politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » After a day dominated by two big polls IndyRef NO is the bi
Inevitably with only 15 days left to go before Scotland decides on partition there’s been a lot of betting activity on the referendum outcome with the money going on YES. YouGov’s 6% NO lead, down from 18% in July, has given partition campaigners real hope that what they’ve been campaigning for decades might just conceivably happen.
Comments
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Scottish Labour finally getting into gear to get its voters out for No
Brown started a speaking tour of Scotland http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29023267
Jim Murphy resumed his soap box campaign in Edinburgh http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-290197150 -
Tragic news from Syria. A comres poll today had the public opposing airstrikes on ISIS after previous polls suggested support (though the question included Syria as well as Iraq). I wonder if today's tragic news will switch those figures again?0
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This is a pretty unbelievable situation:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/02/statutory-rape-victim-child-support/14953965/0 -
FPT:
Ashcroft - Clacton, general election:
Including only positive responses:
UKIP 48.8%
Con 27.5%
Lab 18.8%
LD 2.5%
Green 2.5%
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America. Land of the idiot.Socrates said:This is a pretty unbelievable situation:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/02/statutory-rape-victim-child-support/14953965/0 -
New pledge signed by Cameron, Miliband, Clegg, Davidson, Lamont and Rennie on more powers for Holyrood and Devomax
twitter.com/UK_Together/status/506882670325149696/photo/10 -
Johann Lamont, Gordon Brown and Jim Murphy?HYUFD said:Scottish Labour finally getting into gear to get its voters out for No
Brown started a speaking tour of Scotland http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29023267
Jim Murphy resumed his soap box campaign in Edinburgh http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-29019715
The Union is fucked.
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And, right on cue, the panic kicks in.HYUFD said:New pledge signed by Cameron, Miliband, Clegg, Davidson, Lamont and Rennie on more powers for Holyrood and Devomax
twitter.com/UK_Together/status/506882670325149696/photo/1
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Andrew Neil presents Newsnight at 1030... Best man for the job especially on a day like today0
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Todays BJESUS
2.9.14 LAB331(333) CON261(259) LD24(34) Others24 (24) Ed is crap is PM0 -
No details on the bulk of the promises, followed by a line about "retaining full representation in Westminster." They can't guarantee that, and nor should they.HYUFD said:New pledge signed by Cameron, Miliband, Clegg, Davidson, Lamont and Rennie on more powers for Holyrood and Devomax
twitter.com/UK_Together/status/506882670325149696/photo/1
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SD Gordon Brown won over 40% of the vote in Scotland in 2010 and got the UK's only swing to Labour, at least Murphy is on his soapbox, have yet to see anyone from Yes follow him0
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2.9.14 LAB 331 (333) CON 261(259) LD 34(34) UKIP 0(0) Others 24 (Ed is crap is PM)
Last weeks BJESUS in brackets
BJESUS (Big John Election Service Uniform Swing)
Using current polling adjusted for 246 days left to go factor and using UKPR standard swingometer
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SD In 1980 Trudeau did the same and it helped seal the deal for No in Quebec0
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Did anyone else hear Forsyth at 5pm tonight. Arrogant and unpleasant. Furthermore, according to him the polls are wrong. Many people daren’t tell a pollster (not a canvasser) that they’re voting No.HYUFD said:New pledge signed by Cameron, Miliband, Clegg, Davidson, Lamont and Rennie on more powers for Holyrood and Devomax
twitter.com/UK_Together/status/506882670325149696/photo/1
Shaders of Romney’s people!0 -
If Scotland votes No, but gets extra powers, then it's only fair we establish an English Parliament with similar powers.0
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Yesterdays polls
YG LAB 328 CON 279 LD 16 Other 27 Ed is crap is PM
ComRes LAB 365 CON 225 LD 32 Other 28 EICIPM0 -
It's federalism on the cards.Sean_F said:If Scotland votes No, but gets extra powers, then it's only fair we establish an English Parliament with similar powers.
No bad thing.0 -
YG no PM Ed if YES wins..bigjohnowls said:Yesterdays polls
YG LAB 328 CON 279 LD 16 Other 27 Ed is crap is PM
ComRes LAB 365 CON 225 LD 32 Other 28 EICIPM0 -
It's sort of odd Ed hiding as far as possible from the Indyref.TGOHF said:
YG no PM Ed if YES wins..bigjohnowls said:Yesterdays polls
YG LAB 328 CON 279 LD 16 Other 27 Ed is crap is PM
ComRes LAB 365 CON 225 LD 32 Other 28 EICIPM
If it's yes Ed should go, not Cameron, since his chaps failed to deliver the vote.0 -
Yes makes no difference to Scottish MPs at GE2015 as Scotland not independent till at least 2016TGOHF said:
YG no PM Ed if YES wins..bigjohnowls said:Yesterdays polls
YG LAB 328 CON 279 LD 16 Other 27 Ed is crap is PM
ComRes LAB 365 CON 225 LD 32 Other 28 EICIPM0 -
The closing gap in opinion polls was very predictable as the date drew closer.
No will win by a wide margin.0 -
Ed is quite sensibly staying out of it and trusting to his loyal and capable North British team!Alanbrooke said:
It's sort of odd Ed hiding as far as possible from the Indyref.TGOHF said:
YG no PM Ed if YES wins..bigjohnowls said:Yesterdays polls
YG LAB 328 CON 279 LD 16 Other 27 Ed is crap is PM
ComRes LAB 365 CON 225 LD 32 Other 28 EICIPM
If it's yes Ed should go, not Cameron, since his chaps failed to deliver the vote.0 -
Ed is PM for 10 months ? Worse than Gordon.bigjohnowls said:
Yes makes no difference to Scottish MPs at GE2015 as Scotland not independent till at least 2016TGOHF said:
YG no PM Ed if YES wins..bigjohnowls said:Yesterdays polls
YG LAB 328 CON 279 LD 16 Other 27 Ed is crap is PM
ComRes LAB 365 CON 225 LD 32 Other 28 EICIPM0 -
Monkeys I think the fact all 3 party leaders have made the promise will have an impact0
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One would hope so.Itajai said:
You are right of course. Rights will always trump security.rcs1000 said:
Would you like to put some money on that?Itajai said:Wonder when the US will start asking for visas from UK/European nationals again?
It will focus the minds of the Florida-loving classes in any case.
Or will they merely ask this of those with Middle Eastern/Muslim names. To howls of outrage of course.
I say £1,000 says that the ESTA (no visa for UK) system stays for the next five years.0 -
OKC Not really, he had some sensible points about the poorly run BBC debate and how silent Tories helped win it for Major in 1992 including gaining a surprise extra Tory seat in Scotland0
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SeanF English votes for English laws the best way forward0
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While I take your point I think polling techniques have moved on since then.HYUFD said:OKC Not really, he had some sensible points about the poorly run BBC debate and how silent Tories helped win it for Major in 1992 including gaining a surprise extra Tory seat in Scotland
At least that’s what several people here have said.
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OldKingCole said:
Ed is quite sensibly staying out of it and trusting to his loyal and capable North British team!Alanbrooke said:
It's sort of odd Ed hiding as far as possible from the Indyref.TGOHF said:
YG no PM Ed if YES wins..bigjohnowls said:Yesterdays polls
YG LAB 328 CON 279 LD 16 Other 27 Ed is crap is PM
ComRes LAB 365 CON 225 LD 32 Other 28 EICIPM
If it's yes Ed should go, not Cameron, since his chaps failed to deliver the vote.
for someone who has more to lose than cameron that's a "brave" approachOldKingCole said:
Ed is quite sensibly staying out of it and trusting to his loyal and capable North British team!Alanbrooke said:
It's sort of odd Ed hiding as far as possible from the Indyref.TGOHF said:
YG no PM Ed if YES wins..bigjohnowls said:Yesterdays polls
YG LAB 328 CON 279 LD 16 Other 27 Ed is crap is PM
ComRes LAB 365 CON 225 LD 32 Other 28 EICIPM
If it's yes Ed should go, not Cameron, since his chaps failed to deliver the vote.0 -
Don't you know that:Sean_F said:If Scotland votes No, but gets extra powers, then it's only fair we establish an English Parliament with similar powers.
Scottish nationalism is good
Welsh nationalism is good
Irish nationalism is good
and
English nationalism is bad
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Wouldn't it be better to remove powers from politicians rather than give them new ones?Sean_F said:If Scotland votes No, but gets extra powers, then it's only fair we establish an English Parliament with similar powers.
To quote the great PJ O'Rourke: Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.0 -
Richard as Jack Straw ointed out you English tend towards dreadful violence,another_richard said:
Don't you know that:Sean_F said:If Scotland votes No, but gets extra powers, then it's only fair we establish an English Parliament with similar powers.
Scottish nationalism is good
Welsh nationalism is good
Irish nationalism is good
and
English nationalism is bad
unlike us Irish of course.0 -
FPT or so, from Mr Nabavi:
My entire position is based on a cool assessment of the reality. UKIP is helping Labour and may well put Ed Miliband into No 10. That's great if you share Ed Miliband's worldview, but I don't, and nor do those who support UKIP.
Yup in spades.
The argument which is put forward by the Kippers (apparently sincerely, at least in some cases) is that this is a price worth paying because a few years of Miliband will cause the Conservative Party to collapse and merge with UKIP, and this new coalition (which used to be called the 'Conservative Party' when Hague and IDS ran it) will triumphantly storm to victory, perhaps as early as 2020. The very best you can say about that is that it is unbelievably high-risk as a strategy. A more realistic assessment is that it is cloud-cuckoo-land, which will lead to a decade or more of disunity and a disastrous Labour government which we won't be able to shift, even though it will be very unpopular.
It's not as though we haven't seen the same thing before on the other side of the electoral divide, with the SDP. So you can't say I'm scaremongering on no evidence. I am speaking from experience (happy experience in the case of the SDP, of course).0 -
TGOHF No, according to yougov Labour leads by 4 points in London, 2 points in the Midlands and Wales and 23 points in the North. Indeed in Scotland Labour only leads the Tories by 10 points, while in the South the Tories lead Labour, but by only 9 points
http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/frletj5cgx/YG-Archive-Pol-Sunday-Times-results-140829.pdf
Scotland or no Scotland at the moment Ed is PM!0 -
Sam Coates Times (@SamCoatesTimes)
02/09/2014 20:03
Tory MPs say they were "astonished" neither Cameron or Crosby raised Clacton in their prepared remarks at the 1922. Only raised in q and a0 -
I really miss his HardTalk/StraightTalk whatever long form intv.
There's nothing like it on TV today. Brian Waldon remains my yardstick. John Humphres On The Record was also excellent. How long ago that was.isam said:Andrew Neil presents Newsnight at 1030... Best man for the job especially on a day like today
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Ignore it and perhaps it will go away! Mind, having Carswell as an Opposition MP doesn’t change things much!isam said:Sam Coates Times (@SamCoatesTimes)
02/09/2014 20:03
Tory MPs say they were "astonished" neither Cameron or Crosby raised Clacton in their prepared remarks at the 1922. Only raised in q and a0 -
You would still have the Westminster and London problem for those of us in the regions.The great wen's influence is pernicious across the rest of England so I would suggest a regionally based structure with powers devolved from London to the English regions.Sean_F said:If Scotland votes No, but gets extra powers, then it's only fair we establish an English Parliament with similar powers.
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Aix la Chapelle = AachenSeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..
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Or just move either the English or British government out of London.volcanopete said:
You would still have the Westminster and London problem for those of us in the regions.The great wen's influence is pernicious across the rest of England so I would suggest a regionally based structure with powers devolved from London to the English regions.Sean_F said:If Scotland votes No, but gets extra powers, then it's only fair we establish an English Parliament with similar powers.
If you look at the big English speaking countries the national capital is rarely the largest city:
Washington
Ottowa
Canberra
Wellington
Pretoria
And for that matter Edinburgh.
I've read that Liverpool was in the Victorian era suggested as the best place for the British capital being pretty much centrally placed in the British Isles.
Which would have pleased RodC.
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Herz Mountains?Stuart_Dickson said:
Aix la Chapelle = AachenSeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..0 -
Amazed nobody has done a rUk calculus.HYUFD said:TGOHF No, according to yougov Labour leads by 4 points in London, 2 points in the Midlands and Wales and 23 points in the North. Indeed in Scotland Labour only leads the Tories by 10 points, while in the South the Tories lead Labour, but by only 9 points
http://cdn.yougov.com/cumulus_uploads/document/frletj5cgx/YG-Archive-Pol-Sunday-Times-results-140829.pdf
Scotland or no Scotland at the moment Ed is PM!0 -
Are bookies having a change of heart about the Scottish independence referendum?
Keep watching the betting market over the next couple of weeks, as they are more likely to get it right than anyone else. The next few days should show if this trend continues. And keep a close eye on whether the Yes odds narrow beyond the 3/1 barrier or settle at that figure. As betting experts will know, that 3/1 level is often seen as decisive in determining whether a two-horse race is too close to call or has a clear favourite – I’ll update the latest odds daily at this link.
http://theconversation.com/are-bookies-having-a-change-of-heart-about-the-scottish-independence-referendum-31147?utm_content=bufferacff9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer0 -
3.9 on bet fair now..Stuart_Dickson said:Are bookies having a change of heart about the Scottish independence referendum?
Keep watching the betting market over the next couple of weeks, as they are more likely to get it right than anyone else. The next few days should show if this trend continues. And keep a close eye on whether the Yes odds narrow beyond the 3/1 barrier or settle at that figure. As betting experts will know, that 3/1 level is often seen as decisive in determining whether a two-horse race is too close to call or has a clear favourite – I’ll update the latest odds daily at this link.
http://theconversation.com/are-bookies-having-a-change-of-heart-about-the-scottish-independence-referendum-31147?utm_content=bufferacff9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer0 -
Stuart_Dickson said:
Aix la Chapelle = AachenSeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..
You could look for Neanderthals in the Harz mountains.
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TGOHF Would be a good idea, but on those numbers Miliband has a clear majority in England, let alone with Wales too0
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Stop thinking of the nice parts, go visit some "shitholes" and you'll get a wider knowledge of a country than pretty scenery and posh restaurants provide.SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..
Try the Essen-Gelsenkirchen-Bochum area or the drabest parts of the Mecklenberg coast.
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Well, it is the only other English city that could have credibly stepped up to the plate.another_richard said:
Or just move either the English or British government out of London.volcanopete said:
You would still have the Westminster and London problem for those of us in the regions.The great wen's influence is pernicious across the rest of England so I would suggest a regionally based structure with powers devolved from London to the English regions.Sean_F said:If Scotland votes No, but gets extra powers, then it's only fair we establish an English Parliament with similar powers.
If you look at the big English speaking countries the national capital is rarely the largest city:
Washington
Ottowa
Canberra
Wellington
Pretoria
And for that matter Edinburgh.
I've read that Liverpool was in the Victorian era suggested as the best place for the British capital being pretty much centrally placed in the British Isles.
Which would have pleased RodC.
Nowadays, it has to make do with being the capital of itself...0 -
Monkeys But Cameron, Miliband and Clegg have also signed the pledge, and they are party leaders at Westminster0
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OKC We will see on referendum day0
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AnotherRichard Yes, France, the UK, Russia and Japan are exceptions in having by far their largest city also as their capital0
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Jesus Christ. Why?SeanT said:Ps just watched the vid of the latest ISIS beheading.
Oddly, the better production values, and repetition, detract from the horror impact. Like the hollywoodised version of The Haunting. ISIS are losing their mojo.
For shock value, so you could ponce round the internet saying you had, cultivate that Fearless Journalist thing you're trying to carve out a bit more?0 -
Anyone watching the STV debate tonight ? Wee Dougie doing surprisingly well - well he exceeded my expectations.0
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Indeed.TGOHF said:
3.9 on bet fair now..Stuart_Dickson said:Are bookies having a change of heart about the Scottish independence referendum?
Keep watching the betting market over the next couple of weeks, as they are more likely to get it right than anyone else. The next few days should show if this trend continues. And keep a close eye on whether the Yes odds narrow beyond the 3/1 barrier or settle at that figure. As betting experts will know, that 3/1 level is often seen as decisive in determining whether a two-horse race is too close to call or has a clear favourite – I’ll update the latest odds daily at this link.
http://theconversation.com/are-bookies-having-a-change-of-heart-about-the-scottish-independence-referendum-31147?utm_content=bufferacff9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
And at the £1000 stake level it is just 3.55 (5/2).0 -
Regensburg's quaint. About three hours to Salzburg too (Austria I know). Or maybe Ulm/Augsburg. Thinks Ulm's cathedral was world's tallest building till some implausibly late date in nineteenth century ( need to check that).SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..0 -
Yup in spades.Plato said:FPT or so, from Mr Nabavi:
My entire position is based on a cool assessment of the reality. UKIP is helping Labour and may well put Ed Miliband into No 10. That's great if you share Ed Miliband's worldview, but I don't, and nor do those who support UKIP.
The argument which is put forward by the Kippers (apparently sincerely, at least in some cases) is that this is a price worth paying because a few years of Miliband will cause the Conservative Party to collapse and merge with UKIP, and this new coalition (which used to be called the 'Conservative Party' when Hague and IDS ran it) will triumphantly storm to victory, perhaps as early as 2020. The very best you can say about that is that it is unbelievably high-risk as a strategy. A more realistic assessment is that it is cloud-cuckoo-land, which will lead to a decade or more of disunity and a disastrous Labour government which we won't be able to shift, even though it will be very unpopular.
It's not as though we haven't seen the same thing before on the other side of the electoral divide, with the SDP. So you can't say I'm scaremongering on no evidence. I am speaking from experience (happy experience in the case of the SDP, of course).
Nope in spades.
btw I'm a floating voter and love telly, ooh look a cat dancing!
Easy this innit?0 -
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Take a trip through the Black Forest to the Rhine Falls - that would be my advice.SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..0 -
The Irish Republic? Belguim? Any of the Scandinavian countries. Going further afield, Thailand? Argentina?HYUFD said:AnotherRichard Yes, France, the UK, Russia and Japan are exceptions in having by far their largest city also as their capital
I really should get out more!
And I think the original question was about English speaking countries. Which rules out all but the Irish Republic!0 -
Mr. T, in your shoes I would load up the hire car with tissues and then head off to do the old battlefields, through the Ardennes and into Belgium. You get both worlds wars, it will be good for the soul (even if you have been before), and enough material to keep you blogging for a couple of years.SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..0 -
Romantische Strasse.SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..
Start in Frankfurt and work your way down to Fuessen and mad Ludwigs castles.
Take in Wurzburg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Dinkelsbuehl, Augsburg Munich and then the Bavarian Alps with loads of fun countryside and rivers.
Or do the Alpenstrasse start in Salzburg, take in Berchtesgaden for the Hitlerana, Koenigsee. more mad Ludwigs castles, Oberammergau and end up at lake Constance in Lindau. If you have time do Lake Constance and head into the Black Forest at Freiburg.
Or border hop start in the Pfalz and criss cross the Rhine taking in Alsace and Baden.
Laugh yourself silly at Haguenau where the french pretend the Maginot line was a great success, enjoy Baden Baden and don't miss the spa ( Friedrichsthermen if you lie au naturel , Caracalla if you just like a hot spa ), take in the wine villages either side, France Riquwihr and Kaysersberg, Germany down by the Kaiserstuhl. Strassburg, Kolmar, Freiburg and Basel are the big towns but touring the countryside ( Black Forest and Vosges ) you'll find a lot of interplay along Europe's lingusitic border, from the Kaiser's Palace in Haut Koenigsbourg in France to snails being the regional delicacy in Baden
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Germany are playing Argentina in a rematch if the World Cup final in Dusseldorf on Wednesday...SeanT said:
I've been to the toilety areas of the Ruhr. Nasty. I don't need to see any more. And I'm not in the mood for a soviet coastline. I've recently been to the chavvier parts of coastal Kent and Bournemouth, which are bad enough, tho I'm sure north East Germany is worse.another_richard said:
Stop thinking of the nice parts, go visit some "shitholes" and you'll get a wider knowledge of a country than pretty scenery and posh restaurants provide.SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..
Try the Essen-Gelsenkirchen-Bochum area or the drabest parts of the Mecklenberg coast.
I want mountains. September sun. Old churches. Perhaps a weird nazi death shrine.0 -
I would recommend the shores of Lake Constance. Lindau is particularly scenic and the lake boats can take you to Konstanz, Bregenz (Austria), Rorschach (Switzerland) and from Bregenz you can get to Vaduz in Liechtenstein (where presumably you keep your huge stash from the books and the blogs).SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..
I went in mid-September eight years ago with Mrs Stodge - delightful place but bad for the wallet and the waistline (though no doubt you can carry off the lederhosen and the Tyrolean hat with aplomb).
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PP - Council area with highest Yes % ->
Glasgow shortens from 14/1 to 9/1
FAV still Dundee: 4/50 -
Rotherham is twinned with Offenbach am Main - so near to where you are now.SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offenbach_am_Main
Maybe scope there for a 'compare and contrast' article ?
Offenbach is also twinned with Tower Hamlets - what a joyous view of British local government those Germans must have.
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I'd head south to Switzerland, of course. Stay a night or two at the 3 Kings Basel where I was able to afford one night of my honeymoon:SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..
http://www.lestroisrois.com/Grand-Hotel-Les-Trois-Rois.377+M5e34df5a01a.0.html
eat at the old guildhalls, then head for Luzern, take a late summer paddlesteamer ride, glance up at the mountains above the crystalline lakes, then head on to Lugano and find palm trees mingling with Swiss culture, maybe staying at http://www.splendide.ch/ .
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Jesus we must have it in for the Offenbach exchange studentsanother_richard said:
Rotherham is twinned with Offenbach am Main - so near to where you are now.SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offenbach_am_Main
Maybe scope there for a 'compare and contrast' article ?
Offenbach is also twinned with Tower Hamlets - what a joyous view of British local government those Germans must have.0 -
FPT @HurstLlama re: Trident
I'm not saying its scrapping would solve all our problems, but I am saying we cannot afford its replacement. I believe Trident to be detectable to enemies, and inoperable without American consent. Therefore at best it is an expensive bauble of a premier league state (which we aren't any more), and at worst it is an American asset that we pay for, but that contrary to keeping us safe, actively places us in danger.
I believe that retaining a tactical nuclear capability (warheads of different yields) is probably the most sensible solution (and a much more real deterrent), but if that isn't an option, we should just go non nuke.0 -
Lot to be said for Konstanz.stodge said:
I would recommend the shores of Lake Constance. Lindau is particularly scenic and the lake boats can take you to Konstanz, Bregenz (Austria), Rorschach (Switzerland) and from Bregenz you can get to Vaduz in Liechtenstein (where presumably you keep your huge stash from the books and the blogs).SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..
I went in mid-September eight years ago with Mrs Stodge - delightful place but bad for the wallet and the waistline (though no doubt you can carry off the lederhosen and the Tyrolean hat with aplomb).
The Schleswig-Holstein coast is also to be recommended.
I belive Heligoland is worth a visit. It’s on the bucket list, but I fear it won’t reach the top!0 -
0
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OKC Antwerp has about half the population of Brussels, I think London has almost 4 times the population of Birmingham. You may have a point about Ireland, Scandinavia, Argentina and Thailand though Belfast is over half the population of Dublin and Gothenburg about half the population of Stockholm0
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Yup in spades.Plato said:FPT or so, from Mr Nabavi:
My entire position is based on a cool assessment of the reality. UKIP is helping Labour and may well put Ed Miliband into No 10. That's great if you share Ed Miliband's worldview, but I don't, and nor do those who support UKIP.
The argument which is put forward by the Kippers (apparently sincerely, at least in some cases) is that this is a price worth paying because a few years of Miliband will cause the Conservative Party to collapse and merge with UKIP, and this new coalition (which used to be called the 'Conservative Party' when Hague and IDS ran it) will triumphantly storm to victory, perhaps as early as 2020. The very best you can say about that is that it is unbelievably high-risk as a strategy. A more realistic assessment is that it is cloud-cuckoo-land, which will lead to a decade or more of disunity and a disastrous Labour government which we won't be able to shift, even though it will be very unpopular.
It's not as though we haven't seen the same thing before on the other side of the electoral divide, with the SDP. So you can't say I'm scaremongering on no evidence. I am speaking from experience (happy experience in the case of the SDP, of course).
I think those UKIP supporters need to have a rethink. Why would they want to merge themselves with a party that has been incapable of defeating Labour decisively for nearly a generation and who show no signs of reversing that situation, whose brand is trashed possibly irrevocably, who repeatedly demonstrates how ill-disciplined, divided and dysfunctional it is, who are virtually dead in much of Scotland and large parts of urban Britain and who by offering a Coalition with the Libdems facilitated the destruction of that party as a serious force in British politics for the foreseeable future. It doesn't make sense. If UKIP continue to grow then any relationship with the Tories would likely be damaging.
Part of the reason UKIP exists is because the Tories have failed to oppose Labour adequately. If anything UKIP would be wise not to consider mergers and if the Tories do collapse then look to fill the void created. Whatever they do though they should remain distinct because all the evidence suggests the Tory brand is toxic and it taints other parties it works with.
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I think those UKIP supporters need to have a rethink. Why would they want to merge themselves with a party that has been incapable of defeating Labour decisively for nearly a generation and who show no signs of reversing that situation, whose brand is trashed possibly irrevocably, who repeatedly demonstrates how ill-disciplined, divided and dysfunctional it is, who are virtually dead in much of Scotland and large parts of urban Britain and who by offering a Coalition with the Libdems facilitated the destruction of that party as a serious force in British politics for the foreseeable future. It doesn't make sense. If UKIP continue to grow then any relationship with the Tories would likely be damaging.manofkent2014 said:
Yup in spades.Plato said:FPT or so, from Mr Nabavi:
My entire position is based on a cool assessment of the reality. UKIP is helping Labour and may well put Ed Miliband into No 10. That's great if you share Ed Miliband's worldview, but I don't, and nor do those who support UKIP.
The argument which is put forward by the Kippers (apparently sincerely, at least in some cases) is that this is a price worth paying because a few years of Miliband will cause the Conservative Party to collapse and merge with UKIP, and this new coalition (which used to be called the 'Conservative Party' when Hague and IDS ran it) will triumphantly storm to victory, perhaps as early as 2020. The very best you can say about that is that it is unbelievably high-risk as a strategy. A more realistic assessment is that it is cloud-cuckoo-land, which will lead to a decade or more of disunity and a disastrous Labour government which we won't be able to shift, even though it will be very unpopular.
It's not as though we haven't seen the same thing before on the other side of the electoral divide, with the SDP. So you can't say I'm scaremongering on no evidence. I am speaking from experience (happy experience in the case of the SDP, of course).
Part of the reason UKIP exists is because the Tories have failed to oppose Labour adequately. If anything UKIP would be wise not to consider mergers and if the Tories do collapse then look to fill the void created. Whatever they do though they should remain distinct because all the evidence suggest the Tory brand is toxic and it taints other parties it works with.
They want to aim at a reverse takeover imo with a detour through Rotherham and Burnley.
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Go and visit the damns. The Mohne is magnificent.SeanT said:
I've been to the toilety areas of the Ruhr. Nasty. I don't need to see any more. And I'm not in the mood for a soviet coastline. I've recently been to the chavvier parts of coastal Kent and Bournemouth, which are bad enough, tho I'm sure north East Germany is worse.
I want mountains. September sun. Old churches. Perhaps a weird nazi death shrine.0 -
I was thinking the same thing. It is really true that all of Scottish Labours' talent headed south. A realignment in Holyrood may be one of the outcomes of this debacle.TGOHF said:Anyone watching the STV debate tonight ? Wee Dougie doing surprisingly well - well he exceeded my expectations.
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Oh give us a break. "Journalistic duty".SeanT said:
Er, no. Cause I want to know the psychology of the nutters we face. The guys who want to kill is. I'm not sharing the vid. But I know I can take this shit, and I think it's my journalistic duty to observe.Hugh said:
Jesus Christ. Why?SeanT said:Ps just watched the vid of the latest ISIS beheading.
Oddly, the better production values, and repetition, detract from the horror impact. Like the hollywoodised version of The Haunting. ISIS are losing their mojo.
For shock value, so you could ponce round the internet saying you had, cultivate that Fearless Journalist thing you're trying to carve out a bit more?
So I watched it, and, oddly, it is much less intense than the Zarqawi vids from AQII. His vids had a cinema verite quality - grainy, eerie, scary - which was much more chilling. These news ones are slick and yet less horrifying.
And here I detect a weakness in ISIS. They secretly admire the west, they want to be Hollywood. They wear rolexes. They want to be Jack Bauer. They want to be James Bond. With daily prayers.
Thus we learn about our enemy and thus we learn how to defeat them. And they can be defeated. But to do that we must kill most of them.
You watched it because you wanted to, you told us you watched it to show that you can dare us to be as gritty and worldy as you.
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I didn’t have you down has a Shinner!HYUFD said:OKC Antwerp has about half the population of Brussels, I think London has almost 4 times the population of Birmingham. You may have a point about Ireland, Scandinavia, Argentina and Thailand though Belfast is over half the population of Dublin and Gothenburg about half the population of Stockholm
Belfast and Dublin are not in the same country!0 -
No we mustn't. Several strong men in the Middle East must.SeanT said:
Er, no. Cause I want to know the psychology of the nutters we face. The guys who want to kill is. I'm not sharing the vid. But I know I can take this shit, and I think it's my journalistic duty to observe.Hugh said:
Jesus Christ. Why?SeanT said:Ps just watched the vid of the latest ISIS beheading.
Oddly, the better production values, and repetition, detract from the horror impact. Like the hollywoodised version of The Haunting. ISIS are losing their mojo.
For shock value, so you could ponce round the internet saying you had, cultivate that Fearless Journalist thing you're trying to carve out a bit more?
So I watched it, and, oddly, it is much less intense than the Zarqawi vids from AQII. His vids had a cinema verite quality - grainy, eerie, scary - which was much more chilling. These news ones are slick and yet less horrifying.
And here I detect a weakness in ISIS. They secretly admire the west, they want to be Hollywood. They wear rolexes. They want to be Jack Bauer. They want to be James Bond. With daily prayers.
Thus we learn about our enemy and thus we learn how to defeat them. And they can be defeated. But to do that we must kill most of them.0 -
"The disturbing threat leaves the Prime Minister with the chilling prospect of a British national murdering another in the name of ISIS."
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2741169/ISIS-executioner-Jihadi-John-threatens-execute-British-hostage-beheads-second-US-journalist.html#ixzz3CBzlglQa
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook0 -
"The picture is not that of a province or corner of the country occupied by a distinct and growing population, though that would be perilous enough. It is of the occupation, more and more intense, of key areas and, it may be added, of key functions in the heartlands of the Kingdom. The process is one of which both populations will continuously and increasingly be conscious. It is this fact which, added to all the rest, points to the prospect of eventual conflict upon a scale which cannot adequately be described by any lesser term than civil war."
http://commonsense.websanon.com/?p=2140 -
The English regions are ridiculously defined. What the hell does Hertfordshire have to do with Norfolk? It's got far more connection to London and far more in common with Kent. I know the area well and no-one wants an East of England assembly.volcanopete said:
You would still have the Westminster and London problem for those of us in the regions.The great wen's influence is pernicious across the rest of England so I would suggest a regionally based structure with powers devolved from London to the English regions.Sean_F said:If Scotland votes No, but gets extra powers, then it's only fair we establish an English Parliament with similar powers.
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I'm afraid I agree with Sean on that point.david_herdson said:
No we mustn't. Several strong men in the Middle East must.SeanT said:
Er, no. Cause I want to know the psychology of the nutters we face. The guys who want to kill is. I'm not sharing the vid. But I know I can take this shit, and I think it's my journalistic duty to observe.Hugh said:
Jesus Christ. Why?SeanT said:Ps just watched the vid of the latest ISIS beheading.
Oddly, the better production values, and repetition, detract from the horror impact. Like the hollywoodised version of The Haunting. ISIS are losing their mojo.
For shock value, so you could ponce round the internet saying you had, cultivate that Fearless Journalist thing you're trying to carve out a bit more?
So I watched it, and, oddly, it is much less intense than the Zarqawi vids from AQII. His vids had a cinema verite quality - grainy, eerie, scary - which was much more chilling. These news ones are slick and yet less horrifying.
And here I detect a weakness in ISIS. They secretly admire the west, they want to be Hollywood. They wear rolexes. They want to be Jack Bauer. They want to be James Bond. With daily prayers.
Thus we learn about our enemy and thus we learn how to defeat them. And they can be defeated. But to do that we must kill most of them.
We should kill these b*stards.
And of course send Iran and Assad a bunch of flowers and box of choccies to apologise for being such arses with that whole "we might bomb you" thing, and ask for their help.0 -
Except we kill the strong men in the Middle East. Saddam, Qaddafi.....david_herdson said:
No we mustn't. Several strong men in the Middle East must.SeanT said:
Er, no. Cause I want to know the psychology of the nutters we face. The guys who want to kill is. I'm not sharing the vid. But I know I can take this shit, and I think it's my journalistic duty to observe.Hugh said:
Jesus Christ. Why?SeanT said:Ps just watched the vid of the latest ISIS beheading.
Oddly, the better production values, and repetition, detract from the horror impact. Like the hollywoodised version of The Haunting. ISIS are losing their mojo.
For shock value, so you could ponce round the internet saying you had, cultivate that Fearless Journalist thing you're trying to carve out a bit more?
So I watched it, and, oddly, it is much less intense than the Zarqawi vids from AQII. His vids had a cinema verite quality - grainy, eerie, scary - which was much more chilling. These news ones are slick and yet less horrifying.
And here I detect a weakness in ISIS. They secretly admire the west, they want to be Hollywood. They wear rolexes. They want to be Jack Bauer. They want to be James Bond. With daily prayers.
Thus we learn about our enemy and thus we learn how to defeat them. And they can be defeated. But to do that we must kill most of them.
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On ISIS - their desperate beheadings tell me that the US air strikes are being effective.
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There is that also.Smarmeron said:@SeanT
"Thus we learn about our enemy and thus we learn how to defeat them. And they can be defeated. But to do that we must kill most of them."
People are easily killed, the hard bit is destroying "ideas"
To that end, end all trade and diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia and impose sanctions.0 -
Strong men such as Assad ?david_herdson said:
No we mustn't. Several strong men in the Middle East must.SeanT said:
Er, no. Cause I want to know the psychology of the nutters we face. The guys who want to kill is. I'm not sharing the vid. But I know I can take this shit, and I think it's my journalistic duty to observe.Hugh said:
Jesus Christ. Why?SeanT said:Ps just watched the vid of the latest ISIS beheading.
Oddly, the better production values, and repetition, detract from the horror impact. Like the hollywoodised version of The Haunting. ISIS are losing their mojo.
For shock value, so you could ponce round the internet saying you had, cultivate that Fearless Journalist thing you're trying to carve out a bit more?
So I watched it, and, oddly, it is much less intense than the Zarqawi vids from AQII. His vids had a cinema verite quality - grainy, eerie, scary - which was much more chilling. These news ones are slick and yet less horrifying.
And here I detect a weakness in ISIS. They secretly admire the west, they want to be Hollywood. They wear rolexes. They want to be Jack Bauer. They want to be James Bond. With daily prayers.
Thus we learn about our enemy and thus we learn how to defeat them. And they can be defeated. But to do that we must kill most of them.
If the Conservatives win a majority next May will they have another vote on whether to bomb him ?
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Panic starting to kick in among the No camp. Just seen a bizarre posting on social media from a guy that I was at school with. Previously pretty quiet on the IndyRef, he is blaming "the great uneducated masses" for sinking the Union.
Perhaps if the Union had done a better job of befriending and assisting "the great uneducated masses" it wouldn't be in the mess it is in. And not calling them "the great uneducated masses" might be a nice start.0 -
I think you may have missed the gist of my post, which was kind of advocating that.Hugh said:
I'm afraid I agree with Sean on that point.david_herdson said:
No we mustn't. Several strong men in the Middle East must.SeanT said:
Er, no. Cause I want to know the psychology of the nutters we face. The guys who want to kill is. I'm not sharing the vid. But I know I can take this shit, and I think it's my journalistic duty to observe.Hugh said:
Jesus Christ. Why?SeanT said:Ps just watched the vid of the latest ISIS beheading.
Oddly, the better production values, and repetition, detract from the horror impact. Like the hollywoodised version of The Haunting. ISIS are losing their mojo.
For shock value, so you could ponce round the internet saying you had, cultivate that Fearless Journalist thing you're trying to carve out a bit more?
So I watched it, and, oddly, it is much less intense than the Zarqawi vids from AQII. His vids had a cinema verite quality - grainy, eerie, scary - which was much more chilling. These news ones are slick and yet less horrifying.
And here I detect a weakness in ISIS. They secretly admire the west, they want to be Hollywood. They wear rolexes. They want to be Jack Bauer. They want to be James Bond. With daily prayers.
Thus we learn about our enemy and thus we learn how to defeat them. And they can be defeated. But to do that we must kill most of them.
We should kill these b*stards.
And of course send Iran and Assad a bunch of flowers and box of choccies to apologise for being such arses with that whole "we might bomb you" thing, and ask for their help.0 -
7 times greater actually: London's population is 8.445m vs Birmingham's 1.224m.HYUFD said:OKC Antwerp has about half the population of Brussels, I think London has almost 4 times the population of Birmingham. You may have a point about Ireland, Scandinavia, Argentina and Thailand though Belfast is over half the population of Dublin and Gothenburg about half the population of Stockholm
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They seem to behead 10 people before breakfast, anyhow, so I doubt it's made much difference...SeanT said:
Yes. I agree with that.MarkHopkins said:
On ISIS - their desperate beheadings tell me that the US air strikes are being effective.0 -
I would very much agree with the suggestion of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Fantastic medieval town but probably only worth an afternoon.SeanT said:Pb brainiac advice needed.
My very pleasant Rhineland tour, courtesy Rupert Murdoch, ends on Friday. After that I might have 5 or 6 days where I could hire a car at Frankfurt and go anywhere, to do some writing and hiking and exploring.
But where? Of all the big European countries, Germany is the one I know least. I've been here, Berlin, Aachen, cologne, Dresden, and Munich, and the Bavarian alps, But all briefly. I'd like somewhere sunny in September (so probably south) but with interesting history, and nice hotels if poss.
The Black Forest? The weird Elbe mountains? Where? Or should I just drive on into France, Switzerland or Italy?
Germanophiles required!
Danke. Vielen danke..
After that I would head for the Black Forest - particularly paying a visit to the horribly touristy town of Triberg mostly for a wander around the Schwarzwaldmuseum. You get a real sense of a lost world there - of a Germany before the war which has now pretty much disappeared.
Also if you are heading south through the Black Forest towards Triberg then it is worth stopping off at Kaltenbronn nature reserve right up on top of the hills/mountains. There is a short walk up to the Kaiser Wilhelm Tower from the top of which you can look west right across the Rhine valley to the Vosges mountains and France. It is a hell of a view and for anyone interested in the troubled history of that border it is a fascinating place to go and visit.
Can't recommend hotels I am afraid as we have always rented houses over there.0 -
We need to get our hands dirty too, after saying sorry and going cap in hand to Assad in Syria and Iran. Was the gist of mine!david_herdson said:
I think you may have missed the gist of my post, which was kind of advocating that.Hugh said:
I'm afraid I agree with Sean on that point.david_herdson said:
No we mustn't. Several strong men in the Middle East must.SeanT said:
Er, no. Cause I want to know the psychology of the nutters we face. The guys who want to kill is. I'm not sharing the vid. But I know I can take this shit, and I think it's my journalistic duty to observe.Hugh said:
Jesus Christ. Why?SeanT said:Ps just watched the vid of the latest ISIS beheading.
Oddly, the better production values, and repetition, detract from the horror impact. Like the hollywoodised version of The Haunting. ISIS are losing their mojo.
For shock value, so you could ponce round the internet saying you had, cultivate that Fearless Journalist thing you're trying to carve out a bit more?
So I watched it, and, oddly, it is much less intense than the Zarqawi vids from AQII. His vids had a cinema verite quality - grainy, eerie, scary - which was much more chilling. These news ones are slick and yet less horrifying.
And here I detect a weakness in ISIS. They secretly admire the west, they want to be Hollywood. They wear rolexes. They want to be Jack Bauer. They want to be James Bond. With daily prayers.
Thus we learn about our enemy and thus we learn how to defeat them. And they can be defeated. But to do that we must kill most of them.
We should kill these b*stards.
And of course send Iran and Assad a bunch of flowers and box of choccies to apologise for being such arses with that whole "we might bomb you" thing, and ask for their help.0 -
Schemes for Yes. Ya BassStuart_Dickson said:Panic starting to kick in among the No camp. Just seen a bizarre posting on social media from a guy that I was at school with. Previously pretty quiet on the IndyRef, he is blaming "the great uneducated masses" for sinking the Union.
Perhaps if the Union had done a better job of befriending and assisting "the great uneducated masses" it wouldn't be in the mess it is in. And not calling them "the great uneducated masses" might be a nice start.
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Only the ones that were doing something loopy (or had already done something loopy). One would also hope that lessons have been learned about the advisability of exporting democracy, namely that it doesn't necessarily equate to exporting liberal values.MarqueeMark said:
Except we kill the strong men in the Middle East. Saddam, Qaddafi.....david_herdson said:
No we mustn't. Several strong men in the Middle East must.SeanT said:
Er, no. Cause I want to know the psychology of the nutters we face. The guys who want to kill is. I'm not sharing the vid. But I know I can take this shit, and I think it's my journalistic duty to observe.Hugh said:
Jesus Christ. Why?SeanT said:Ps just watched the vid of the latest ISIS beheading.
Oddly, the better production values, and repetition, detract from the horror impact. Like the hollywoodised version of The Haunting. ISIS are losing their mojo.
For shock value, so you could ponce round the internet saying you had, cultivate that Fearless Journalist thing you're trying to carve out a bit more?
So I watched it, and, oddly, it is much less intense than the Zarqawi vids from AQII. His vids had a cinema verite quality - grainy, eerie, scary - which was much more chilling. These news ones are slick and yet less horrifying.
And here I detect a weakness in ISIS. They secretly admire the west, they want to be Hollywood. They wear rolexes. They want to be Jack Bauer. They want to be James Bond. With daily prayers.
Thus we learn about our enemy and thus we learn how to defeat them. And they can be defeated. But to do that we must kill most of them.0 -
Well then, redraw the boundaries. No reason why areas whose current boundaries don't fit the residents' preferences couldn't have Schleswig-Holstein type referendums to decide which region they'd prefer to be in.Socrates said:
The English regions are ridiculously defined. What the hell does Hertfordshire have to do with Norfolk? It's got far more connection to London and far more in common with Kent. I know the area well and no-one wants an East of England assembly.volcanopete said:
You would still have the Westminster and London problem for those of us in the regions.The great wen's influence is pernicious across the rest of England so I would suggest a regionally based structure with powers devolved from London to the English regions.Sean_F said:If Scotland votes No, but gets extra powers, then it's only fair we establish an English Parliament with similar powers.
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