I’m surprised nobody has mentioned the Beeb live Ukraine feed from a couple of hours ago saying this, given it puts some shade on Johnson being Zelensky’s best mate
“When he arrived, Zelensky was almost immediately interrupted by a call from the French president, Emmanuel Macron. "I'll have to call you back, I'm with the BBC," he said. According to Zelensky, the two are on friendly terms.
Interactions with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden were more formal, Zelensky said, but he was grateful for their supplies of weapons.”
I'm not sure what shade exists there. People might have used the expression best mate but I doubt anyone meant that literally - just that Boris and Zelensky talk an awful lot, and so the partnership seems to be effective and they must get on reasonably well. But on a basic level Macron is closer in age to Zelensky and probably more charming than Boris (notwithstanding Boris appears pretty capable at charming women he wants to sleep with and people he wants to vote for him, at least for a time).
Russian Federation Navy has announced that Moskva has sunk "after being taken under tow". So it seems a good proportion of the crew has likely died.
Just a quite word about Kaliningrad. Some are saying that there are some serious food shortages and availablity of food is severely rationed. The exclave is, of course, totally isolated from the rest of Russia. However, they are more aware of western media, so probably know more about the true situation in Ukraine. Medevedev threatened to put nukes in the Kaliningradskaya Oblast, if Finland and Sweden were to join NATO, but It is a pretty witless threat, since tactical nukes have probably been there for years already. While we are all concentrating on the coming battle in Donbas, we should not ignore that a crisis is brewing in several other parts of the Russian Federation, after the high death toll in units from Dagestan and Buryatia, any increase in conscription in Western Russia could trigger a very strong backlash.
The "work to rule" in Belarus is also causing the Russian armed forces some significant problems and Lukashanka is in deep trouble.
A Russian friend of mine said that he does not see his country surviving in its current form. I think that is probably a given. The question is what form, if any, it does survive in?
The next three weeks are likely to be critical. The battle will be cruelly fought but the situation for Russia is weakening by the day, while Ukraine is growing stronger. The determination of Putin to get some kind of "result" by May 9th is actually placing impossible demands on the Russian forces. More haste, less speed, might be wiser, but the regime is now arresting generals, its own spies and any possible dissident voices. It is some insane fever dream of disaster, and still the general public in Russia does not know the scale of the unfolding catastrophe.
In any rational world "Kaliningrad" should have been given back to Poland decades ago.
It was German - Koenigsberg.
If only there were a way to bridge the gap between nations.
It's amusing and ironic to think that Mikhail Kalinin was a rather pointless politician who had a lot of status but no power. Nobody liked him or rated him, but he was never important enough to actually do anything about while his peasant background came in useful whenever Stalin decided he wanted the peasants to hate him slightly less. So almost uniquely among old Bolsheviks of the Stalin era, he lived to the age of 70 and died in his bed.
Ahem. Changing the subject. Proper cricket latest.
Minor county west plus average Australian professional all out for meagre 227, England bowling star Matty Fisher 4 fer just 19! Yorkshire cruising on 37-0 but will likely need to go into a third day to win this one, and then move on to battles with Essex and Hampshire to add to 32 titles. When proper county’s get off to good start and get momentum anything is possible.
A reasonable start by Yorkshire. They've saved the follow on. Now to see if they can last to day 4. If they can, maybe we can start thinking about them as a possible first class county again.
Follow on is 150 in a 4 day game
How did I overlook that?
So they still have a bit of work to do.
At least they're lucky the Gloucestershire are missing three first choice players. Otherwise they really might be in strife.
Everything you post is funny. 🙂 Yorkshire are missing Root and Bairstow otherwise etc but Harry Brooks runs could set up the innings win Saturday afternoon.
Hey, I'm not the one who thinks Yorkshire's a first class county....
32 titles. How many do minor county west have, just the one?
Rumours that Admiral Osipov of the Black Sea Fleet has been arrested.
I don't know why the Ukrainians bother killing all these generals. The Russians seem to be doing perfectly well by themselves.
This is the best possible news. It means the Russians won't be learning from their mistakes - rather, they'll be trying not to get the blame for failures. So no-one will be trying out anything new, but they will be staying with the 'safe' orthodox tactics, trying to conceal any failures, downplaying their losses, overselling their gains and overall they will be giving a falsely positive picture of the battlefield to their seniors.
Long may this disarray and witch-hunting continue.
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned the Beeb live Ukraine feed from a couple of hours ago saying this, given it puts some shade on Johnson being Zelensky’s best mate
“When he arrived, Zelensky was almost immediately interrupted by a call from the French president, Emmanuel Macron. "I'll have to call you back, I'm with the BBC," he said. According to Zelensky, the two are on friendly terms.
Interactions with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden were more formal, Zelensky said, but he was grateful for their supplies of weapons.”
I'm not sure what shade exists there. People might have used the expression best mate but I doubt anyone meant that literally - just that Boris and Zelensky talk an awful lot, and so the partnership seems to be effective and they must get on reasonably well. But on a basic level Macron is closer in age to Zelensky and probably more charming than Boris (notwithstanding Boris appears pretty capable at charming women he wants to sleep with and people he wants to vote for him, at least for a time).
I was just surprised that none of the FLSOJers had mentioned it.
Churchill said "democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time"
I take the view these days he would say "democracy is someone shitting on your head but the others forms of governement are like people shitting on your head while having explosive diahorreha"
I like the concept of democracy I really do. I merely think the current western form of democracy is not delivering for people but has been suborned by multinational interests who can buy and sell politicians. Politics is about doing what helps most people. Its not about business interests or donors. All our politicians have their hands deep in the pockets of others and it has to stop.
Now, we're getting to the heart of the problem.
Money equals power and influence - that's true in a capitalist global economic system. It's replaced royal patronage and religion which were the driving forces in former times.
One could indeed argue a wholly philanthropic approach would be the most advantageous and the adage of Government by the people for the people is wholly laudable if a little short on detail.
The problem is those who fund political parties on either side want to see something for their largesse. Whether hedge funds, overseas donors or trade unions, they don't give money just for the sake of it and the operation of a national political party requires money and plenty of it. Money buys influence in the media whether it's newspapers or tv channels putting across a single point of view.
The corollary is as money buys influence plural democracy is the loser - fewer voices are heard. It tends to be the views of those with the money which get heard and that's fine if you agree with them but it doesn't help democracy to restrict the voices heard. In the end, it becomes all too easy to retreat into one's own comfort zone where one only hears what one wants to hear.
In every state, the Government's voice is heard - in all too many states, it is the only voice.
The Lithuanian government is reporting that there has been "significant" loss of life on the Moskva. Of the crew of about 485 it seems that only 54 have so far been accounted for.
Ahem. Changing the subject. Proper cricket latest.
Minor county west plus average Australian professional all out for meagre 227, England bowling star Matty Fisher 4 fer just 19! Yorkshire cruising on 37-0 but will likely need to go into a third day to win this one, and then move on to battles with Essex and Hampshire to add to 32 titles. When proper county’s get off to good start and get momentum anything is possible.
A reasonable start by Yorkshire. They've saved the follow on. Now to see if they can last to day 4. If they can, maybe we can start thinking about them as a possible first class county again.
Follow on is 150 in a 4 day game
How did I overlook that?
So they still have a bit of work to do.
At least they're lucky the Gloucestershire are missing three first choice players. Otherwise they really might be in strife.
Everything you post is funny. 🙂 Yorkshire are missing Root and Bairstow otherwise etc but Harry Brooks runs could set up the innings win Saturday afternoon.
Hey, I'm not the one who thinks Yorkshire's a first class county....
32 titles. How many do minor county west have, just the one?
Three, depending on how you define 'title.'
County championship titles. The only definition of title in cricket.
It’s an awe inspiring golden chalice, I’ve seen it
Churchill said "democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time"
I take the view these days he would say "democracy is someone shitting on your head but the others forms of governement are like people shitting on your head while having explosive diahorreha"
I like the concept of democracy I really do. I merely think the current western form of democracy is not delivering for people but has been suborned by multinational interests who can buy and sell politicians. Politics is about doing what helps most people. Its not about business interests or donors. All our politicians have their hands deep in the pockets of others and it has to stop.
Now, we're getting to the heart of the problem.
Money equals power and influence - that's true in a capitalist global economic system. It's replaced royal patronage and religion which were the driving forces in former times.
One could indeed argue a wholly philanthropic approach would be the most advantageous and the adage of Government by the people for the people is wholly laudable if a little short on detail.
The problem is those who fund political parties on either side want to see something for their largesse. Whether hedge funds, overseas donors or trade unions, they don't give money just for the sake of it and the operation of a national political party requires money and plenty of it. Money buys influence in the media whether it's newspapers or tv channels putting across a single point of view.
The corollary is as money buys influence plural democracy is the loser - fewer voices are heard. It tends to be the views of those with the money which get heard and that's fine if you agree with them but it doesn't help democracy to restrict the voices heard. In the end, it becomes all too easy to retreat into one's own comfort zone where one only hears what one wants to hear.
In every state, the Government's voice is heard - in all too many states, it is the only voice.
Which is part of why I advocate civil disobedience and just obey the laws that make sense
Is this the largest warship lost in war since WW2 Korean war?
Moskva was 12,500 tones the Argentinian Curser Belgrano was 12,200, I can think of any other big ships at lest not recently?
Best not to build any at all, the symbolic loss is so big!
A bit like a politician utilising an 'I'm an idiot defence' the Russians' explanation of damage leading to this loss is so hugely coincidental it supposes incredible incompetence.
Ankit Panda @nktpnd Experiencing the largest loss of a warship in combat since WWII just days after a joint Swedish-Finnish press conference on future NATO membership: all part of Putin's 14-dimensional chess game.
He has boldness, an amount of cunning and sufficient ruthlessness to succeed as Tsar and, to an extend, offput his geopolitical opponents. But given his purported aims of Russian influence expanding, and reducing NATO influence, the facts seem to suggest he has severely overstepped by being an arrogant idiot.
Russian Federation Navy has announced that Moskva has sunk "after being taken under tow". So it seems a good proportion of the crew has likely died.
Just a quite word about Kaliningrad. Some are saying that there are some serious food shortages and availablity of food is severely rationed. The exclave is, of course, totally isolated from the rest of Russia. However, they are more aware of western media, so probably know more about the true situation in Ukraine. Medevedev threatened to put nukes in the Kaliningradskaya Oblast, if Finland and Sweden were to join NATO, but It is a pretty witless threat, since tactical nukes have probably been there for years already. While we are all concentrating on the coming battle in Donbas, we should not ignore that a crisis is brewing in several other parts of the Russian Federation, after the high death toll in units from Dagestan and Buryatia, any increase in conscription in Western Russia could trigger a very strong backlash.
The "work to rule" in Belarus is also causing the Russian armed forces some significant problems and Lukashanka is in deep trouble.
A Russian friend of mine said that he does not see his country surviving in its current form. I think that is probably a given. The question is what form, if any, it does survive in?
The next three weeks are likely to be critical. The battle will be cruelly fought but the situation for Russia is weakening by the day, while Ukraine is growing stronger. The determination of Putin to get some kind of "result" by May 9th is actually placing impossible demands on the Russian forces. More haste, less speed, might be wiser, but the regime is now arresting generals, its own spies and any possible dissident voices. It is some insane fever dream of disaster, and still the general public in Russia does not know the scale of the unfolding catastrophe.
In any rational world "Kaliningrad" should have been given back to Poland decades ago.
It was German - Koenigsberg.
If only there were a way to bridge the gap between nations.
It's amusing and ironic to think that Mikhail Kalinin was a rather pointless politician who had a lot of status but no power. Nobody liked him or rated him, but he was never important enough to actually do anything about while his peasant background came in useful whenever Stalin decided he wanted the peasants to hate him slightly less. So almost uniquely among old Bolsheviks of the Stalin era, he lived to the age of 70 and died in his bed.
Russian Federation Navy has announced that Moskva has sunk "after being taken under tow". So it seems a good proportion of the crew has likely died.
Just a quite word about Kaliningrad. Some are saying that there are some serious food shortages and availablity of food is severely rationed. The exclave is, of course, totally isolated from the rest of Russia. However, they are more aware of western media, so probably know more about the true situation in Ukraine. Medevedev threatened to put nukes in the Kaliningradskaya Oblast, if Finland and Sweden were to join NATO, but It is a pretty witless threat, since tactical nukes have probably been there for years already. While we are all concentrating on the coming battle in Donbas, we should not ignore that a crisis is brewing in several other parts of the Russian Federation, after the high death toll in units from Dagestan and Buryatia, any increase in conscription in Western Russia could trigger a very strong backlash.
The "work to rule" in Belarus is also causing the Russian armed forces some significant problems and Lukashanka is in deep trouble.
A Russian friend of mine said that he does not see his country surviving in its current form. I think that is probably a given. The question is what form, if any, it does survive in?
The next three weeks are likely to be critical. The battle will be cruelly fought but the situation for Russia is weakening by the day, while Ukraine is growing stronger. The determination of Putin to get some kind of "result" by May 9th is actually placing impossible demands on the Russian forces. More haste, less speed, might be wiser, but the regime is now arresting generals, its own spies and any possible dissident voices. It is some insane fever dream of disaster, and still the general public in Russia does not know the scale of the unfolding catastrophe.
I fear you might be a bit optimistic there, (or pessimistic from the Russian perspective) Russian media will be focusing on Mariupol not the flagship, and as long as Putin controls the media, and the west buys his gas, he is reasonably safe. he people will get poorer his solders may die, and Ukraine will suffer tenably, but not Putin, at lest probably not for now.
Russian Federation Navy has announced that Moskva has sunk "after being taken under tow". So it seems a good proportion of the crew has likely died.
Just a quite word about Kaliningrad. Some are saying that there are some serious food shortages and availablity of food is severely rationed. The exclave is, of course, totally isolated from the rest of Russia. However, they are more aware of western media, so probably know more about the true situation in Ukraine. Medevedev threatened to put nukes in the Kaliningradskaya Oblast, if Finland and Sweden were to join NATO, but It is a pretty witless threat, since tactical nukes have probably been there for years already. While we are all concentrating on the coming battle in Donbas, we should not ignore that a crisis is brewing in several other parts of the Russian Federation, after the high death toll in units from Dagestan and Buryatia, any increase in conscription in Western Russia could trigger a very strong backlash.
The "work to rule" in Belarus is also causing the Russian armed forces some significant problems and Lukashanka is in deep trouble.
A Russian friend of mine said that he does not see his country surviving in its current form. I think that is probably a given. The question is what form, if any, it does survive in?
The next three weeks are likely to be critical. The battle will be cruelly fought but the situation for Russia is weakening by the day, while Ukraine is growing stronger. The determination of Putin to get some kind of "result" by May 9th is actually placing impossible demands on the Russian forces. More haste, less speed, might be wiser, but the regime is now arresting generals, its own spies and any possible dissident voices. It is some insane fever dream of disaster, and still the general public in Russia does not know the scale of the unfolding catastrophe.
In any rational world "Kaliningrad" should have been given back to Poland decades ago.
"Back" to Poland? It hasn't been Polish since 1660, and has never been home to Poles.
Poland didn't want it in 1991, nor did Lithuania.
And the population is all new since World War II, almost all Russian, so giving it back to Germany - the only other logical claimant - isn't feasible either.
It's a mess, a silly anomaly that can't be resolved.
Well, short of Russia removing the population and handing the whole lot over, empty, to Poland. But we're trying to stop them from ethnic cleansing not encourage them.
It could become an independent city-state, a Singapore on the Baltic, perhaps.
That, or EU membership for Russia so the borders don't matter, are the two changes that make more sense than the status quo.
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
I was talking (anecdote alert) to a receptionist from Mansfield "I am not political but I always vote Conservative. I won't be voting for them after the parties. All my friends vote Conservative and they are very angry too. There is no one to vote for"
I know Johnson singlehandedly sunk the Moskva earlier today. Hats off to him, but I am not seeing a Falklands Factor.
The Lithuanian government is reporting that there has been "significant" loss of life on the Moskva. Of the crew of about 485 it seems that only 54 have so far been accounted for.
Initially I "liked" that but it felt wrong so I'm now rambling in a reply instead. Does this have greater tactical, strategic, morale or PR impact?
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
You probably need to meet some outside your bubble then. The vast majority of non Tory voters think it is fine to change, and about a quarter of Tories. No way is there going to be a June election happening, but if it did it would dwarf the 2017 GE for a spectacular own goal.
It is the Queen's Platinum celebrations in June.
No way there is going to a GE messing around with that.
Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 @IAPonomarenko · 3m Ukraine. Has. Sank. A. Russian. Black. Sea. Fleet. Flagship. And it doesn’t even have a navy, if we’re being honest.
Churchill said "democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time"
I take the view these days he would say "democracy is someone shitting on your head but the others forms of governement are like people shitting on your head while having explosive diahorreha"
I like the concept of democracy I really do. I merely think the current western form of democracy is not delivering for people but has been suborned by multinational interests who can buy and sell politicians. Politics is about doing what helps most people. Its not about business interests or donors. All our politicians have their hands deep in the pockets of others and it has to stop.
Now, we're getting to the heart of the problem.
Money equals power and influence - that's true in a capitalist global economic system. It's replaced royal patronage and religion which were the driving forces in former times.
One could indeed argue a wholly philanthropic approach would be the most advantageous and the adage of Government by the people for the people is wholly laudable if a little short on detail.
The problem is those who fund political parties on either side want to see something for their largesse. Whether hedge funds, overseas donors or trade unions, they don't give money just for the sake of it and the operation of a national political party requires money and plenty of it. Money buys influence in the media whether it's newspapers or tv channels putting across a single point of view.
The corollary is as money buys influence plural democracy is the loser - fewer voices are heard. It tends to be the views of those with the money which get heard and that's fine if you agree with them but it doesn't help democracy to restrict the voices heard. In the end, it becomes all too easy to retreat into one's own comfort zone where one only hears what one wants to hear.
In every state, the Government's voice is heard - in all too many states, it is the only voice.
The answer to that is simple. Any donations to political parties over comparatively small individual limit (say £1000) should be illegal. Donations from organisations - ALL organisations - should be illegal. We already have a system whereby bribing an individual MP is illegal. The same should apply to collections of MPs or other politicians in the form of political parties. Companies, Unions, NGOs, any organisation, should be banned from donating to political parties.
Ahem. Changing the subject. Proper cricket latest.
Minor county west plus average Australian professional all out for meagre 227, England bowling star Matty Fisher 4 fer just 19! Yorkshire cruising on 37-0 but will likely need to go into a third day to win this one, and then move on to battles with Essex and Hampshire to add to 32 titles. When proper county’s get off to good start and get momentum anything is possible.
A reasonable start by Yorkshire. They've saved the follow on. Now to see if they can last to day 4. If they can, maybe we can start thinking about them as a possible first class county again.
Follow on is 150 in a 4 day game
How did I overlook that?
So they still have a bit of work to do.
At least they're lucky the Gloucestershire are missing three first choice players. Otherwise they really might be in strife.
Everything you post is funny. 🙂 Yorkshire are missing Root and Bairstow otherwise etc but Harry Brooks runs could set up the innings win Saturday afternoon.
Hey, I'm not the one who thinks Yorkshire's a first class county....
32 titles. How many do minor county west have, just the one?
Three, depending on how you define 'title.'
County championship titles. The only definition of title in cricket.
It’s an awe inspiring golden chalice, I’ve seen it
Well, that's where it gets a little murky. The county championship was only constituted in its current form in 1881, and Yorkshire first won it in 1893.
Gloucestershire have never won it since 1881, but they were champions three times in the 1870s due to thrashing every other side out there. A bloke called William Gilbert Grace had something to do with this, I gather he was a bit useful.
So like I say, it depends on how you define 'title.' I was deliberately not including the very large number of one day titles the Shire won from 1999-2004.
We have to give all the other a go now, since we were the first and clearly the best county champions. When Somerset and Northants win it, we might have another go.
Until then, we let minor counties like Yorkies take the odd one. Just to keep them happy.
Edit - btw, poor choice of picture given what's happened to the people in it since.
The Lithuanian government is reporting that there has been "significant" loss of life on the Moskva. Of the crew of about 485 it seems that only 54 have so far been accounted for.
The Lithuanian government is reporting that there has been "significant" loss of life on the Moskva. Of the crew of about 485 it seems that only 54 have so far been accounted for.
Why would the Lithuanians know?
Other countries have intelligence services too. And journalism.
Russian Federation Navy has announced that Moskva has sunk "after being taken under tow". So it seems a good proportion of the crew has likely died.
Just a quite word about Kaliningrad. Some are saying that there are some serious food shortages and availablity of food is severely rationed. The exclave is, of course, totally isolated from the rest of Russia. However, they are more aware of western media, so probably know more about the true situation in Ukraine. Medevedev threatened to put nukes in the Kaliningradskaya Oblast, if Finland and Sweden were to join NATO, but It is a pretty witless threat, since tactical nukes have probably been there for years already. While we are all concentrating on the coming battle in Donbas, we should not ignore that a crisis is brewing in several other parts of the Russian Federation, after the high death toll in units from Dagestan and Buryatia, any increase in conscription in Western Russia could trigger a very strong backlash.
The "work to rule" in Belarus is also causing the Russian armed forces some significant problems and Lukashanka is in deep trouble.
A Russian friend of mine said that he does not see his country surviving in its current form. I think that is probably a given. The question is what form, if any, it does survive in?
The next three weeks are likely to be critical. The battle will be cruelly fought but the situation for Russia is weakening by the day, while Ukraine is growing stronger. The determination of Putin to get some kind of "result" by May 9th is actually placing impossible demands on the Russian forces. More haste, less speed, might be wiser, but the regime is now arresting generals, its own spies and any possible dissident voices. It is some insane fever dream of disaster, and still the general public in Russia does not know the scale of the unfolding catastrophe.
"It is some insane fever dream of disaster"
But not unknown in Russia. Stalin would recognise today's catastrophe. It was what he did too.
Ahem. Changing the subject. Proper cricket latest.
Minor county west plus average Australian professional all out for meagre 227, England bowling star Matty Fisher 4 fer just 19! Yorkshire cruising on 37-0 but will likely need to go into a third day to win this one, and then move on to battles with Essex and Hampshire to add to 32 titles. When proper county’s get off to good start and get momentum anything is possible.
A reasonable start by Yorkshire. They've saved the follow on. Now to see if they can last to day 4. If they can, maybe we can start thinking about them as a possible first class county again.
Follow on is 150 in a 4 day game
How did I overlook that?
So they still have a bit of work to do.
At least they're lucky the Gloucestershire are missing three first choice players. Otherwise they really might be in strife.
Everything you post is funny. 🙂 Yorkshire are missing Root and Bairstow otherwise etc but Harry Brooks runs could set up the innings win Saturday afternoon.
Hey, I'm not the one who thinks Yorkshire's a first class county....
32 titles. How many do minor county west have, just the one?
Three, depending on how you define 'title.'
I thought you were talking about that Spanish grandee with 18 titles (including 5 at the grandee rank)…
The Lithuanian government is reporting that there has been "significant" loss of life on the Moskva. Of the crew of about 485 it seems that only 54 have so far been accounted for.
Initially I "liked" that but it felt wrong so I'm now rambling in a reply instead. Does this have greater tactical, strategic, morale or PR impact?
After the Belgrano sinking the Argentine navy stayed in port. It wouldnt surprise me if the Black Sea fleet did the same.
Indeed, was the last Russian naval victory Navarino, nearly 2 centuries ago? And that with allies...
While its great to think that the Ukrainians have sunk the Moskva, it would be equally cool if this was some bizarre accident and it actually has gone and fucked itself.
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
You probably need to meet some outside your bubble then. The vast majority of non Tory voters think it is fine to change, and about a quarter of Tories. No way is there going to be a June election happening, but if it did it would dwarf the 2017 GE for a spectacular own goal.
It is the Queen's Platinum celebrations in June.
No way there is going to a GE messing around with that.
That’s early June. Yet another reason the election gun is fired the following Monday to use the feel good bounce. Like Boris even cares about the queen anyway.
Okay I’ll shut up about it, but when it happens, you know I explained a million reasons why it happened
Possible Last good month of popularity this parliament before it unravels in August and later so the risk plan points to it. They can’t have five years anyway to deliver because of covid and war, they fairly need to ask for an extension to properly deliver on promises. Avoids election after the unravelling of economy, low growth simultaneous inflation. Secures big dog for years (like any other reason matters) Labour not ready. Labour policies not ready. Labour youthful voters will all be on holiday.
While its great to think that the Ukrainians have sunk the Moskva, it would be equally cool if this was some bizarre accident and it actually has gone and fucked itself.
If that kind of voodoo works, we might as well try it: Hey Russian President, go fuck yourself.
While its great to think that the Ukrainians have sunk the Moskva, it would be equally cool if this was some bizarre accident and it actually has gone and fucked itself.
If that kind of voodoo works, we might as well try it: Hey Russian President, go fuck yourself.
While its great to think that the Ukrainians have sunk the Moskva, it would be equally cool if this was some bizarre accident and it actually has gone and fucked itself.
If that kind of voodoo works, we might as well try it: Hey Russian President, go fuck yourself.
The Russians are saying that it sank due to stormy weather. Err. Windy.com suggests otherwise
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
I was talking (anecdote alert) to a receptionist from Mansfield "I am not political but I always vote Conservative. I won't be voting for them after the parties. All my friends vote Conservative and they are very angry too. There is no one to vote for"
I know Johnson singlehandedly sunk the Moskva earlier today. Hats off to him, but I am not seeing a Falklands Factor.
Maybe Rwanda will do the trick
You agreed with me yesterday, he’s currently indestructible. 🤦♀️
From the report that's come today though, this scheme seems like it won't work, not because the principle doesn't work but because of the details.
The Australian scheme since 2013, which has succeeded at all of its goals, was that all boats who weren't turned around would be taken to Nauru. Since then the boats almost completely stopped and the extremely few who attempted were able to be turned around, because who actually wants to go to Nauru?
The details I heard on the report earlier today said this scheme would be for "some people" with a total number of 100-500 people quoted. When 600 people a day are making the crossing, 500 people in total is utterly inconsequential.
For it to work properly, it needs to be a blanket "everybody" who makes the crossing by boat. Once that happens, then it will probably be like Australia with single digit attempts at making the crossing after that.
Bottom line: no value judgements either way, but Brits aren't Aussies.
Forget the practicalities- though the lack of international waters in the English Channel makes it harder to go full-on Australian.
Just consider the YouGov poll from earlier. Processing questionable migrants in Rwanda has minority support, and the rhetoric of this scheme goes further than that. I can't see passing the buck to another country being sellable to the public. We may want less immigration, we may hate the tiny boats, but we don't want to be shown how they will be stopped. I suspect our Australian friends are more comfortable with being more robust.
It's like sausages. Massive difference between eating them and being shown how that are made.
True, but isn't that because you're not used to seeing how they're made?
Back in the day, every granny knew how to dispatch a chicken in the backyard - and did.
That was then, of course.
This is here and now.
(FWIW, I reckon the government could have got away with processing in Rwanda, and allowing approved refugees into the UK subsequently. By auto-refusing young men in boats, Boris and Priti have either jumped the shark, or they are knowingly trolling the left.)
My point is that if the chips were down (and modern life wasn't quite so clinical) people would soon get used to it again.
We live very insulated lives that allow us to make ideological choices rather than real choices.
Remember when you used to get annoyed about me calling you a reactionary?
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
You probably need to meet some outside your bubble then. The vast majority of non Tory voters think it is fine to change, and about a quarter of Tories. No way is there going to be a June election happening, but if it did it would dwarf the 2017 GE for a spectacular own goal.
It is the Queen's Platinum celebrations in June.
No way there is going to a GE messing around with that.
That’s early June. Yet another reason the election gun is fired the following Monday to use the feel good bounce. Like Boris even cares about the queen anyway.
Okay I’ll shut up about it, but when it happens, you know I explained a million reasons why it happened
Possible Last good month of popularity this parliament before it unravels in August and later so the risk plan points to it. They can’t have five years anyway to deliver because of covid and war, they fairly need to ask for an extension to properly deliver on promises. Avoids election after the unravelling of economy, low growth simultaneous inflation. Secures big dog for years (like any other reason matters) Labour not ready. Labour policies not ready. Labour youthful voters will all be on holiday.
What happens if it goes all London Bridge after the election has been called?
The Lithuanian government is reporting that there has been "significant" loss of life on the Moskva. Of the crew of about 485 it seems that only 54 have so far been accounted for.
Any word on Admiral Osipov, Commander of the Black Sea Fleet?
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
You probably need to meet some outside your bubble then. The vast majority of non Tory voters think it is fine to change, and about a quarter of Tories. No way is there going to be a June election happening, but if it did it would dwarf the 2017 GE for a spectacular own goal.
It is the Queen's Platinum celebrations in June.
No way there is going to a GE messing around with that.
That’s early June. Yet another reason the election gun is fired the following Monday to use the feel good bounce. Like Boris even cares about the queen anyway.
Okay I’ll shut up about it, but when it happens, you know I explained a million reasons why it happened
Possible Last good month of popularity this parliament before it unravels in August and later so the risk plan points to it. They can’t have five years anyway to deliver because of covid and war, they fairly need to ask for an extension to properly deliver on promises. Avoids election after the unravelling of economy, low growth simultaneous inflation. Secures big dog for years (like any other reason matters) Labour not ready. Labour policies not ready. Labour youthful voters will all be on holiday.
What happens if it goes all London Bridge after the election has been called?
The Lithuanian government is reporting that there has been "significant" loss of life on the Moskva. Of the crew of about 485 it seems that only 54 have so far been accounted for.
Initially I "liked" that but it felt wrong so I'm now rambling in a reply instead. Does this have greater tactical, strategic, morale or PR impact?
Shashank Joshi @shashj · 26m And we haven’t even sent anti-ship missiles yet.
Hanna Liubakova @HannaLiubakova · 1h #Belarus The foreign minister Uladzimir Makei called on the EU to restore dialogue and abandon the sanctions policy. He called torture and killings of citizens “the unfortunate events of 2020”
The regime needs money and wants to avoid responsibility for helping Russia in the war
I know we all love cricket chat on here....here is one to blow Boycott era cricketers, after the recent occruence of tactically retiring yourself as a batsman, stragetic bowling of wides at the death is now a real tactic T20 / Hundred.....
You might say that sounds insane, and I am being a bit disingenuous....the tactic is to bowl it right on the wide line, where the bowler is told statistically even getting called a wide is still +EV over bowling nearer the stumps in the final overs. Even bowling 2-3 wides in an over is better than trying to bowl more centrally.
Churchill said "democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time"
I take the view these days he would say "democracy is someone shitting on your head but the others forms of governement are like people shitting on your head while having explosive diahorreha"
I like the concept of democracy I really do. I merely think the current western form of democracy is not delivering for people but has been suborned by multinational interests who can buy and sell politicians. Politics is about doing what helps most people. Its not about business interests or donors. All our politicians have their hands deep in the pockets of others and it has to stop.
Now, we're getting to the heart of the problem.
Money equals power and influence - that's true in a capitalist global economic system. It's replaced royal patronage and religion which were the driving forces in former times.
One could indeed argue a wholly philanthropic approach would be the most advantageous and the adage of Government by the people for the people is wholly laudable if a little short on detail.
The problem is those who fund political parties on either side want to see something for their largesse. Whether hedge funds, overseas donors or trade unions, they don't give money just for the sake of it and the operation of a national political party requires money and plenty of it. Money buys influence in the media whether it's newspapers or tv channels putting across a single point of view.
The corollary is as money buys influence plural democracy is the loser - fewer voices are heard. It tends to be the views of those with the money which get heard and that's fine if you agree with them but it doesn't help democracy to restrict the voices heard. In the end, it becomes all too easy to retreat into one's own comfort zone where one only hears what one wants to hear.
In every state, the Government's voice is heard - in all too many states, it is the only voice.
The answer to that is simple. Any donations to political parties over comparatively small individual limit (say £1000) should be illegal. Donations from organisations - ALL organisations - should be illegal. We already have a system whereby bribing an individual MP is illegal. The same should apply to collections of MPs or other politicians in the form of political parties. Companies, Unions, NGOs, any organisation, should be banned from donating to political parties.
Would prefer a system where the only money parties had was membership fees and they were not allowed to borrow. That way they have to rely on attracting people to their cause. And no cheating by automatic enrolement unless you opt out....should always be an opt in thing. Before anyone comments on unfairness...same for all parties so they will all currently not have much to spend in fact labour probably has most
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
I was talking (anecdote alert) to a receptionist from Mansfield "I am not political but I always vote Conservative. I won't be voting for them after the parties. All my friends vote Conservative and they are very angry too. There is no one to vote for"
I know Johnson singlehandedly sunk the Moskva earlier today. Hats off to him, but I am not seeing a Falklands Factor.
Maybe Rwanda will do the trick
My anecdotal experience indicates no such thing, either. FWIW. MoonRabbit isn’t making much sense about a snap election, still less the likelihood of the Tories winning one if they were daft enough to call it.
I know we all love cricket chat on here....here is one to blow Boycott era cricketers, after the recent occruence of tactically retiring yourself as a batsman, stragetic bowling of wides at the death is now a real tactic T20 / Hundred.....
You might say that sounds insane, and I am being a bit disingenuous....the tactic is to bowl it right on the wide line, where the bowler is told statistically even getting called a wide is still +EV over bowling nearer the stumps in the final overs. Even bowling 2-3 wides in an over is better than trying to bowl more centrally.
To be fair that's long been a principle in pro tennis. Getting it right on the fault line is +EV even if you risk a fault or double fault.
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
You probably need to meet some outside your bubble then. The vast majority of non Tory voters think it is fine to change, and about a quarter of Tories. No way is there going to be a June election happening, but if it did it would dwarf the 2017 GE for a spectacular own goal.
It is the Queen's Platinum celebrations in June.
No way there is going to a GE messing around with that.
That’s early June. Yet another reason the election gun is fired the following Monday to use the feel good bounce. Like Boris even cares about the queen anyway.
Okay I’ll shut up about it, but when it happens, you know I explained a million reasons why it happened
Possible Last good month of popularity this parliament before it unravels in August and later so the risk plan points to it. They can’t have five years anyway to deliver because of covid and war, they fairly need to ask for an extension to properly deliver on promises. Avoids election after the unravelling of economy, low growth simultaneous inflation. Secures big dog for years (like any other reason matters) Labour not ready. Labour policies not ready. Labour youthful voters will all be on holiday.
What happens if it goes all London Bridge after the election has been called?
Two week delay, IIRC.
That's right. Section 20 of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (as amended).
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
The answer to that is simple. Any donations to political parties over comparatively small individual limit (say £1000) should be illegal. Donations from organisations - ALL organisations - should be illegal. We already have a system whereby bribing an individual MP is illegal. The same should apply to collections of MPs or other politicians in the form of political parties. Companies, Unions, NGOs, any organisation, should be banned from donating to political parties.
Oddly enough and given our respective political viewpoints on most other issues, I don't disagree.
I would much rather a party got 100,000 members to donate £10 each than one member to give £1 million. In their time both the Conservative and Labour parties (and the Liberals too further back) were mass membership parties.
Getting back to that notion of small cost individual mass membership might be the way to re-invigorate democracy at all levels
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
I was talking (anecdote alert) to a receptionist from Mansfield "I am not political but I always vote Conservative. I won't be voting for them after the parties. All my friends vote Conservative and they are very angry too. There is no one to vote for"
I know Johnson singlehandedly sunk the Moskva earlier today. Hats off to him, but I am not seeing a Falklands Factor.
Maybe Rwanda will do the trick
My anecdotal experience indicates no such thing, either. FWIW. MoonRabbit isn’t making much sense about a snap election, still less the likelihood of the Tories winning one if they were daft enough to call it.
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
So if we go to war with russia we can invade france...bonus
The Lithuanian government is reporting that there has been "significant" loss of life on the Moskva. Of the crew of about 485 it seems that only 54 have so far been accounted for.
Any word on Admiral Osipov, Commander of the Black Sea Fleet?
I don't know about Admiral Osipov, but I think most commanders of fleets at war, nowadays command from land, it gives them better overall situational awareness, and less risk of orders from Kremlin being intercepted. however if we dont see prof of life in the next few days then maybe.
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
I was talking (anecdote alert) to a receptionist from Mansfield "I am not political but I always vote Conservative. I won't be voting for them after the parties. All my friends vote Conservative and they are very angry too. There is no one to vote for"
I know Johnson singlehandedly sunk the Moskva earlier today. Hats off to him, but I am not seeing a Falklands Factor.
Maybe Rwanda will do the trick
My anecdotal experience indicates no such thing, either. FWIW. MoonRabbit isn’t making much sense about a snap election, still less the likelihood of the Tories winning one if they were daft enough to call it.
Try not to do what your opponent wants you to do. Call an election now? Labour would be rubbing their hands. They wouldn’t need a manifesto. Just pictures of Johnson at the parties will do it. Zero chance of a snap election.
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
Her winning might up end the whole apple cart and help Putin win by splitting the europeans.
She wants her country to side with a war criminal.
Says it all really.
Pray God the french make the right choice, but I am not convinced they will despite what polls are saying at moment.
The Lithuanian government is reporting that there has been "significant" loss of life on the Moskva. Of the crew of about 485 it seems that only 54 have so far been accounted for.
Initially I "liked" that but it felt wrong so I'm now rambling in a reply instead. Does this have greater tactical, strategic, morale or PR impact?
After the Belgrano sinking the Argentine navy stayed in port. It wouldnt surprise me if the Black Sea fleet did the same.
Indeed, was the last Russian naval victory Navarino, nearly 2 centuries ago? And that with allies...
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
I was talking (anecdote alert) to a receptionist from Mansfield "I am not political but I always vote Conservative. I won't be voting for them after the parties. All my friends vote Conservative and they are very angry too. There is no one to vote for"
I know Johnson singlehandedly sunk the Moskva earlier today. Hats off to him, but I am not seeing a Falklands Factor.
Maybe Rwanda will do the trick
My anecdotal experience indicates no such thing, either. FWIW. MoonRabbit isn’t making much sense about a snap election, still less the likelihood of the Tories winning one if they were daft enough to call it.
Try not to do what your opponent wants you to do. Call an election now? Labour would be rubbing their hands. They wouldn’t need a manifesto. Just pictures of Johnson at the parties will do it. Zero chance of a snap election.
depends if johnson is sneaky he will have invited starmer to all of them and starmer doesnt look like he gets invited to many parties so....
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
I was talking (anecdote alert) to a receptionist from Mansfield "I am not political but I always vote Conservative. I won't be voting for them after the parties. All my friends vote Conservative and they are very angry too. There is no one to vote for"
I know Johnson singlehandedly sunk the Moskva earlier today. Hats off to him, but I am not seeing a Falklands Factor.
Maybe Rwanda will do the trick
My anecdotal experience indicates no such thing, either. FWIW. MoonRabbit isn’t making much sense about a snap election, still less the likelihood of the Tories winning one if they were daft enough to call it.
Try not to do what your opponent wants you to do. Call an election now? Labour would be rubbing their hands. They wouldn’t need a manifesto. Just pictures of Johnson at the parties will do it. Zero chance of a snap election.
Even if this.turns out to be a highspot for the Tories in the face of further disasters and/or erosion through to 2024, it would still be the wrong decision to go to the polls now.
The Lithuanian government is reporting that there has been "significant" loss of life on the Moskva. Of the crew of about 485 it seems that only 54 have so far been accounted for.
Any word on Admiral Osipov, Commander of the Black Sea Fleet?
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
You probably need to meet some outside your bubble then. The vast majority of non Tory voters think it is fine to change, and about a quarter of Tories. No way is there going to be a June election happening, but if it did it would dwarf the 2017 GE for a spectacular own goal.
It is the Queen's Platinum celebrations in June.
No way there is going to a GE messing around with that.
That’s early June. Yet another reason the election gun is fired the following Monday to use the feel good bounce. Like Boris even cares about the queen anyway.
Okay I’ll shut up about it, but when it happens, you know I explained a million reasons why it happened
Possible Last good month of popularity this parliament before it unravels in August and later so the risk plan points to it. They can’t have five years anyway to deliver because of covid and war, they fairly need to ask for an extension to properly deliver on promises. Avoids election after the unravelling of economy, low growth simultaneous inflation. Secures big dog for years (like any other reason matters) Labour not ready. Labour policies not ready. Labour youthful voters will all be on holiday.
What happens if it goes all London Bridge after the election has been called?
London bridge - hide in fridge - mw rhyming slang?
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
It's the laziness of the justification that gets me. Not enough to argue the approach on its own merits, she has to whinge about 'herd-like conformity' to appeal to idiotic auto-contrarians, for whom anything most people support must be a bad thing.
No we shouldn't all do every single thing simply because others do, but a lot of the time people conform because it is the best option.
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
Her winning might up end the whole apple cart and help Putin win by splitting the europeans.
She wants her country to side with a war criminal.
Says it all really.
Pray God the french make the right choice, but I am not convinced they will despite what polls are saying at moment.
Can the 2020s get any fecking shittier?
Sadly there's no right choice on the ballot.
But hopefully the quasi-effective choice makes it over the utterly unacceptable one.
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
Her winning might up end the whole apple cart and help Putin win by splitting the europeans.
She wants her country to side with a war criminal.
Says it all really.
Pray God the french make the right choice, but I am not convinced they will despite what polls are saying at moment.
Can the 2020s get any fecking shittier?
Sadly yes ! Don’t tempt fate . What a wretched decade it’s been so far .
The Lithuanian government is reporting that there has been "significant" loss of life on the Moskva. Of the crew of about 485 it seems that only 54 have so far been accounted for.
Initially I "liked" that but it felt wrong so I'm now rambling in a reply instead. Does this have greater tactical, strategic, morale or PR impact?
After the Belgrano sinking the Argentine navy stayed in port. It wouldnt surprise me if the Black Sea fleet did the same.
Indeed, was the last Russian naval victory Navarino, nearly 2 centuries ago? And that with allies...
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
You probably need to meet some outside your bubble then. The vast majority of non Tory voters think it is fine to change, and about a quarter of Tories. No way is there going to be a June election happening, but if it did it would dwarf the 2017 GE for a spectacular own goal.
It is the Queen's Platinum celebrations in June.
No way there is going to a GE messing around with that.
That’s early June. Yet another reason the election gun is fired the following Monday to use the feel good bounce. Like Boris even cares about the queen anyway.
Okay I’ll shut up about it, but when it happens, you know I explained a million reasons why it happened
Possible Last good month of popularity this parliament before it unravels in August and later so the risk plan points to it. They can’t have five years anyway to deliver because of covid and war, they fairly need to ask for an extension to properly deliver on promises. Avoids election after the unravelling of economy, low growth simultaneous inflation. Secures big dog for years (like any other reason matters) Labour not ready. Labour policies not ready. Labour youthful voters will all be on holiday.
What happens if it goes all London Bridge after the election has been called?
London bridge - hide in fridge - mw rhyming slang?
Keep out of the black and in the red There's no election for 2 weeks If her Maj is dead.
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
I was talking (anecdote alert) to a receptionist from Mansfield "I am not political but I always vote Conservative. I won't be voting for them after the parties. All my friends vote Conservative and they are very angry too. There is no one to vote for"
I know Johnson singlehandedly sunk the Moskva earlier today. Hats off to him, but I am not seeing a Falklands Factor.
Maybe Rwanda will do the trick
My anecdotal experience indicates no such thing, either. FWIW. MoonRabbit isn’t making much sense about a snap election, still less the likelihood of the Tories winning one if they were daft enough to call it.
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
It looks to me that the value bet at present is Macron greater than 60% at 14 with BFX.
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
So if we go to war with russia we can invade france...bonus
Now, about those asylum centres in RwandaCalais.....
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
So if we go to war with russia we can invade france...bonus
Now, about those asylum centres in RwandaCalais.....
Technically dont we already own Calais due to Troyes
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
I was talking (anecdote alert) to a receptionist from Mansfield "I am not political but I always vote Conservative. I won't be voting for them after the parties. All my friends vote Conservative and they are very angry too. There is no one to vote for"
I know Johnson singlehandedly sunk the Moskva earlier today. Hats off to him, but I am not seeing a Falklands Factor.
Maybe Rwanda will do the trick
My anecdotal experience indicates no such thing, either. FWIW. MoonRabbit isn’t making much sense about a snap election, still less the likelihood of the Tories winning one if they were daft enough to call it.
MoonRabbit's predictions are normally so reliable
Ha! Name 1 that went wrong. Just 1 needed.
You were constantly ramping Boris being ousted a few weeks ago. You were even specifying "by next Wednesday" at one point.
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
Her winning might up end the whole apple cart and help Putin win by splitting the europeans.
She wants her country to side with a war criminal.
Says it all really.
Pray God the french make the right choice, but I am not convinced they will despite what polls are saying at moment.
Can the 2020s get any fecking shittier?
Hopefully not. But the shittiness started in 2016, just saying.
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
Her winning might up end the whole apple cart and help Putin win by splitting the europeans.
She wants her country to side with a war criminal.
Says it all really.
Pray God the french make the right choice, but I am not convinced they will despite what polls are saying at moment.
Can the 2020s get any fecking shittier?
Sadly yes ! Don’t tempt fate . What a wretched decade it’s been so far .
But hopefully the quasi-effective choice makes it over the utterly unacceptable one.
Were any of the French Presidential candidates "acceptable" in your eyes? The centre-right candidate, Pecresse, got less than 5% of the vote - Fillon got 20% four years ago.
The disaster in French politics isn't the failure of the centre - that's what is holding the line. The failure was the traditional centre-right and centre-left (the Socialist Hidalgo did worse).
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
Her winning might up end the whole apple cart and help Putin win by splitting the europeans.
She wants her country to side with a war criminal.
Says it all really.
Pray God the french make the right choice, but I am not convinced they will despite what polls are saying at moment.
Can the 2020s get any fecking shittier?
Hopefully not. But the shittiness started in 2016, just saying.
I know we all love cricket chat on here....here is one to blow Boycott era cricketers, after the recent occruence of tactically retiring yourself as a batsman, stragetic bowling of wides at the death is now a real tactic T20 / Hundred.....
You might say that sounds insane, and I am being a bit disingenuous....the tactic is to bowl it right on the wide line, where the bowler is told statistically even getting called a wide is still +EV over bowling nearer the stumps in the final overs. Even bowling 2-3 wides in an over is better than trying to bowl more centrally.
To be fair that's long been a principle in pro tennis. Getting it right on the fault line is +EV even if you risk a fault or double fault.
The difference in tennis is obviously you don't get penalised on the scoreboard if you do this on your first serve. And they normally go much more conservative on the second serve. Such it is much easier to explain to fans.
Trying to explain to fans that actually the bowler did well there, despite 2 wides in the over....harder thing to do. And I bet we don't hear it from the commentators. It will be that's crap bowling, they bowl far too many wides etc etc etc. Its even more complex because the value of a wide isn't static during the game, there is a bit of a laffer curve going on in terms of what a wide is worth to the batting team depending on what over it is bowled.
Its like the guy who retired himself the other day on something like 28 from 20 balls.
But hopefully the quasi-effective choice makes it over the utterly unacceptable one.
Were any of the French Presidential candidates "acceptable" in your eyes? The centre-right candidate, Pecresse, got less than 5% of the vote - Fillon got 20% four years ago.
The disaster in French politics isn't the failure of the centre - that's what is holding the line. The failure was the traditional centre-right and centre-left (the Socialist Hidalgo did worse).
To be honest I don't know anything about Pecresse and she was such a no-hoper I never bothered to learn about her. I assume she's the best of a bad bunch, but that's just a wild guess.
Are we sure there will be a Wakefield by election?
If there’s a general election in June it would be part of that?
I can't see any way a general election in June could happen, realistically speaking.
I have been in Yorkshire three days and yet to meet someone who thinks removing the Churchillian leader of the West whilst they are at war battling Evil Putin could ever happen. PB.com is hopelessly behind the curve here - just as Maggie was trusted because she was Iron Lady, Boris is completely Transforming into similar iconic image. It doesn’t work on me, but it’s a real thing going on. If Boris runs this June he definitely wins 5 years to play with.
I was talking (anecdote alert) to a receptionist from Mansfield "I am not political but I always vote Conservative. I won't be voting for them after the parties. All my friends vote Conservative and they are very angry too. There is no one to vote for"
I know Johnson singlehandedly sunk the Moskva earlier today. Hats off to him, but I am not seeing a Falklands Factor.
Maybe Rwanda will do the trick
My anecdotal experience indicates no such thing, either. FWIW. MoonRabbit isn’t making much sense about a snap election, still less the likelihood of the Tories winning one if they were daft enough to call it.
MoonRabbit's predictions are normally so reliable
Ha! Name 1 that went wrong. Just 1 needed.
You were constantly ramping Boris being ousted a few weeks ago. You were even specifying "by next Wednesday" at one point.
It was a Tuesday actually. And I named the day a month out and counted down… right to the very day Putin first fired missiles.
Now Farooq, are you saying if Putin had the one sensible notion this year and returned to Baracks instead, Boris would still be there?
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
It looks to me that the value bet at present is Macron greater than 60% at 14 with BFX.
It is odd she has doubled down on the Putin love at this stage of the campaign.
In slightly heartening anecdotal news, I’ve been speaking to my Russian friend Julia every day since Russia invaded. She speaks to her family (parents, sister and niece) in Siberia every day. She told me today that they’d told her nobody there is painting Zs on their cars now, nor overtly supporting the war in the same way as they were at the start.
The family are still insisting to the niece that she not speak about it at all outside of the house, and they’re all keeping quiet about it, but they’ve noticed that most people are being far more circumspect about it.
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
It looks to me that the value bet at present is Macron greater than 60% at 14 with BFX.
It is odd she has doubled down on the Putin love at this stage of the campaign.
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
So if we go to war with russia we can invade france...bonus
Now, about those asylum centres in RwandaCalais.....
Technically dont we already own Calais due to Troyes
AFAIK we've relinquished all claims on France since the Treaty of Amiens, in return they dropped claims on the Channel Islands.
PARIS — Rejecting a “herd-like conformity” with the Biden administration, Marine Le Pen, the French far-right candidate for the presidency, said Wednesday that France would quit NATO’s integrated military command if she were elected and would seek for the alliance “a strategic rapprochement” with Russia.
NY Times
To be more.pro-Putin than the President of Belarus is quite an achievement.
It looks to me that the value bet at present is Macron greater than 60% at 14 with BFX.
It is odd she has doubled down on the Putin love at this stage of the campaign.
Might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb. Being pro-Putin didn't harm Orban.
In slightly heartening anecdotal news, I’ve been speaking to my Russian friend Julia every day since Russia invaded. She speaks to her family (parents, sister and niece) in Siberia every day. She told me told me today that they’d told her nobody there is painting Zs on their cars now, nor overtly supporting the war in the same way as they were at the start.
The family are still insisting to the niece that she not speak about it at all outside of the house, and they’re all keeping quiet about it, but they’ve noticed that most people are being far more circumspect about it.
The Russians'll cotton on faster than we did with Iraq.
Comments
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cxwdwz5d8gxt/natural-gas
Crisis over, perhaps?
Could almost be a metaphor for Kaliningrad...
Long may this disarray and witch-hunting continue.
Money equals power and influence - that's true in a capitalist global economic system. It's replaced royal patronage and religion which were the driving forces in former times.
One could indeed argue a wholly philanthropic approach would be the most advantageous and the adage of Government by the people for the people is wholly laudable if a little short on detail.
The problem is those who fund political parties on either side want to see something for their largesse. Whether hedge funds, overseas donors or trade unions, they don't give money just for the sake of it and the operation of a national political party requires money and plenty of it. Money buys influence in the media whether it's newspapers or tv channels putting across a single point of view.
The corollary is as money buys influence plural democracy is the loser - fewer voices are heard. It tends to be the views of those with the money which get heard and that's fine if you agree with them but it doesn't help democracy to restrict the voices heard. In the end, it becomes all too easy to retreat into one's own comfort zone where one only hears what one wants to hear.
In every state, the Government's voice is heard - in all too many states, it is the only voice.
It’s an awe inspiring golden chalice, I’ve seen it
A bit like a politician utilising an 'I'm an idiot defence' the Russians' explanation of damage leading to this loss is so hugely coincidental it supposes incredible incompetence. He has boldness, an amount of cunning and sufficient ruthlessness to succeed as Tsar and, to an extend, offput his geopolitical opponents. But given his purported aims of Russian influence expanding, and reducing NATO influence, the facts seem to suggest he has severely overstepped by being an arrogant idiot.
That, or EU membership for Russia so the borders don't matter, are the two changes that make more sense than the status quo.
I know Johnson singlehandedly sunk the Moskva earlier today. Hats off to him, but I am not seeing a Falklands Factor.
Maybe Rwanda will do the trick
No way there is going to a GE messing around with that.
Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦
@IAPonomarenko
·
3m
Ukraine. Has. Sank. A. Russian. Black. Sea. Fleet. Flagship.
And it doesn’t even have a navy, if we’re being honest.
Gloucestershire have never won it since 1881, but they were champions three times in the 1870s due to thrashing every other side out there. A bloke called William Gilbert Grace had something to do with this, I gather he was a bit useful.
So like I say, it depends on how you define 'title.' I was deliberately not including the very large number of one day titles the Shire won from 1999-2004.
We have to give all the other a go now, since we were the first and clearly the best county champions. When Somerset and Northants win it, we might have another go.
Until then, we let minor counties like Yorkies take the odd one. Just to keep them happy.
Edit - btw, poor choice of picture given what's happened to the people in it since.
But not unknown in Russia. Stalin would recognise today's catastrophe. It was what he did too.
And not in a good way.
Good night.
https://twitter.com/apmassaro3/status/1514423569727594501/photo/1
Indeed, was the last Russian naval victory Navarino, nearly 2 centuries ago? And that with allies...
Okay I’ll shut up about it, but when it happens, you know I explained a million reasons why it happened
Possible Last good month of popularity this parliament before it unravels in August and later so the risk plan points to it.
They can’t have five years anyway to deliver because of covid and war, they fairly need to ask for an extension to properly deliver on promises.
Avoids election after the unravelling of economy, low growth simultaneous inflation.
Secures big dog for years (like any other reason matters)
Labour not ready. Labour policies not ready. Labour youthful voters will all be on holiday.
Hey Russian President, go fuck yourself.
Those were the days. Things were better then.
Shashank Joshi
@shashj
·
26m
And we haven’t even sent anti-ship missiles yet.
https://twitter.com/shashj
Hanna Liubakova
@HannaLiubakova
· 1h
#Belarus The foreign minister Uladzimir Makei called on the EU to restore dialogue and abandon the sanctions policy. He called torture and killings of citizens “the unfortunate events of 2020”
The regime needs money and wants to avoid responsibility for helping Russia in the war
https://twitter.com/HannaLiubakova/status/1514690196205412372
You might say that sounds insane, and I am being a bit disingenuous....the tactic is to bowl it right on the wide line, where the bowler is told statistically even getting called a wide is still +EV over bowling nearer the stumps in the final overs. Even bowling 2-3 wides in an over is better than trying to bowl more centrally.
NY Times
MoonRabbit isn’t making much sense about a snap election, still less the likelihood of the Tories winning one if they were daft enough to call it.
I would much rather a party got 100,000 members to donate £10 each than one member to give £1 million. In their time both the Conservative and Labour parties (and the Liberals too further back) were mass membership parties.
Getting back to that notion of small cost individual mass membership might be the way to re-invigorate democracy at all levels
Zero chance of a snap election.
She wants her country to side with a war criminal.
Says it all really.
Pray God the french make the right choice, but I am not convinced they will despite what polls are saying at moment.
Can the 2020s get any fecking shittier?
No we shouldn't all do every single thing simply because others do, but a lot of the time people conform because it is the best option.
But hopefully the quasi-effective choice makes it over the utterly unacceptable one.
There's no election for 2 weeks
If her Maj is dead.
RwandaCalais.....The disaster in French politics isn't the failure of the centre - that's what is holding the line. The failure was the traditional centre-right and centre-left (the Socialist Hidalgo did worse).
Trying to explain to fans that actually the bowler did well there, despite 2 wides in the over....harder thing to do. And I bet we don't hear it from the commentators. It will be that's crap bowling, they bowl far too many wides etc etc etc. Its even more complex because the value of a wide isn't static during the game, there is a bit of a laffer curve going on in terms of what a wide is worth to the batting team depending on what over it is bowled.
Its like the guy who retired himself the other day on something like 28 from 20 balls.
Barnier could have been interesting.
Now Farooq, are you saying if Putin had the one sensible notion this year and returned to Baracks instead, Boris would still be there?
Name another 1.
The family are still insisting to the niece that she not speak about it at all outside of the house, and they’re all keeping quiet about it, but they’ve noticed that most people are being far more circumspect about it.