, is the better set-up to the crushing disappointment towards the end of the story.

    The other weird thing is that the story is about circling the world in 80 days, about meeting that time limit, with the necessity of making tight connections so as not to fall behind, and at the end of one episode they had ten minutes to make it to the departing steamship, but instead of showing a helter skelter chase through the port's streets you didn't see that at all. They seem to have relegated the core story to the background while they foreground the character development of the incidental characters they meet in each episode.

    But I do enjoy watching David Tennant, so we'll see where they take it.

    Watching Drakeford on Sky, it occurs to me he is very scared of Covid, possibly as he is older than Johnson. How much does personal health affect people’s perception of Covid?

    John Swinney is the same. Maybe because his wife has MS and is shielding?
    I’m sure it’s inescapable - AIUI Deepti and her children are also vulnerable.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    The Secret Barrister in the Coltston Four Jury and the several potential routes to their verdict (and why critics and supporters have got it wrong):

    https://twitter.com/jerryhayes1/status/1480096836845195266?s=21

    Really, really good piece
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 14,772

    The Secret Barrister in the Coltston Four Jury and the several potential routes to their verdict (and why critics and supporters have got it wrong):

    https://twitter.com/jerryhayes1/status/1480096836845195266?s=21

    That's a really good article, and it's a sad indictment of our public debate that the many interesting points in it haven't been reported or discussed elsewhere as far as I have seen.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,674

    Heathener said:

    Heathener said:

    tlg86 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Watched Don't Look Up.
    It's self indulgent garbage.

    It’s a real shame, because it had the potential to be very good.
    Watched The Outlaws last week. Absolutely fantastic.

    Tried watching Around the World in 80 Days. Absolutely awful.
    Really? We watched the first two episodes on catch up last night with the kids and it was perfect family viewing, everyone enjoyed it, not a mean feat in our household.
    I thought it was incredibly dull, especially compared to both the book and the David Niven film. Such slow pacing.
    Perhaps I'm used to a slower pace of life! I thought they'd packed a lot in by the end of episode two and I found the characters pretty interesting. I've read other people complaining that the first episode was slow but I don't really get that, there was a certain amount of scene setting, character setting etc that always needs to be done at the start. The three leads are all great. Looking forward to the rest of it.
    I was somewhat thrown by the first two episodes - they hadn't even managed to get out of Europe, while the book jumps straight past Suez. I'm not sure I like the change in the Fogg character - to an insecure nervous wreck - from the confident character in the book. I think having him be confident, and achieving almost impossible things with that confidence, is the better set-up to the crushing disappointment towards the end of the story.

    The other weird thing is that the story is about circling the world in 80 days, about meeting that time limit, with the necessity of making tight connections so as not to fall behind, and at the end of one episode they had ten minutes to make it to the departing steamship, but instead of showing a helter skelter chase through the port's streets you didn't see that at all. They seem to have relegated the core story to the background while they foreground the character development of the incidental characters they meet in each episode.

    But I do enjoy watching David Tennant, so we'll see where they take it.

    Watching Drakeford on Sky, it occurs to me he is very scared of Covid, possibly as he is older than Johnson. How much does personal health affect people’s perception of Covid?

    John Swinney is the same. Maybe because his wife has MS and is shielding?
    I’m sure it’s inescapable - AIUI Deepti and her children are also vulnerable.
    In Swinney's case it may just be that he is useless as usual. He has to suck butt and do exactly as the great leader orders.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,718
    edited January 2022
    IshmaelZ said:

    The Secret Barrister in the Coltston Four Jury and the several potential routes to their verdict (and why critics and supporters have got it wrong):

    https://twitter.com/jerryhayes1/status/1480096836845195266?s=21

    Really, really good piece
    For one horrible moment I thought that Jerry Hayes had been outed as the Secret Barrister!.

    Edit; required reading for the Home Sec. And the Attorney General!
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,709
    Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt have allegedly agreed a "non-aggression pact", in an attempt to push Liz Truss out of a future Conservative Party leadership race.

    https://twitter.com/electpoliticsuk/status/1479965165026222083?s=20
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,751

    IshmaelZ said:

    The Secret Barrister in the Coltston Four Jury and the several potential routes to their verdict (and why critics and supporters have got it wrong):

    https://twitter.com/jerryhayes1/status/1480096836845195266?s=21

    Really, really good piece
    For one horrible moment I thought that Jerry Hayes had been outed as the Secret Barrister!.

    Edit; required reading for the Home Sec. And the Attorney General!
    And for the defendants and their fellow violent self righteous supporters, for the matter of that.
  • HYUFD said:

    Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt have allegedly agreed a "non-aggression pact", in an attempt to push Liz Truss out of a future Conservative Party leadership race.

    https://twitter.com/electpoliticsuk/status/1479965165026222083?s=20

    Headline in one tweet; source in the next; isn't that what got the last lot banned?

    Sunak and Hunt allies 'stitch up deal' to squeeze Liz Truss out of Tory leadership race
    Tory insiders say campaign teams for the Chancellor and former Health Secretary have agreed a “non-aggression pact” in their bid to succeed Boris Johnson as PM

    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/sunak-hunt-allies-stitch-up-25891961

    Would that be "Tory insiders" on Team Truss?
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,739
    "Article 16" is a virility test for the leadership election

    Liz Truss has warned she is willing to trigger Article 16 - unilaterally overriding parts of the post-Brexit agreement on Northern Ireland - if the negotiations she is now leading fail
    https://trib.al/gAihVjO

    Meanwhile...

    Sunak and Hunt allies' 'stitch up' to squeeze Truss out of Tory leadership race
    https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/sunak-hunt-allies-stitch-up-25891961
This discussion has been closed.