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SLAB can surely win this one back? – politicalbetting.com

SystemSystem Posts: 12,610
edited August 2023 in General
imageSLAB can surely win this one back? – politicalbetting.com

On the Smarkets exchange punters have a SLAB gain as an 87% chance. It is hard to disagree.

Read the full story here

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Comments

  • TazTaz Posts: 20,093
    Errr Yes Easy Lab win
  • TazTaz Posts: 20,093
    BTW First
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    The Koreans have a patent.

    Ceramic composite with superconductivities over room temperature at atmospheric condition and method of manufacturing the ceramic composite
    https://web.archive.org/web/20230726011955/https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20230030188A/en?oq=WO2023027536A1
  • LeonLeon Posts: 63,825
    Fpt for @Sandpit


    It’s a doddle. I’ve just left Ukraine and I’m now in Romania

    Incidentally I believe I have found the easiest and quickest way into Ukraine. You fly direct from london Luton to Suceava, Romania on Wizzair. 3 hours 30.

    Another 3-4 hours on a bus from Suceava takes you over the border to Chernivtsi Ukraine. That’s it

    That is surely why all the rich dudes are in Chernivtsi. It’s the easiest way in and out - and off to the West

    Going to Ukraine is like parachuting. Statistically it is safe (away from the front line) Yet your mind says No! Reflexively. Because it’s a war zone. Like jumping out of a plane feels all wrong

    But then you jump and you realise it IS safe. And also exhilarating. And you want to do it again

    I’m going back ASAP. Odesa probably
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    RochdalePioneers said:

    Off-topic (sorry, please indulge me). We have just had a fascinating visitor - a former manager of the bank I am sitting in who lived in the bank house we now live in. He was in role 1980 - 82, so was delighted when we showed him round.

    The interesting bit - he's been able to provide more information about the building which answers a lot of questions. The village was built in 1795 as a planned village by Sir William Forbes. I knew that he was a banker (initially with Coutts...) and obviously his ancestors ensured the name continues to be linked with finance.

    There had been some debate about when the property was built - definitely in two stages, but when did it begin? Our visitor confirmed that this was built and run as a bank by Forbes, Hunter & Co in 1795 where it was a branch of that private bank, making this a very very old example of a bank branch.

    The title deeds had suggested the main part of the building may have been c 1869, but its 70+ years older than that. I think I need to go to the Lloyds archive in Edinburgh and see what other information can be dug out.

    And the ghost ?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 129,300
    Given the swing from SNP to Scottish Labour since 2019 and the fact that Labour won Rutherglen in 2017 before losing it again last time, you would expect a Labour gain there in the by election
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 36,752
    edited August 2023
    Leon said:

    Fpt for @Sandpit


    It’s a doddle. I’ve just left Ukraine and I’m now in Romania

    Incidentally I believe I have found the easiest and quickest way into Ukraine. You fly direct from london Luton to Suceava, Romania on Wizzair. 3 hours 30.

    Another 3-4 hours on a bus from Suceava takes you over the border to Chernivtsi Ukraine. That’s it

    That is surely why all the rich dudes are in Chernivtsi. It’s the easiest way in and out - and off to the West

    Going to Ukraine is like parachuting. Statistically it is safe (away from the front line) Yet your mind says No! Reflexively. Because it’s a war zone. Like jumping out of a plane feels all wrong

    But then you jump and you realise it IS safe. And also exhilarating. And you want to do it again

    I’m going back ASAP. Odesa probably

    Theodore Dalrymple is another writer who used to like visiting war zones in the 1980s and 1990s. He wrote a book about what Liberia was like just after the civil war ended in 1991. One of the most interesting books I've ever read.

    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16107791-monrovia-mon-amour
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 30,679
    Nigelb said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Off-topic (sorry, please indulge me). We have just had a fascinating visitor - a former manager of the bank I am sitting in who lived in the bank house we now live in. He was in role 1980 - 82, so was delighted when we showed him round.

    The interesting bit - he's been able to provide more information about the building which answers a lot of questions. The village was built in 1795 as a planned village by Sir William Forbes. I knew that he was a banker (initially with Coutts...) and obviously his ancestors ensured the name continues to be linked with finance.

    There had been some debate about when the property was built - definitely in two stages, but when did it begin? Our visitor confirmed that this was built and run as a bank by Forbes, Hunter & Co in 1795 where it was a branch of that private bank, making this a very very old example of a bank branch.

    The title deeds had suggested the main part of the building may have been c 1869, but its 70+ years older than that. I think I need to go to the Lloyds archive in Edinburgh and see what other information can be dug out.

    And the ghost ?
    He didn't see anything. But said colleagues did.
  • Wulfrun_PhilWulfrun_Phil Posts: 4,784
    The wiki opinion polling site shows a lot more polling than that in the thread header, including the mid-June Panelbase poll for the Sunday Times that showed a dead heat between Labour and the SNP.

    Despite 25 Scottish GE polls having been published so far with fieldwork in 2023, there's not been a single one for over a month. So we're a bit in the dark right now on whether there have been any recent shifts in opinion in Scotland.

  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 22,435
    RochdalePioneers said:

    Nigelb said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Off-topic (sorry, please indulge me). We have just had a fascinating visitor - a former manager of the bank I am sitting in who lived in the bank house we now live in. He was in role 1980 - 82, so was delighted when we showed him round.

    The interesting bit - he's been able to provide more information about the building which answers a lot of questions. The village was built in 1795 as a planned village by Sir William Forbes. I knew that he was a banker (initially with Coutts...) and obviously his ancestors ensured the name continues to be linked with finance.

    There had been some debate about when the property was built - definitely in two stages, but when did it begin? Our visitor confirmed that this was built and run as a bank by Forbes, Hunter & Co in 1795 where it was a branch of that private bank, making this a very very old example of a bank branch.

    The title deeds had suggested the main part of the building may have been c 1869, but its 70+ years older than that. I think I need to go to the Lloyds archive in Edinburgh and see what other information can be dug out.

    And the ghost ?
    He didn't see anything. But said colleagues did.
    SPOOKY.
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 19,319
    You'd have to think so, except the Labour candidate is called Michael, not Shirley.

    Well, we were talking about the brilliance of Airplane earlier...
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 30,679
    On topic, this byelection is more a question of "can the SNP hold it" than "can Labour win it".

    If the SNP are to recede as quickly as they swept in, it won't just be Labour who benefit. Yes they will be a lot of red seats, but potentially a couple of orange ones, and I would expect the Tories to do better defending seats up here than they do in England.

    Big test - is the future prospect of independence SNP-style a big enough pull to keep their voters on board despite all of the other scandals?
  • FlatlanderFlatlander Posts: 5,174
    edited August 2023
    .
    Nigelb said:

    The Koreans have a patent.

    Ceramic composite with superconductivities over room temperature at atmospheric condition and method of manufacturing the ceramic composite
    https://web.archive.org/web/20230726011955/https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20230030188A/en?oq=WO2023027536A1

    I would have thought that only the method could be patented?

    It is like trying to patent a nuclear bomb though.

    There's no way China is going to say, oh dear, that's a shame, they won't give us a licence to make this. We'll have to go without.


    Anyway, I would guess that if this does work it will be one of a new class of superconductors, some of which may end up being better.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,738
    RochdalePioneers said:

    Off-topic (sorry, please indulge me). We have just had a fascinating visitor - a former manager of the bank I am sitting in who lived in the bank house we now live in. He was in role 1980 - 82, so was delighted when we showed him round.

    The interesting bit - he's been able to provide more information about the building which answers a lot of questions. The village was built in 1795 as a planned village by Sir William Forbes. I knew that he was a banker (initially with Coutts...) and obviously his ancestors ensured the name continues to be linked with finance.

    There had been some debate about when the property was built - definitely in two stages, but when did it begin? Our visitor confirmed that this was built and run as a bank by Forbes, Hunter & Co in 1795 where it was a branch of that private bank, making this a very very old example of a bank branch.

    The title deeds had suggested the main part of the building may have been c 1869, but its 70+ years older than that. I think I need to go to the Lloyds archive in Edinburgh and see what other information can be dug out.

    Planned village? Forbes?

    Maybe https://digital.nls.uk/histories-of-scottish-families/archive/95086986#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=5&xywh=-1902,-234,6303,4672. Or another one? Pitsligo or Craigievar?

    Check the National Records of Scotland for estate/family papers? Estate maps may be here and/or in NLS (the latter both as MSS and in the maps online section nls.uk/maps, which should also give you indications of the physical evolution of the building from various maps ).

    Also do you have the primary sasines from the original feuing? Lots of description there, potentially.

    The Ordnance Survey/Inland Revenue assessment of c. 1900-1910 is also in NRS. Could there be two different properties involved?

    And there has been a lot of research done on that side of Scottish history.
  • FlatlanderFlatlander Posts: 5,174
    edited August 2023
    Gardenwalker said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Nigelb said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Off-topic (sorry, please indulge me). We have just had a fascinating visitor - a former manager of the bank I am sitting in who lived in the bank house we now live in. He was in role 1980 - 82, so was delighted when we showed him round.

    The interesting bit - he's been able to provide more information about the building which answers a lot of questions. The village was built in 1795 as a planned village by Sir William Forbes. I knew that he was a banker (initially with Coutts...) and obviously his ancestors ensured the name continues to be linked with finance.

    There had been some debate about when the property was built - definitely in two stages, but when did it begin? Our visitor confirmed that this was built and run as a bank by Forbes, Hunter & Co in 1795 where it was a branch of that private bank, making this a very very old example of a bank branch.

    The title deeds had suggested the main part of the building may have been c 1869, but its 70+ years older than that. I think I need to go to the Lloyds archive in Edinburgh and see what other information can be dug out.

    And the ghost ?
    He didn't see anything. But said colleagues did.
    SPOOKY.
    [Spoiler]

    The visitor was the ghost.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 46,444
    edited August 2023
    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to brake to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 36,752
    FPT
    Peck said:

    Casino_Royale said:

    CD13 said:

    When my daughter was in her teens, she decided to become a vegetarian. There's a happy ending - the smell of frying bacon was enough to bring her back to sanity.

    I work with a guy at work whose mother raised him as a vegetarian, until he reached the age of 17, stayed with his Uncle and ate a roast. His mother wasn't happy.

    Bear Grylls has also seen the light:

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bear-grylls-diet-vegan-carnivore-health-2ss8f0v8n
    "Sanity" and "seen the light", eh? Vegetarians live on average about 9 years longer than the dimwitted amoral turds who munch pieces of dead animal and think they're being sane and enlightened.
    Dimwitted amoral turds? The vast majority of the population.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 56,170
    Flatlander said:

    .

    Nigelb said:

    The Koreans have a patent.

    Ceramic composite with superconductivities over room temperature at atmospheric condition and method of manufacturing the ceramic composite
    https://web.archive.org/web/20230726011955/https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20230030188A/en?oq=WO2023027536A1

    I would have thought that only the method could be patented?

    It is like trying to patent a nuclear bomb though.

    There's no way China is going to say, oh dear, that's a shame, they won't give us a licence to make this. We'll have to go without.


    Anyway, I would guess that if this does work it will be one of a new class of superconductors, some of which may end up being better.
    There are a number of patents for nuclear bombs.

    A fun one that is still very classified (for no real reason) is the British invention of a two stage primary - the first bomb compresses, via radiation pressure, a second core.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 11,400
    edited August 2023
    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,738
    RochdalePioneers said:

    On topic, this byelection is more a question of "can the SNP hold it" than "can Labour win it".

    If the SNP are to recede as quickly as they swept in, it won't just be Labour who benefit. Yes they will be a lot of red seats, but potentially a couple of orange ones, and I would expect the Tories to do better defending seats up here than they do in England.

    Big test - is the future prospect of independence SNP-style a big enough pull to keep their voters on board despite all of the other scandals?

    Another factor - the recent change in Labour under SKS, away in part from the Slab consensus - Brexit, baby-starving (allegedly), banning referenda, generally becoming Tory-lite, and so on.

    Will be interesting.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 56,170
    Eabhal said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
    If only the London (UK built) hybrid double decker had been continued - it was designed to be evolved into a full electric vehicle when batteries became cheap enough.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 15,760
    RochdalePioneers said:

    On topic, this byelection is more a question of "can the SNP hold it" than "can Labour win it".

    If the SNP are to recede as quickly as they swept in, it won't just be Labour who benefit. Yes they will be a lot of red seats, but potentially a couple of orange ones, and I would expect the Tories to do better defending seats up here than they do in England.

    Big test - is the future prospect of independence SNP-style a big enough pull to keep their voters on board despite all of the other scandals?

    Yes, and the swing will be key as that tells us about potential GE contests. Also the swing to-from Tory.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 46,444
    Eabhal said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
    Drafting, isn't it?

    To be fair to him, he didn't blame the bus. The odd thing was I could almost see it going to happen, as I followed them along the road. "He's too close," I thought. "What happens at that bus stop...?"
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 56,170
    Andy_JS said:

    FPT

    Peck said:

    Casino_Royale said:

    CD13 said:

    When my daughter was in her teens, she decided to become a vegetarian. There's a happy ending - the smell of frying bacon was enough to bring her back to sanity.

    I work with a guy at work whose mother raised him as a vegetarian, until he reached the age of 17, stayed with his Uncle and ate a roast. His mother wasn't happy.

    Bear Grylls has also seen the light:

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bear-grylls-diet-vegan-carnivore-health-2ss8f0v8n
    "Sanity" and "seen the light", eh? Vegetarians live on average about 9 years longer than the dimwitted amoral turds who munch pieces of dead animal and think they're being sane and enlightened.
    Dimwitted amoral turds? The vast majority of the population.

    “If you run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. If you run into assholes all day, you're the asshole.”
  • Clutch_BromptonClutch_Brompton Posts: 762
    Lab really needed to win at least one of Selby and Uxbridge and they really need to win ths one. They did the former and I suspect they will do the latter but wihout any special knowledge of current happenings up there.

    Meanwhile in Norfolk the Cons lost Freebridge Lynn to the Lib Dems. Unless you know West Norfolk you can't know quite how startling that is. To put it into context - if the Cons are losing the wealthier pensioners then where can they win?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    Flatlander said:

    .

    Nigelb said:

    The Koreans have a patent.

    Ceramic composite with superconductivities over room temperature at atmospheric condition and method of manufacturing the ceramic composite
    https://web.archive.org/web/20230726011955/https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20230030188A/en?oq=WO2023027536A1

    I would have thought that only the method could be patented?

    It is like trying to patent a nuclear bomb though.

    There's no way China is going to say, oh dear, that's a shame, they won't give us a licence to make this. We'll have to go without.

    Anyway, I would guess that if this does work it will be one of a new class of superconductors, some of which may end up being better.
    No doubt there will be a slew of other applications in the system.

    Should push KAIST up the world rankings, anyway.
  • TazTaz Posts: 20,093
    Eabhal said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
    Apart from the stops where buses catch up their time and just wait !!!
  • Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 3,682
    Malmesbury said:

    Flatlander said:

    .

    Nigelb said:

    The Koreans have a patent.

    Ceramic composite with superconductivities over room temperature at atmospheric condition and method of manufacturing the ceramic composite
    https://web.archive.org/web/20230726011955/https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20230030188A/en?oq=WO2023027536A1

    I would have thought that only the method could be patented?

    It is like trying to patent a nuclear bomb though.

    There's no way China is going to say, oh dear, that's a shame, they won't give us a licence to make this. We'll have to go without.


    Anyway, I would guess that if this does work it will be one of a new class of superconductors, some of which may end up being better.
    There are a number of patents for nuclear bombs.

    A fun one that is still very classified (for no real reason) is the British invention of a two stage primary - the first bomb compresses, via radiation pressure, a second core.
    Probably a good idea not to mention it here tomorrow when the place is full of Russians.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 11,400
    JosiasJessop said:

    Eabhal said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
    Drafting, isn't it?

    To be fair to him, he didn't blame the bus. The odd thing was I could almost see it going to happen, as I followed them along the road. "He's too close," I thought. "What happens at that bus stop...?"
    The one self-inflicted crash I've had was underestimating stopping distance. Common issue if you've got lots of driving experience and are used to 4 wheels.
  • PeckPeck Posts: 517
    edited August 2023
    FPT: shoplifting:

    In Aldi, it's all happening.

    The comments on this piece in the Heil are timeless:

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12369747/Aldi-staff-told-refuse-serve-customers-dont-bags-checkout-belts-budget-supermarket-launches-shoplifting-crackdown.html#comments

    Apparently shoplifters are all on drugs, in receipt of loads of money in benefits, and carrying the latest iPhones, and they only steal stuff so as to sell it on. And Heil readers have to pay for it all, apparently. And of course if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear. Makes you wonder why the Heilies all have net curtains.

    And apparently nothing happens to shoplifters anyway, and only 5% of them get taken to court.

    * resolves not to return any time soon to a Heil comments column *
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 129,300
    Clutch_Brompton said:

    Lab really needed to win at least one of Selby and Uxbridge and they really need to win ths one. They did the former and I suspect they will do the latter but wihout any special knowledge of current happenings up there.

    Meanwhile in Norfolk the Cons lost Freebridge Lynn to the Lib Dems. Unless you know West Norfolk you can't know quite how startling that is. To put it into context - if the Cons are losing the wealthier pensioners then where can they win?

    They may lose NIMBY wealthy pensioners to the LDs locally, they won't do nationally when Labour are the main alternative and it was Labour second to the Cons in NW Norfolk in 2019 not the LDs
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    Flatlander said:

    .

    Nigelb said:

    The Koreans have a patent.

    Ceramic composite with superconductivities over room temperature at atmospheric condition and method of manufacturing the ceramic composite
    https://web.archive.org/web/20230726011955/https://patents.google.com/patent/KR20230030188A/en?oq=WO2023027536A1

    I would have thought that only the method could be patented?

    It is like trying to patent a nuclear bomb though.

    There's no way China is going to say, oh dear, that's a shame, they won't give us a licence to make this. We'll have to go without.

    Anyway, I would guess that if this does work it will be one of a new class of superconductors, some of which may end up being better.
    It might well.
    But as far as this particular compound is concerned, it's a broad use patent which covers it with regard to solid state electronic devices.

  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 55,416
    Labour thought they were going to take Uxbridge...
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 32,134
    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to brake to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    Cyclists cannot see the colour red: buses; traffic lights...
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    Possible straw in the wind for Trump, with slightly underwhelming numbers in Iowa.
    https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/04/trump-polls-2024-desantis-00109825
  • Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 14,694
    Peck said:

    FPT: shoplifting:

    In Aldi, it's all happening.

    The comments on this piece in the Heil are timeless:

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12369747/Aldi-staff-told-refuse-serve-customers-dont-bags-checkout-belts-budget-supermarket-launches-shoplifting-crackdown.html#comments

    Apparently shoplifters are all on drugs, in receipt of loads of money in benefits, and carrying the latest iPhones, and they only steal stuff so as to sell it on. And Heil readers have to pay for it all, apparently. And of course if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear. Makes you wonder why the Heilies all have net curtains.

    My only ever jury duty was for a shoplifter who had nicked fucking all sorts and practically cleaned out a branch of Boots. I berated the others into a hung jury and she got off even though she was as guilty as sin. FTP.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 55,416
    Malmesbury said:

    Eabhal said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
    If only the London (UK built) hybrid double decker had been continued - it was designed to be evolved into a full electric vehicle when batteries became cheap enough.
    Electric bus seen in Ilford!


  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 23,217
    Sunil_Prasannan said:

    Labour thought they were going to take Uxbridge...

    Well the punters certainly did.

    Except those who listened to HY!
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,738
    Dura_Ace said:

    Peck said:

    FPT: shoplifting:

    In Aldi, it's all happening.

    The comments on this piece in the Heil are timeless:

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12369747/Aldi-staff-told-refuse-serve-customers-dont-bags-checkout-belts-budget-supermarket-launches-shoplifting-crackdown.html#comments

    Apparently shoplifters are all on drugs, in receipt of loads of money in benefits, and carrying the latest iPhones, and they only steal stuff so as to sell it on. And Heil readers have to pay for it all, apparently. And of course if you've got nothing to hide, you've got nothing to fear. Makes you wonder why the Heilies all have net curtains.

    My only ever jury duty was for a shoplifter who had nicked fucking all sorts and practically cleaned out a branch of Boots. I berated the others into a hung jury and she got off even though she was as guilty as sin. FTP.
    *startled*

    What does HHP Francis have to do with a Nottingham-based multiple store?
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 56,314
    Nigelb said:

    Possible straw in the wind for Trump, with slightly underwhelming numbers in Iowa.
    https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/04/trump-polls-2024-desantis-00109825

    I wouldn't read much into that. It's still a commanding lead and he lost the Iowa caucus to Ted Cruz in 2015.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 15,760
    HYUFD said:

    Clutch_Brompton said:

    Lab really needed to win at least one of Selby and Uxbridge and they really need to win ths one. They did the former and I suspect they will do the latter but wihout any special knowledge of current happenings up there.

    Meanwhile in Norfolk the Cons lost Freebridge Lynn to the Lib Dems. Unless you know West Norfolk you can't know quite how startling that is. To put it into context - if the Cons are losing the wealthier pensioners then where can they win?

    They may lose NIMBY wealthy pensioners to the LDs locally, they won't do nationally when Labour are the main alternative and it was Labour second to the Cons in NW Norfolk in 2019 not the LDs
    HYUFD being actually one of our more accurate psephologists I’m inclined to buy into this argument.
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,822
    edited August 2023
    Amazing what getting rid of Corbyn and Richard Leonard has done for Labour's polling.

    Mind you, the SNP have been generous in their help as well.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 36,752
    edited August 2023
    YouGov, Germany

    CDU/CSU 27% (nc)
    AfD 23% (+2)
    SPD 17% (-1)
    Greens 14% (nc)
    Left 6% (nc)
    FDP 5% (-1)
    Others 8% (+1)

    https://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    williamglenn said:

    Nigelb said:

    Possible straw in the wind for Trump, with slightly underwhelming numbers in Iowa.
    https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/04/trump-polls-2024-desantis-00109825

    I wouldn't read much into that. It's still a commanding lead and he lost the Iowa caucus to Ted Cruz in 2015.
    I don't.
    But it does present his challengers with an opportunity. And not all are as despised as Ted.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 15,760
    Andy_JS said:

    YouGov, Germany

    CDU/CSU 27%
    AfD 23%
    SPD 17%
    Greens 14%
    Left 6%
    FDP 5%
    Others 8%

    https://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/

    Applying our LLG/RefCon logic to this polling it implies 55% for right of centre / far right, 37% for left / centre-left parties.

    But you can’t compare with the UK directly. I’d guess that at least 10% of the CDU’s 27% would be Lib Dem or Blairite centre left here, and about half of the AfD vote would be voting conservative here. And of course they don’t have separatist parties in the same way.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 129,300
    'The Bishop of Gloucester has written to the housing secretary accusing him of personally blocking a 350-home development on Church land.

    The Rt Rev Rachel Treweek told Gove of her “frustration and confusion” at the “recovery” of a planning application for 350 homes in Leckhampton, Gloucestershire, for his own determination.'
    https://www.building.co.uk/news/goves-latest-housing-intervention-puts-him-on-collision-course-with-bishop-of-gloucester/5124516.article
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 129,300
    Andy_JS said:

    YouGov, Germany

    CDU/CSU 27% (nc)
    AfD 23% (+2)
    SPD 17% (-1)
    Greens 14% (nc)
    Left 6% (nc)
    FDP 5% (-1)
    Others 8% (+1)

    https://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/

    Looks like Germany is heading to a 2 main party system of centre right v far right. If Merz did a deal with AfD he would have a comfortable majority at the next election on that poll, otherwise he would need to do another grand coalition with the governing SPD or a deal with the Greens to keep them out of power
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,738
    HYUFD said:

    'The Bishop of Gloucester has written to the housing secretary accusing him of personally blocking a 350-home development on Church land.

    The Rt Rev Rachel Treweek told Gove of her “frustration and confusion” at the “recovery” of a planning application for 350 homes in Leckhampton, Gloucestershire, for his own determination.'
    https://www.building.co.uk/news/goves-latest-housing-intervention-puts-him-on-collision-course-with-bishop-of-gloucester/5124516.article

    Obviously the local Tories don't want new social housing in that posh area. Especially if cheap. Think of the riff-raff it would attract.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 30,679
    Carnyx said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Off-topic (sorry, please indulge me). We have just had a fascinating visitor - a former manager of the bank I am sitting in who lived in the bank house we now live in. He was in role 1980 - 82, so was delighted when we showed him round.

    The interesting bit - he's been able to provide more information about the building which answers a lot of questions. The village was built in 1795 as a planned village by Sir William Forbes. I knew that he was a banker (initially with Coutts...) and obviously his ancestors ensured the name continues to be linked with finance.

    There had been some debate about when the property was built - definitely in two stages, but when did it begin? Our visitor confirmed that this was built and run as a bank by Forbes, Hunter & Co in 1795 where it was a branch of that private bank, making this a very very old example of a bank branch.

    The title deeds had suggested the main part of the building may have been c 1869, but its 70+ years older than that. I think I need to go to the Lloyds archive in Edinburgh and see what other information can be dug out.

    Planned village? Forbes?

    Maybe https://digital.nls.uk/histories-of-scottish-families/archive/95086986#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=5&xywh=-1902,-234,6303,4672. Or another one? Pitsligo or Craigievar?

    Check the National Records of Scotland for estate/family papers? Estate maps may be here and/or in NLS (the latter both as MSS and in the maps online section nls.uk/maps, which should also give you indications of the physical evolution of the building from various maps ).

    Also do you have the primary sasines from the original feuing? Lots of description there, potentially.

    The Ordnance Survey/Inland Revenue assessment of c. 1900-1910 is also in NRS. Could there be two different properties involved?

    And there has been a lot of research done on that side of Scottish history.
    Its New Pitsligo. Its only one property - the bank as originally built (c. 1795) which was then extended (c. 1880s). Various parts of the original feu were sold off, part of which has another house on it now. Spending the £30 to get a copy of the original sasines is something I could look at.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,184
    Leon said:

    Fpt for @Sandpit

    It’s a doddle. I’ve just left Ukraine and I’m now in Romania

    Incidentally I believe I have found the easiest and quickest way into Ukraine. You fly direct from london Luton to Suceava, Romania on Wizzair. 3 hours 30.

    Another 3-4 hours on a bus from Suceava takes you over the border to Chernivtsi Ukraine. That’s it

    That is surely why all the rich dudes are in Chernivtsi. It’s the easiest way in and out - and off to the West

    Going to Ukraine is like parachuting. Statistically it is safe (away from the front line) Yet your mind says No! Reflexively. Because it’s a war zone. Like jumping out of a plane feels all wrong

    But then you jump and you realise it IS safe. And also exhilarating. And you want to do it again

    I’m going back ASAP. Odesa probably

    Ha ha! I did jump out of a perfectly serviceable aeroplane once, as a mad student - but only because I managed to raise a load of cash for the RAG Week charity.

    As it happens, I’m now sitting in the hotel bar at Warsaw airport, waiting for my wife to arrive (because I screwed up and we ended on different flights).

    Sitting at the next table there’s a group of Amercian journalists talking rather loudly, as one might think they always do. It’s clear where they’re going, and it’s a lot closer to the action than would be comfortable for most of us!

    Out plan is to head out of Warsaw tonight and probably end up at least in Lviv, and from there to Zhytomyr to meet up with the father-in-law.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 52,474
    Malmesbury said:

    Eabhal said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
    If only the London (UK built) hybrid double decker had been continued - it was designed to be evolved into a full electric vehicle when batteries became cheap enough.
    In Leicester we have a free, electric bus service since April 2023, which goes between several transport hubs and the Hospital every 10 min in the daytime.

    https://www.leicesterbuses.co.uk/hop
  • LeonLeon Posts: 63,825
    Sunil_Prasannan said:

    Malmesbury said:

    Eabhal said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
    If only the London (UK built) hybrid double decker had been continued - it was designed to be evolved into a full electric vehicle when batteries became cheap enough.
    Electric bus seen in Ilford!


    That makes me yearn to return from my travels
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 11,400
    One for TSE and anyone renovating their home.

    https://twitter.com/benscribbles/status/1687442783240331264?t=ajPECWQCi83C75DAOPF9zQ&s=19
  • LeonLeon Posts: 63,825
    edited August 2023
    Sandpit said:

    Leon said:

    Fpt for @Sandpit

    It’s a doddle. I’ve just left Ukraine and I’m now in Romania

    Incidentally I believe I have found the easiest and quickest way into Ukraine. You fly direct from london Luton to Suceava, Romania on Wizzair. 3 hours 30.

    Another 3-4 hours on a bus from Suceava takes you over the border to Chernivtsi Ukraine. That’s it

    That is surely why all the rich dudes are in Chernivtsi. It’s the easiest way in and out - and off to the West

    Going to Ukraine is like parachuting. Statistically it is safe (away from the front line) Yet your mind says No! Reflexively. Because it’s a war zone. Like jumping out of a plane feels all wrong

    But then you jump and you realise it IS safe. And also exhilarating. And you want to do it again

    I’m going back ASAP. Odesa probably

    Ha ha! I did jump out of a perfectly serviceable aeroplane once, as a mad student - but only because I managed to raise a load of cash for the RAG Week charity.

    As it happens, I’m now sitting in the hotel bar at Warsaw airport, waiting for my wife to arrive (because I screwed up and we ended on different flights).

    Sitting at the next table there’s a group of Amercian journalists talking rather loudly, as one might think they always do. It’s clear where they’re going, and it’s a lot closer to the action than would be comfortable for most of us!

    Out plan is to head out of Warsaw tonight and probably end up at least in Lviv, and from there to Zhytomyr to meet up with the father-in-law.
    The atmos in central Lviv at night is electric - in a good way (the Russians aren’t dropping electro bombs). There is a sense of urgent hedonism.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,184
    Video of a Russian warship doing a good job of destroying a Ukranian water drone. At least thet’s how the Russians described it!
    https://twitter.com/maria_avdv/status/1687376511597178880?s=61
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    Trump calls on Supreme Court to ‘intercede’ in legal fights

    https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4137407-trump-calls-on-supreme-court-to-intercede-in-legal-fights/
    Former President Trump is calling on the Supreme Court to intercede in the legal battles he is facing after he pleaded not guilty federal to charges related to special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

    Trump, in a post on Truth Social early Friday, repeated accusations that President Biden is pushing for the cases against him for political purposes. Trump also said the multiple cases against him will require “massive amounts” of time and money and force him to use resources on court battles that could have been used for advertisements and rallies.

    “I am leading in all Polls, including against Crooked Joe, but this is not a level playing field. It is Election Interference, & the Supreme Court must intercede. MAGA!” Trump said...

    Is this "MAGA !" some form of mystical invocation compelling the wizards on the Court ?
  • Jim_MillerJim_Miller Posts: 3,444
    Completely off topic, but fun: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2023/08/02/amazon-mules-deliveries-grand-canyon-phantom-ranch/70518269007/
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    Leon said:

    Sandpit said:

    Leon said:

    Fpt for @Sandpit

    It’s a doddle. I’ve just left Ukraine and I’m now in Romania

    Incidentally I believe I have found the easiest and quickest way into Ukraine. You fly direct from london Luton to Suceava, Romania on Wizzair. 3 hours 30.

    Another 3-4 hours on a bus from Suceava takes you over the border to Chernivtsi Ukraine. That’s it

    That is surely why all the rich dudes are in Chernivtsi. It’s the easiest way in and out - and off to the West

    Going to Ukraine is like parachuting. Statistically it is safe (away from the front line) Yet your mind says No! Reflexively. Because it’s a war zone. Like jumping out of a plane feels all wrong

    But then you jump and you realise it IS safe. And also exhilarating. And you want to do it again

    I’m going back ASAP. Odesa probably

    Ha ha! I did jump out of a perfectly serviceable aeroplane once, as a mad student - but only because I managed to raise a load of cash for the RAG Week charity.

    As it happens, I’m now sitting in the hotel bar at Warsaw airport, waiting for my wife to arrive (because I screwed up and we ended on different flights).

    Sitting at the next table there’s a group of Amercian journalists talking rather loudly, as one might think they always do. It’s clear where they’re going, and it’s a lot closer to the action than would be comfortable for most of us!

    Out plan is to head out of Warsaw tonight and probably end up at least in Lviv, and from there to Zhytomyr to meet up with the father-in-law.
    The atmos in central Lviv at night is electric - in a good way (the Russians aren’t dropping electro bombs). There is a sense of urgent hedonism.
    Isn't that the case wherever you are ?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 63,825
    edited August 2023
    Suceava Romania (which isn’t in a war) looks much uglier, scruffier and more desperate than Chernivtsi, Ukraine (which IS)
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,005
    Eabhal said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
    Once on my bike I was overtaken by a tractor which seemed to top out the speed at just under 30mph. Back then I used to be able on the flat to keep close to 20mph on the bike on my own. As soon as the tractor did overtake I made sure I got right on their tail. The next two miles I got sucked along at close to 30mph. It was a road I used to cycle regularly and I obliterated my previous best time. Unfortunately it was the only time that happened.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 12,994
    TimS said:

    HYUFD said:

    Clutch_Brompton said:

    Lab really needed to win at least one of Selby and Uxbridge and they really need to win ths one. They did the former and I suspect they will do the latter but wihout any special knowledge of current happenings up there.

    Meanwhile in Norfolk the Cons lost Freebridge Lynn to the Lib Dems. Unless you know West Norfolk you can't know quite how startling that is. To put it into context - if the Cons are losing the wealthier pensioners then where can they win?

    They may lose NIMBY wealthy pensioners to the LDs locally, they won't do nationally when Labour are the main alternative and it was Labour second to the Cons in NW Norfolk in 2019 not the LDs
    HYUFD being actually one of our more accurate psephologists I’m inclined to buy into this argument.
    Tend to agree re @hyufd's prediction. LDs a long, long way behind in most elections. Only came second once and that was in 2010 and then still 15,000 behind otherwise 3rd, 4th or even 5th.

    SDP came very close in 1983, but that is about it.

    Pretty solidly Liberal before 1910 though !!!!!!
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    NH Republicans size up DeSantis, as he offers harsh rhetoric in primary campaign

    https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2023-08-02/nh-republicans-size-up-desantis-as-he-offers-harsh-rhetoric-in-primary-campaign
    ...“We’re going to ensure the woke agenda ends up in the dustbin of history,” DeSantis said Sunday.

    Throughout his trip to New Hampshire, he appeared bent on demonstrating that no candidate talks tougher. He promised that, under his presidency, Mexican drug cartels would be “shot stone cold dead,” and vowed that when it comes to federal bureaucrats, “we are going to start slitting throats on Day One.”

    The crowd that listened to DeSantis at the Rye event, a barbeque, hosted by former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, was heavily Republican. And, by and large, DeSantis’ message went down fine. But not everyone liked the word choice, particularly the bit about slitting throats.

    “If I was in charge of his PR, I would have said, ‘Don’t use that terminology,’ ” said Norm Olsen...
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,422
    The First Minister faces a collapse in SNP support in the Rutherglen & Hamilton West byelection, which is expected to be confirmed next week.

    The SNP has lost only one other parliamentary byelection in its 89-year history.

    Activists report “embarrassment” at being asked to promote the party on the doorstep given its financial problems, including a police probe, and lack of progress on independence.

    One councillor admitted they could not “in good conscience” ask people to vote for the SNP at the present time.

    Labour sources also report the SNP vote is “very soft” with an unusually high proportion of former SNP voters now describing themselves as don’t knows - an ominous sign for the Nationalists.….

    An SNP source estimated the party would be lucky to get 25% in a byelection.

    https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23687670.humza-yousaf-faces-byelection-thumping-snp-support-evaporates/
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 46,444
    Sunil_Prasannan said:

    Malmesbury said:

    Eabhal said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
    If only the London (UK built) hybrid double decker had been continued - it was designed to be evolved into a full electric vehicle when batteries became cheap enough.
    Electric bus seen in Ilford!


    Park and rides seem to love electric busses. Went on some in York a couple of years ago, and Cambridge now has them (at least from the Madingley Road P&R).

    I assume the duty cycle is more ideal for electric than other routes.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    Mr Christopher Christie...

    https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1687469428584144896
    I had a meeting with a member of the Republican Party, former Governor of New Jersey, Christopher Christie. And it is very important that Mr. Christie began his visit to Ukraine with a visit to Bucha to see with his own eyes the threat to freedom and to everyone in the world posed by Russian aggression.

    I thanked all Americans, each and every one, for their vital support.

    We are confident that we will end this Russian war against freedom with our victory – the victory of the free world, the victory of democracy, the victory of freedom.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 36,752
    Looks like the UK will always, or usually, have to host the Commonwealth Games from now on.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66402140
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 46,444
    AlistairM said:

    Eabhal said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
    Once on my bike I was overtaken by a tractor which seemed to top out the speed at just under 30mph. Back then I used to be able on the flat to keep close to 20mph on the bike on my own. As soon as the tractor did overtake I made sure I got right on their tail. The next two miles I got sucked along at close to 30mph. It was a road I used to cycle regularly and I obliterated my previous best time. Unfortunately it was the only time that happened.
    I hate to say it, but drafting can be really dangerous. You get limited visibility from large vehicles.

    IMV the driving test should include sitting in an HGV cab to see viewing angles, and a simple towing task. It's not just about what *you* are driving; it's about what other road users can do. I fear this is much of what the driver<->cyclist antagonism is about: if you don't cycle, you are unaware of how it feels to have a car rush past a foot from your handlebars. If you don't regularly drive, you are unaware of how it feels to have a cyclist undertake you as you are moving...
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    Amsterdam bicycle recovery scheme.
    https://twitter.com/TansuYegen/status/1687365184992464896
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 52,474
    Leon said:

    Suceava Romania (which isn’t in a war) looks much uglier, scruffier and more desperate than Chernivtsi, Ukraine (which IS)

    Some fascinating painted churches nearby.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,184
    CarlottaVance said:

    The First Minister faces a collapse in SNP support in the Rutherglen & Hamilton West byelection, which is expected to be confirmed next week.

    The SNP has lost only one other parliamentary byelection in its 89-year history.

    Activists report “embarrassment” at being asked to promote the party on the doorstep given its financial problems, including a police probe, and lack of progress on independence.

    One councillor admitted they could not “in good conscience” ask people to vote for the SNP at the present time.

    Labour sources also report the SNP vote is “very soft” with an unusually high proportion of former SNP voters now describing themselves as don’t knows - an ominous sign for the Nationalists.….

    An SNP source estimated the party would be lucky to get 25% in a byelection.

    https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23687670.humza-yousaf-faces-byelection-thumping-snp-support-evaporates/

    It would be interesting to see if this softness of SNP support carries through into the GE. 20 or 30 seats heading Labour’s way, makes the majority easier to find.

    Are there any markets on GE turnout? I reckon it will be terrible, as in 55-60%.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,184
    Nigelb said:

    NH Republicans size up DeSantis, as he offers harsh rhetoric in primary campaign

    https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2023-08-02/nh-republicans-size-up-desantis-as-he-offers-harsh-rhetoric-in-primary-campaign
    ...“We’re going to ensure the woke agenda ends up in the dustbin of history,” DeSantis said Sunday.

    Throughout his trip to New Hampshire, he appeared bent on demonstrating that no candidate talks tougher. He promised that, under his presidency, Mexican drug cartels would be “shot stone cold dead,” and vowed that when it comes to federal bureaucrats, “we are going to start slitting throats on Day One.”

    The crowd that listened to DeSantis at the Rye event, a barbeque, hosted by former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, was heavily Republican. And, by and large, DeSantis’ message went down fine. But not everyone liked the word choice, particularly the bit about slitting throats.

    “If I was in charge of his PR, I would have said, ‘Don’t use that terminology,’ ” said Norm Olsen...

    RDS has managed to surround himself with a terrible team. He’s got rid of a load of them already, but needs to keep going with the clearout, and hire people experienced with a national campaign strategy.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 129,300
    Andy_JS said:

    Looks like the UK will always, or usually, have to host the Commonwealth Games from now on.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66402140

    Why? Costs need to be slashed for the Games whoever hosts them, it is supposed to be a cheap, friendly games whoever hosts it not Olympics 2.

    It should then once that has been agreed be alternated amongst the main Commonwealth nations again
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 56,170
    Foxy said:

    Malmesbury said:

    Eabhal said:

    JosiasJessop said:

    I've just found the perfect way to sabotage this thread: and it's CYCLISTS!

    On my way back from the supermarket, a pepparami in lycra was following a bus very closely. Too closely, in fact, as when the bus stopped at a bus stop, he smacked into the back of it. Fortunately he managed to break to a low speed, and though he fell off, both he and the bike seem okay. The bus driver did not seem to notice and just went off from the stop a minute later.

    Anyway, my good deed for the day year done. :)

    It's so fun cycling behind buses (except for the diesel fumes). You get sucked along.

    But don't get too close.
    If only the London (UK built) hybrid double decker had been continued - it was designed to be evolved into a full electric vehicle when batteries became cheap enough.
    In Leicester we have a free, electric bus service since April 2023, which goes between several transport hubs and the Hospital every 10 min in the daytime.

    https://www.leicesterbuses.co.uk/hop
    If the project had been carried, rather than cancelled, there could have been fully electric buses earlier. Made in the UK no less.

    The basic "skate" was perfectly adaptable single decker designs, of course.
  • RochdalePioneersRochdalePioneers Posts: 30,679
    Leon said:

    Suceava Romania (which isn’t in a war) looks much uglier, scruffier and more desperate than Chernivtsi, Ukraine (which IS)

    I thought Romania was a beautiful country scarred by ugly towns and uglier cities. Bucharesti is horrible, Cluj Napoca has pockets of pretty inside otherwise horrible, Alba Iulia has that amazing citadel but the rest is similar. I think its the endless brutalist architecture and festoons of wires.

    Which is a pity as I found Romanian people to be warm, welcoming and funny. And even they thought their towns were awful.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 36,752
    edited August 2023
    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Looks like the UK will always, or usually, have to host the Commonwealth Games from now on.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66402140

    Why? Costs need to be slashed for the Games whoever hosts them, it is supposed to be a cheap, friendly games whoever hosts it not Olympics 2.

    It should then once that has been agreed be alternated amongst the main Commonwealth nations again
    Don't we know how to make money out of it? I thought we did. (As opposed to losing money I mean. Making money isn't the main point).
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 56,184
    edited August 2023
    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Looks like the UK will always, or usually, have to host the Commonwealth Games from now on.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66402140

    Why? Costs need to be slashed for the Games whoever hosts them, it is supposed to be a cheap, friendly games whoever hosts it not Olympics 2.

    It should then once that has been agreed be alternated amongst the main Commonwealth nations again
    Well quite. Reduce the scope of the number of events, and use existing venues and stadia with temporary extra seating if required. It should be possible to do it with a handful of venues.

    Talking of such things, the World Athletics Championship at the end of this month is looking to be an event worth watching. There’s very few world records that look safe, including many that have stood for decades. There’s a huge group of young athletes that have come up in the last couple of years.
  • SirNorfolkPassmoreSirNorfolkPassmore Posts: 7,387
    kjh said:

    TimS said:

    HYUFD said:

    Clutch_Brompton said:

    Lab really needed to win at least one of Selby and Uxbridge and they really need to win ths one. They did the former and I suspect they will do the latter but wihout any special knowledge of current happenings up there.

    Meanwhile in Norfolk the Cons lost Freebridge Lynn to the Lib Dems. Unless you know West Norfolk you can't know quite how startling that is. To put it into context - if the Cons are losing the wealthier pensioners then where can they win?

    They may lose NIMBY wealthy pensioners to the LDs locally, they won't do nationally when Labour are the main alternative and it was Labour second to the Cons in NW Norfolk in 2019 not the LDs
    HYUFD being actually one of our more accurate psephologists I’m inclined to buy into this argument.
    Tend to agree re @hyufd's prediction. LDs a long, long way behind in most elections. Only came second once and that was in 2010 and then still 15,000 behind otherwise 3rd, 4th or even 5th.

    SDP came very close in 1983, but that is about it.

    Pretty solidly Liberal before 1910 though !!!!!!
    They were (in a sense) defending in 1983 as the candidate was Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler, the only Tory MP to join the new party.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    Interesting superconductor thread.

    Waiting for a flight and decided I'll tweet out some things I know about #LK99 that I haven't seen confirmed anywhere else, per my conversations with Professors Hyun-Tak Kim and Mumtaz Qazilbash at William & Mary:
    https://twitter.com/Daniel_Kalish_/status/1687439027970969600
  • LeonLeon Posts: 63,825
    RochdalePioneers said:

    Leon said:

    Suceava Romania (which isn’t in a war) looks much uglier, scruffier and more desperate than Chernivtsi, Ukraine (which IS)

    I thought Romania was a beautiful country scarred by ugly towns and uglier cities. Bucharesti is horrible, Cluj Napoca has pockets of pretty inside otherwise horrible, Alba Iulia has that amazing citadel but the rest is similar. I think its the endless brutalist architecture and festoons of wires.

    Which is a pity as I found Romanian people to be warm, welcoming and funny. And even they thought their towns were awful.
    Yeah, this is one fucking toilet of a town. West Ukraine is exquisite in comparison. Ceaucescu really did a job on his own country

    Talking of toilets this bar I am in (3 hour wait for the train to Bacau) has a squatter toilet. Surely one of the last in Europe? Has anyone else seen one recently?




  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 60,931
    Andy_JS said:

    Leon said:

    Fpt for @Sandpit


    It’s a doddle. I’ve just left Ukraine and I’m now in Romania

    Incidentally I believe I have found the easiest and quickest way into Ukraine. You fly direct from london Luton to Suceava, Romania on Wizzair. 3 hours 30.

    Another 3-4 hours on a bus from Suceava takes you over the border to Chernivtsi Ukraine. That’s it

    That is surely why all the rich dudes are in Chernivtsi. It’s the easiest way in and out - and off to the West

    Going to Ukraine is like parachuting. Statistically it is safe (away from the front line) Yet your mind says No! Reflexively. Because it’s a war zone. Like jumping out of a plane feels all wrong

    But then you jump and you realise it IS safe. And also exhilarating. And you want to do it again

    I’m going back ASAP. Odesa probably

    Theodore Dalrymple is another writer who used to like visiting war zones in the 1980s and 1990s. He wrote a book about what Liberia was like just after the civil war ended in 1991. One of the most interesting books I've ever read.

    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16107791-monrovia-mon-amour
    Holidays in Hell from PJ O'Rourke is also a classic of the conflict journalism genre.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 56,170
    edited August 2023
    Andy_JS said:

    HYUFD said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Looks like the UK will always, or usually, have to host the Commonwealth Games from now on.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66402140

    Why? Costs need to be slashed for the Games whoever hosts them, it is supposed to be a cheap, friendly games whoever hosts it not Olympics 2.

    It should then once that has been agreed be alternated amongst the main Commonwealth nations again
    Don't we know how to make money out of it? I thought we did. (As opposed to losing money I mean. Making money isn't the main point).
    The problem is that that the Commonwealth Games has... acquired... the same kind people who infest areas of international sport.

    Unless you have brand new infrastructure, they won't award the games. Because their blazers look slack, if they aren't stuffed with money.

    You probably don't remember how the UK used to get passed over for Olympic bids, because the government would take a pragmatic view of spending zillions on one-shot facilities. So we used to bid, sometimes, but with too much re-use of existing facilities.
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,005
    Leon said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Leon said:

    Suceava Romania (which isn’t in a war) looks much uglier, scruffier and more desperate than Chernivtsi, Ukraine (which IS)

    I thought Romania was a beautiful country scarred by ugly towns and uglier cities. Bucharesti is horrible, Cluj Napoca has pockets of pretty inside otherwise horrible, Alba Iulia has that amazing citadel but the rest is similar. I think its the endless brutalist architecture and festoons of wires.

    Which is a pity as I found Romanian people to be warm, welcoming and funny. And even they thought their towns were awful.
    Yeah, this is one fucking toilet of a town. West Ukraine is exquisite in comparison. Ceaucescu really did a job on his own country

    Talking of toilets this bar I am in (3 hour wait for the train to Bacau) has a squatter toilet. Surely one of the last in Europe? Has anyone else seen one recently?




    Still in quite a few of the small rest stops (Aire de ...) on the French autoroutes.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 63,825
    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Leon said:

    Suceava Romania (which isn’t in a war) looks much uglier, scruffier and more desperate than Chernivtsi, Ukraine (which IS)

    I thought Romania was a beautiful country scarred by ugly towns and uglier cities. Bucharesti is horrible, Cluj Napoca has pockets of pretty inside otherwise horrible, Alba Iulia has that amazing citadel but the rest is similar. I think its the endless brutalist architecture and festoons of wires.

    Which is a pity as I found Romanian people to be warm, welcoming and funny. And even they thought their towns were awful.
    Yeah, this is one fucking toilet of a town. West Ukraine is exquisite in comparison. Ceaucescu really did a job on his own country

    Talking of toilets this bar I am in (3 hour wait for the train to Bacau) has a squatter toilet. Surely one of the last in Europe? Has anyone else seen one recently?




    Still in quite a few of the small rest stops (Aire de ...) on the French autoroutes.
    Really?? That astonishes me

  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 52,474
    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Leon said:

    Suceava Romania (which isn’t in a war) looks much uglier, scruffier and more desperate than Chernivtsi, Ukraine (which IS)

    I thought Romania was a beautiful country scarred by ugly towns and uglier cities. Bucharesti is horrible, Cluj Napoca has pockets of pretty inside otherwise horrible, Alba Iulia has that amazing citadel but the rest is similar. I think its the endless brutalist architecture and festoons of wires.

    Which is a pity as I found Romanian people to be warm, welcoming and funny. And even they thought their towns were awful.
    Yeah, this is one fucking toilet of a town. West Ukraine is exquisite in comparison. Ceaucescu really did a job on his own country

    Talking of toilets this bar I am in (3 hour wait for the train to Bacau) has a squatter toilet. Surely one of the last in Europe? Has anyone else seen one recently?




    Still in quite a few of the small rest stops (Aire de ...) on the French autoroutes.
    Big fan of squat toilets, much more physiological a position.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 79,901
    The damaged Russian ship is a RORO landing ship, originally built in Poland.
    Toad class.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ropucha-class_landing_ship
  • jamesdoylejamesdoyle Posts: 812
    Nigelb said:

    williamglenn said:

    Nigelb said:

    Possible straw in the wind for Trump, with slightly underwhelming numbers in Iowa.
    https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/04/trump-polls-2024-desantis-00109825

    I wouldn't read much into that. It's still a commanding lead and he lost the Iowa caucus to Ted Cruz in 2015.
    I don't.
    But it does present his challengers with an opportunity. And not all are as despised as Ted.
    D Santis is despised as much as Cruz
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,005
    Leon said:

    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Leon said:

    Suceava Romania (which isn’t in a war) looks much uglier, scruffier and more desperate than Chernivtsi, Ukraine (which IS)

    I thought Romania was a beautiful country scarred by ugly towns and uglier cities. Bucharesti is horrible, Cluj Napoca has pockets of pretty inside otherwise horrible, Alba Iulia has that amazing citadel but the rest is similar. I think its the endless brutalist architecture and festoons of wires.

    Which is a pity as I found Romanian people to be warm, welcoming and funny. And even they thought their towns were awful.
    Yeah, this is one fucking toilet of a town. West Ukraine is exquisite in comparison. Ceaucescu really did a job on his own country

    Talking of toilets this bar I am in (3 hour wait for the train to Bacau) has a squatter toilet. Surely one of the last in Europe? Has anyone else seen one recently?




    Still in quite a few of the small rest stops (Aire de ...) on the French autoroutes.
    Really?? That astonishes me

    If you are female or a man doing a #2 then only stop at the big service stops where you can buy petrol. They are all fine. The small picnic stops with loos are I think still heavily squatter loos and often paper-less! Avoid.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 12,994
    Leon said:

    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Leon said:

    Suceava Romania (which isn’t in a war) looks much uglier, scruffier and more desperate than Chernivtsi, Ukraine (which IS)

    I thought Romania was a beautiful country scarred by ugly towns and uglier cities. Bucharesti is horrible, Cluj Napoca has pockets of pretty inside otherwise horrible, Alba Iulia has that amazing citadel but the rest is similar. I think its the endless brutalist architecture and festoons of wires.

    Which is a pity as I found Romanian people to be warm, welcoming and funny. And even they thought their towns were awful.
    Yeah, this is one fucking toilet of a town. West Ukraine is exquisite in comparison. Ceaucescu really did a job on his own country

    Talking of toilets this bar I am in (3 hour wait for the train to Bacau) has a squatter toilet. Surely one of the last in Europe? Has anyone else seen one recently?




    Still in quite a few of the small rest stops (Aire de ...) on the French autoroutes.
    Really?? That astonishes me

    Cafe in France on my last trip had one.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,738
    edited August 2023
    RochdalePioneers said:

    Carnyx said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Off-topic (sorry, please indulge me). We have just had a fascinating visitor - a former manager of the bank I am sitting in who lived in the bank house we now live in. He was in role 1980 - 82, so was delighted when we showed him round.

    The interesting bit - he's been able to provide more information about the building which answers a lot of questions. The village was built in 1795 as a planned village by Sir William Forbes. I knew that he was a banker (initially with Coutts...) and obviously his ancestors ensured the name continues to be linked with finance.

    There had been some debate about when the property was built - definitely in two stages, but when did it begin? Our visitor confirmed that this was built and run as a bank by Forbes, Hunter & Co in 1795 where it was a branch of that private bank, making this a very very old example of a bank branch.

    The title deeds had suggested the main part of the building may have been c 1869, but its 70+ years older than that. I think I need to go to the Lloyds archive in Edinburgh and see what other information can be dug out.

    Planned village? Forbes?

    Maybe https://digital.nls.uk/histories-of-scottish-families/archive/95086986#?c=0&amp;m=0&amp;s=0&amp;cv=5&amp;xywh=-1902,-234,6303,4672. Or another one? Pitsligo or Craigievar?

    Check the National Records of Scotland for estate/family papers? Estate maps may be here and/or in NLS (the latter both as MSS and in the maps online section nls.uk/maps, which should also give you indications of the physical evolution of the building from various maps ).

    Also do you have the primary sasines from the original feuing? Lots of description there, potentially.

    The Ordnance Survey/Inland Revenue assessment of c. 1900-1910 is also in NRS. Could there be two different properties involved?

    And there has been a lot of research done on that side of Scottish history.
    Its New Pitsligo. Its only one property - the bank as originally built (c. 1795) which was then extended (c. 1880s). Various parts of the original feu were sold off, part of which has another house on it now. Spending the £30 to get a copy of the original sasines is something I could look at.
    Ideally you want the original feu map from the [edit] primary village layinbg out, and work forward from there as well as back ... good luck!

    If it had been in a substantial burgh I'd have said to check the Dean of Guild Court for the equivalent of planning applications, but there won't be one there alas I should think.

    Worth looking in Canmore and Scran for old photos etc (the latter usually free ifg you have a local library card and the associated pass).
  • kjhkjh Posts: 12,994
    SirNorfolkPassmore said:

    kjh said:

    TimS said:

    HYUFD said:

    Clutch_Brompton said:

    Lab really needed to win at least one of Selby and Uxbridge and they really need to win ths one. They did the former and I suspect they will do the latter but wihout any special knowledge of current happenings up there.

    Meanwhile in Norfolk the Cons lost Freebridge Lynn to the Lib Dems. Unless you know West Norfolk you can't know quite how startling that is. To put it into context - if the Cons are losing the wealthier pensioners then where can they win?

    They may lose NIMBY wealthy pensioners to the LDs locally, they won't do nationally when Labour are the main alternative and it was Labour second to the Cons in NW Norfolk in 2019 not the LDs
    HYUFD being actually one of our more accurate psephologists I’m inclined to buy into this argument.
    Tend to agree re @hyufd's prediction. LDs a long, long way behind in most elections. Only came second once and that was in 2010 and then still 15,000 behind otherwise 3rd, 4th or even 5th.

    SDP came very close in 1983, but that is about it.

    Pretty solidly Liberal before 1910 though !!!!!!
    They were (in a sense) defending in 1983 as the candidate was Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler, the only Tory MP to join the new party.
    Cheers. I remember him but did not know the constituency. Hence so close.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 63,825
    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    AlistairM said:

    Leon said:

    RochdalePioneers said:

    Leon said:

    Suceava Romania (which isn’t in a war) looks much uglier, scruffier and more desperate than Chernivtsi, Ukraine (which IS)

    I thought Romania was a beautiful country scarred by ugly towns and uglier cities. Bucharesti is horrible, Cluj Napoca has pockets of pretty inside otherwise horrible, Alba Iulia has that amazing citadel but the rest is similar. I think its the endless brutalist architecture and festoons of wires.

    Which is a pity as I found Romanian people to be warm, welcoming and funny. And even they thought their towns were awful.
    Yeah, this is one fucking toilet of a town. West Ukraine is exquisite in comparison. Ceaucescu really did a job on his own country

    Talking of toilets this bar I am in (3 hour wait for the train to Bacau) has a squatter toilet. Surely one of the last in Europe? Has anyone else seen one recently?




    Still in quite a few of the small rest stops (Aire de ...) on the French autoroutes.
    Really?? That astonishes me

    If you are female or a man doing a #2 then only stop at the big service stops where you can buy petrol. They are all fine. The small picnic stops with loos are I think still heavily squatter loos and often paper-less! Avoid.
    My mum had a rich lover for a while. “Vic”. Victor Ellis. Smoked big cigars and owned a Mercedes dealership

    He wouid drive me, my mum and my sister down to Collioure for two weeks every summer

    My sister hated it partly because of the weirdness (where’s Dad?) but also because of the squatter toilets all the way down France from Calais to Le Soleil

    She sometimes refused to “go” all day until we reached the next hotel

    I don’t blame her. I don’t care if they are more “sensible”. They are disgusting
  • LeonLeon Posts: 63,825
    In Japan in the 1990s they had squatter loos AND “throne” type western loos on the trains. Even the Shinkansen. The high speed trains

    You had a choice

    And it was extremely obvious which one people chose. There was always a long queue of Japanese people for the western loos and no one wanted to use the squatters

    Now they have bum guns and mini bidets and their Loos are better than ours
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 46,444
    I am in the study atm, and I just overheard Mrs J talking on a conference call to an intern:

    "Tell me, what do you set the monte carlo settings to... If you run 1,000 simulations...?"

    Chip design... betting... what's the difference... ? ;)
  • logical_songlogical_song Posts: 10,082
    "RUTHERGLEN: SLAB CAN SURELY WIN THIS ONE BACK?"
    Better let the LibDems have a go to be on the safe side.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,621
    Nigelb said:

    The damaged Russian ship is a RORO landing ship, originally built in Poland.
    Toad class.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ropucha-class_landing_ship

    Will not be doing much RORO in near future if ever again.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 67,188

    Torsten Bell
    @TorstenBell
    ·
    12m
    British boozing has moved in a Frenchier and yuppier direction:
    - less beer, more wine
    - pubs are down, but breweries (and vineyards) are surging

    https://twitter.com/TorstenBell
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 33,427
    Leon said:

    In Japan in the 1990s they had squatter loos AND “throne” type western loos on the trains. Even the Shinkansen. The high speed trains

    You had a choice

    And it was extremely obvious which one people chose. There was always a long queue of Japanese people for the western loos and no one wanted to use the squatters

    Now they have bum guns and mini bidets and their Loos are better than ours

    Are you talking s**t again?
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,735
    Leon said:

    In Japan in the 1990s they had squatter loos AND “throne” type western loos on the trains. Even the Shinkansen. The high speed trains

    You had a choice

    And it was extremely obvious which one people chose. There was always a long queue of Japanese people for the western loos and no one wanted to use the squatters

    Now they have bum guns and mini bidets and their Loos are better than ours

    “Bum guns” sounds like the missing item in the flint sex toy catalogue. Hope you get time to knapp a few trial ones when you get back. This sort of shape I imagine 👉🏼.
  • jamesdoylejamesdoyle Posts: 812
    FPT - one for @TheScreamingEagles https://www.diehardpanto.com
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