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West Lancs looks like a LAB hold on small turnout – politicalbetting.com

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  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614

    Leon said:

    New rumour. No Vladimir tonight

    And yet the speech was pre-recorded. So this is even murkier

    How firm was the announcement that an address was coming - official, or Ukrainian spin?
    ’Rossiya 1’ has been filling time for more than three hours talking about it.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206

    Leon said:

    New rumour. No Vladimir tonight

    And yet the speech was pre-recorded. So this is even murkier

    How firm was the announcement that an address was coming - official, or Ukrainian spin?
    RT tweeted it, I believe, and that’s the state broadcaster

    But I haven’t checked and I could be wrong
  • Leon said:

    I have a mental image of about seven old men literally fighting in the Kremlin, knocking over vases, collapsing into samovars

    No fighting in the War Room!
    Wonder WHO is Kremlin equivalent to Al Haig (1974 as opposed to 1981)?
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    IshmaelZ said:

    ydoethur said:

    Truss is an idiot. No rationing and no campaigns to limit use of gas? What a fool.

    With gas prices as they are, what more is needed for a "campaign"?
    Because the more is consumed the greater the tax burden on future generations? It's obv great that you are cushioned from such considerations by the increasing value of your real estate.
    Market forces work.

    Everyone I know is cutting gas use as much as possible already.

    Government "campaigns" would do nothing that gas prices aren't already doing.
    Talking to 2 highly intelligent people today, one of them a proper medical doctor, who had no idea what the 2,500 cap actually meant.
  • eristdoof said:

    Will they bother to make any red C-III-R letterboxes, other than an occasional ceremonial version?
    The combination of the lack of individuals using mail and that the existing ones would still be standing after a nuclear explosion, means there can't be much demand for new ones any more.

    You might want to put in one in a sufficiently large new housing development. I wouldn't have thought there would be many though.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206
    The Russian Internet reacts to a possible speech by #Putin with an explosive increase in Google queries "how to leave Russia" and "deferment from the army", according to google trends.

    Google telling us what some Russians are thinking. Run!“


    https://twitter.com/moniquecamarra/status/1572295356389416967?s=21&t=Z2fXj0Ujt4aXj--4yjIAKQ
  • Completely off all topics, I have a new and compelling candidate for The Worst Piece of Software Ever Written. It's something called Ariba by SAP, and it makes even the worst Microsoft applications look brilliant in comparison.

    Nah, Macromedia Director /Shockwave. I ported V6 to a certain computer OS, and the code was... interesting for what was supposed to be a professional product. Holes, overflows and bugs everywhere.

    A little anecdote: at the time (96/7), Marcomedia was one of the top ?ten? websites in the world, partly due to the downloads of Shockwave and Flash (*). We had some top bods over from Macromedia in the US to see our port. My manager entered their website 'Macromedia.com' on an on-screen keyboard, but missed the last 'a' off the domain. He loaded 'Macromedi.com', which loaded a porn site.

    Because the macromedia.com site was so popular, someone had cleverly bought domains that were common misspellings of it. The Macromedia people apparently had no idea about this, and were suddenly rather worried..

    (*) Yes, they became responsible for that horridness as well.

    Are you saying that there was code in between the bugs?

    Where was it?
    To be serious, I can see why Flash as such a security nightmare having seen the Director/Shockwave code. (Though to be fair, they bought Flash in from another company.) From memory, there was a small ~500 Byte header file that preprocessed out to hundreds of K's of code - ISTR more than the compiler could cope with at first. It was an absolute bu**er to debug, especially with the rather poor debugging tools available at that time and on that OS.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 9,138
    Most likely explanation is some last minute tactical discussions about just how far to take mobilisation. Cold feet perhaps.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,954
    stjohn said:

    Vladimir. Putin or Put out?

    Waiting for Vladimir.

    Is he still talking to Macron?
  • "You can avoid open windows, and still catch your death of pneumonia." - old Ukrainian proverb
  • rcs1000 said:

    Still no Putin?

    Doctors are monitoring his health and he is comfortable.
    Kerch bridge is falling down?
    Correction - is falling UP? As in, kabooooom!
  • Leon said:

    The Russian Internet reacts to a possible speech by #Putin with an explosive increase in Google queries "how to leave Russia" and "deferment from the army", according to google trends.

    Google telling us what some Russians are thinking. Run!“


    https://twitter.com/moniquecamarra/status/1572295356389416967?s=21&t=Z2fXj0Ujt4aXj--4yjIAKQ

    All travel is out of country for males is banned from midnight tonight I believe?
  • WillGWillG Posts: 1,993
    US Department of Justice is asking Congress to transfer $300bn of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, as punishment for the referenda.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    MattW said:

    ...

    moonshine said:

    moonshine said:

    Xi Jinping’s security guarantee to Kazakhstan represents a fairly unprecedented public overreach into the “Russian sphere”. Modi and Erdogan have also issued withering statements in the last week on Russia’s war.

    People here keep wetting the bed saying Putin has no out except nuclear weapons. Nonsense.

    All he has to do is say, “look I tried mobilisation. But we can’t win territory for our cousins in Donbas if they aren’t prepared to fight themselves. And they are all lazy cowards and I won’t risk Russian lives on those blood traitors any longer.”

    That buys him time for a fudge on crimea. And in truth this mobilisation is a sham. If they couldn’t feed the initial invading hoard or give them more than a magazine of ammo and a tank of fuel, how do you think it’s going to go now that Russian logistics capacity has been so degraded and there are more mouths to feed, guns to fill with bullets and bodies to protect from heavy arms?

    This is either the final roll of the dice before Putin meets his end. Or it’s a Hokey Cokey type strategy to put his left leg in so he can then take his right left out and we’ll see the continued orderly retreat.

    Would agree with much of that.

    There is also another trick he could play.

    Hold the Referenda and then say that all the three regions have decided to stay with Ukraine and no to being incorporated with Russia. He can withdraw saying he's accepted the vote.

    Now, I know that's unlikely but...
    Now that would be amusing. Time Magazine Man of the Year, Protector of Democracy Putin.
    Teehee. Not a terrible idea.
    He could still be man of the year.

    It's "who had most impact", rather than "best individual", isn't it? Stalin and the Ayatollah both made it.

    The first two "Women of the Year" were Wallis Simpson and QEII in 1952. Could XQEII get it this year?

    I'd say it will be Mr Z rather than Vlad the Mad.
    You need to work on your comma fu: Wallis Simpson, and QEII in 1952.

    Wallis Simpson in 1936, and QEII in 1952 even better.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,592
    Leon said:

    As we wait for Vlad, or not, the idea that Will Smith would not suffer for The Slap has proved to be delusional


    “Apple has a Will Smith problem.

    Mr. Smith is the star of “Emancipation,” a film set during the Civil War era that Apple envisioned as a surefire Oscar contender when it wrapped filming earlier this year. But that was before Mr. Smith strode onto the stage at the Academy Awards in March and slapped the comedian Chris Rock, who had made a joke about Mr. Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

    Mr. Smith, who also won best actor that night, has since surrendered his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and has been banned from attending any Academy-related events, including the Oscar telecast, for the next decade.

    Now Apple finds itself left with a $120 million unreleased awards-style movie featuring a star no longer welcome at the biggest award show of them all, and a big question: Can the film, even if it succeeds artistically, overcome the baggage that now accompanies Mr. Smith?”

    NYT - ££

    I don't get this. Yes, Will Smith shouldn't have slapped Chris Rock. But he hit him once.

    Given the demented behaviours in the entertainment industry, well documented, slapping a guy who made a crack about your wife is practically apple pie....
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,839
    Taz said:

    kinabalu said:

    Liz seems to have given up on the Red Wall

    Let's hope the reverse applies too.
    The red wall should not go back to labour until labour can offer something more substantive than just taking it for granted and doing the bare minimum. This is what labour historically did to the red wall as it always voted labour.
    In the kingdom of the blind ...
  • eristdoof said:

    Will they bother to make any red C-III-R letterboxes, other than an occasional ceremonial version?
    The combination of the lack of individuals using mail and that the existing ones would still be standing after a nuclear explosion, means there can't be much demand for new ones any more.

    You might want to put in one in a sufficiently large new housing development. I wouldn't have thought there would be many though.
    New large housing development? LOL. So there'll be about three boxes in whole country with C-III-R on then.
  • eristdoof said:

    Will they bother to make any red C-III-R letterboxes, other than an occasional ceremonial version?
    The combination of the lack of individuals using mail and that the existing ones would still be standing after a nuclear explosion, means there can't be much demand for new ones any more.

    You might want to put in one in a sufficiently large new housing development. I wouldn't have thought there would be many though.
    I think our small new village/town has four postboxes. I can imagine West Cambourne will be getting some as well - although much of the street furniture is already up in the areas not built on yet. The roads are there, bus stops up, and the streetlights on. But bare ground on either side, with no houses to be seen.

    (And how do I know this? Would I have gone running along the deserted streets through the development at night? Oh no, of course not...) ;)
  • DynamoDynamo Posts: 651
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    New rumour. No Vladimir tonight

    And yet the speech was pre-recorded. So this is even murkier

    How firm was the announcement that an address was coming - official, or Ukrainian spin?
    RT tweeted it, I believe, and that’s the state broadcaster

    But I haven’t checked and I could be wrong
    Has any news site posted a copy of the RT tweet? They post copies of tweets all the time. Bit odd if they don't post this one.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 12,415
    Glancing down recent polls for trend, the libdems are suffering most from the Truss surge. 😕
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Leon said:

    As we wait for Vlad, or not, the idea that Will Smith would not suffer for The Slap has proved to be delusional


    “Apple has a Will Smith problem.

    Mr. Smith is the star of “Emancipation,” a film set during the Civil War era that Apple envisioned as a surefire Oscar contender when it wrapped filming earlier this year. But that was before Mr. Smith strode onto the stage at the Academy Awards in March and slapped the comedian Chris Rock, who had made a joke about Mr. Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

    Mr. Smith, who also won best actor that night, has since surrendered his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and has been banned from attending any Academy-related events, including the Oscar telecast, for the next decade.

    Now Apple finds itself left with a $120 million unreleased awards-style movie featuring a star no longer welcome at the biggest award show of them all, and a big question: Can the film, even if it succeeds artistically, overcome the baggage that now accompanies Mr. Smith?”

    NYT - ££

    Wheels within wheels here. The joke "What do you call a beard with no hair?" is particularly inexplicable.
  • glwglw Posts: 9,535
    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Erdoğan to Putin: Return Crimea to ‘rightful owners’
    Turkish leader joins parade of leaders dealing blows to Putin.
    https://www.politico.eu/article/return-crimea-turkey-president-erdogan-putin-russia/

    At the start of the conflict, a lot of countries' and peoples' attitudes were predicated on Russia winning.

    What was the point of fucking relations with Russia if they were just going to win anyway?

    As the air of invincibility fades, attitudes do too. Do you want to have been on the wrong side of this? What consequences does that have in a post War world?

    And so, we see a slow erosion of international support for Russia.
    It's really simple, do you want to have sided with the Nazis of the 21st century?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206
    IshmaelZ said:

    Leon said:

    As we wait for Vlad, or not, the idea that Will Smith would not suffer for The Slap has proved to be delusional


    “Apple has a Will Smith problem.

    Mr. Smith is the star of “Emancipation,” a film set during the Civil War era that Apple envisioned as a surefire Oscar contender when it wrapped filming earlier this year. But that was before Mr. Smith strode onto the stage at the Academy Awards in March and slapped the comedian Chris Rock, who had made a joke about Mr. Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

    Mr. Smith, who also won best actor that night, has since surrendered his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and has been banned from attending any Academy-related events, including the Oscar telecast, for the next decade.

    Now Apple finds itself left with a $120 million unreleased awards-style movie featuring a star no longer welcome at the biggest award show of them all, and a big question: Can the film, even if it succeeds artistically, overcome the baggage that now accompanies Mr. Smith?”

    NYT - ££

    Wheels within wheels here. The joke "What do you call a beard with no hair?" is particularly inexplicable.
    Yes, once you have that bit of info the whole sad affair makes sense
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    Leon said:

    As we wait for Vlad, or not, the idea that Will Smith would not suffer for The Slap has proved to be delusional


    “Apple has a Will Smith problem.

    Mr. Smith is the star of “Emancipation,” a film set during the Civil War era that Apple envisioned as a surefire Oscar contender when it wrapped filming earlier this year. But that was before Mr. Smith strode onto the stage at the Academy Awards in March and slapped the comedian Chris Rock, who had made a joke about Mr. Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

    Mr. Smith, who also won best actor that night, has since surrendered his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and has been banned from attending any Academy-related events, including the Oscar telecast, for the next decade.

    Now Apple finds itself left with a $120 million unreleased awards-style movie featuring a star no longer welcome at the biggest award show of them all, and a big question: Can the film, even if it succeeds artistically, overcome the baggage that now accompanies Mr. Smith?”

    NYT - ££

    That is way too much money for an Oscar contender movie
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,839
    edited September 2022
    Well sorry, shallow trivial me and all, but I WILL be watching Bake-Off, so Putin has blown it.

    Put it in an email, Vlad.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    Leon said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    Leon said:

    As we wait for Vlad, or not, the idea that Will Smith would not suffer for The Slap has proved to be delusional


    “Apple has a Will Smith problem.

    Mr. Smith is the star of “Emancipation,” a film set during the Civil War era that Apple envisioned as a surefire Oscar contender when it wrapped filming earlier this year. But that was before Mr. Smith strode onto the stage at the Academy Awards in March and slapped the comedian Chris Rock, who had made a joke about Mr. Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

    Mr. Smith, who also won best actor that night, has since surrendered his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and has been banned from attending any Academy-related events, including the Oscar telecast, for the next decade.

    Now Apple finds itself left with a $120 million unreleased awards-style movie featuring a star no longer welcome at the biggest award show of them all, and a big question: Can the film, even if it succeeds artistically, overcome the baggage that now accompanies Mr. Smith?”

    NYT - ££

    Wheels within wheels here. The joke "What do you call a beard with no hair?" is particularly inexplicable.
    Yes, once you have that bit of info the whole sad affair makes sense
    Finnish twitter usually comes up with the goods.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Dynamo said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    New rumour. No Vladimir tonight

    And yet the speech was pre-recorded. So this is even murkier

    How firm was the announcement that an address was coming - official, or Ukrainian spin?
    RT tweeted it, I believe, and that’s the state broadcaster

    But I haven’t checked and I could be wrong
    Has any news site posted a copy of the RT tweet? They post copies of tweets all the time. Bit odd if they don't post this one.
    Why has Rossiya 1 been showing pictures of an empty stage for the past two hours, if someone made it up?
  • Leon said:

    As we wait for Vlad, or not, the idea that Will Smith would not suffer for The Slap has proved to be delusional


    “Apple has a Will Smith problem.

    Mr. Smith is the star of “Emancipation,” a film set during the Civil War era that Apple envisioned as a surefire Oscar contender when it wrapped filming earlier this year. But that was before Mr. Smith strode onto the stage at the Academy Awards in March and slapped the comedian Chris Rock, who had made a joke about Mr. Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

    Mr. Smith, who also won best actor that night, has since surrendered his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and has been banned from attending any Academy-related events, including the Oscar telecast, for the next decade.

    Now Apple finds itself left with a $120 million unreleased awards-style movie featuring a star no longer welcome at the biggest award show of them all, and a big question: Can the film, even if it succeeds artistically, overcome the baggage that now accompanies Mr. Smith?”

    NYT - ££

    I don't get this. Yes, Will Smith shouldn't have slapped Chris Rock. But he hit him once.

    Given the demented behaviours in the entertainment industry, well documented, slapping a guy who made a crack about your wife is practically apple pie....
    I fear there might be a pattern of (mis)behaviour with Will Smith going back years. And not just slapping...
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206
    Can someone tell me if it worth watching the new TV Lord of the Rings, or indeed House of Dragon Thrones (or whatever it is)

    Or are they both boring Woke nonsense, as even the Guardian has hinted?

    Ta muchly
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    WillG said:

    US Department of Justice is asking Congress to transfer $300bn of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, as punishment for the referenda.

    Best make sure that is carefully handled - Ukraine did have a problem with corruption after all.

    Just use it to pay for puchase of supplies I guess.
  • WillGWillG Posts: 1,993

    Leon said:

    As we wait for Vlad, or not, the idea that Will Smith would not suffer for The Slap has proved to be delusional


    “Apple has a Will Smith problem.

    Mr. Smith is the star of “Emancipation,” a film set during the Civil War era that Apple envisioned as a surefire Oscar contender when it wrapped filming earlier this year. But that was before Mr. Smith strode onto the stage at the Academy Awards in March and slapped the comedian Chris Rock, who had made a joke about Mr. Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

    Mr. Smith, who also won best actor that night, has since surrendered his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and has been banned from attending any Academy-related events, including the Oscar telecast, for the next decade.

    Now Apple finds itself left with a $120 million unreleased awards-style movie featuring a star no longer welcome at the biggest award show of them all, and a big question: Can the film, even if it succeeds artistically, overcome the baggage that now accompanies Mr. Smith?”

    NYT - ££

    I don't get this. Yes, Will Smith shouldn't have slapped Chris Rock. But he hit him once.

    Given the demented behaviours in the entertainment industry, well documented, slapping a guy who made a crack about your wife is practically apple pie....
    I fear there might be a pattern of (mis)behaviour with Will Smith going back years. And not just slapping...
    I pity the guy. It is clear he is emotionally abused by his wife.
  • Sandpit said:

    Dynamo said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    New rumour. No Vladimir tonight

    And yet the speech was pre-recorded. So this is even murkier

    How firm was the announcement that an address was coming - official, or Ukrainian spin?
    RT tweeted it, I believe, and that’s the state broadcaster

    But I haven’t checked and I could be wrong
    Has any news site posted a copy of the RT tweet? They post copies of tweets all the time. Bit odd if they don't post this one.
    Why has Rossiya 1 been showing pictures of an empty stage for the past two hours, if someone made it up?
    That's not an empty stage. It's either a 1-to-1 scale map of the terrain they've captured in the last month, or a visual representation of their military plan to conquer Ukraine.
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 14,080
    edited September 2022
    eristdoof said:

    Will they bother to make any red C-III-R letterboxes, other than an occasional ceremonial version?
    The combination of the lack of individuals using mail and that the existing ones would still be standing after a nuclear explosion, means there can't be much demand for new ones any more.

    How about for newly-built streets of newly-built hou...

    Oh. You're right.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,729

    ydoethur said:

    MISTY said:

    ydoethur said:

    Truss is an idiot. No rationing and no campaigns to limit use of gas? What a fool.

    Yeah I bet gas rationing is real vote winner. What a missed opportunity.
    Power blackouts are a non-trivial possibility if we carry on as before and would be a much more sure vote loser.

    Whereas suggesting those of us who are healthy and fit turn our heating down 2C would make everything much easier.
    I'm doing my bit by simply not turning the heating on at all.

    Direct debit down to £80 per month.
    I've kept mine at 18 for years. To be honest, I find it pleasanter.
  • After certain people wetting their knickers at the prospect of Mad Vlad nuking the world earlier, this hours long delay is even more amusing.

    Oh to be a fly on the wall of what's going on behind the scenes in recent week. Putin must surely be getting to Bruno Ganz levels of anger and delusion.
  • Jim Waterson
    @jimwaterson
    ·
    2h
    Peak TV ratings during Queen's funeral
    BBC1: 19.5m
    BBC2: 2m
    ITV: 5.3m
    Sky News: 934,000
    BBC News channel: 831,000

    ===

    How's that fuck the BBC policy going DCMS?

  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206
    "Peskov is not getting in touch now, colleagues from the media are inside, although the presidential press secretary was bombarded with questions" t.me/mk_ru/13778“

    That’s Putin’s media man, avoiding the media

    https://twitter.com/faytuks/status/1572296587950567430?s=21&t=Z2fXj0Ujt4aXj--4yjIAKQ
  • solarflaresolarflare Posts: 3,623

    Jim Waterson
    @jimwaterson
    ·
    2h
    Peak TV ratings during Queen's funeral
    BBC1: 19.5m
    BBC2: 2m
    ITV: 5.3m
    Sky News: 934,000
    BBC News channel: 831,000

    ===

    How's that fuck the BBC policy going DCMS?

    I'm more interested to know the viewing figures for the really odd channels that showed it, like, oh, Sky Sports F1 or CITV or whatever.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    edited September 2022

    Leon said:

    As we wait for Vlad, or not, the idea that Will Smith would not suffer for The Slap has proved to be delusional


    “Apple has a Will Smith problem.

    Mr. Smith is the star of “Emancipation,” a film set during the Civil War era that Apple envisioned as a surefire Oscar contender when it wrapped filming earlier this year. But that was before Mr. Smith strode onto the stage at the Academy Awards in March and slapped the comedian Chris Rock, who had made a joke about Mr. Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

    Mr. Smith, who also won best actor that night, has since surrendered his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and has been banned from attending any Academy-related events, including the Oscar telecast, for the next decade.

    Now Apple finds itself left with a $120 million unreleased awards-style movie featuring a star no longer welcome at the biggest award show of them all, and a big question: Can the film, even if it succeeds artistically, overcome the baggage that now accompanies Mr. Smith?”

    NYT - ££

    I don't get this. Yes, Will Smith shouldn't have slapped Chris Rock. But he hit him once.

    Given the demented behaviours in the entertainment industry, well documented, slapping a guy who made a crack about your wife is practically apple pie....
    He embarrassed the Oscars. That's what they are mad about.

    Obviously they don't give a shit about him slapping a guy, and nor did anyone else present, even though I'd argue it is actually pretty serious - since someone who would react like that, in so public a place in response to a mean joke, and not in an instantaneous way, is highly likely to have been physically violent with many other people over other slights, because he knows and knew he could get away with it.

    Great actor, but probably an unstable, violent individual on the basis of that reaction.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,592
    kle4 said:

    WillG said:

    US Department of Justice is asking Congress to transfer $300bn of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, as punishment for the referenda.

    Best make sure that is carefully handled - Ukraine did have a problem with corruption after all.

    Just use it to pay for purchase of supplies I guess.
    Which means it goes straight to the Defence contractors in the US.

    Suddenly every Republican Congressman starts singing the Ukrainian national anthem non-stop.....
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,080
    IshmaelZ said:

    MattW said:

    ...

    moonshine said:

    moonshine said:

    Xi Jinping’s security guarantee to Kazakhstan represents a fairly unprecedented public overreach into the “Russian sphere”. Modi and Erdogan have also issued withering statements in the last week on Russia’s war.

    People here keep wetting the bed saying Putin has no out except nuclear weapons. Nonsense.

    All he has to do is say, “look I tried mobilisation. But we can’t win territory for our cousins in Donbas if they aren’t prepared to fight themselves. And they are all lazy cowards and I won’t risk Russian lives on those blood traitors any longer.”

    That buys him time for a fudge on crimea. And in truth this mobilisation is a sham. If they couldn’t feed the initial invading hoard or give them more than a magazine of ammo and a tank of fuel, how do you think it’s going to go now that Russian logistics capacity has been so degraded and there are more mouths to feed, guns to fill with bullets and bodies to protect from heavy arms?

    This is either the final roll of the dice before Putin meets his end. Or it’s a Hokey Cokey type strategy to put his left leg in so he can then take his right left out and we’ll see the continued orderly retreat.

    Would agree with much of that.

    There is also another trick he could play.

    Hold the Referenda and then say that all the three regions have decided to stay with Ukraine and no to being incorporated with Russia. He can withdraw saying he's accepted the vote.

    Now, I know that's unlikely but...
    Now that would be amusing. Time Magazine Man of the Year, Protector of Democracy Putin.
    Teehee. Not a terrible idea.
    He could still be man of the year.

    It's "who had most impact", rather than "best individual", isn't it? Stalin and the Ayatollah both made it.

    The first two "Women of the Year" were Wallis Simpson and QEII in 1952. Could XQEII get it this year?

    I'd say it will be Mr Z rather than Vlad the Mad.
    You need to work on your comma fu: Wallis Simpson, and QEII in 1952.

    Wallis Simpson in 1936, and QEII in 1952 even better.
    It reverted to the unedited versions, says I.

    Seems to be very successful comma fu (f*ck up) !
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,729
    We're going to get the contents of the Queen's will before we get this statement!
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    glw said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Erdoğan to Putin: Return Crimea to ‘rightful owners’
    Turkish leader joins parade of leaders dealing blows to Putin.
    https://www.politico.eu/article/return-crimea-turkey-president-erdogan-putin-russia/

    At the start of the conflict, a lot of countries' and peoples' attitudes were predicated on Russia winning.

    What was the point of fucking relations with Russia if they were just going to win anyway?

    As the air of invincibility fades, attitudes do too. Do you want to have been on the wrong side of this? What consequences does that have in a post War world?

    And so, we see a slow erosion of international support for Russia.
    It's really simple, do you want to have sided with the Nazis of the 21st century?
    Nope. Not mad about siding with the Stalinists neither, so perhaps at least 5% less simple than you think?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206
    This does sound like a power struggle. Hence the delayed speech?



    BREAKING: There will be no general mobilization," according to Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense says.

    At the same time, he states that martial law "could be introduced in some places.


    https://twitter.com/anonopsse/status/1572299186506469376?s=21&t=Z2fXj0Ujt4aXj--4yjIAKQ
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392

    kle4 said:

    WillG said:

    US Department of Justice is asking Congress to transfer $300bn of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, as punishment for the referenda.

    Best make sure that is carefully handled - Ukraine did have a problem with corruption after all.

    Just use it to pay for purchase of supplies I guess.
    Which means it goes straight to the Defence contractors in the US.

    Suddenly every Republican Congressman starts singing the Ukrainian national anthem non-stop.....
    I was thinking more civil reconstruction, but allies would probably prefer that.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,729

    eristdoof said:

    Will they bother to make any red C-III-R letterboxes, other than an occasional ceremonial version?
    The combination of the lack of individuals using mail and that the existing ones would still be standing after a nuclear explosion, means there can't be much demand for new ones any more.

    How about for newly-built streets of newly-built hou...

    Oh. You're right.
    they should make just one, and put it in Newent.

    If only to give Leon a truly fascinating dilemma.
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 6,813
    Leon said:

    Can someone tell me if it worth watching the new TV Lord of the Rings, or indeed House of Dragon Thrones (or whatever it is)

    Or are they both boring Woke nonsense, as even the Guardian has hinted?

    Ta muchly

    House of the Dragon is pretty good. Paddy Considine steals every scene he is in as the King. Theres some wokery and some fucking your niece incest
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,004
    Leon said:

    Can someone tell me if it worth watching the new TV Lord of the Rings, or indeed House of Dragon Thrones (or whatever it is)

    Or are they both boring Woke nonsense, as even the Guardian has hinted?

    Ta muchly

    I'm enjoying The Rings of Power so far. Not woke unless you count having elves who are black (I don't). Not seen the Dragon one yet.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206

    Leon said:

    Can someone tell me if it worth watching the new TV Lord of the Rings, or indeed House of Dragon Thrones (or whatever it is)

    Or are they both boring Woke nonsense, as even the Guardian has hinted?

    Ta muchly

    House of the Dragon is pretty good. Paddy Considine steals every scene he is in as the King. Theres some wokery and some fucking your niece incest
    Cool! Thanks

    I mean cool that it’s good, not that incest is cool. OBVS
  • ydoethur said:

    We're going to get the contents of the Queen's will before we get this statement!

    We're going to get the Coronation first!
  • WillGWillG Posts: 1,993
    Leon said:

    This does sound like a power struggle. Hence the delayed speech?



    BREAKING: There will be no general mobilization," according to Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense says.

    At the same time, he states that martial law "could be introduced in some places.


    https://twitter.com/anonopsse/status/1572299186506469376?s=21&t=Z2fXj0Ujt4aXj--4yjIAKQ

    Humiliating reverse ferret from Putin.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    ydoethur said:

    We're going to get the contents of the Queen's will before we get this statement!

    She's going Ceasar style, 75 drachmas for all British citizens.
  • paulyork64paulyork64 Posts: 2,461

    Leon said:

    As we wait for Vlad, or not, the idea that Will Smith would not suffer for The Slap has proved to be delusional


    “Apple has a Will Smith problem.

    Mr. Smith is the star of “Emancipation,” a film set during the Civil War era that Apple envisioned as a surefire Oscar contender when it wrapped filming earlier this year. But that was before Mr. Smith strode onto the stage at the Academy Awards in March and slapped the comedian Chris Rock, who had made a joke about Mr. Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

    Mr. Smith, who also won best actor that night, has since surrendered his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and has been banned from attending any Academy-related events, including the Oscar telecast, for the next decade.

    Now Apple finds itself left with a $120 million unreleased awards-style movie featuring a star no longer welcome at the biggest award show of them all, and a big question: Can the film, even if it succeeds artistically, overcome the baggage that now accompanies Mr. Smith?”

    NYT - ££

    I don't get this. Yes, Will Smith shouldn't have slapped Chris Rock. But he hit him once.

    Given the demented behaviours in the entertainment industry, well documented, slapping a guy who made a crack about your wife is practically apple pie....
    It's not like he jumped a queue to see a box.
  • glwglw Posts: 9,535
    rcs1000 said:

    Completely off all topics, I have a new and compelling candidate for The Worst Piece of Software Ever Written. It's something called Ariba by SAP, and it makes even the worst Microsoft applications look brilliant in comparison.

    Well, you are using SAP. So, it's your own fault really.
    I honestly can't recall ever reading a positive opinion of SAP from an end user*, at best it is seen as a necessary evil.

    * Obviously the sales people and consultants think it's the bee's knees.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,729
    edited September 2022
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Can someone tell me if it worth watching the new TV Lord of the Rings, or indeed House of Dragon Thrones (or whatever it is)

    Or are they both boring Woke nonsense, as even the Guardian has hinted?

    Ta muchly

    House of the Dragon is pretty good. Paddy Considine steals every scene he is in as the King. Theres some wokery and some fucking your niece incest
    Cool! Thanks

    I mean cool that it’s good, not that incest is cool. OBVS
    Re incest, I'll take your word for it, I've never tried to find out.

    But yes, House of the Dragon is perfectly watchable.

    The Lord of the Rings is really not.
  • Leon said:

    Can someone tell me if it worth watching the new TV Lord of the Rings, or indeed House of Dragon Thrones (or whatever it is)

    Or are they both boring Woke nonsense, as even the Guardian has hinted?

    Ta muchly

    House of the Dragon is pretty good. Paddy Considine steals every scene he is in as the King. Theres some wokery and some fucking your niece incest
    I've been pleasantly surprised by House of the Dragon, although I did go in with rock bottom expectations after GoT S8.

    Gave up on Rings of Power after the horrendously cringey scene with the Irish tinker-pirate Hobbits in the first episode.
  • TazTaz Posts: 10,701
    WillG said:

    Leon said:

    This does sound like a power struggle. Hence the delayed speech?



    BREAKING: There will be no general mobilization," according to Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense says.

    At the same time, he states that martial law "could be introduced in some places.


    https://twitter.com/anonopsse/status/1572299186506469376?s=21&t=Z2fXj0Ujt4aXj--4yjIAKQ

    Humiliating reverse ferret from Putin.
    Keep away from any windows, Vlad !
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206
    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 14,772
    edited September 2022
    Leon said:

    This does sound like a power struggle. Hence the delayed speech?



    BREAKING: There will be no general mobilization," according to Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense says.

    At the same time, he states that martial law "could be introduced in some places.


    https://twitter.com/anonopsse/status/1572299186506469376?s=21&t=Z2fXj0Ujt4aXj--4yjIAKQ

    Yes. Or possibly he's having massive doubts and a struggle with himself.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206
    WillG said:

    Leon said:

    This does sound like a power struggle. Hence the delayed speech?



    BREAKING: There will be no general mobilization," according to Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense says.

    At the same time, he states that martial law "could be introduced in some places.


    https://twitter.com/anonopsse/status/1572299186506469376?s=21&t=Z2fXj0Ujt4aXj--4yjIAKQ

    Humiliating reverse ferret from Putin.
    Yes, this looks seriously weak and nervy
  • stodgestodge Posts: 12,741

    Glancing down recent polls for trend, the libdems are suffering most from the Truss surge. 😕

    Hardly - what the trend shows you is or are the glaring outliers. The Conservatives on 28%, Labour on 44% and the LDs on 14% all now look outlier numbers. Deltapoll has hardly moved.

    All have shown a slight recovery in the Conservative numbers - hardly surprising with everything going on currently. It'll take at least a month before we see if the election of Liz Truss is a game changer and as we know a lot can happen in that time.

    This site enjoys the micro-analysis of every poll but it's not worth the time or the bytes, honestly.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    edited September 2022

    Leon said:

    Can someone tell me if it worth watching the new TV Lord of the Rings, or indeed House of Dragon Thrones (or whatever it is)

    Or are they both boring Woke nonsense, as even the Guardian has hinted?

    Ta muchly

    House of the Dragon is pretty good. Paddy Considine steals every scene he is in as the King. Theres some wokery and some fucking your niece incest
    Good system - meet people halfway but going half woke and half shock.

    Though it does remind me I need to get around to watching Spartacus already.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,729
    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    Johnson survived the lockdown that never was.
  • WillGWillG Posts: 1,993
    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    Would also show nukes are off the table. If Putin can't announce conscription without the powers that be blocking him, they definitely won't allow him to start armageddon.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,835
    2.5 million ants per person. Do we think we can take them?
  • TazTaz Posts: 10,701
    Leon said:

    WillG said:

    Leon said:

    This does sound like a power struggle. Hence the delayed speech?



    BREAKING: There will be no general mobilization," according to Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense says.

    At the same time, he states that martial law "could be introduced in some places.


    https://twitter.com/anonopsse/status/1572299186506469376?s=21&t=Z2fXj0Ujt4aXj--4yjIAKQ

    Humiliating reverse ferret from Putin.
    Yes, this looks seriously weak and nervy
    Is he in office but not in Power ?
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    After certain people wetting their knickers at the prospect of Mad Vlad nuking the world earlier, this hours long delay is even more amusing.

    Oh to be a fly on the wall of what's going on behind the scenes in recent week. Putin must surely be getting to Bruno Ganz levels of anger and delusion.

    That is an authentically fuckwitted post. Sure, it's long, long odds against Vlad nuking London and it's also a no-lose bet because if he does, who is going to be posting on what PB to point out what an arse you are? But this "hur hir hur knicker wetters" stuff is pure, unadulterated, way out there wankerdom, because grown ups actually sit up and take notice when the odds shorten from 9000-1 to 25-1, even if both is still long odds against.

    There's a well loved poster here who spent Dec 2019 saying Hur hur hur, like Trump is actually going to resort to violence to overturn the result like the bedwetters say he was. After 6/1/20 he went quiet for a couple of weeks to work on the what I MEANT was script. Not gonna name him, mistake Anaboda could make.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,080
    edited September 2022
    FPT:

    MattW said:

    MISTY said:

    MISTY said:

    This seems like a stupid question but if a majority of the people of Luhansk and Donetsk voted to exit Ukraine and join the Russian Federation in a free and fair election, isn't there a strong argument they should be allowed to?

    Yes with respect its a stupid question, there's no such thing as a free and fair election when the Russian military are occupying the lands, and how are refugees currently temporarily kicked out of their homes supposed to vote in that election?

    Once the land is liberated and back in Ukrainian jurisdiction and peaceful and stable then a free and fair election may be possible, not until then.

    Yeah I get that but is Ukraine any more likely to hold a proper plebiscite in these provinces than Russia? I don't think so. Ukraine wants this land for itself. Ditto crimea. Which is fine, but let's have it right.

    Ukraine wants an existing part of Ukraine to be in Ukraine, in accordance with the referendum held at the time of independence of Ukraine, when the part of Ukraine voted to be Ukraine by a majority?

    No shit, Sherlock !
    Be that as it may, what Misty is saying is that Ukraine is no likelier to hold a genuinely free and fair referendum than Russia. Your post seems rather to imply that if the territory were to return to Ukraine, any plebiscite would be forgotten.
    I am suggesting that current population movements, expulsions, and refugees leaving, have been such that any referendum whatsoever done by either side will for some considerable time be a sick joke.

    Something may be possible once the lands have recovered, but it will be quite a number of years - and would need (I would think) to be supervised by the UN or a similar neutral body.
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,004
    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    Let's hope so. It might also explain why there had been no general mobilisation before now which has always been a bit of a mystery, to me, at least.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,729
    kle4 said:

    Leon said:

    Can someone tell me if it worth watching the new TV Lord of the Rings, or indeed House of Dragon Thrones (or whatever it is)

    Or are they both boring Woke nonsense, as even the Guardian has hinted?

    Ta muchly

    House of the Dragon is pretty good. Paddy Considine steals every scene he is in as the King. Theres some wokery and some fucking your niece incest
    Good system - meet people halfway but going half woke and half shock.

    Though it does remind me I need to get around to watching Spartacus already.
    Anthony Hopkins does a good job dubbing Laurence Olivier where he's having that homoerotic scene with Tony Curtis. There's only one bit where it's obvious it's not him.
  • ydoethur said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Can someone tell me if it worth watching the new TV Lord of the Rings, or indeed House of Dragon Thrones (or whatever it is)

    Or are they both boring Woke nonsense, as even the Guardian has hinted?

    Ta muchly

    House of the Dragon is pretty good. Paddy Considine steals every scene he is in as the King. Theres some wokery and some fucking your niece incest
    Cool! Thanks

    I mean cool that it’s good, not that incest is cool. OBVS
    Re incest, I'll take your word for it, I've never tried to find out.

    But yes, House of the Dragon is perfectly watchable.

    The Lord of the Rings is really not.
    I agree that "Paddy Considine steals every scene".

    It is an amazing performance. Like a King Lear actor from RSC has been parachuted into the series.

    Not convinced by Matt Smith. But I did not rate him as Dr Who.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    Leon said:

    This does sound like a power struggle. Hence the delayed speech?



    BREAKING: There will be no general mobilization," according to Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense says.

    At the same time, he states that martial law "could be introduced in some places.


    https://twitter.com/anonopsse/status/1572299186506469376?s=21&t=Z2fXj0Ujt4aXj--4yjIAKQ

    How would martial law help anything? In the context of how the war has been presented to the Russian people that is.

    They know that things are at best going slowly, and at worse they are being ground down. Marital law, within Russia, doesn't seem to address anything.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206
    edited September 2022
    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    Let's hope so. It might also explain why there had been no general mobilisation before now which has always been a bit of a mystery, to me, at least.
    Yes, I pray that this is true, and not my own wishful thinking. It does explain the odd behaviour today

    OK as The Endtimes are at least delayed, I’m going to the gym
  • WillGWillG Posts: 1,993
    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    Let's hope so. It might also explain why there had been no general mobilisation before now which has always been a bit of a mystery, to me, at least.
    As I said before, the business class of Moscow and St Petersburg don't want their sons dying in Ukraine for the sake of Putin not losing faith.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    WillG said:

    Leon said:

    This does sound like a power struggle. Hence the delayed speech?



    BREAKING: There will be no general mobilization," according to Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense says.

    At the same time, he states that martial law "could be introduced in some places.


    https://twitter.com/anonopsse/status/1572299186506469376?s=21&t=Z2fXj0Ujt4aXj--4yjIAKQ

    Humiliating reverse ferret from Putin.
    That’s a pretty good impression of the Grand Old Duke of York from Putin there. Keep everyone talking for most of the evening, then don’t turn up. Half way up.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    MattW said:

    FPT:

    MattW said:

    MISTY said:

    MISTY said:

    This seems like a stupid question but if a majority of the people of Luhansk and Donetsk voted to exit Ukraine and join the Russian Federation in a free and fair election, isn't there a strong argument they should be allowed to?

    Yes with respect its a stupid question, there's no such thing as a free and fair election when the Russian military are occupying the lands, and how are refugees currently temporarily kicked out of their homes supposed to vote in that election?

    Once the land is liberated and back in Ukrainian jurisdiction and peaceful and stable then a free and fair election may be possible, not until then.

    Yeah I get that but is Ukraine any more likely to hold a proper plebiscite in these provinces than Russia? I don't think so. Ukraine wants this land for itself. Ditto crimea. Which is fine, but let's have it right.

    Ukraine wants an existing part of Ukraine to be in Ukraine, in accordance with the referendum held at the time of independence of Ukraine, when the part of Ukraine voted to be Ukraine by a majority?

    No shit, Sherlock !
    Be that as it may, what Misty is saying is that Ukraine is no likelier to hold a genuinely free and fair referendum than Russia. Your post seems rather to imply that if the territory were to return to Ukraine, any plebiscite would be forgotten.
    I am suggesting that current population movements, expulsions, and refugees leaving, have been such that any referendum whatsoever done by either side will for some considerable time be a sick joke.

    Something may be possible once the lands have recovered, but it will be quite a number of years - and would need (I would think) to be supervised by the UN or a similar neutral body.
    And, bluntly, for international relations other countries except in very rare cases are inclined to ask the controlling goverment to be nice to all its areas, rather than demand they hold plebiscites even if those people ask for it.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    Glancing down recent polls for trend, the libdems are suffering most from the Truss surge. 😕

    Chill, hun, there is so much noise from Gotterdammerung in the stats, you just gotta give it 2 weeks to settle down.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,835
    This delay is the crisis point in Moscow imho.
    We'll see how solidly in power Vlad is now. If he prevails things could get very nasty(ier).
  • DynamoDynamo Posts: 651
    edited September 2022
    https://www.rbc.ru/politics/20/09/2022/6329b1179a79473c04dcbb84?from=from_main_1

    "Владимир Путин во вторник, 20 сентября, может высказать свое отношение к референдумам на территории ЛНР, ДНР, Херсонской и Запорожской областей."

    16:16 Moscow time, so 2.16pm BST.

    That says Putin MAY set out his attitude towards referendums in those four regions, later today. RBC say they heard this from three sources close to the administration. They sent a query to the president's press secretary.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206
    Chaos


    Some russian sources are now claiming that the speech will be tomorrow: "It is reported that Putin will not speak today, but tomorrow." t.me/boris_rozhin/6…

  • Elena Chernenko
    @ElenaChernenko
    ·
    11m
    Vladimir Putins speech on Ukraine did not happen at 20-00 as it was announced, and it not clear when it will be aired. Journalists from the Kremlin pool were writing just half an hour ago that they are "waiting", but it does not seem like something is to happen today
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,708

    Glancing down recent polls for trend, the libdems are suffering most from the Truss surge. 😕

    Hardly a surprise, Truss is the first PM who has been a member of the Liberal Democrats and addressed a Liberal Democrat conference
  • AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    Let's hope so. It might also explain why there had been no general mobilisation before now which has always been a bit of a mystery, to me, at least.
    The lack of a general mobilisation seemed odd to me as well, but from the very start of this mess every western commentator I've read (and some Russian ones) said or insinuated that it would be very problematic domestically. And there were indications: back in March, Putin had to make an embarrassing apology that conscripts had been sent, which was against the law at the time.

    I wonder how much it's a throwback to Russia's hideous Afghanistan experience, and the brave women (e.g. the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers) who stood against it?
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,835
    WillG said:

    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    Let's hope so. It might also explain why there had been no general mobilisation before now which has always been a bit of a mystery, to me, at least.
    As I said before, the business class of Moscow and St Petersburg don't want their sons dying in Ukraine for the sake of Putin not losing faith.
    I reckon they don't want to be banned from leaving the country.
    That Holland Park pad won't live in itself.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    dixiedean said:

    This delay is the crisis point in Moscow imho.
    We'll see how solidly in power Vlad is now. If he prevails things could get very nasty(ier).

    It all seems rather weird. We can probably now expect a damp squib of an announcement, relatively speaking, but at what level would people have known whatever he said in advance and been able to forestall him? Or what could have happened to make him decide it needed another draft before it was released?
  • FossFoss Posts: 694
    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    He's dead. And the deepfake annoucing the climbdown is rubbish.
  • dixiedean said:

    This delay is the crisis point in Moscow imho.
    We'll see how solidly in power Vlad is now. If he prevails things could get very nasty(ier).

    Bolshoy Bridge has fallen...?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206
    "Putin's speech has been postponed until tomorrow, said Sergei Markov, a political analyst close to the Kremlin"
  • solarflaresolarflare Posts: 3,623
    Foss said:

    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    He's dead. And the deepfake annoucing the climbdown is rubbish.
    Someone's frantically phoning round the celeb look-a-like organisations?
  • TazTaz Posts: 10,701

    ydoethur said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Can someone tell me if it worth watching the new TV Lord of the Rings, or indeed House of Dragon Thrones (or whatever it is)

    Or are they both boring Woke nonsense, as even the Guardian has hinted?

    Ta muchly

    House of the Dragon is pretty good. Paddy Considine steals every scene he is in as the King. Theres some wokery and some fucking your niece incest
    Cool! Thanks

    I mean cool that it’s good, not that incest is cool. OBVS
    Re incest, I'll take your word for it, I've never tried to find out.

    But yes, House of the Dragon is perfectly watchable.

    The Lord of the Rings is really not.
    I agree that "Paddy Considine steals every scene".

    It is an amazing performance. Like a King Lear actor from RSC has been parachuted into the series.

    Not convinced by Matt Smith. But I did not rate him as Dr Who.
    Mind you he was hampered by some mediocre scripts.

    He had a hard act to follow in David Tennant and Peter Capaldi coming after him was solid too.
  • WillG said:

    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    Let's hope so. It might also explain why there had been no general mobilisation before now which has always been a bit of a mystery, to me, at least.
    As I said before, the business class of Moscow and St Petersburg don't want their sons dying in Ukraine for the sake of Putin not losing faith.
    Possibly true. But during the Vietnam era the business and political class seemed to find ways to keep their sons out of the draft. Bush for example.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 46,206
    They sat on Putin and told him to rein it in
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,598

    After certain people wetting their knickers at the prospect of Mad Vlad nuking the world earlier, this hours long delay is even more amusing.

    Oh to be a fly on the wall of what's going on behind the scenes in recent week. Putin must surely be getting to Bruno Ganz levels of anger and delusion.

    Indeed.

    PB is unbearable at times like this, I often wonder how these people ever leave the house in the mornings.
  • TazTaz Posts: 10,701

    Foss said:

    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    He's dead. And the deepfake annoucing the climbdown is rubbish.
    Someone's frantically phoning round the celeb look-a-like organisations?
    Sign him up

    https://en.as.com/en/2022/03/05/latest_news/1646514702_014034.html
  • dixiedean said:

    This delay is the crisis point in Moscow imho.
    We'll see how solidly in power Vlad is now. If he prevails things could get very nasty(ier).

    Bolshoy Bridge has fallen...?
    Does KCIII get invited to Putin's state funeral - and does he go?
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 91,392
    Leon said:

    They sat on Putin and told him to rein it in

    If true that's encouraging, in that he is still able to be reined in.

    WillG said:

    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    Let's hope so. It might also explain why there had been no general mobilisation before now which has always been a bit of a mystery, to me, at least.
    As I said before, the business class of Moscow and St Petersburg don't want their sons dying in Ukraine for the sake of Putin not losing faith.
    Possibly true. But during the Vietnam era the business and political class seemed to find ways to keep their sons out of the draft. Bush for example.
    Good time to be a doctor whose income needs supplementing.
  • WillGWillG Posts: 1,993

    WillG said:

    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    Let's hope so. It might also explain why there had been no general mobilisation before now which has always been a bit of a mystery, to me, at least.
    As I said before, the business class of Moscow and St Petersburg don't want their sons dying in Ukraine for the sake of Putin not losing faith.
    Possibly true. But during the Vietnam era the business and political class seemed to find ways to keep their sons out of the draft. Bush for example.
    Sure but Vietnam-era US didn't have an autocratic government that could ensure their sons went if you didn't do the necessary demands of the regime. Russians don't trust their government.
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,004
    Leon said:

    "Putin's speech has been postponed until tomorrow, said Sergei Markov, a political analyst close to the Kremlin"

    Something must have changed as the speech would need re-recording. Only question now is what?
  • paulyork64paulyork64 Posts: 2,461
    WillG said:

    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    I’m calling it:

    Putin recorded a speech in which he announced total mobilisation. But other politicians were horrified at this risky idea, and they’ve prevailed, and managed to dial down the plans. So the speech has been delayed while they amend it, or maybe it is now cancelled

    IF that is true, it suggests Putin’s grip on power is weakening

    Let's hope so. It might also explain why there had been no general mobilisation before now which has always been a bit of a mystery, to me, at least.
    As I said before, the business class of Moscow and St Petersburg don't want their sons dying in Ukraine for the sake of Putin not losing faith.
    Can't rich Russians avoid the draft as easily as rich Americans for Vietnam?
This discussion has been closed.