Howdy, Stranger!

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

Options

YouGov has Truss 3% behind Starmer as “best PM” – politicalbetting.com

1356

Comments

  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 39,946
    Aye..


  • Options
    darkagedarkage Posts: 4,787
    Nigelb said:

    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    This is law enforcement, not ‘the Democrats’.
    Just how stupid can you get - or is it that you just expect voters for fall for that kind of bullshit ?

    A warrant was granted by a judge, and demonstrating probable cause to search a former President’s house would be a pretty high bar. That an AG as timid as the current one signed off on this reinforces that.
    I watched bits of the Alex Jones defamation trial on youtube, which was quite interesting. If you look in to the judge, it is an elected position; and she is a democrat. That doesn't seem to be a good situation, somehow.
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,370
    edited August 2022

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,286
    edited August 2022
    Alistair said:

    TOPPING said:

    HYUFD said:
    Very rabble rousing statement. And if I were part of the rabble (I have my rabble moments) I would be roused.

    As you say, if I were a Trump fan it wouldn't make a difference but without knowing the whys and wherefores of the raid it sounds on the face of it like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut and I imagine many in the US will take against the action. Will it make them vote for Trump?

    I am of the view that he gets in in 2024 because people are drawn to him, so yes perhaps it will.

    note: I know absolutely nothing about American politics, hence felt compelled to comment.
    Trump removed hundreds of classified docs from the white House to Mar-A-Largo when he left office, docs at a secrecy level so high hey can't be described in public indictments.

    They were politely asked to be returned and Trump refused.

    The options are: Trump is above the law or FBI raid time.
    It goes a bit beyond that.
    Reasonably strong evidence that a crime had been committed would be required for the search, so just Trump not cooperating quickly enough in returning papers wouldn’t be sufficient, unless there were good reasons to think those documents at risk.

    The reaction of the Florida governor - effectively that federal criminals should be beyond the reach of the FBI in his state - is both pitiful and disgraceful.

  • Options
    Nigel_ForemainNigel_Foremain Posts: 13,776
    Trump: "These are dark times for our nation," Mr Trump's statement said. "Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before."

    The ghost of Nixon says hello.
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,834
    edited August 2022
    darkage said:

    Nigelb said:

    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    This is law enforcement, not ‘the Democrats’.
    Just how stupid can you get - or is it that you just expect voters for fall for that kind of bullshit ?

    A warrant was granted by a judge, and demonstrating probable cause to search a former President’s house would be a pretty high bar. That an AG as timid as the current one signed off on this reinforces that.
    I watched bits of the Alex Jones defamation trial on youtube, which was quite interesting. If you look in to the judge, it is an elected position; and she is a democrat. That doesn't seem to be a good situation, somehow.
    That also comes across as politically motivated, that he wasn’t even allowed a trial on the evidence, only a trial on how badly he should be financially ruined. His words were of course offensive, but didn’t cause anyone to be physically injured and he didn’t call for violence.

    Electing individual judges and prosecutors is a bad idea, because prosecutions and judgements really should be aside from politics. In Texas, Jones can probably find a Conservative appeal judge.
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,317
    HYUFD said:

    Compared to RedfieldWilton the Yougov numbers are not good for Truss. Starmer has more 2019 Tory voters preferring him as PM to her than she has 2019 Labour voters preferring her as PM to him. Starmer also has significantly more LD voters preferring him as PM to her.

    Most 2019 Conservative voters also think Boris should not have been removed and most voters think the leadership campaign has showed the party in a bad light

    This sort of post illustrates why HYUFD is more interesting to read than most of us partisans. His sympathies remain unwavering, but he looks at the data and gives an honest view.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,286
    TOPPING said:

    Nigelb said:

    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    This is law enforcement, not ‘the Democrats’.
    Just how stupid can you get - or is it that you just expect voters for fall for that kind of bullshit ?

    A warrant was granted by a judge, and demonstrating probable cause to search a former President’s house would be a pretty high bar. That an AG as timid as the current one signed off on this reinforces that.
    Erm, you are one of the more seasoned PB posters yet you write this?!
    Oh, some will.
    I was simply noting MrEd’s cynicism.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,894
    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
  • Options
    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    TOPPING said:

    Alistair said:

    TOPPING said:

    HYUFD said:
    Very rabble rousing statement. And if I were part of the rabble (I have my rabble moments) I would be roused.

    As you say, if I were a Trump fan it wouldn't make a difference but without knowing the whys and wherefores of the raid it sounds on the face of it like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut and I imagine many in the US will take against the action. Will it make them vote for Trump?

    I am of the view that he gets in in 2024 because people are drawn to him, so yes perhaps it will.

    note: I know absolutely nothing about American politics, hence felt compelled to comment.
    Trump removed hundreds of classified docs from the white House to Mar-A-Largo when he left office, docs at a secrecy level so high hey can't be described in public indictments.

    They were politely asked to be returned and Trump refused.

    The options are: Trump is above the law or FBI raid time.
    Yebbut no one knows that. Unless they find the docs.
    I've cocked up my time line. The National Archives already recovered 15 boxes of docs, some of which where at the highest classification level at the start of the year.

    So we know stuff was taken illegally.

    This raid is an exciting escalation though.
  • Options
    turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 15,101
    darkage said:

    Nigelb said:

    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    This is law enforcement, not ‘the Democrats’.
    Just how stupid can you get - or is it that you just expect voters for fall for that kind of bullshit ?

    A warrant was granted by a judge, and demonstrating probable cause to search a former President’s house would be a pretty high bar. That an AG as timid as the current one signed off on this reinforces that.
    I watched bits of the Alex Jones defamation trial on youtube, which was quite interesting. If you look in to the judge, it is an elected position; and she is a democrat. That doesn't seem to be a good situation, somehow.
    Maybe, but from a few thousand miles away what he was found to have done is so batshit crazy I don't think it matters. Did he really believe the bullshit he came out with? It would be like someone over here saying that Dunblane, or Hungerford didn't happen. I cannot conceive of the level of hurt and insult that must be to those who lost loved ones.

    At the end of the day, judges, will have their own opinions. We must trust them to be professional.
  • Options
    MrEd said:

    MrEd said:

    MrEd said:


    As has been said, who raids an ex-President for the Presidential Records Act? It's like sending in the SAS to deal with a parking ticket. Unless they find a smoking gun, the Democrats have just given the Trump campaign a huge turnout boost when it comes to the GOP fan base without any corresponding boost to their own.

    The timing on this is also not coincidental. Trump was the big winner of last week's primaries. At the same time, the Democrats got their spending bill in and the polls have narrowed for congress. They obviously thought it was the right time to strike. The idea that Biden didn't know about this is laughable.

    But you reap what you sow. If you don't think the Republicans are not going to take your statement if they win Congress and investigate Biden for all the Hunter stuff, I have a bridge to sell you. Probably with Pelosi as well on all the share dealing stuff.





    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    The rule of law is the rule of law. In a democracy that matters.

    I suspect unlike your demand for partisan retribution under a GOP Administration, there is some hard and fast evidence to suggest there are national security sensitive documents in Mar a Lago that shouldn't be in Mar a Lago. That seems worth investigating at a moment in time when the US is in tacit conflict with a foreign power that has known personal links to residents of Mar a Lago who previously had access to aforementioned sensitive material and now shouldn't.
    Yawn. You are one of the most partisan people on here. Anything that comes up about Trump, you and many others can't stop your frothing. I don't want him to run in 2024, I think it would be bad for the United States but your woeful blindness when it comes to seeing only the faults of one side in this whole saga is at the root of the problem. Clinton's campaign after all was the only who fed false evidence to get a Federal court to sign off on the FBI investigating a Presidential campaign.
    Question: is that Clinton badness remotely on the same scale of bad as the Trump mob?

    Objectively there is no comparison. Or with Hunter Biden's laptop. And you must know this - so why suggest there is?
    Clinton et al's main aim was the same as the Jan 6th mob - to overturn a result they didn't like. Their methods were different, their aims were the same.

    I think you need to check your privilege that you are the arbiter of what is objective and what is not. If it was Erik Trump with the same material and the same questions as HB is facing, you would be talking about how it shows Trump's corruption and the threat to democracy. You are not objective. I might not be either but then again I'm not claiming I have the right to set the standards.
    I am not objective. Trump is a crook. The political organisation protecting and enabling Trump are crooks. This isn't up for debate. You either support the mob or you don't. I don't.
  • Options
    squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 6,325
    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    They are probably all tuning into the BBC for the football results...
  • Options
    AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670
    The New York branch of the FBI started a public investigation into Clinton in 2016 after some Trump supporting agents read "Clinton's Cash".
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,048

    Incidentally, when did the right-wing start becoming reflexively anti new technology? Whenever a new technology comes along there always seem to be a bunch of right-wrong people creating sprouts arguments why it's crap.

    We've seen this with wind turbines, solar panels, electric cars, heart pumps, over and over again. It's really negative and boring. Indicative that there are many on the right who just reflexively oppose anything, particularly if they've ever heard a left-wrong person surreal favourably about it.

    Perhaps when they started getting most of their votes from the elderly? But conservatives have always been against change, by definition.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,894
    edited August 2022
    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    Then again they have a gdp per capita of $68,000 and a $1.2T ($223k per person) wealth fund. I think they are OK placed to deal with this.
  • Options
    MrEdMrEd Posts: 5,578
    Nigelb said:

    Alistair said:

    TOPPING said:

    HYUFD said:
    Very rabble rousing statement. And if I were part of the rabble (I have my rabble moments) I would be roused.

    As you say, if I were a Trump fan it wouldn't make a difference but without knowing the whys and wherefores of the raid it sounds on the face of it like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut and I imagine many in the US will take against the action. Will it make them vote for Trump?

    I am of the view that he gets in in 2024 because people are drawn to him, so yes perhaps it will.

    note: I know absolutely nothing about American politics, hence felt compelled to comment.
    Trump removed hundreds of classified docs from the white House to Mar-A-Largo when he left office, docs at a secrecy level so high hey can't be described in public indictments.

    They were politely asked to be returned and Trump refused.

    The options are: Trump is above the law or FBI raid time.
    It goes a bit beyond that.
    Reasonably strong evidence that a crime had been committed would be required for the search, so just Trump not cooperating quickly enough in returning papers wouldn’t be sufficient, unless there were good reasons to think those documents at risk.

    The reaction of the Florida governor - effectively that federal criminals should be beyond the reach of the FBI in his state - is both pitiful and disgraceful.

    Back in 2015, HRC had Government files on his server. The FBI not only didn't raid her home, they also allowed her lawyer to keep a copy in a specially designed safe.

    "The reaction of the Florida governor - effectively that federal criminals should be beyond the reach of the FBI in his state - is both pitiful and disgraceful."

    I take it then when Democrat cities were saying they were sanctuary cities and would not cooperate with ICE, you also thought that was disgraceful?
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,048
    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
  • Options
    darkagedarkage Posts: 4,787

    darkage said:

    Nigelb said:

    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    This is law enforcement, not ‘the Democrats’.
    Just how stupid can you get - or is it that you just expect voters for fall for that kind of bullshit ?

    A warrant was granted by a judge, and demonstrating probable cause to search a former President’s house would be a pretty high bar. That an AG as timid as the current one signed off on this reinforces that.
    I watched bits of the Alex Jones defamation trial on youtube, which was quite interesting. If you look in to the judge, it is an elected position; and she is a democrat. That doesn't seem to be a good situation, somehow.
    Maybe, but from a few thousand miles away what he was found to have done is so batshit crazy I don't think it matters. Did he really believe the bullshit he came out with? It would be like someone over here saying that Dunblane, or Hungerford didn't happen. I cannot conceive of the level of hurt and insult that must be to those who lost loved ones.

    At the end of the day, judges, will have their own opinions. We must trust them to be professional.
    Well, it should have been a reckoning for him. But I'm not sure it will work out that way, despite the verdict.
  • Options

    A little advice from PB, please.

    The little 'un wants to go fossil hunting in Lyme Regis (because of the Mary Anning connection). He is not massively into fossils, so I expect most of the day to be playing on the beach.

    I'm thinking of doing Splashdown in Poole with him one day, and perhaps the tank museum. Does anyone have other ideas of things for kids, museums etc in the area to the west of Southampton? I'm fairly knowledgeable about the coast, but not so much inland.

    TIA.

    Maiden Castle is pretty fantastic.

  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,370

    Explain to me why heat pumps are not shit.

    Everything I read suggests they operate at 35C not 60-70C, so how do they get a radiator hot enough to heat a room? Also, if it's really cold, does the output drop making it chillier just when you need it most? How do you turn up the thermostat quickly so it responds? What about extra hot water you need for a bath or shower?

    They sound shit.

    My brother-in-law put a heat pump with underfloor heating and concrete heat-retaining slabs in his new-build (well, it's about three years old now). It works great.

    It will be harder and more expensive to retrofit an existing house, but they certainly work.
    There are systems available which go into an 18mm layer, which is the same thickness as a normal plywood floor. Or oversize, and therefore low temperature, radiators.

    Clearly it needs as much insulation as possible underneath the floor, though.
  • Options
    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,317
    Useful analysis of the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/08/how-dangerous-is-the-situation-at-the-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant

    Gulp.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,286
    A decent (and long) thread looking at the process, excerpts below.

    https://twitter.com/Popehat/status/1556778286549651457
    … To get a federal search warrant, a federal agent submits an affidavit under oath to a federal magistrate judge, setting forth where they want to search, for what items, and what the probable cause is that those things are evidence of a federal crime and are there.

    … Federal magistrate judges tend to require relatively thorough, specific, and well-documented applications, as opposed to state judges, who will generally sign a warrant that looks like something Gary Busey blew out of his nose after Fourth of July weekend.

    No disrespect.

    … The more I think about it, the more I suspect recent, highly actionable intelligence, possibly from a cooperator, drove this and its timing. The need for freshness -- proof that the evidence is there NOW -- is key.

  • Options
    eekeek Posts: 24,925

    HYUFD said:

    Compared to RedfieldWilton the Yougov numbers are not good for Truss. Starmer has more 2019 Tory voters preferring him as PM to her than she has 2019 Labour voters preferring her as PM to him. Starmer also has significantly more LD voters preferring him as PM to her.

    Most 2019 Conservative voters also think Boris should not have been removed and most voters think the leadership campaign has showed the party in a bad light

    This sort of post illustrates why HYUFD is more interesting to read than most of us partisans. His sympathies remain unwavering, but he looks at the data and gives an honest view.
    Surely it's not surprising that 2019 Labour supporters will prefer the Labour leader as PM rather than a Tory Leader.

    What that poll is really looking at is the number of floating voters willing to switch party at the next election and so few floating voters voted Labour in 2019 that it's going to be hard to find many 2019 Labour voters changing their vote next time round.
  • Options

    Good morning everybody.
    The dental story on the BBC last night seems to have flashed across the sky like a comet and vanished!

    With a bit of luck someone will raise the dentists question at tonight's hustings. Probably both candidates will agree something should be done in the long term (such as train more dentists) and the medium term (import more dentists with our post-Brexit points system) but that will be as far as it goes.
  • Options
    Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,837
    One source on PM/partygate:

    “On the facts, he was definitely at lockdown-breaking events and he knew they were happening and therefore what he said to the House was knowingly inaccurate.”

    Another: “absolutely, damn well he did” mislead MPs

    A third: PM “knew what was going on”


    https://twitter.com/benrileysmith/status/1556915006163324930
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,370

    IshmaelZ said:

    Incidentally, when did the right-wing start becoming reflexively anti new technology? Whenever a new technology comes along there always seem to be a bunch of right-wrong people creating sprouts arguments why it's crap.

    We've seen this with wind turbines, solar panels, electric cars, heart pumps, over and over again. It's really negative and boring. Indicative that there are many on the right who just reflexively oppose anything, particularly if they've ever heard a left-wrong person surreal favourably about it.

    Surreal indeed

    The case against heat pumps is pretty compelling, as even their proponents seem to concede. Barely detectable warmth pumps would be more accurate
    A plumber who did some work for us talked about combined air-source heat pump/oil boilers for older rural properties like ours. The idea is a constant level of heating from the air source and when needed the oil kicks in. I guess a bit like hybrid cars.
    My relatives in Scotland had a new house built with ground source heating and fully set up for it (very well insulated, under floor heating) and it works brilliantly. The issue for most is that retro-fitting is not so simple (as has been said probably new, bigger radiators, bigger diameter pipes and so on.

    All new builds should be built to standards that allow air-source or ground source heat pumps, but the residual housing stock is a far harder challenge.
    Correct.

    A properly built house reduces the heat required for heating by 80-90% over a traditional house. A renovation can reduce it by about 60-65% without extreme measures.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,935
    eek said:

    HYUFD said:

    Compared to RedfieldWilton the Yougov numbers are not good for Truss. Starmer has more 2019 Tory voters preferring him as PM to her than she has 2019 Labour voters preferring her as PM to him. Starmer also has significantly more LD voters preferring him as PM to her.

    Most 2019 Conservative voters also think Boris should not have been removed and most voters think the leadership campaign has showed the party in a bad light

    This sort of post illustrates why HYUFD is more interesting to read than most of us partisans. His sympathies remain unwavering, but he looks at the data and gives an honest view.
    Surely it's not surprising that 2019 Labour supporters will prefer the Labour leader as PM rather than a Tory Leader.

    What that poll is really looking at is the number of floating voters willing to switch party at the next election and so few floating voters voted Labour in 2019 that it's going to be hard to find many 2019 Labour voters changing their vote next time round.
    What has changed from 2019 however is more 2019 Tory voters would prefer Starmer as PM to Truss than 2019 Labour voters prefer Truss to Starmer.

    Plus Starmer has a big lead over Truss with LD voters, while 2019 LD voters would not touch Boris or Corbyn with a bargepole
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,286
    edited August 2022
    Sandpit said:

    darkage said:

    Nigelb said:

    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    This is law enforcement, not ‘the Democrats’.
    Just how stupid can you get - or is it that you just expect voters for fall for that kind of bullshit ?

    A warrant was granted by a judge, and demonstrating probable cause to search a former President’s house would be a pretty high bar. That an AG as timid as the current one signed off on this reinforces that.
    I watched bits of the Alex Jones defamation trial on youtube, which was quite interesting. If you look in to the judge, it is an elected position; and she is a democrat. That doesn't seem to be a good situation, somehow.
    That also comes across as politically motivated, that he wasn’t even allowed a trial on the evidence, only a trial on how badly he should be financially ruined. His words were of course offensive, but didn’t cause anyone to be physically injured and he didn’t call for violence.

    Electing individual judges and prosecutors is a bad idea, because prosecutions and judgements really should be aside from politics. In Texas, Jones can probably find a Conservative appeal judge.
    The judgment came since he defied a court discovery order, and perjured himself regarding the non existence of the evidence the court had required him to disclose. Which his lawyers then released.
    That’s what led to summary judgment.

    How is it ‘politically motivated’ for the relatives of the Sandy Hook massacre to sue someone who has spent years publicly accusing them of being liars and fantasists ?
  • Options
    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,936

    A little advice from PB, please.

    The little 'un wants to go fossil hunting in Lyme Regis (because of the Mary Anning connection). He is not massively into fossils, so I expect most of the day to be playing on the beach.

    I'm thinking of doing Splashdown in Poole with him one day, and perhaps the tank museum. Does anyone have other ideas of things for kids, museums etc in the area to the west of Southampton? I'm fairly knowledgeable about the coast, but not so much inland.

    TIA.

    Maiden Castle is pretty fantastic.

    Corfe Castle is well worth a visit. Also Tyneham!
  • Options
    VogonJVogonJ Posts: 4
    Sandpit said:

    darkage said:

    Nigelb said:

    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    This is law enforcement, not ‘the Democrats’.
    Just how stupid can you get - or is it that you just expect voters for fall for that kind of bullshit ?

    A warrant was granted by a judge, and demonstrating probable cause to search a former President’s house would be a pretty high bar. That an AG as timid as the current one signed off on this reinforces that.
    I watched bits of the Alex Jones defamation trial on youtube, which was quite interesting. If you look in to the judge, it is an elected position; and she is a democrat. That doesn't seem to be a good situation, somehow.
    That also comes across as politically motivated, that he wasn’t even allowed a trial on the evidence, only a trial on how badly he should be financially ruined. His words were of course offensive, but didn’t cause anyone to be physically injured and he didn’t call for violence.

    Electing individual judges and prosecutors is a bad idea, because prosecutions and judgements really should be aside from politics. In Texas, Jones can probably find a Conservative appeal judge.
    AJ was allowed a trial. However he deliberately sabotaged and delayed proceedings (failing to respond to evidence notices, repeatedly sacking his unfortunate lawyers, etc) to the extent that eventually a default judgement was awarded against him. That is why the case was only about damages not liability. What happened in Texas last week was entirely his own fault and utterly avoidable if he had behaved like any normal person faced by legal proceedings. Quite why he did that is hard to fathom - perhaps he would have come across even worse in a proper trial, or might have found it harder to present himself to casual observers as some sort of martyr. Whatever, he had the chance to defend himself against the legal action and chose instead to mess around and got what happens to anyone who indulges in that sort of nonsense. He shouldn’t get any sympathy, regardless of political beliefs.
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,049
    edited August 2022

    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
    The label on the graph suggests it is domestic consumption of energy (not just electricity), including heating, transport and cooking. Norway is dark and cold in the winter. The population is relatively sparsely spread. I'd expect them to use more energy than Europeans further south.
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,370
    edited August 2022
    darkage said:

    Explain to me why heat pumps are not shit.

    Everything I read suggests they operate at 35C not 60-70C, so how do they get a radiator hot enough to heat a room? Also, if it's really cold, does the output drop making it chillier just when you need it most? How do you turn up the thermostat quickly so it responds? What about extra hot water you need for a bath or shower?

    They sound shit.

    My brother-in-law put a heat pump with underfloor heating and concrete heat-retaining slabs in his new-build (well, it's about three years old now). It works great.

    It will be harder and more expensive to retrofit an existing house, but they certainly work.
    I was discussing a ventillation system to deal with a problem of condensation in our property with a surveyor. It turned out that the ventilation system would pump in cold air in winter which would then lead to a greater need for heating. The suggestion was that it would save money because we wouldn't need to keep the windows open in winter, which we don't do anyway.

    Heh. This is always fun.

    You can get a single fan, never mind a whole ventilation system, with Heat Recovery, which will capture 75-85% of the heat going out to warm up the air coming in.

    Plus if you calculate the heat that comes in with cold air, it is actually very small especially through a heat exchanger - air has a very low heat capacity.

    If you don't ventilate and let the house run at a higher humidity, you are quite likely to be spending more money heating up the extra moisture in the inside air.

    But all the numbers are smallish.
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,048
    Scott_xP said:

    One source on PM/partygate:

    “On the facts, he was definitely at lockdown-breaking events and he knew they were happening and therefore what he said to the House was knowingly inaccurate.”

    Another: “absolutely, damn well he did” mislead MPs

    A third: PM “knew what was going on”


    https://twitter.com/benrileysmith/status/1556915006163324930

    Very brave of them to come forward now.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,286
    MrEd said:

    Nigelb said:

    Alistair said:

    TOPPING said:

    HYUFD said:
    Very rabble rousing statement. And if I were part of the rabble (I have my rabble moments) I would be roused.

    As you say, if I were a Trump fan it wouldn't make a difference but without knowing the whys and wherefores of the raid it sounds on the face of it like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut and I imagine many in the US will take against the action. Will it make them vote for Trump?

    I am of the view that he gets in in 2024 because people are drawn to him, so yes perhaps it will.

    note: I know absolutely nothing about American politics, hence felt compelled to comment.
    Trump removed hundreds of classified docs from the white House to Mar-A-Largo when he left office, docs at a secrecy level so high hey can't be described in public indictments.

    They were politely asked to be returned and Trump refused.

    The options are: Trump is above the law or FBI raid time.
    It goes a bit beyond that.
    Reasonably strong evidence that a crime had been committed would be required for the search, so just Trump not cooperating quickly enough in returning papers wouldn’t be sufficient, unless there were good reasons to think those documents at risk.

    The reaction of the Florida governor - effectively that federal criminals should be beyond the reach of the FBI in his state - is both pitiful and disgraceful.

    Back in 2015, HRC had Government files on his server. The FBI not only didn't raid her home, they also allowed her lawyer to keep a copy in a specially designed safe.

    "The reaction of the Florida governor - effectively that federal criminals should be beyond the reach of the FBI in his state - is both pitiful and disgraceful."

    I take it then when Democrat cities were saying they were sanctuary cities and would not cooperate with ICE, you also thought that was disgraceful?
    Did they threaten to arrest ICE agents ? I’m unaware of that.
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,048

    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
    The legend on the graph suggests it is domestic consumption of energy (not just electricity), including heating, transport and cooking. Norway is dark and cold in the winter. The population is relatively sparsely spread. I'd expect them to use more energy than Europeans further south.
    I am pretty sure it is just all primary energy usage in the economy divided by the number of people, but I am happy to be corrected.
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,049
    MattW said:

    Explain to me why heat pumps are not shit.

    Everything I read suggests they operate at 35C not 60-70C, so how do they get a radiator hot enough to heat a room? Also, if it's really cold, does the output drop making it chillier just when you need it most? How do you turn up the thermostat quickly so it responds? What about extra hot water you need for a bath or shower?

    They sound shit.

    My brother-in-law put a heat pump with underfloor heating and concrete heat-retaining slabs in his new-build (well, it's about three years old now). It works great.

    It will be harder and more expensive to retrofit an existing house, but they certainly work.
    There are systems available which go into an 18mm layer, which is the same thickness as a normal plywood floor. Or oversize, and therefore low temperature, radiators.

    Clearly it needs as much insulation as possible underneath the floor, though.
    Yes, and the technology is continuing to develop, so retrofitting will become easier over time. The technology clearly works, but just as with previous new technologies we will have several years of people sniping about lukewarm heating, before them flipping and then extolling the virtues of the new technology and condescendingly telling Greens that technology was always going to be the answer.

    It's tiresome. I've been through several iterations of this with different technologies on here over the years.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,894

    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
    The legend on the graph suggests it is domestic consumption of energy (not just electricity), including heating, transport and cooking. Norway is dark and cold in the winter. The population is relatively sparsely spread. I'd expect them to use more energy than Europeans further south.
    I don't think there's a country better placed for the future than Norway quite honestly. Part of the EU single market, $69k/capita gdp, $223k per person wealth fund, hydro, oil, wind potential.
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,049

    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
    The legend on the graph suggests it is domestic consumption of energy (not just electricity), including heating, transport and cooking. Norway is dark and cold in the winter. The population is relatively sparsely spread. I'd expect them to use more energy than Europeans further south.
    I am pretty sure it is just all primary energy usage in the economy divided by the number of people, but I am happy to be corrected.
    Ah, you are correct. I only read the medium-sized print and not the small-sized print. Sigh.
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,901

    Good morning everybody.
    The dental story on the BBC last night seems to have flashed across the sky like a comet and vanished!

    With a bit of luck someone will raise the dentists question at tonight's hustings. Probably both candidates will agree something should be done in the long term (such as train more dentists) and the medium term (import more dentists with our post-Brexit points system) but that will be as far as it goes.
    Yes. Neither being the answer to the problem. It's a subject which doesn't really affect the chattering classes, including to some extent at least us, and so it doesn't really get the attention it deserves.
    The problem appears to be the dental contract, which was brought in under the Labour government and which has been completely ignored by both the Coalition and the Conservatives.
    No one likes talking about dentistry! Dental treatment is usually uncomfortable and unpleasant!
  • Options
    RazedabodeRazedabode Posts: 2,976

    Scott_xP said:

    One source on PM/partygate:

    “On the facts, he was definitely at lockdown-breaking events and he knew they were happening and therefore what he said to the House was knowingly inaccurate.”

    Another: “absolutely, damn well he did” mislead MPs

    A third: PM “knew what was going on”


    https://twitter.com/benrileysmith/status/1556915006163324930

    Very brave of them to come forward now.
    Wonder how those people who blindly supported him will act.

  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,370
    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    That's everything. So also house heating, electric cars, and all that oil / gas processing.

    Suspect also that they have been able to relax, so it was easy to let it roll. That's what any country would do, I think. If you have all the cheap hydropower, it's tempting to use it.

    The hit will probably appear in the balance of payments(?). And they will draw down a bit more from the sovereign wealth fund.
  • Options
    pingping Posts: 3,731
    edited August 2022
    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
    The legend on the graph suggests it is domestic consumption of energy (not just electricity), including heating, transport and cooking. Norway is dark and cold in the winter. The population is relatively sparsely spread. I'd expect them to use more energy than Europeans further south.
    I don't think there's a country better placed for the future than Norway quite honestly. Part of the EU single market, $69k/capita gdp, $223k per person wealth fund, hydro, oil, wind potential.

    Yip

    A baby with a Norwegian passport has pretty much hit the jackpot.

    As well as the prosperity, they’re born into a free, open, democratic and cohesive society, with decent domestic and international security and some of the best medical care and life expectancy.
  • Options
    YBarddCwscYBarddCwsc Posts: 7,172
    edited August 2022

    Good morning everybody.
    The dental story on the BBC last night seems to have flashed across the sky like a comet and vanished!

    It is exactly the kind of story that vanishes. It is in no-one's interest to give it publicity (except the patients, who have the least powerful voice of all).

    Big structural and financial decisions are needed to fix it.

    It did not show a good picture in England ... or in Wales, or in Scotland or in N. Ireland. (Health is devolved).

    Wales was in fact somewhat worse than England, Scotland somewhat better.

    Access to NHS dentistry has been a problem for years, and none of the political parties has a clear plan to improve matters.

    So, like social care, it will get kicked down the never-ending road.
  • Options
    theProletheProle Posts: 948

    Incidentally, when did the right-wing start becoming reflexively anti new technology? Whenever a new technology comes along there always seem to be a bunch of right-wrong people creating sprouts arguments why it's crap.

    We've seen this with wind turbines, solar panels, electric cars, heart pumps, over and over again. It's really negative and boring. Indicative that there are many on the right who just reflexively oppose anything, particularly if they've ever heard a left-wrong person surreal favourably about it.

    I'm not anti new technology. I am however very anti the banning of older technology which works well in favour of new technology which doesn't.
  • Options
    Backlog of longest-wait patients slashed in England

    The number of people waiting longer than two years for routine operations in England has fallen from 22,500 at the start of the year, to fewer than 200, according to NHS figures.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-62465626

    Some good news. The 18-months waiting list is the next target.
  • Options
    PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,894
    Ah here we go:

    https://www.offshorewind.biz/2022/05/11/norway-launches-30-gw-by-2040-offshore-wind-investment-plan/

    Per population head that'd be the equivalent of 325 GW of nameplate power for the UK, a few batteries or somehow link it back to the hydro to push water uphill during windy periods. I mean they've basically solved their energy problems, not that they had that much in the first place.
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,370

    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
    The legend on the graph suggests it is domestic consumption of energy (not just electricity), including heating, transport and cooking. Norway is dark and cold in the winter. The population is relatively sparsely spread. I'd expect them to use more energy than Europeans further south.
    I am pretty sure it is just all primary energy usage in the economy divided by the number of people, but I am happy to be corrected.
    Yes - that's about it. Link:
    https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/per-capita-energy-use

    That is also not trade adjusted. If you go for "consumption based" numbers, Norway looks relatively better - being a net exporter - but is still at the top of the league.

    https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/consumption-based-energy-per-capita?tab=chart&country=CHN~TUR~JPN~USA~GBR~IND~ZAF~AUS~BRA~DEU~FRA~SWE~ESP~KOR~NOR~MEX
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,370

    MattW said:

    Explain to me why heat pumps are not shit.

    Everything I read suggests they operate at 35C not 60-70C, so how do they get a radiator hot enough to heat a room? Also, if it's really cold, does the output drop making it chillier just when you need it most? How do you turn up the thermostat quickly so it responds? What about extra hot water you need for a bath or shower?

    They sound shit.

    My brother-in-law put a heat pump with underfloor heating and concrete heat-retaining slabs in his new-build (well, it's about three years old now). It works great.

    It will be harder and more expensive to retrofit an existing house, but they certainly work.
    There are systems available which go into an 18mm layer, which is the same thickness as a normal plywood floor. Or oversize, and therefore low temperature, radiators.

    Clearly it needs as much insulation as possible underneath the floor, though.
    Yes, and the technology is continuing to develop, so retrofitting will become easier over time. The technology clearly works, but just as with previous new technologies we will have several years of people sniping about lukewarm heating, before them flipping and then extolling the virtues of the new technology and condescendingly telling Greens that technology was always going to be the answer.

    It's tiresome. I've been through several iterations of this with different technologies on here over the years.
    I think what is genuinely different is that it is no longer so simple for installers to get it right - more difficult advice is needed, and there are a wider range of options. It is more complex.

    It is no longer "Stick the Combi in, Brian".

    What does persist is "reduce use before installing a system" ie Fabric First.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,543
    IanB2 said:

    All three tomato plants feeding me now, and the cucumbers continue

    We'll be mostly eating our home grown aubergines this week.
    CTFY
    Lol. Hopefully not, I like aubergines but not that much.
  • Options
    nico679nico679 Posts: 4,718
    The judge signing off on the FBI warrant would need to be very confident that a crime had been committed given Trump was the subject of the warrant so there must have been compelling evidence .

  • Options
    pingping Posts: 3,731
    edited August 2022
    Very off topic, but may be interesting to some people;

    EBay are doing a 10% discount off almost everything that isn’t sold as brand new. Private and business sellers. Auctions and Buyitnow.

    Sitewide. Today only.

    This kind of offer/discount is pretty rare and far better than their usual dubious/fake offers/discounts.
  • Options
    SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,834
    ping said:

    Very off topic, but may be interesting to some people;

    EBay are doing a 10% discount off almost everything that isn’t sold as brand new. Private and business sellers. Auctions and Buyitnow.

    Sitewide. Today only.

    This kind of offer/discount is pretty rare and far better than their usual dubious/fake offers/discounts.

    That must be incredibly annoying for people selling high-value items on the site, to have the price arbitrarily discounted by 10%.
  • Options
    bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,816
    On Topic RW has the exact opposite Truss 3% above SKS so whichever poll you take SKS is a drag on Lab.
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,370
    Pulpstar said:

    Ah here we go:

    https://www.offshorewind.biz/2022/05/11/norway-launches-30-gw-by-2040-offshore-wind-investment-plan/

    Per population head that'd be the equivalent of 325 GW of nameplate power for the UK, a few batteries or somehow link it back to the hydro to push water uphill during windy periods. I mean they've basically solved their energy problems, not that they had that much in the first place.

    It will be interesting to see if it happens. President Macron did exactly the same thing in a promise made before his election.

    Those same decisions were made here by Blair and Brown between about 2005 and 2010 iirc, and maybe the early years of the coalition - perhaps with a different mechanism.

    Perhaps Nick Palmer recalls from his time in the Commons.

    One thing I really hold against recent Tory Governments is that they banked the benefits of offshore wind, did nothing to progress it further or much to create an industry, and then sat on their fat butts.

    UK companies could be building these. If.
  • Options
    MortimerMortimer Posts: 13,936
    Sandpit said:

    ping said:

    Very off topic, but may be interesting to some people;

    EBay are doing a 10% discount off almost everything that isn’t sold as brand new. Private and business sellers. Auctions and Buyitnow.

    Sitewide. Today only.

    This kind of offer/discount is pretty rare and far better than their usual dubious/fake offers/discounts.

    That must be incredibly annoying for people selling high-value items on the site, to have the price arbitrarily discounted by 10%.
    My understanding is that it is a) max discount of £50 and b) funded by ebay not the seller....
  • Options
    bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,816

    Backlog of longest-wait patients slashed in England

    The number of people waiting longer than two years for routine operations in England has fallen from 22,500 at the start of the year, to fewer than 200, according to NHS figures.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-62465626

    Some good news. The 18-months waiting list is the next target.

    It's not really good news as the waits over 12 months is over 300k for the first time since Thatcher. New Lab got 12 month waits to circa zero
  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,072
    MrEd said:

    HYUFD said:

    MrEd said:


    As has been said, who raids an ex-President for the Presidential Records Act? It's like sending in the SAS to deal with a parking ticket. Unless they find a smoking gun, the Democrats have just given the Trump campaign a huge turnout boost when it comes to the GOP fan base without any corresponding boost to their own.

    The timing on this is also not coincidental. Trump was the big winner of last week's primaries. At the same time, the Democrats got their spending bill in and the polls have narrowed for congress. They obviously thought it was the right time to strike. The idea that Biden didn't know about this is laughable.

    But you reap what you sow. If you don't think the Republicans are not going to take your statement if they win Congress and investigate Biden for all the Hunter stuff, I have a bridge to sell you. Probably with Pelosi as well on all the share dealing stuff.





    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    The rule of law is the rule of law. In a democracy that matters.

    Trump fans will vote GOP anyway, it is the independent swing voters in the suburbs who are still key
    True. But independents don't exactly think the Administration is a beacon of probity. Anyone who is an independent can see where this path will go to because it's happened before when it comes to retaliation. The Democrats scrapped the filibuster for federal appointments, the Republicans then did the same for the Supreme Court. Given what is happening in the US at the moment, unless there is a smoking gun, this is not a clever move.
    So it's driven by politics and will benefit Donald Trump and the Republicans.

    Hmmm - false flag then? Trump leans on the FBI boss and gets him to do something that rocket-boosts the 'persecuted man of the people' legend?

    I'd usually not go near such nonsense but you might just be talking me into this one.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 38,870
    Thanks for all the advice re. the south coast. Looks as though I have enough to fill more than four or five days... :)
  • Options
    pingping Posts: 3,731
    edited August 2022
    Sandpit said:

    ping said:

    Very off topic, but may be interesting to some people;

    EBay are doing a 10% discount off almost everything that isn’t sold as brand new. Private and business sellers. Auctions and Buyitnow.

    Sitewide. Today only.

    This kind of offer/discount is pretty rare and far better than their usual dubious/fake offers/discounts.

    That must be incredibly annoying for people selling high-value items on the site, to have the price arbitrarily discounted by 10%.
    Most ebay offers are crap because they do just that ^ and the sellers put their prices up to compensate. This is different though, which is why I posted it - eBay are digging into their marketing budget to absorb the cost.

    It’s a genuine discount, for once.
  • Options
    bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,816
    On Topic Truss has swapped from Remain to leave (so has SKS).

    Another case as Tory SKS snap
  • Options
    FPT

    I've missed whether anyone has made these obvious points while I've been away.

    Pop music has definitely, overall, got worse since its peak in the 60s/70s/80s/90s/00s, depending on your POV

    There is a lot more shit music being made now than ever before

    But there's also more good music being made, even if it has become harder to make the "iconic" music that we seem to have loads of from the past

    And it's now happening all over the world. I don't know if anyone listened to my recommendation from yesterday - Monsieur Periné - a Columbian band who have in one day become my favourite foreign language band of all time. They do songs in Spanish and French

    I urge you all to put this on right now and turn it right up

    If you know a better band not singing in English please do let me know

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGL-eQAAxGs

    Hello from Maine.

    Very good, thanks for posting.
    The taste quality on PB is astonishingly poor, especially from some of the most notable posters. You are a brilliant exception.
    @Gardenwalker I was just checking out where the band are playing at the moment, and you've just missed them. They played at Sony Hall NYC on Saturday! You are in Maine, NY right? And thanks - you clearly have similarly fine taste :wink:
    https://www.songkick.com/concerts/40366997-monsieur-perine-at-sony-hall

  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,543
    ping said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
    The legend on the graph suggests it is domestic consumption of energy (not just electricity), including heating, transport and cooking. Norway is dark and cold in the winter. The population is relatively sparsely spread. I'd expect them to use more energy than Europeans further south.
    I don't think there's a country better placed for the future than Norway quite honestly. Part of the EU single market, $69k/capita gdp, $223k per person wealth fund, hydro, oil, wind potential.

    Yip

    A baby with a Norwegian passport has pretty much hit the jackpot.

    As well as the prosperity, they’re born into a free, open, democratic and cohesive society, with decent domestic and international security and some of the best medical care and life expectancy.
    Dark, cold, wet winters though. Just sayin'
  • Options
    noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 20,622
    Scott_xP said:

    BREAKING: Donald Trump's personal library was destroyed in the FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago.

    Both books are sadly beyond repair, and he hadn't even finished coloring one in yet.


    https://twitter.com/TranslateThings/status/1556789017407983617

    He can even color in orange without a crayon by simply rubbing his face against the page.
  • Options
    PeterCPeterC Posts: 1,274

    HYUFD said:

    Compared to RedfieldWilton the Yougov numbers are not good for Truss. Starmer has more 2019 Tory voters preferring him as PM to her than she has 2019 Labour voters preferring her as PM to him. Starmer also has significantly more LD voters preferring him as PM to her.

    Most 2019 Conservative voters also think Boris should not have been removed and most voters think the leadership campaign has showed the party in a bad light

    This sort of post illustrates why HYUFD is more interesting to read than most of us partisans. His sympathies remain unwavering, but he looks at the data and gives an honest view.
    Well said. So, HY, do you think that Rishi has any chance of turing the contest around?
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 39,946
    ping said:

    Very off topic, but may be interesting to some people;

    EBay are doing a 10% discount off almost everything that isn’t sold as brand new. Private and business sellers. Auctions and Buyitnow.

    Sitewide. Today only.

    This kind of offer/discount is pretty rare and far better than their usual dubious/fake offers/discounts.

    Can't see it anywhere on my page, was it sent by email?

    As an aside I buy and sell quite a bit on Ebay and the selling side is getting quite tough. I think their model has taken a bit of a battering as other platforms have proliferated, and the economic situation is probably starting to bite into what is largely discretionary spending (certainly in my case).
  • Options
    pingping Posts: 3,731
    edited August 2022
    Test
  • Options
    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,572

    ping said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
    The legend on the graph suggests it is domestic consumption of energy (not just electricity), including heating, transport and cooking. Norway is dark and cold in the winter. The population is relatively sparsely spread. I'd expect them to use more energy than Europeans further south.
    I don't think there's a country better placed for the future than Norway quite honestly. Part of the EU single market, $69k/capita gdp, $223k per person wealth fund, hydro, oil, wind potential.

    Yip

    A baby with a Norwegian passport has pretty much hit the jackpot.

    As well as the prosperity, they’re born into a free, open, democratic and cohesive society, with decent domestic and international security and some of the best medical care and life expectancy.
    Dark, cold, wet winters though. Just sayin'
    And pickled herring for breakfast.
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,370
    edited August 2022

    Backlog of longest-wait patients slashed in England

    The number of people waiting longer than two years for routine operations in England has fallen from 22,500 at the start of the year, to fewer than 200, according to NHS figures.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-62465626

    Some good news. The 18-months waiting list is the next target.

    It's not really good news as the waits over 12 months is over 300k for the first time since Thatcher. New Lab got 12 month waits to circa zero
    Correct.

    Though waits over 12 months peaked at over 435k during Covid, and has been over 300k since January 2021.


    The next target is 18 month waits, which is on a downward trend. I wonder if anyone will set an actual target for the next election?

    https://nhswaitlist.lcp.uk.com/
  • Options
    noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 20,622

    ping said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
    The legend on the graph suggests it is domestic consumption of energy (not just electricity), including heating, transport and cooking. Norway is dark and cold in the winter. The population is relatively sparsely spread. I'd expect them to use more energy than Europeans further south.
    I don't think there's a country better placed for the future than Norway quite honestly. Part of the EU single market, $69k/capita gdp, $223k per person wealth fund, hydro, oil, wind potential.

    Yip

    A baby with a Norwegian passport has pretty much hit the jackpot.

    As well as the prosperity, they’re born into a free, open, democratic and cohesive society, with decent domestic and international security and some of the best medical care and life expectancy.
    Dark, cold, wet winters though. Just sayin'
    Good choice of floodlit skiing as compensation!
  • Options
    DynamoDynamo Posts: 651
    edited August 2022
    "LEAVE voters back the woman who was for REMAIN".

    Nasties with a "Daily Express"-type mentality exist even among those on six-figure incomes who would never dream of reading the Daily Express (or touching a copy after a habitual reader has finished with it) and who are sufficiently well educated to be able to string their thoughts together with a fair amount of skill, for example on a site such as this one.

    I mean the kind of nasties who along with what kind of school a person attended will want to know how the person voted in a referendum on foreign policy six years ago and who will then consider them to be an untouchable with the mark of Cain upon them if the person voted for Britain to remain in the European Union alongside its neighbours. "Remainer!" they will spit. "That stench will stay with you as long as you live!" In other eras different words have served the same function.

    Fortunately not many voters are like this.

    (It's almost as if the said nasties feel the job hasn't been finished yet, even now Britain has in fact left the EU. What can they have in mind?)
  • Options
    Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 2,727

    ping said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
    The legend on the graph suggests it is domestic consumption of energy (not just electricity), including heating, transport and cooking. Norway is dark and cold in the winter. The population is relatively sparsely spread. I'd expect them to use more energy than Europeans further south.
    I don't think there's a country better placed for the future than Norway quite honestly. Part of the EU single market, $69k/capita gdp, $223k per person wealth fund, hydro, oil, wind potential.

    Yip

    A baby with a Norwegian passport has pretty much hit the jackpot.

    As well as the prosperity, they’re born into a free, open, democratic and cohesive society, with decent domestic and international security and some of the best medical care and life expectancy.
    Dark, cold, wet winters though. Just sayin'
    And pickled herring for breakfast.
    And a "cohesive" society. How do they manage that?
  • Options
    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,249

    Incidentally, when did the right-wing start becoming reflexively anti new technology? Whenever a new technology comes along there always seem to be a bunch of right-wrong people creating sprouts arguments why it's crap.

    We've seen this with wind turbines, solar panels, electric cars, heart pumps, over and over again. It's really negative and boring. Indicative that there are many on the right who just reflexively oppose anything, particularly if they've ever heard a left-wrong person surreal favourably about it.

    Incorrect. I'm up for adopting all new technology but I'm also not blind to its failings. It's important these are debated and properly addressed.

    So far all I've heard is interested parties gushing about how wonderful they all are on Radio 4 without any challenge.

    That isn't how it is in the real world. No-one will risk their families being cold and to maximise take-up they will have to be better on a pound for pound basis.

  • Options
    Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 7,519

    On Topic Truss has swapped from Remain to leave (so has SKS).

    Another case as Tory SKS snap

    In both cases, it may be relevant that we have left, sadly, in case you hadn't noticed. So Remain is not an option.
  • Options
    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,935
    PeterC said:

    HYUFD said:

    Compared to RedfieldWilton the Yougov numbers are not good for Truss. Starmer has more 2019 Tory voters preferring him as PM to her than she has 2019 Labour voters preferring her as PM to him. Starmer also has significantly more LD voters preferring him as PM to her.

    Most 2019 Conservative voters also think Boris should not have been removed and most voters think the leadership campaign has showed the party in a bad light

    This sort of post illustrates why HYUFD is more interesting to read than most of us partisans. His sympathies remain unwavering, but he looks at the data and gives an honest view.
    Well said. So, HY, do you think that Rishi has any chance of turing the contest around?
    No although I think Truss will win about 60% to 40% ie about the same margin IDS beat Clarke and closer than Cameron's margin over Davis and Johnson's margin over Hunt
  • Options
    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,249

    IshmaelZ said:

    Incidentally, when did the right-wing start becoming reflexively anti new technology? Whenever a new technology comes along there always seem to be a bunch of right-wrong people creating sprouts arguments why it's crap.

    We've seen this with wind turbines, solar panels, electric cars, heart pumps, over and over again. It's really negative and boring. Indicative that there are many on the right who just reflexively oppose anything, particularly if they've ever heard a left-wrong person surreal favourably about it.

    Surreal indeed

    The case against heat pumps is pretty compelling, as even their proponents seem to concede. Barely detectable warmth pumps would be more accurate
    A plumber who did some work for us talked about combined air-source heat pump/oil boilers for older rural properties like ours. The idea is a constant level of heating from the air source and when needed the oil kicks in. I guess a bit like hybrid cars.
    My relatives in Scotland had a new house built with ground source heating and fully set up for it (very well insulated, under floor heating) and it works brilliantly. The issue for most is that retro-fitting is not so simple (as has been said probably new, bigger radiators, bigger diameter pipes and so on.

    All new builds should be built to standards that allow air-source or ground source heat pumps, but the residual housing stock is a far harder challenge.
    So given the vast majority of our housing stock is existing this isn't going to happen, is it?

    Who could afford to do it and who wants the disruption?

    They're going to have to get much better and cheaper before there will be mass take-up. Ecoshaming and virtue-signalling won't cut it.
  • Options
    IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,210

    HYUFD said:

    Compared to RedfieldWilton the Yougov numbers are not good for Truss. Starmer has more 2019 Tory voters preferring him as PM to her than she has 2019 Labour voters preferring her as PM to him. Starmer also has significantly more LD voters preferring him as PM to her.

    Most 2019 Conservative voters also think Boris should not have been removed and most voters think the leadership campaign has showed the party in a bad light

    This sort of post illustrates why HYUFD is more interesting to read than most of us partisans. His sympathies remain unwavering, but he looks at the data and gives an honest view.
    ...if one that invariably aligns with the conclusion he already believed in...
  • Options
    pingping Posts: 3,731
    I’ve just watched a wasp attack a spider and fly away with it back to its nest.

    I didn’t know they did that.

    According to Google, they feed them to their young.
  • Options
    nico679nico679 Posts: 4,718
    kinabalu said:

    MrEd said:

    HYUFD said:

    MrEd said:


    As has been said, who raids an ex-President for the Presidential Records Act? It's like sending in the SAS to deal with a parking ticket. Unless they find a smoking gun, the Democrats have just given the Trump campaign a huge turnout boost when it comes to the GOP fan base without any corresponding boost to their own.

    The timing on this is also not coincidental. Trump was the big winner of last week's primaries. At the same time, the Democrats got their spending bill in and the polls have narrowed for congress. They obviously thought it was the right time to strike. The idea that Biden didn't know about this is laughable.

    But you reap what you sow. If you don't think the Republicans are not going to take your statement if they win Congress and investigate Biden for all the Hunter stuff, I have a bridge to sell you. Probably with Pelosi as well on all the share dealing stuff.





    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    The rule of law is the rule of law. In a democracy that matters.

    Trump fans will vote GOP anyway, it is the independent swing voters in the suburbs who are still key
    True. But independents don't exactly think the Administration is a beacon of probity. Anyone who is an independent can see where this path will go to because it's happened before when it comes to retaliation. The Democrats scrapped the filibuster for federal appointments, the Republicans then did the same for the Supreme Court. Given what is happening in the US at the moment, unless there is a smoking gun, this is not a clever move.
    So it's driven by politics and will benefit Donald Trump and the Republicans.

    Hmmm - false flag then? Trump leans on the FBI boss and gets him to do something that rocket-boosts the 'persecuted man of the people' legend?

    I'd usually not go near such nonsense but you might just be talking me into this one.
    Doubtful as Christopher Wray is no Trump supporter and wouldn’t be party to some plot to help Trump play the martyr .

    The American public have made their minds up about Trump so those who support him will think he’s being persecuted those who don’t support him will just file this under just re-inforcing their view that he’s corrupt .

  • Options
    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,249

    Incidentally, when did the right-wing start becoming reflexively anti new technology? Whenever a new technology comes along there always seem to be a bunch of right-wrong people creating sprouts arguments why it's crap.

    We've seen this with wind turbines, solar panels, electric cars, heart pumps, over and over again. It's really negative and boring. Indicative that there are many on the right who just reflexively oppose anything, particularly if they've ever heard a left-wrong person surreal favourably about it.

    Perhaps when they started getting most of their votes from the elderly? But conservatives have always been against change, by definition.
    Which is an important part of any political debate.

    Otherwise we'd have constant disruption, social disturbance and political revolution, and implement a lot of stupid ideas that would retard us economically and politically.

    "Progressives" need "conservatives" to challenge and filter them so we get steady and progressive incremental change, rather than blow up the system or no change whatsoever. Ying and Yang.

    It's how it's supposed to work.
  • Options
    MattWMattW Posts: 18,370
    edited August 2022

    Good morning everybody.
    The dental story on the BBC last night seems to have flashed across the sky like a comet and vanished!

    With a bit of luck someone will raise the dentists question at tonight's hustings. Probably both candidates will agree something should be done in the long term (such as train more dentists) and the medium term (import more dentists with our post-Brexit points system) but that will be as far as it goes.
    Yes. Neither being the answer to the problem. It's a subject which doesn't really affect the chattering classes, including to some extent at least us, and so it doesn't really get the attention it deserves.
    The problem appears to be the dental contract, which was brought in under the Labour government and which has been completely ignored by both the Coalition and the Conservatives.
    No one likes talking about dentistry! Dental treatment is usually uncomfortable and unpleasant!
    I saw that story as it flashed past.

    The point I noted was the better availability of NHS dentists in London - which seems to be a reverse of the situation with GPs:

    Access was best in London, where almost a quarter of practices were taking on new adult NHS patients

    Up here I will be switching to private plus a Cash Plan policy, since I was sacked by my NHS dentist for not making enough visits in Covid when they said they were closed, and I was instructed to self-isolate :neutral: .
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,137
    "Perhaps it is time the Tories accepted the triple lock is unsustainable. Keeping their word will cost the Treasury an additional £24bn and hand pensioners an extra £2,000 each over the next two springs."

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/pensions-retirement/news/tories-will-soon-regret-triple-lock-promises/
  • Options
    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,572

    IshmaelZ said:

    Incidentally, when did the right-wing start becoming reflexively anti new technology? Whenever a new technology comes along there always seem to be a bunch of right-wrong people creating sprouts arguments why it's crap.

    We've seen this with wind turbines, solar panels, electric cars, heart pumps, over and over again. It's really negative and boring. Indicative that there are many on the right who just reflexively oppose anything, particularly if they've ever heard a left-wrong person surreal favourably about it.

    Surreal indeed

    The case against heat pumps is pretty compelling, as even their proponents seem to concede. Barely detectable warmth pumps would be more accurate
    A plumber who did some work for us talked about combined air-source heat pump/oil boilers for older rural properties like ours. The idea is a constant level of heating from the air source and when needed the oil kicks in. I guess a bit like hybrid cars.
    My relatives in Scotland had a new house built with ground source heating and fully set up for it (very well insulated, under floor heating) and it works brilliantly. The issue for most is that retro-fitting is not so simple (as has been said probably new, bigger radiators, bigger diameter pipes and so on.

    All new builds should be built to standards that allow air-source or ground source heat pumps, but the residual housing stock is a far harder challenge.
    So given the vast majority of our housing stock is existing this isn't going to happen, is it?

    Who could afford to do it and who wants the disruption?

    They're going to have to get much better and cheaper before there will be mass take-up. Ecoshaming and virtue-signalling won't cut it.
    For existing homes with gas-fired boilers, converting the gas network to hydrogen and replacing the boiler with a hydrogen boiler is the lowest pain way to decarbonise from the householder perspective.
  • Options
    PeterCPeterC Posts: 1,274
    HYUFD said:

    PeterC said:

    HYUFD said:

    Compared to RedfieldWilton the Yougov numbers are not good for Truss. Starmer has more 2019 Tory voters preferring him as PM to her than she has 2019 Labour voters preferring her as PM to him. Starmer also has significantly more LD voters preferring him as PM to her.

    Most 2019 Conservative voters also think Boris should not have been removed and most voters think the leadership campaign has showed the party in a bad light

    This sort of post illustrates why HYUFD is more interesting to read than most of us partisans. His sympathies remain unwavering, but he looks at the data and gives an honest view.
    Well said. So, HY, do you think that Rishi has any chance of turing the contest around?
    No although I think Truss will win about 60% to 40% ie about the same margin IDS beat Clarke and closer than Cameron's margin over Davis and Johnson's margin over Hunt
    Thanks. Not unexpected, but dismal nonetheless. What on earth do they see in her?
  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,072
    edited August 2022
    nico679 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MrEd said:

    HYUFD said:

    MrEd said:


    As has been said, who raids an ex-President for the Presidential Records Act? It's like sending in the SAS to deal with a parking ticket. Unless they find a smoking gun, the Democrats have just given the Trump campaign a huge turnout boost when it comes to the GOP fan base without any corresponding boost to their own.

    The timing on this is also not coincidental. Trump was the big winner of last week's primaries. At the same time, the Democrats got their spending bill in and the polls have narrowed for congress. They obviously thought it was the right time to strike. The idea that Biden didn't know about this is laughable.

    But you reap what you sow. If you don't think the Republicans are not going to take your statement if they win Congress and investigate Biden for all the Hunter stuff, I have a bridge to sell you. Probably with Pelosi as well on all the share dealing stuff.





    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    The rule of law is the rule of law. In a democracy that matters.

    Trump fans will vote GOP anyway, it is the independent swing voters in the suburbs who are still key
    True. But independents don't exactly think the Administration is a beacon of probity. Anyone who is an independent can see where this path will go to because it's happened before when it comes to retaliation. The Democrats scrapped the filibuster for federal appointments, the Republicans then did the same for the Supreme Court. Given what is happening in the US at the moment, unless there is a smoking gun, this is not a clever move.
    So it's driven by politics and will benefit Donald Trump and the Republicans.

    Hmmm - false flag then? Trump leans on the FBI boss and gets him to do something that rocket-boosts the 'persecuted man of the people' legend?

    I'd usually not go near such nonsense but you might just be talking me into this one.
    Doubtful as Christopher Wray is no Trump supporter and wouldn’t be party to some plot to help Trump play the martyr .

    The American public have made their minds up about Trump so those who support him will think he’s being persecuted those who don’t support him will just file this under just re-inforcing their view that he’s corrupt .
    Yes, I was kidding.

    I see this as another straw in a wind that is whispering he will not be seeing the inside of the Oval Office again.
  • Options

    FPT

    I've missed whether anyone has made these obvious points while I've been away.

    Pop music has definitely, overall, got worse since its peak in the 60s/70s/80s/90s/00s, depending on your POV

    There is a lot more shit music being made now than ever before

    But there's also more good music being made, even if it has become harder to make the "iconic" music that we seem to have loads of from the past

    And it's now happening all over the world. I don't know if anyone listened to my recommendation from yesterday - Monsieur Periné - a Columbian band who have in one day become my favourite foreign language band of all time. They do songs in Spanish and French

    I urge you all to put this on right now and turn it right up

    If you know a better band not singing in English please do let me know

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGL-eQAAxGs

    Hello from Maine.

    Very good, thanks for posting.
    The taste quality on PB is astonishingly poor, especially from some of the most notable posters. You are a brilliant exception.
    @Gardenwalker I was just checking out where the band are playing at the moment, and you've just missed them. They played at Sony Hall NYC on Saturday! You are in Maine, NY right? And thanks - you clearly have similarly fine taste :wink:
    https://www.songkick.com/concerts/40366997-monsieur-perine-at-sony-hall

    Oh, and another band I linked to the other day, Lake Street Dive, are playing two nights at Radio City Music Hall next month, Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th. Saturday show is sold out
    https://www.lakestreetdive.com/#tour
  • Options
    RogerRoger Posts: 18,891

    James O'Brien. Always good value. Today he has Paul Dacre in his sights .....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyOq8GWfXQU
  • Options
    Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,964
    Mr. Ping, was the wasp versus spider battle an epic duel, or did the wasp win easily?
  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,072

    ping said:

    Very off topic, but may be interesting to some people;

    EBay are doing a 10% discount off almost everything that isn’t sold as brand new. Private and business sellers. Auctions and Buyitnow.

    Sitewide. Today only.

    This kind of offer/discount is pretty rare and far better than their usual dubious/fake offers/discounts.

    Can't see it anywhere on my page, was it sent by email?

    As an aside I buy and sell quite a bit on Ebay and the selling side is getting quite tough. I think their model has taken a bit of a battering as other platforms have proliferated, and the economic situation is probably starting to bite into what is largely discretionary spending (certainly in my case).
    People can survive without bespoke vintage threads from the 50s and 60s? - Surely not!
  • Options
    FlatlanderFlatlander Posts: 3,880
    edited August 2022
    ping said:

    I’ve just watched a wasp attack a spider and fly away with it back to its nest.

    I didn’t know they did that.

    According to Google, they feed them to their young.

    Wasps are nasty things. Those stings aren't just for picnics.

    The Ichneumonidae are particularly 'amusing' if you are a caterpillar.
  • Options
    nico679nico679 Posts: 4,718
    kinabalu said:

    nico679 said:

    kinabalu said:

    MrEd said:

    HYUFD said:

    MrEd said:


    As has been said, who raids an ex-President for the Presidential Records Act? It's like sending in the SAS to deal with a parking ticket. Unless they find a smoking gun, the Democrats have just given the Trump campaign a huge turnout boost when it comes to the GOP fan base without any corresponding boost to their own.

    The timing on this is also not coincidental. Trump was the big winner of last week's primaries. At the same time, the Democrats got their spending bill in and the polls have narrowed for congress. They obviously thought it was the right time to strike. The idea that Biden didn't know about this is laughable.

    But you reap what you sow. If you don't think the Republicans are not going to take your statement if they win Congress and investigate Biden for all the Hunter stuff, I have a bridge to sell you. Probably with Pelosi as well on all the share dealing stuff.





    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    The rule of law is the rule of law. In a democracy that matters.

    Trump fans will vote GOP anyway, it is the independent swing voters in the suburbs who are still key
    True. But independents don't exactly think the Administration is a beacon of probity. Anyone who is an independent can see where this path will go to because it's happened before when it comes to retaliation. The Democrats scrapped the filibuster for federal appointments, the Republicans then did the same for the Supreme Court. Given what is happening in the US at the moment, unless there is a smoking gun, this is not a clever move.
    So it's driven by politics and will benefit Donald Trump and the Republicans.

    Hmmm - false flag then? Trump leans on the FBI boss and gets him to do something that rocket-boosts the 'persecuted man of the people' legend?

    I'd usually not go near such nonsense but you might just be talking me into this one.
    Doubtful as Christopher Wray is no Trump supporter and wouldn’t be party to some plot to help Trump play the martyr .

    The American public have made their minds up about Trump so those who support him will think he’s being persecuted those who don’t support him will just file this under just re-inforcing their view that he’s corrupt .
    Yes, I was kidding.

    I see this as another straw in a wind that is whispering he will not be seeing the inside of the Oval Office again.
    Interestingly the penalty for removing sensitive documents can be a fine/prison and disqualification from holding any office .

    I doubt the FBI and Justice Department will make any decision until after the mid terms . They certainly won’t do a Comey .
  • Options
    OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,901

    ping said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    MattW said:

    Norway has drawn up plans to ration electricity exports in a move that has heightened fears of energy shortages in the UK and Europe this winter.

    The government in Oslo on Monday announced new rules limiting the sale of power to foreign countries as heatwaves threaten Norway’s hydroelectric power generation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/08/08/ftse-100-markets-live-news-inflation-interest-cost-living/ (£££)

    Nationalism? Or just sanity? If Norway isn't generating sufficient energy for Norway, why should it make itself even shorter by continuing to sell what it doesn't have?

    The interconnected energy market only works when there is sufficient power generation being fed into it. As there isn't, there isn't a surplus to be traded. Which is bad news for countries like the UK who failed to invest in generation instead relying on others to invest for us.
    Problematic for Norway, and more pain coming.

    They have about the highest energy use of any country in Europe.


    And their peak electricity prices this year reached eg 40% below the level they reached in Germany - No: €135/MWh vs De:€250 in March 2022.

    (And the article acknowledges that the UK *has* invested, fortunately much now coming on stream rapidly.)
    Holy Jesus what on earth are Norway using all that leccy for ?
    I would guess they are using their abundant supply of natural gas to powet energy-intensive industrial sectors.
    The legend on the graph suggests it is domestic consumption of energy (not just electricity), including heating, transport and cooking. Norway is dark and cold in the winter. The population is relatively sparsely spread. I'd expect them to use more energy than Europeans further south.
    I don't think there's a country better placed for the future than Norway quite honestly. Part of the EU single market, $69k/capita gdp, $223k per person wealth fund, hydro, oil, wind potential.

    Yip

    A baby with a Norwegian passport has pretty much hit the jackpot.

    As well as the prosperity, they’re born into a free, open, democratic and cohesive society, with decent domestic and international security and some of the best medical care and life expectancy.
    Dark, cold, wet winters though. Just sayin'
    And pickled herring for breakfast.
    And a "cohesive" society. How do they manage that?
    Couple of members of daughter-in-law's extended family are proposing to leave Norway and move to Thailand. Admittedly they have family there.
  • Options
    OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,048

    Incidentally, when did the right-wing start becoming reflexively anti new technology? Whenever a new technology comes along there always seem to be a bunch of right-wrong people creating sprouts arguments why it's crap.

    We've seen this with wind turbines, solar panels, electric cars, heart pumps, over and over again. It's really negative and boring. Indicative that there are many on the right who just reflexively oppose anything, particularly if they've ever heard a left-wrong person surreal favourably about it.

    Perhaps when they started getting most of their votes from the elderly? But conservatives have always been against change, by definition.
    Which is an important part of any political debate.

    Otherwise we'd have constant disruption, social disturbance and political revolution, and implement a lot of stupid ideas that would retard us economically and politically.

    "Progressives" need "conservatives" to challenge and filter them so we get steady and progressive incremental change, rather than blow up the system or no change whatsoever. Ying and Yang.

    It's how it's supposed to work.
    Yeah I don't disagree with that at all. It feels a bit unbalanced at the moment, mind, so instead of getting incremental change we get stasis, while evidence of the system not working mounts. Eventually that will lead to far more radical change down the line, which even I don't want - I am too old and invested for violent revolution.
  • Options

    "Perhaps it is time the Tories accepted the triple lock is unsustainable. Keeping their word will cost the Treasury an additional £24bn and hand pensioners an extra £2,000 each over the next two springs."

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/pensions-retirement/news/tories-will-soon-regret-triple-lock-promises/

    The triple lock is a good thing. It protects poor pensioners, of whom there are a great many. If HMG wants to reclaim money from wealthy pensioners, it should do that, perhaps by removing the NI age limit. Better that than having to top up poorer pensioners with new benefits.
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 39,946
    kinabalu said:

    ping said:

    Very off topic, but may be interesting to some people;

    EBay are doing a 10% discount off almost everything that isn’t sold as brand new. Private and business sellers. Auctions and Buyitnow.

    Sitewide. Today only.

    This kind of offer/discount is pretty rare and far better than their usual dubious/fake offers/discounts.

    Can't see it anywhere on my page, was it sent by email?

    As an aside I buy and sell quite a bit on Ebay and the selling side is getting quite tough. I think their model has taken a bit of a battering as other platforms have proliferated, and the economic situation is probably starting to bite into what is largely discretionary spending (certainly in my case).
    People can survive without bespoke vintage threads from the 50s and 60s? - Surely not!
    Even worse, they can survive without Japanese denim, motorbike fuel tanks and carbs. On the bright side it means I can get stuff cheaper but my rough rule of thumb of only buying items for AT LEAST a price I think I can potentially sell them for is taking a bit of a battering.
  • Options
    pingping Posts: 3,731
    edited August 2022

    Mr. Ping, was the wasp versus spider battle an epic duel, or did the wasp win easily?

    It took me a little while to figure out who was eating who. Initially it looked like the wasp was caught in the spiders web, but it soon became clear the battle was being waged on the wasps terms.

    I stayed neutral, throughout.
  • Options
    kinabalukinabalu Posts: 39,072
    Sandpit said:

    darkage said:

    Nigelb said:

    MrEd said:

    Just saw the news about Trump. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Just when there was good news coming through for the Democrats, then they sign off on this. How stupid can you get.

    This is law enforcement, not ‘the Democrats’.
    Just how stupid can you get - or is it that you just expect voters for fall for that kind of bullshit ?

    A warrant was granted by a judge, and demonstrating probable cause to search a former President’s house would be a pretty high bar. That an AG as timid as the current one signed off on this reinforces that.
    I watched bits of the Alex Jones defamation trial on youtube, which was quite interesting. If you look in to the judge, it is an elected position; and she is a democrat. That doesn't seem to be a good situation, somehow.
    That also comes across as politically motivated, that he wasn’t even allowed a trial on the evidence, only a trial on how badly he should be financially ruined. His words were of course offensive, but didn’t cause anyone to be physically injured and he didn’t call for violence.

    Electing individual judges and prosecutors is a bad idea, because prosecutions and judgements really should be aside from politics. In Texas, Jones can probably find a Conservative appeal judge.
    C'mon, this is nuts. For profile and money Jones defamed people who'd already suffered an unimaginable tragedy, thus piling more mental anguish on them. Why would a judge with Conservative political views be any better disposed towards this?
  • Options
    PeterC said:

    HYUFD said:

    PeterC said:

    HYUFD said:

    Compared to RedfieldWilton the Yougov numbers are not good for Truss. Starmer has more 2019 Tory voters preferring him as PM to her than she has 2019 Labour voters preferring her as PM to him. Starmer also has significantly more LD voters preferring him as PM to her.

    Most 2019 Conservative voters also think Boris should not have been removed and most voters think the leadership campaign has showed the party in a bad light

    This sort of post illustrates why HYUFD is more interesting to read than most of us partisans. His sympathies remain unwavering, but he looks at the data and gives an honest view.
    Well said. So, HY, do you think that Rishi has any chance of turing the contest around?
    No although I think Truss will win about 60% to 40% ie about the same margin IDS beat Clarke and closer than Cameron's margin over Davis and Johnson's margin over Hunt
    Thanks. Not unexpected, but dismal nonetheless. What on earth do they see in her?
    No tax rises.
    Continuation of sunny optimism.
    Hasn't betrayed Boris.
    A sinner who repentheth on Brexit, implying to Brexit backers that they were right all along.
This discussion has been closed.