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The Butterfly Effect – Bush vs. Gore revisited – politicalbetting.com

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  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933
    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,852
    Taz said:


    Another winner for Ed Miliband ?

    https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-13959055/Vauxhall-owner-considers-UK-plant-closures-Decision-weeks.html

    The owner of Vauxhall will decide whether to close its UK plants within 'the next few weeks'.

    Stellantis, Europe's second-largest car maker, has been weighing up its options for months amid a row with the Government over quotas for electric vehicles (EVs).

    Tavares urged the Government to 'help to stimulate the demand' if they want firms such as Stellantis to sell a higher proportion of electric cars. He said the government threshold for green sales was about double 'natural' levels of demand.

    No, that one's been a long time coming.

    If we really wanted a serious EV industry in this country, we probably wouldn't start with Stellantis anyway. Their parent just gave up on battery manufacturing - and that's the essential part of the industry.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,852
    I believe it is very important that Kamala Harris pass a test on Cognitive Stamina and Agility. Her actions have led many to believe that there could be something very wrong with her. Even 60 Minutes and CBS, in order to protect Lyin’ Kamala, illegally and unscrupulously replaced an answer she had given, which was totally “bonkers,” with another answer that had nothing to do with the question asked. Also, she is slow and lethargic in answering even the easiest of questions. We just went through almost four years of that, we shouldn’t have to do it again!
    https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1845847872287424732

    You know what would be a good test for cognitive stamina and agility, guy who writes Trump's social media posts ?
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 21,972
    Somebody just pointed something out. This mass use of Ozempic and similar on unemployed people to get them to return to work raises two questions

    1. Is the enforcement of drug use by the state to obtain benefits ethical? My initial reaction is "no", but I'm wondering if precedents exist, eg COVID vaxxes?
    2. Is Ozempics and similar actually licences in the UK for weight-loss, or is this an off-label use?

    Genuine questions both, if some kind PBer can provide info.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933
    MattW said:

    Leon said:

    Cookie said:

    Taz said:

    Mr. Eagles, a swift end without suffering is better than most of the alternatives.

    I want to die like Chrysippus of Soli who died laughing at his own joke.
    A donkey eating figs was his joke. Doesn't seem a rib tickler to me.
    Perhaps it was better in the original Greek.
    Or perhaps it was better in the classical period. Humour doesn't really travel well through the ages - look at Max Wall.
    Or perhaps he was just easily amused.
    It’s an interesting experiment. What is the oldest joke/line in English that still makes you laugh

    It might be Byron. Some lines from Beppo and maybe Don Juan can induce a genuine chortle

    Unlike Shakespeare
    Personally, perhaps something from Chaucer or Pilgrim's Progress, if I can't have translations.

    Checking, this is Anglo-Saxon (10C):

    "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? Answer: A key."

    Appropriately my resource for the research into old jokes is dave.tv.
    I don’t mean “witty” as in you “internally smile at the cleverness or humour or wordplay” - I mean actually make you laugh out loud. A little chuckle. Maybe even a guffaw

    I still haven’t found anything earlier than Byron
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 10,914
    edited October 15
    viewcode said:

    Somebody just pointed something out. This mass use of Ozempic and similar on unemployed people to get them to return to work raises two questions

    1. Is the enforcement of drug use by the state to obtain benefits ethical? My initial reaction is "no", but I'm wondering if precedents exist, eg COVID vaxxes?
    2. Is Ozempics and similar actually licences in the UK for weight-loss, or is this an off-label use?

    Genuine questions both, if some kind PBer can provide info.

    1. I don't think this scheme will be compulsory. Enforcement of drug use is rare. There are cases related to infectious diseases, as you mention. If you're sectioned, they could enforce drug usage.

    2. Yes, Ozempic is licensed for weight loss in the UK.
  • Stark_DawningStark_Dawning Posts: 9,674
    Leon said:

    MattW said:

    Leon said:

    Cookie said:

    Taz said:

    Mr. Eagles, a swift end without suffering is better than most of the alternatives.

    I want to die like Chrysippus of Soli who died laughing at his own joke.
    A donkey eating figs was his joke. Doesn't seem a rib tickler to me.
    Perhaps it was better in the original Greek.
    Or perhaps it was better in the classical period. Humour doesn't really travel well through the ages - look at Max Wall.
    Or perhaps he was just easily amused.
    It’s an interesting experiment. What is the oldest joke/line in English that still makes you laugh

    It might be Byron. Some lines from Beppo and maybe Don Juan can induce a genuine chortle

    Unlike Shakespeare
    Personally, perhaps something from Chaucer or Pilgrim's Progress, if I can't have translations.

    Checking, this is Anglo-Saxon (10C):

    "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? Answer: A key."

    Appropriately my resource for the research into old jokes is dave.tv.
    I don’t mean “witty” as in you “internally smile at the cleverness or humour or wordplay” - I mean actually make you laugh out loud. A little chuckle. Maybe even a guffaw

    I still haven’t found anything earlier than Byron
    I remember having a few laugh-out-load moments over some lines of Pope.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 21,972
    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    No, we're past the deplorables stage. She's got women because girl, and she's got Black women because of her racial mix. But she's coming up short with Black men and Hispanics, so this is her flailing attempt to fatten a pig on market day: it might work but she's left it rather late.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,208
    Taz said:


    Another winner for Ed Miliband ?

    https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-13959055/Vauxhall-owner-considers-UK-plant-closures-Decision-weeks.html

    The owner of Vauxhall will decide whether to close its UK plants within 'the next few weeks'.

    Stellantis, Europe's second-largest car maker, has been weighing up its options for months amid a row with the Government over quotas for electric vehicles (EVs).

    Tavares urged the Government to 'help to stimulate the demand' if they want firms such as Stellantis to sell a higher proportion of electric cars. He said the government threshold for green sales was about double 'natural' levels of demand.

    Those targets were introduced by the previous government I think after lobbying by car manufacturers who wanted government to force people to buy eVs.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 21,972

    viewcode said:

    Somebody just pointed something out. This mass use of Ozempic and similar on unemployed people to get them to return to work raises two questions

    1. Is the enforcement of drug use by the state to obtain benefits ethical? My initial reaction is "no", but I'm wondering if precedents exist, eg COVID vaxxes?
    2. Is Ozempics and similar actually licences in the UK for weight-loss, or is this an off-label use?

    Genuine questions both, if some kind PBer can provide info.

    1. I don't this scheme will be compulsory. Enforcement of drug use is rare. There are cases related to infectious diseases, as you mention. If you're sectioned, they could enforce drug usage.

    2. Yes, Ozempic is licensed for weight loss in the UK.
    Thank you.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,893
    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,299
    kinabalu said:

    malcolmg said:

    Cookie said:

    malcolmg said:

    Scott_xP said:

    mwadams said:

    Have you seen Bob Monkhouse's "The Business of Comedy"? It's fascinating watching him in his "chat show/LE" persona but asking questions that he and his interviewee have clearly discussed "seriously" in the green room.

    I saw him at a corporate event

    His off TV show would probably be banned these days
    the clown should be banned for being teh unfunniest comedian in the country ( joint top when saddo Corden gets back ).
    I must admit, I didn't have Bob Monkhouse down as today's target for Malc's fury.
    Put your specs on cookie , I was talking Carr
    Agree; I don't Carr at all funny.
    Carr can be an acquired taste, and like food and drink we all have our preferences. Where he is interesting is on the edges of how far you can push humour. Can you make jokes about the queen dying on the day she dies, or do you need to wait (how long?). Billy Connolly was pulled up by a heckler at a gig over a joke about an Isis hostage being decapitated. I'm not going to say right or wrong, but everyone has a line.

    We've seen multiple cases in recent times of the police behaving in ways we, as a society, don't agree with. Lacking respect for victims of murder etc. And yet none of use (or few at any rate) have to deal with the things that the police sometimes do. My father, the ex-policeman, says that the humour can be very dark, as a way to cope. What's happened in some cases is that the humour is no longer down the pub, but on WhatsApp and that then becomes an issue. Personally I think police should be able to post whatever shit they want on personal WhatsApp groups, as long as their behaviour at work meets acceptable standards. But not everyone will agree.
    Inc photos of murder victims?
    No. That's too much. But arguably jokes about it, I'm ok with that. The issue has become the use of social media for the banter.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,299

    malcolmg said:

    Cookie said:

    malcolmg said:

    Scott_xP said:

    mwadams said:

    Have you seen Bob Monkhouse's "The Business of Comedy"? It's fascinating watching him in his "chat show/LE" persona but asking questions that he and his interviewee have clearly discussed "seriously" in the green room.

    I saw him at a corporate event

    His off TV show would probably be banned these days
    the clown should be banned for being teh unfunniest comedian in the country ( joint top when saddo Corden gets back ).
    I must admit, I didn't have Bob Monkhouse down as today's target for Malc's fury.
    Especially as Monkhouse has been dead these past ten years.
    Monkhouse was great, it is that unfunny clown Carr I was talking about , and threw in the equally bad and unfunny Corden for good measure.
    Corden has a talent for physical theatre unmatched in anyone else I've seen. I saw him in One Man Two Governors and I'd say his was the funniest performance I've ever seen on stage.
    Jimmy Carr though is certainly not to my taste, I just don't find him funny, although I've not seen him live. Stewart Lee is probably the funniest stand up comedian I've seen live.
    And I have little time for Stewart Lee.
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,270
    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    The policies are not just for black voters. Anyway you cremated the alleged Columbus Day deplorables moment yesterday which went nowhere, so we’re now onto crypto gate !
  • Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,957
    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:


    Another winner for Ed Miliband ?

    https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-13959055/Vauxhall-owner-considers-UK-plant-closures-Decision-weeks.html

    The owner of Vauxhall will decide whether to close its UK plants within 'the next few weeks'.

    Stellantis, Europe's second-largest car maker, has been weighing up its options for months amid a row with the Government over quotas for electric vehicles (EVs).

    Tavares urged the Government to 'help to stimulate the demand' if they want firms such as Stellantis to sell a higher proportion of electric cars. He said the government threshold for green sales was about double 'natural' levels of demand.

    No, that one's been a long time coming.

    If we really wanted a serious EV industry in this country, we probably wouldn't start with Stellantis anyway. Their parent just gave up on battery manufacturing - and that's the essential part of the industry.
    Try my suggestion.

    Offer a subsidy X per Wh of storage in ZEV delivered to an actual customer. X scaled to the UK content of the storage - nothing for 100% imported.

    To start with - that will only need actually paying out long after the next election. So a cheap promise.

    No picking winners. Just rewarding actual working, delivered solutions. Note that it would be applicable not just to every kind of battery technology, but any other way of powering a vehicle that is Zero Emissions.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,208
    Stocky said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @harris_wins

    Donald Trump’s rallies are going so poorly that Kamala Harris just played a highlight reel at her rally tonight.

    https://x.com/harris_wins/status/1845986531992879455

    If his rallies are going so poorly and recent polls have Harris ahead how do we account for his 1.79 price on bf? Too short surely?
    It's baffling. People who reasonably pointed out "Sleepy Joe" getting past it appear not to notice Donald Trump's obviously demented behaviour to the extent he's not functioning properly any more.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    But I was the PBer who went and did the research and I was the first PBer who pointed out the Columbus video is old. So, no

    This is definitely new and it definitely feels bad

    If nothing else, it smacks of desperation. As @Andy_JS says, it feels like it’s from the losing candidate’s playbook
  • I voted Tory in July to keep Lord Cameron as Foreign Secretary, this confirms I was right and my judgment is flawless.

    I planned to sanction ‘extremist’ Israeli ministers, reveals David Cameron

    Former foreign secretary expresses ‘concern’ that Sir Keir Starmer has not picked up his proposals, but criticises partial arms embargo


    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/10/15/i-planned-sanction-extremist-israeli-david-cameron/
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,270

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    True , Trump could blow up a school bus and all we’d get from Leon is a shrug !
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    Cookie said:

    malcolmg said:

    Cookie said:

    malcolmg said:

    Scott_xP said:

    mwadams said:

    Have you seen Bob Monkhouse's "The Business of Comedy"? It's fascinating watching him in his "chat show/LE" persona but asking questions that he and his interviewee have clearly discussed "seriously" in the green room.

    I saw him at a corporate event

    His off TV show would probably be banned these days
    the clown should be banned for being teh unfunniest comedian in the country ( joint top when saddo Corden gets back ).
    I must admit, I didn't have Bob Monkhouse down as today's target for Malc's fury.
    Put your specs on cookie , I was talking Carr
    Eh? How on earth was I to infer that from the chain above?
    Excuses, excuses. Once you are in a hole don't keep digging Cookie! B)
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,535
    Have a bit of fun with the budget game.

    I was dry as dust in terms of market confidence, and balanced the budget by 2025, by 2p on income tax, scrapping the triple lock etc I don't think the oldies will love me but at least they will get their hips done.

    https://ig.ft.com/chancellor-game/
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,898
    nico679 said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    The policies are not just for black voters. Anyway you cremated the alleged Columbus Day deplorables moment yesterday which went nowhere, so we’re now onto crypto gate !
    But where is the catwomen moment?
    If Trump does lose then Vance’s cat women comment may become the iconic moment.

    Of course in reality these single comments don’t win or lose elections, any more than Brown’s bigoted woman or Kinnock’s we’re all right.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    Taz said:

    malcolmg said:

    Cookie said:

    malcolmg said:

    Scott_xP said:

    mwadams said:

    Have you seen Bob Monkhouse's "The Business of Comedy"? It's fascinating watching him in his "chat show/LE" persona but asking questions that he and his interviewee have clearly discussed "seriously" in the green room.

    I saw him at a corporate event

    His off TV show would probably be banned these days
    the clown should be banned for being teh unfunniest comedian in the country ( joint top when saddo Corden gets back ).
    I must admit, I didn't have Bob Monkhouse down as today's target for Malc's fury.
    Especially as Monkhouse has been dead these past ten years.
    Monkhouse was great, it is that unfunny clown Carr I was talking about , and threw in the equally bad and unfunny Corden for good measure.
    Which one. Jimmy or Alan ?
    Franz.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933
    edited October 15
    nico679 said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    True , Trump could blow up a school bus and all we’d get from Leon is a shrug !
    Er, I continually point out that Trump is a mad dangerous clown

    But unlike most of PB I am also willing to point out bad news for Harris
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 10,914

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    Yesterday he asked whether Trump is racist and lots of people provided answers as to how Trump is racist, but he never responded to any of them.
  • nico679nico679 Posts: 6,270
    Leon said:

    nico679 said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    True , Trump could blow up a school bus and all we’d get from Leon is a shrug !
    Er, I continually point out that Trump is a bad dangerous clown

    But unlike most of PB I am also willing to point out bad news for Harris
    I look forward then to reading your further critiques of Trump . And yet you seem to want the bad dangerous clown to win.
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,742

    malcolmg said:

    Cookie said:

    malcolmg said:

    Scott_xP said:

    mwadams said:

    Have you seen Bob Monkhouse's "The Business of Comedy"? It's fascinating watching him in his "chat show/LE" persona but asking questions that he and his interviewee have clearly discussed "seriously" in the green room.

    I saw him at a corporate event

    His off TV show would probably be banned these days
    the clown should be banned for being teh unfunniest comedian in the country ( joint top when saddo Corden gets back ).
    I must admit, I didn't have Bob Monkhouse down as today's target for Malc's fury.
    Especially as Monkhouse has been dead these past ten years.
    Monkhouse was great, it is that unfunny clown Carr I was talking about , and threw in the equally bad and unfunny Corden for good measure.
    Corden has a talent for physical theatre unmatched in anyone else I've seen. I saw him in One Man Two Governors and I'd say his was the funniest performance I've ever seen on stage.
    Jimmy Carr though is certainly not to my taste, I just don't find him funny, although I've not seen him live. Stewart Lee is probably the funniest stand up comedian I've seen live.
    And I have little time for Stewart Lee.
    Comedy is extremely subjective. My wife doesn't like Stewart Lee either.
  • CiceroCicero Posts: 3,072
    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    A wish is not a claim upon reality. Predictable from you though.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,957
    FF43 said:

    Taz said:


    Another winner for Ed Miliband ?

    https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-13959055/Vauxhall-owner-considers-UK-plant-closures-Decision-weeks.html

    The owner of Vauxhall will decide whether to close its UK plants within 'the next few weeks'.

    Stellantis, Europe's second-largest car maker, has been weighing up its options for months amid a row with the Government over quotas for electric vehicles (EVs).

    Tavares urged the Government to 'help to stimulate the demand' if they want firms such as Stellantis to sell a higher proportion of electric cars. He said the government threshold for green sales was about double 'natural' levels of demand.

    Those targets were introduced by the previous government I think after lobbying by car manufacturers who wanted government to force people to buy eVs.
    Other way round - government had targets, working backwards from Net Zero dates. The existing car manufacturers kept dragging their feet - they really don't like having to invest in the battery plants. They kinda assumed that they could just buy from China - despite people with calculators pointing out that each car plant needs a battery plant, basically.

    So if you turn up in China and ask to buy EV batteries in useful quantities, you are really asking someone to build an entire factory. Which really brings you back to being better off making your own.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,249

    kinabalu said:

    malcolmg said:

    Cookie said:

    malcolmg said:

    Scott_xP said:

    mwadams said:

    Have you seen Bob Monkhouse's "The Business of Comedy"? It's fascinating watching him in his "chat show/LE" persona but asking questions that he and his interviewee have clearly discussed "seriously" in the green room.

    I saw him at a corporate event

    His off TV show would probably be banned these days
    the clown should be banned for being teh unfunniest comedian in the country ( joint top when saddo Corden gets back ).
    I must admit, I didn't have Bob Monkhouse down as today's target for Malc's fury.
    Put your specs on cookie , I was talking Carr
    Agree; I don't Carr at all funny.
    Carr can be an acquired taste, and like food and drink we all have our preferences. Where he is interesting is on the edges of how far you can push humour. Can you make jokes about the queen dying on the day she dies, or do you need to wait (how long?). Billy Connolly was pulled up by a heckler at a gig over a joke about an Isis hostage being decapitated. I'm not going to say right or wrong, but everyone has a line.

    We've seen multiple cases in recent times of the police behaving in ways we, as a society, don't agree with. Lacking respect for victims of murder etc. And yet none of use (or few at any rate) have to deal with the things that the police sometimes do. My father, the ex-policeman, says that the humour can be very dark, as a way to cope. What's happened in some cases is that the humour is no longer down the pub, but on WhatsApp and that then becomes an issue. Personally I think police should be able to post whatever shit they want on personal WhatsApp groups, as long as their behaviour at work meets acceptable standards. But not everyone will agree.
    Inc photos of murder victims?
    No. That's too much. But arguably jokes about it, I'm ok with that. The issue has become the use of social media for the banter.
    There have always been things that you would say, privately to people who share your sense of humour, that you wouldn't write down.

    The thing we're still struggling with is that people use social media as though it's ephemeral and private, when it's actually permanent and public.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,898
    On comedians, I’m of the view that they must all be there because they are very talented. Some may be more to our taste than others but this is another case of that British cult of amateurism where we all reckon mastering a skill is easy and anyone can do it.

    Standup comedy must be one of the most punishingly difficult skills to master in the whole entertainment industry.
  • Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    Yesterday he asked whether Trump is racist and lots of people provided answers as to how Trump is racist, but he never responded to any of them.
    Low IQ Leon probably struggled to comprehend the erudite responses.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,037

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?
    It's slightly odd. His contributions on the US election are not at all what you would expect from someone who'd prefer Donald Trump to lose it.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,535

    malcolmg said:

    Cookie said:

    malcolmg said:

    Scott_xP said:

    mwadams said:

    Have you seen Bob Monkhouse's "The Business of Comedy"? It's fascinating watching him in his "chat show/LE" persona but asking questions that he and his interviewee have clearly discussed "seriously" in the green room.

    I saw him at a corporate event

    His off TV show would probably be banned these days
    the clown should be banned for being teh unfunniest comedian in the country ( joint top when saddo Corden gets back ).
    I must admit, I didn't have Bob Monkhouse down as today's target for Malc's fury.
    Especially as Monkhouse has been dead these past ten years.
    Monkhouse was great, it is that unfunny clown Carr I was talking about , and threw in the equally bad and unfunny Corden for good measure.
    Corden has a talent for physical theatre unmatched in anyone else I've seen. I saw him in One Man Two Governors and I'd say his was the funniest performance I've ever seen on stage.
    Jimmy Carr though is certainly not to my taste, I just don't find him funny, although I've not seen him live. Stewart Lee is probably the funniest stand up comedian I've seen live.
    And I have little time for Stewart Lee.
    Comedy is extremely subjective. My wife doesn't like Stewart Lee either.
    I think you need to work on a better punchline.

    Comedy is extremely subjective. It's nothing to laugh about.
  • mwadamsmwadams Posts: 3,578
    Taz said:

    malcolmg said:

    Cookie said:

    malcolmg said:

    Cookie said:

    malcolmg said:

    Scott_xP said:

    mwadams said:

    Have you seen Bob Monkhouse's "The Business of Comedy"? It's fascinating watching him in his "chat show/LE" persona but asking questions that he and his interviewee have clearly discussed "seriously" in the green room.

    I saw him at a corporate event

    His off TV show would probably be banned these days
    the clown should be banned for being teh unfunniest comedian in the country ( joint top when saddo Corden gets back ).
    I must admit, I didn't have Bob Monkhouse down as today's target for Malc's fury.
    Put your specs on cookie , I was talking Carr
    Eh? How on earth was I to infer that from the chain above?
    It started here cookie ,

    His one funny joke. Well to me it is.

    "A guy came up to me the other day in the street wearing a hi-viz and with a clipboard and he said "Sir, have you got ten minutes for medical research" to which I replied "we won't get much done in that time"
    The Sumerian version of this is

    A man with an ankle-length robe asks have you a gesh to consider the will of the gods. I replied "we won't influence them much in that time."
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,535
    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?
    It's slightly odd. His contributions on the US election are not at all what you would expect from someone who'd prefer Donald Trump to lose it.
    Yes and very much a ReFuKer when voting Starmer.

    It may just be that he hasn't a clue.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,852

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    Leon makes a habit of them.
    But we put up with him.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,957

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's very deplorable, isn't it?
  • FishingFishing Posts: 5,002

    malcolmg said:

    Cookie said:

    malcolmg said:

    Scott_xP said:

    mwadams said:

    Have you seen Bob Monkhouse's "The Business of Comedy"? It's fascinating watching him in his "chat show/LE" persona but asking questions that he and his interviewee have clearly discussed "seriously" in the green room.

    I saw him at a corporate event

    His off TV show would probably be banned these days
    the clown should be banned for being teh unfunniest comedian in the country ( joint top when saddo Corden gets back ).
    I must admit, I didn't have Bob Monkhouse down as today's target for Malc's fury.
    Especially as Monkhouse has been dead these past ten years.
    Monkhouse was great, it is that unfunny clown Carr I was talking about , and threw in the equally bad and unfunny Corden for good measure.
    Corden has a talent for physical theatre unmatched in anyone else I've seen. I saw him in One Man Two Governors and I'd say his was the funniest performance I've ever seen on stage.
    Jimmy Carr though is certainly not to my taste, I just don't find him funny, although I've not seen him live. Stewart Lee is probably the funniest stand up comedian I've seen live.
    And I have little time for Stewart Lee.
    Comedy is extremely subjective. My wife doesn't like Stewart Lee either.
    It's also hysterical, like yawning - if you are around a bunch of people who are laughing themselves silly you're much more likely to find something funny than if you're alone or with people with straight faces.

    And I think it's age dependent too - teenagers and young adults are more likely to laugh at stuff than older people.

    So it's complicated.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    Yesterday he asked whether Trump is racist and lots of people provided answers as to how Trump is racist, but he never responded to any of them.
    Low IQ Leon probably struggled to comprehend the erudite responses.
    Just as long as you all keep talking about me. Which you do. Endlessly, even when I’m not here
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    Harris X/Harris* has Harris at +3 approvals

    *(yes, yes, I know)
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    Yesterday he asked whether Trump is racist and lots of people provided answers as to how Trump is racist, but he never responded to any of them.
    Low IQ Leon probably struggled to comprehend the erudite responses.
    Just as long as you all keep talking about me. Which you do. Endlessly, even when I’m not here
    Have you managed to get the GPS working on your GPS watch yet?
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,680
    I meet the fiscal rules with a 1p income tax cut and £3bn off various business taxes balanced by a £3bn rise in CGT. Fun little game, my budget would forecast a 2% current budget surplus by 2029/30 but involves big cuts to current spending an a fairly big increase to investment.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,037
    TimS said:

    On comedians, I’m of the view that they must all be there because they are very talented. Some may be more to our taste than others but this is another case of that British cult of amateurism where we all reckon mastering a skill is easy and anyone can do it.

    Standup comedy must be one of the most punishingly difficult skills to master in the whole entertainment industry.

    And such a buzz if you can, I'd imagine.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,158
    Cookie said:

    I've now gone down a rabbithole of prehistoric jokes. This site (https://historyfacts.com/arts-culture/article/5-of-the-oldest-jokes-in-history/ - I don't think it is definitive) suggests the oldest known joke in the world is from ancient Sumeria, and goes:

    "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband’s lap.”

    Not uproariously funny, but it has farting in it, so relatable.
    The site also identifies the oldest 'walked into a bar' joke, which has definitely lost something in the translation or over the years:

    “A dog walks into a bar and says, ‘I cannot see a thing. I’ll open this one.’”

    We also have a fourth century BC Greek joke book, which contains things syntactically recognisable as jokes, including this one which has endured to the present day and which may possibly be the world's oldest extant joke:

    “Asked by the court barber how he wanted his hair cut, the witty fellow replied: ‘In
    silence.’”

    Isn’t the dog one just a version of:

    “Man walks into a bar. Ouch. “
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,957

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    Yesterday he asked whether Trump is racist and lots of people provided answers as to how Trump is racist, but he never responded to any of them.
    Low IQ Leon probably struggled to comprehend the erudite responses.
    Just as long as you all keep talking about me. Which you do. Endlessly, even when I’m not here
    Have you managed to get the GPS working on your GPS watch yet?
    "I once was lost, but now am found"
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    Yesterday he asked whether Trump is racist and lots of people provided answers as to how Trump is racist, but he never responded to any of them.
    Low IQ Leon probably struggled to comprehend the erudite responses.
    Just as long as you all keep talking about me. Which you do. Endlessly, even when I’m not here
    Have you managed to get the GPS working on your GPS watch yet?
    I’ve been on a plane for << checks smartwatch >> 17 hours

    So not yet
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,852

    Nigelb said:

    Taz said:


    Another winner for Ed Miliband ?

    https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-13959055/Vauxhall-owner-considers-UK-plant-closures-Decision-weeks.html

    The owner of Vauxhall will decide whether to close its UK plants within 'the next few weeks'.

    Stellantis, Europe's second-largest car maker, has been weighing up its options for months amid a row with the Government over quotas for electric vehicles (EVs).

    Tavares urged the Government to 'help to stimulate the demand' if they want firms such as Stellantis to sell a higher proportion of electric cars. He said the government threshold for green sales was about double 'natural' levels of demand.

    No, that one's been a long time coming.

    If we really wanted a serious EV industry in this country, we probably wouldn't start with Stellantis anyway. Their parent just gave up on battery manufacturing - and that's the essential part of the industry.
    Try my suggestion.

    Offer a subsidy X per Wh of storage in ZEV delivered to an actual customer. X scaled to the UK content of the storage - nothing for 100% imported.

    To start with - that will only need actually paying out long after the next election. So a cheap promise.

    No picking winners. Just rewarding actual working, delivered solutions. Note that it would be applicable not just to every kind of battery technology, but any other way of powering a vehicle that is Zero Emissions.
    China would have one up and running before that, if we included them in the offer, I suspect.

    GM/Stellantis has pressed the brake pedal on its battery plans, and it looks as though they'll be relying on other manufacturers for quite a lot of their battery supplies.

    GM Will Dump 'Ultium' Branding, Rethink How It Does Batteries
    https://insideevs.com/news/736598/gm-to-dump-ultium-brand-name/

    Italy to reallocate EU funds earmarked for Stellantis battery gigafactory
    https://batteriesnews.com/italy-to-reallocate-eu-funds-earmarked-for-stellantis-battery-gigafactory/
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,158
    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,705
    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?
    It's slightly odd. His contributions on the US election are not at all what you would expect from someone who'd prefer Donald Trump to lose it.
    Well look, I'd prefer Donald Trump to lose it. But Donald Trump's failings are well known. It's sadly no longer particularly interesting to say 'look at what terrible thing Donald Trump has said now' because he can't actually appear any more unhinged than he already is. If he came onto stage and held his finger horizontally on his lips and flickered it up and down going 'bibibibibibibibi', grinned and pointed at his audience, then walked off, it would no longer particularly surprise us, would it?
    Whereas Kamala becoming more awful - like the clip from 2021 yesterday, and this tweet today - is new news.
    I don't want Trump to win. But Kamala is going to blow it by being an identity-obsessed lunatic who appears to disapprove of the concept of her country and most of the people in it. Isn't she? All she had to do was appear the reasonable centrist, but she can't, because that's not where her instincts lie, and she thinks the views of the weird identity-obsessed crowd she hangs round with are the views of the whole country. It's kind of frustrating. And worthy of comment.
  • BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,575
    Stocky said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @harris_wins

    Donald Trump’s rallies are going so poorly that Kamala Harris just played a highlight reel at her rally tonight.

    https://x.com/harris_wins/status/1845986531992879455

    If his rallies are going so poorly and recent polls have Harris ahead how do we account for his 1.79 price on bf? Too short surely?
    I have a suspicion that some of the polls and betting sites are being manipulated by the Trump campaign to set up the narrative that the election was stolen.

    They have the money to distort the betting and partisan polling outfits that hide their methodology, and they have the motive and ability.

    It might be a betting opportunity.
  • Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    Yesterday he asked whether Trump is racist and lots of people provided answers as to how Trump is racist, but he never responded to any of them.
    Low IQ Leon probably struggled to comprehend the erudite responses.
    Just as long as you all keep talking about me. Which you do. Endlessly, even when I’m not here
    That’s because you’re the best anti-tipster on the site.

    Your predictions make PBers money.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,705

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
  • kjhkjh Posts: 11,767
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    Yesterday he asked whether Trump is racist and lots of people provided answers as to how Trump is racist, but he never responded to any of them.
    Low IQ Leon probably struggled to comprehend the erudite responses.
    Just as long as you all keep talking about me. Which you do. Endlessly, even when I’m not here
    That sounds a bit insecure if you need people to talk about you. I'd rather meld into the background, which, before you say it, I do rather successfully, particularly if people were going to make fun of me.
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,705

    Cookie said:

    I've now gone down a rabbithole of prehistoric jokes. This site (https://historyfacts.com/arts-culture/article/5-of-the-oldest-jokes-in-history/ - I don't think it is definitive) suggests the oldest known joke in the world is from ancient Sumeria, and goes:

    "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband’s lap.”

    Not uproariously funny, but it has farting in it, so relatable.
    The site also identifies the oldest 'walked into a bar' joke, which has definitely lost something in the translation or over the years:

    “A dog walks into a bar and says, ‘I cannot see a thing. I’ll open this one.’”

    We also have a fourth century BC Greek joke book, which contains things syntactically recognisable as jokes, including this one which has endured to the present day and which may possibly be the world's oldest extant joke:

    “Asked by the court barber how he wanted his hair cut, the witty fellow replied: ‘In
    silence.’”

    Isn’t the dog one just a version of:

    “Man walks into a bar. Ouch. “
    I doubt it - because it seems unlikely that the ancient Sumerian word for 'bar' was the same as their word for 'bar'. I'm with @mwadams - understanding this joke is the key to understanding that culture. Tantalising.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,446
    "Taliban bans all images of living things

    Media in Afghanistan faces new restrictions, but the regime says the law will be implemented gradually"

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/10/14/taliban-bans-all-images-of-living-things/
  • kjhkjh Posts: 11,767

    Cookie said:

    I've now gone down a rabbithole of prehistoric jokes. This site (https://historyfacts.com/arts-culture/article/5-of-the-oldest-jokes-in-history/ - I don't think it is definitive) suggests the oldest known joke in the world is from ancient Sumeria, and goes:

    "Something which has never occurred since time immemorial; a young woman did not fart in her husband’s lap.”

    Not uproariously funny, but it has farting in it, so relatable.
    The site also identifies the oldest 'walked into a bar' joke, which has definitely lost something in the translation or over the years:

    “A dog walks into a bar and says, ‘I cannot see a thing. I’ll open this one.’”

    We also have a fourth century BC Greek joke book, which contains things syntactically recognisable as jokes, including this one which has endured to the present day and which may possibly be the world's oldest extant joke:

    “Asked by the court barber how he wanted his hair cut, the witty fellow replied: ‘In
    silence.’”

    Isn’t the dog one just a version of:

    “Man walks into a bar. Ouch. “
    A few months ago I heard a joke which I told here and it still makes me giggle each time I think of it so here is a second outing:

    I have become a fruitarian. I only eat things that fall from trees. So far today I have had 2 apples, a pear and a squirrel.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933
    kjh said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    Yesterday he asked whether Trump is racist and lots of people provided answers as to how Trump is racist, but he never responded to any of them.
    Low IQ Leon probably struggled to comprehend the erudite responses.
    Just as long as you all keep talking about me. Which you do. Endlessly, even when I’m not here
    That sounds a bit insecure if you need people to talk about you. I'd rather meld into the background, which, before you say it, I do rather successfully, particularly if people were going to make fun of me.
    I’ve never exactly hidden the fact I’m an exhibitionist. In fact, I’m quite exhibitionist about it

    Not always a positive trait - by any means - but generally quite useful in the arts and journalism given that they both require you to put yourself out there
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,446
    Andrew Sullivan is usually right about American politics.

    "He's Winning This Right Now
    And Harris' fawning media blitz didn't help much. It might even have hurt.
    Andrew Sullivan"

    https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/hes-winning-this-right-now
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933
    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    Yes it’s legit. Its from her TwiX account - unless she has been hacked

    Very poorly phrased, at best, positively crazy at worst

    However unlike you I still think she will win this, but wow it is going to the wire, and she is making errors
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,249
    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it.

    Feels a bit weird though.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,249
    Barnesian said:

    Stocky said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @harris_wins

    Donald Trump’s rallies are going so poorly that Kamala Harris just played a highlight reel at her rally tonight.

    https://x.com/harris_wins/status/1845986531992879455

    If his rallies are going so poorly and recent polls have Harris ahead how do we account for his 1.79 price on bf? Too short surely?
    I have a suspicion that some of the polls and betting sites are being manipulated by the Trump campaign to set up the narrative that the election was stolen.

    They have the money to distort the betting and partisan polling outfits that hide their methodology, and they have the motive and ability.

    It might be a betting opportunity.
    Remember not to bet more than you can afford to lose.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,324
    It feels like a core vote strategy from Kamala recently. Is private polling showing huge Trump leads?

    It's annoying that we care so much. It's a foreign country. If we're going to get our knickers in a twist about it so much, perhaps we shouldn't have handed them de facto control over our country. I'm sure they think Trump is a bit of a joke in France too, but I doubt they're having meltdowns about it.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,446
    "Penny Mordaunt has distanced herself from Robert Jenrick’s campaign after the Tory leadership contender featured her in a social media post without her permission."

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/10/15/mordaunt-distances-herself-jenrick-campaign-photo-posted/
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933
    edited October 15

    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it

    Feels a bit weird though.
    It is really really weird. It’s so obviously counter productive and she’s tweeted it to her 20 million followers. So no one needs to “amplify” it she is amped to the max anyway

    It basically says “if you’re a white man I don’t want or need your vote” - unless you are a white man who is exceedingly woke and well disposed to her. For a anyone else - for a floating white male voter it’s seriously off-putting
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,705

    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it.

    Feels a bit weird though.
    It doesn't really need that much amplification if you have 21 million followers.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933

    It feels like a core vote strategy from Kamala recently. Is private polling showing huge Trump leads?

    It's annoying that we care so much. It's a foreign country. If we're going to get our knickers in a twist about it so much, perhaps we shouldn't have handed them de facto control over our country. I'm sure they think Trump is a bit of a joke in France too, but I doubt they're having meltdowns about it.

    Actually I think they are. The whole world is looking at this election
  • CookieCookie Posts: 13,705
    Leon said:

    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it

    Feels a bit weird though.
    It is really really weird. It’s so obviously counter productive and she’s tweeted it to her 20 million followers. So no one needs to “amplify” it she is amped to the max anyway

    It basically says “if you’re a white man I don’t want your vote” - unless you are a white man who is exceedingly woke and well disposed to her. For a anyone else - for a floating white male voter it’s seriously off-putting
    Maybe she genuinely believes the majority of white people want to see black people prioritised like her little clique of the left does, so will approve of this. If you were a politician in a tight election, you probably wouldn't be tweeting things unless you thought a) your followers, and b) your potential voters would approve. She must genuinely think this will make her look a more appealing candidate than had she not tweeted it.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,953
    Leon said:

    MattW said:

    Leon said:

    Cookie said:

    Taz said:

    Mr. Eagles, a swift end without suffering is better than most of the alternatives.

    I want to die like Chrysippus of Soli who died laughing at his own joke.
    A donkey eating figs was his joke. Doesn't seem a rib tickler to me.
    Perhaps it was better in the original Greek.
    Or perhaps it was better in the classical period. Humour doesn't really travel well through the ages - look at Max Wall.
    Or perhaps he was just easily amused.
    It’s an interesting experiment. What is the oldest joke/line in English that still makes you laugh

    It might be Byron. Some lines from Beppo and maybe Don Juan can induce a genuine chortle

    Unlike Shakespeare
    Personally, perhaps something from Chaucer or Pilgrim's Progress, if I can't have translations.

    Checking, this is Anglo-Saxon (10C):

    "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? Answer: A key."

    Appropriately my resource for the research into old jokes is dave.tv.
    I don’t mean “witty” as in you “internally smile at the cleverness or humour or wordplay” - I mean actually make you laugh out loud. A little chuckle. Maybe even a guffaw

    I still haven’t found anything earlier than Byron
    I think that gets trickier the further the warp and weft of the culture becomes distant - so explanations become needed. "Laugh out loud" is dependent imo on underlying shared assumptions / understandings / experiences, so needs more closeness.

    I'm reminded of Usonian "reactions" Youtubers watching Al Murray, whether as himself or as the Pub Landlord, and commenters needing to explain the other half of it to the person making the video.

    Compare that to the Misheard Lyrics sketch from Peter Kay, where because it is pop music is far more a shared experience.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 12,898

    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it.

    Feels a bit weird though.
    It looks a perfectly legit tweet to me and nothing out of the ordinary. It would look weird in a British election campaign but remember American daily life is much more racially demarcated than here and this seems fairly run of the mill. Nothing on the tweet is particularly controversial.

    The British equivalent would be something that listed the candidate's policies for working class people, or indeed something from a Scottish politician that listed policies that were good for Scotland.

    The idea that having good policies for black men or acknowledging historical wrongs visited on native Americans means she hates her country suggests, well, a rather ethno-centric idea of what "her country" should look like.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933
    edited October 15
    Cookie said:

    Leon said:

    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it

    Feels a bit weird though.
    It is really really weird. It’s so obviously counter productive and she’s tweeted it to her 20 million followers. So no one needs to “amplify” it she is amped to the max anyway

    It basically says “if you’re a white man I don’t want your vote” - unless you are a white man who is exceedingly woke and well disposed to her. For a anyone else - for a floating white male voter it’s seriously off-putting
    Maybe she genuinely believes the majority of white people want to see black people prioritised like her little clique of the left does, so will approve of this. If you were a politician in a tight election, you probably wouldn't be tweeting things unless you thought a) your followers, and b) your potential voters would approve. She must genuinely think this will make her look a more appealing candidate than had she not tweeted it.
    It’s a also a gift to Vance and his “they don’t care about whites, especially working/ordinary white guys” shtick

    Peculiar
  • BurgessianBurgessian Posts: 2,741
    Cookie said:

    Leon said:

    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it

    Feels a bit weird though.
    It is really really weird. It’s so obviously counter productive and she’s tweeted it to her 20 million followers. So no one needs to “amplify” it she is amped to the max anyway

    It basically says “if you’re a white man I don’t want your vote” - unless you are a white man who is exceedingly woke and well disposed to her. For a anyone else - for a floating white male voter it’s seriously off-putting
    Maybe she genuinely believes the majority of white people want to see black people prioritised like her little clique of the left does, so will approve of this. If you were a politician in a tight election, you probably wouldn't be tweeting things unless you thought a) your followers, and b) your potential voters would approve. She must genuinely think this will make her look a more appealing candidate than had she not tweeted it.
    Had a quick look. Seems to be addressed to black men. I think there is some anxiety that Trump's faux big man schtik is peeling them off from the Dems. Obama specifically addressed this in a recent speech. I guess they are a key constituency for Harris and she can't afford to lose many of them. Whether this is a sensible approach, I dunno.
  • SlackbladderSlackbladder Posts: 9,772

    It feels like a core vote strategy from Kamala recently. Is private polling showing huge Trump leads?

    I've not been following it 'too' closely, but this doesn't seem of a confident Harris strategy or mood music.

    I think a lot of people, especially in this country (looking at you Ali Campbell and Rory Stewart) just can't get their head around Trump and a Trump win that they see everything through a prism.

    I think Trump may well win this.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 11,767
    edited October 15

    It feels like a core vote strategy from Kamala recently. Is private polling showing huge Trump leads?

    It's annoying that we care so much. It's a foreign country. If we're going to get our knickers in a twist about it so much, perhaps we shouldn't have handed them de facto control over our country. I'm sure they think Trump is a bit of a joke in France too, but I doubt they're having meltdowns about it.

    France should be because America is very important to the rest of the world (probably more so than any other country) and therefore Trump getting elected should be a big issue to the rest of the world if he turns out as bonkers as many (including me) think he is.

    I'm interested in one of your phrases 'we shouldn't have handed them de facto control over our country'. How have we done that? The USA have tremendous influence, but we didn't hand it to them. They acquired it through their strength. The nearest I can come to in terms of handing them control is weapons. Can't think of anything else.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,249
    TimS said:

    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it.

    Feels a bit weird though.
    It looks a perfectly legit tweet to me and nothing out of the ordinary. It would look weird in a British election campaign but remember American daily life is much more racially demarcated than here and this seems fairly run of the mill. Nothing on the tweet is particularly controversial.

    The British equivalent would be something that listed the candidate's policies for working class people, or indeed something from a Scottish politician that listed policies that were good for Scotland.

    The idea that having good policies for black men or acknowledging historical wrongs visited on native Americans means she hates her country suggests, well, a rather ethno-centric idea of what "her country" should look like.
    I dunno about that. Remember all the squealing from pensioners when the Tories cut NI that they weren't benefitting? I don't think people in Britain particularly like to see policies that benefit people other than themselves either.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,933
    TimS said:

    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it.

    Feels a bit weird though.
    It looks a perfectly legit tweet to me and nothing out of the ordinary. It would look weird in a British election campaign but remember American daily life is much more racially demarcated than here and this seems fairly run of the mill. Nothing on the tweet is particularly controversial.

    The British equivalent would be something that listed the candidate's policies for working class people, or indeed something from a Scottish politician that listed policies that were good for Scotland.

    The idea that having good policies for black men or acknowledging historical wrongs visited on native Americans means she hates her country suggests, well, a rather ethno-centric idea of what "her country" should look like.

    If that is the case then why have thousands of Trumpites gleefully seized on it and retweeted it with such eagerness?

    THEY clearly think it is a major gaffe. Even in the “American context”

    I’m sorry. It’s just a stupid tweet to put out when you are in the closing weeks of a very tight and epochal election. The potential downside is clearly much greater than the potential upside

    It’s also just mad.

    “I will protect black men from their own mad crypto
    Investments”

    “I will legalise weed so black men can deal drugs”

    I’m tempted to believe it’s sabotage
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 21,972

    It feels like a core vote strategy from Kamala recently. Is private polling showing huge Trump leads?...

    Define "huge". There have been:

    * rumours saying that she was behind with Blacks and Hispanics
    * arguments developing about the role of her Super-PAC concentrating on broadcast media and the electorate generally, whilst neglecting social media targeting sub-groups specifically
    * somebody said she was "underwater" in one of the rust-belt states
    * the Teamsters split
    * they have moved from attacking him to defending her, which is not good and feeds to his strengths

    So although there still is a case for arguing she is in the lead (greater recruitment, bigger GOTV, bigger postal votes), it is becoming less convincing

    I am also what the hell Trump was doing in Colorado, which is IIUC not a low-hanging fruit. Is he doing an end-run again around the Dem states, like he did in 2016?

  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,479
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?

    It's really odd that Leon never focuses on the more shocking stuff that Trump comes out with.
    Yesterday he asked whether Trump is racist and lots of people provided answers as to how Trump is racist, but he never responded to any of them.
    Low IQ Leon probably struggled to comprehend the erudite responses.
    Just as long as you all keep talking about me. Which you do. Endlessly, even when I’m not here
    Have you managed to get the GPS working on your GPS watch yet?
    I’ve been on a plane for << checks smartwatch >> 17 hours

    So not yet
    Excuses, excuses
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 51,472

    Cookie said:

    Leon said:

    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it

    Feels a bit weird though.
    It is really really weird. It’s so obviously counter productive and she’s tweeted it to her 20 million followers. So no one needs to “amplify” it she is amped to the max anyway

    It basically says “if you’re a white man I don’t want your vote” - unless you are a white man who is exceedingly woke and well disposed to her. For a anyone else - for a floating white male voter it’s seriously off-putting
    Maybe she genuinely believes the majority of white people want to see black people prioritised like her little clique of the left does, so will approve of this. If you were a politician in a tight election, you probably wouldn't be tweeting things unless you thought a) your followers, and b) your potential voters would approve. She must genuinely think this will make her look a more appealing candidate than had she not tweeted it.
    Had a quick look. Seems to be addressed to black men. I think there is some anxiety that Trump's faux big man schtik is peeling them off from the Dems. Obama specifically addressed this in a recent speech. I guess they are a key constituency for Harris and she can't afford to lose many of them. Whether this is a sensible approach, I dunno.
    One unacknowledged factor might be misogyny among that group.
  • Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 3,213
    edited October 15
    MattW said:

    Leon said:

    MattW said:

    Leon said:

    Cookie said:

    Taz said:

    Mr. Eagles, a swift end without suffering is better than most of the alternatives.

    I want to die like Chrysippus of Soli who died laughing at his own joke.
    A donkey eating figs was his joke. Doesn't seem a rib tickler to me.
    Perhaps it was better in the original Greek.
    Or perhaps it was better in the classical period. Humour doesn't really travel well through the ages - look at Max Wall.
    Or perhaps he was just easily amused.
    It’s an interesting experiment. What is the oldest joke/line in English that still makes you laugh

    It might be Byron. Some lines from Beppo and maybe Don Juan can induce a genuine chortle

    Unlike Shakespeare
    Personally, perhaps something from Chaucer or Pilgrim's Progress, if I can't have translations.

    Checking, this is Anglo-Saxon (10C):

    "What hangs at a man's thigh and wants to poke the hole that it's often poked before? Answer: A key."

    Appropriately my resource for the research into old jokes is dave.tv.
    I don’t mean “witty” as in you “internally smile at the cleverness or humour or wordplay” - I mean actually make you laugh out loud. A little chuckle. Maybe even a guffaw

    I still haven’t found anything earlier than Byron
    I think that gets trickier the further the warp and weft of the culture becomes distant - so explanations become needed. "Laugh out loud" is dependent imo on underlying shared assumptions / understandings / experiences, so needs more closeness.

    I'm reminded of Usonian "reactions" Youtubers watching Al Murray, whether as himself or as the Pub Landlord, and commenters needing to explain the other half of it to the person making the video.

    Compare that to the Misheard Lyrics sketch from Peter Kay, where because it is pop music is far more a shared experience.
    Comics are under constant pressure to come up with new material and most run out of inspiration sooner or later. This compares unfavourably with rock bands whose fans just want to hear, for the nth time, familiar old tracks from the 90s/80s/70s or 60s.

    Also, they have to avoid conversations like:

    "What do you so?"
    "I'm a comedian."
    "Say something funny."
    "..."
    "What do you really do?"
  • RogerRoger Posts: 19,854
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQnugO8SEx0

    As a get out the vote it's pretty effective.....
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,576
    viewcode said:

    It feels like a core vote strategy from Kamala recently. Is private polling showing huge Trump leads?...

    Define "huge". There have been:

    * rumours saying that she was behind with Blacks and Hispanics
    * arguments developing about the role of her Super-PAC concentrating on broadcast media and the electorate generally, whilst neglecting social media targeting sub-groups specifically
    * somebody said she was "underwater" in one of the rust-belt states
    * the Teamsters split
    * they have moved from attacking him to defending her, which is not good and feeds to his strengths

    So although there still is a case for arguing she is in the lead (greater recruitment, bigger GOTV, bigger postal votes), it is becoming less convincing

    I am also what the hell Trump was doing in Colorado, which is IIUC not a low-hanging fruit. Is he doing an end-run again around the Dem states, like he did in 2016?

    She has outspent Trump on social media recently by massive amounts.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,953
    edited October 15

    TimS said:

    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it.

    Feels a bit weird though.
    It looks a perfectly legit tweet to me and nothing out of the ordinary. It would look weird in a British election campaign but remember American daily life is much more racially demarcated than here and this seems fairly run of the mill. Nothing on the tweet is particularly controversial.

    The British equivalent would be something that listed the candidate's policies for working class people, or indeed something from a Scottish politician that listed policies that were good for Scotland.

    The idea that having good policies for black men or acknowledging historical wrongs visited on native Americans means she hates her country suggests, well, a rather ethno-centric idea of what "her country" should look like.
    I dunno about that. Remember all the squealing from pensioners when the Tories cut NI that they weren't benefitting? I don't think people in Britain particularly like to see policies that benefit people other than themselves either.
    There's quite a lot in that last sentence :smile: .

    I've been arguing amongst friends for a 15% increase in our Council Tax, since last year. Taxes on "me" are not very popular.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,893
    edited October 15
    TimS said:

    Cookie said:

    MaxPB said:

    Policy announcement from Harris:

    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386

    • Provide 1 million loans that are fully forgivable up to $20k for Black entrepreneurs and others to start a business
    • Support education training, and mentorship programs that lead to good-paying jobs for Black men, including pathways to become teachers
    • Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe
    • Launch a national health initiative focused on the illnesses that disproportionately impact Black men
    • Legalize recreational marijuana and create opportunities for Black Americans to succeed in this new industry

    This has got to be a spoof, right?

    "Protect cryptocurrency investments so Black men who make them know their money is safe"

    Is probably the most insane policy I've seen. Are they going to have a race bar on an
    investment value protection scheme?
    More likely it was an email to a subset of voters where they took a handful of her policies and added “for black men”

    No, it was an actual tweet that she put out herself. I think? I'm not a twitterer so apologies if this is a spoof.
    https://x.com/kamalaharris/status/1845993766441644386
    If it's a spoof account it's a very successful one - 21 million followers.

    Maybe it's a shitposting strategy?

    You must know that if you put something like that onto twitter all of Musk's alt-right goons will amplify it.

    Feels a bit weird though.
    It looks a perfectly legit tweet to me and nothing out of the ordinary. It would look weird in a British election campaign but remember American daily life is much more racially demarcated than here and this seems fairly run of the mill. Nothing on the tweet is particularly controversial.

    The British equivalent would be something that listed the candidate's policies for working class people, or indeed something from a Scottish politician that listed policies that were good for Scotland.

    The idea that having good policies for black men or acknowledging historical wrongs visited on native Americans means she hates her country suggests, well, a rather ethno-centric idea of what "her country" should look like.
    It’s weird how the ‘Trump knows how to reach the US clitoris in ways we uptight Brits can’t understand’ guys have an insight into how Kamala is fckng up how she connects to sections of the US electorate.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 21,972

    viewcode said:

    It feels like a core vote strategy from Kamala recently. Is private polling showing huge Trump leads?...

    Define "huge". There have been:

    * rumours saying that she was behind with Blacks and Hispanics
    * arguments developing about the role of her Super-PAC concentrating on broadcast media and the electorate generally, whilst neglecting social media targeting sub-groups specifically
    * somebody said she was "underwater" in one of the rust-belt states
    * the Teamsters split
    * they have moved from attacking him to defending her, which is not good and feeds to his strengths

    So although there still is a case for arguing she is in the lead (greater recruitment, bigger GOTV, bigger postal votes), it is becoming less convincing

    I am also what the hell Trump was doing in Colorado, which is IIUC not a low-hanging fruit. Is he doing an end-run again around the Dem states, like he did in 2016?

    She has outspent Trump on social media recently by massive amounts.
    Fair point but...recently?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,037
    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?
    It's slightly odd. His contributions on the US election are not at all what you would expect from someone who'd prefer Donald Trump to lose it.
    Well look, I'd prefer Donald Trump to lose it. But Donald Trump's failings are well known. It's sadly no longer particularly interesting to say 'look at what terrible thing Donald Trump has said now' because he can't actually appear any more unhinged than he already is. If he came onto stage and held his finger horizontally on his lips and flickered it up and down going 'bibibibibibibibi', grinned and pointed at his audience, then walked off, it would no longer particularly surprise us, would it?
    Whereas Kamala becoming more awful - like the clip from 2021 yesterday, and this tweet today - is new news.
    I don't want Trump to win. But Kamala is going to blow it by being an identity-obsessed lunatic who appears to disapprove of the concept of her country and most of the people in it. Isn't she? All she had to do was appear the reasonable centrist, but she can't, because that's not where her instincts lie, and she thinks the views of the weird identity-obsessed crowd she hangs round with are the views of the whole country. It's kind of frustrating. And worthy of comment.
    That clip wasn't part of the campaign it was from 3 years ago. Hardly new news. And this today is a targeted pitch to a voter segment (young black men) who Donald Trump has been making gains with. It's nothing more or less than you'd expect her to be doing.

    As for the content it's generalities given a boilerplate to suit. Eg on the bitcoin it's about better regulation (ie protection) for all investors. It doesn't mean indemnification against losses and it doesn't mean it only applies to black men. That's obvious and I'm surprised anybody on here would think otherwise. Course how many genuinely got the wrong of the stick vs how many pretended they did in order to become outraged by an example of Kamala Harris' "wokeness" is another matter.

    You say all she has to do is appear a reasonable centrist. Well this has been the thrust of her campaign. She's doing that. But it's not 'all' she has to do. She also has to turnout all key sections of the core DEM coalition, some of whom will be looking for more than 'reasonable centrist', and many of whom are not as irked as PB right wingers are by 'identity politics' (which is what Trump's whole thing is btw, except it's not called that because the ID in question is white).
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,576
    Three weeks to go.
  • TazTaz Posts: 14,306
    viewcode said:

    It feels like a core vote strategy from Kamala recently. Is private polling showing huge Trump leads?...

    Define "huge". There have been:

    * rumours saying that she was behind with Blacks and Hispanics


    The article I linked earlier, from a reputable source, cited Black males especially. Hence the Crypto pitch.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,953
    An interesting little piece.

    Now that coal is gone, rubbish incinerators are the most polluting (per kWh generated) form of electricity.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3wxgje5pwo
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 43,260

    I voted Tory in July to keep Lord Cameron as Foreign Secretary, this confirms I was right and my judgment is flawless.

    I planned to sanction ‘extremist’ Israeli ministers, reveals David Cameron

    Former foreign secretary expresses ‘concern’ that Sir Keir Starmer has not picked up his proposals, but criticises partial arms embargo


    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/10/15/i-planned-sanction-extremist-israeli-david-cameron/

    Easy to spout fine words when you have been sacked and cannot carry it out, usual crap from Cameron. He is worse than Starmer.
  • TazTaz Posts: 14,306
    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?
    It's slightly odd. His contributions on the US election are not at all what you would expect from someone who'd prefer Donald Trump to lose it.
    Well look, I'd prefer Donald Trump to lose it. But Donald Trump's failings are well known. It's sadly no longer particularly interesting to say 'look at what terrible thing Donald Trump has said now' because he can't actually appear any more unhinged than he already is. If he came onto stage and held his finger horizontally on his lips and flickered it up and down going 'bibibibibibibibi', grinned and pointed at his audience, then walked off, it would no longer particularly surprise us, would it?
    Whereas Kamala becoming more awful - like the clip from 2021 yesterday, and this tweet today - is new news.
    I don't want Trump to win. But Kamala is going to blow it by being an identity-obsessed lunatic who appears to disapprove of the concept of her country and most of the people in it. Isn't she? All she had to do was appear the reasonable centrist, but she can't, because that's not where her instincts lie, and she thinks the views of the weird identity-obsessed crowd she hangs round with are the views of the whole country. It's kind of frustrating. And worthy of comment.
    That clip wasn't part of the campaign it was from 3 years ago. Hardly new news. And this today is a targeted pitch to a voter segment (young black men) who Donald Trump has been making gains with. It's nothing more or less than you'd expect her to be doing.
    But spouting shite is not the answer. Her Tweet today was ridiculous, especially the bit about Crypto.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 25,363
    Roger said:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQnugO8SEx0

    As a get out the vote it's pretty effective.....

    Why would she want to get the Trumpites out to vote ?
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,757

    Three weeks to go.

    And then another nine weeks of fighting over the result.....
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,576

    Three weeks to go.

    And then another nine weeks of fighting over the result.....
    probably quite literally.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,487

    Cookie said:

    Leon said:

    I am glad to hear he didn’t suffer.

    Alex Salmond died while opening a bottle of ketchup, an eyewitness has claimed.

    The former first minister of Scotland collapsed and died aged 69 on Saturday, shortly after delivering a speech at a conference in North Macedonia.

    Mark Donfried, the director of the Academy for Cultural Diplomacy, said attendees were having lunch at the meeting in the historic lakeside city of Ohrid when Mr Salmond died.

    “He came together with Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, also from the Alba Party in Scotland, and they were eating,” he told Times Radio.

    “Later on, Tasmina told me she was having trouble opening the ketchup and she reached over and said: ‘Hey, can you give me a hand?’ And he was helping her with that when literally he fell back in his chair, totally out of the blue, without warning.

    “Next to him was the former chief executive of the stock exchange of Cyprus, and he basically took him in his arms. He was convinced, he told me later, that immediately he was unconscious. So we don’t think Alex actually suffered any pain, thank God. He felt his heart and he couldn’t feel the heart rate then.


    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/10/14/alex-salmond-died-while-opening-bottle-of-ketchup/

    Good way to go; no pain, no lingering. Hard on the relatives, and those around though.
    That is surely the best way to go. Apart from dying in your sleep

    Zero pain, in a convivial setting, bang

    I suppose you could argue you might want time to say goodbye but - do you? Isn’t that just deeply distressing?

    69 is too young but a lot of people would shake hands on a swift heart attack at 79, and health up to that point
    Yes, I'm not sure the Salmond approach is worse on the relatives than them having to spend ten years visiting the gradually-declining shell of someone who no longer remembers them in a nursing home.
    Just a reminder to spend the time you want to with the people you love before it's too late.

    I'd take the ketchup option every time, either for me or my parents.


    Just remember to leave a note somewhere giving access to your computer!
    If it’s not a very fancy modern one with disk encryption enabled by default, it would take me about five minutes to get into any computer without the password.

    Your phone or iPad, on the other hand, is pretty much impossible to get into unless you’re MI5 or CIA.

    Always a good idea to keep a printout of passwords in a safe place known to your partner, for emergency use. Especially things like Apple, Google, or other email account, for which the companies have a very long and convoluted process to get control of an account in the event of death.
  • BurgessianBurgessian Posts: 2,741
    At this rate the UK will soon end up as a liberal outlier on asylum/migration. Maybe we'll join the Italians and end up with detention centres in sunny Albania?

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/oct/14/the-guardian-view-on-eu-asylum-policy-orban-is-no-longer-an-outlier

    "At pace, the EU is drifting towards the most ruthless “Fortress Europe” approach in its modern history. As recently as 2018, the idea of externally located return centres was deemed by the European Commission to be incompatible with the EU’s values. But a very different consensus is emerging.

    "This week’s European Council meeting will be a major test of that new balance of power. Through a quirk of the presidency rota, Hungary will be in the chair. Merely a coincidence, but one that nevertheless feels like a depressing sign of the times."
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,893
    Go on Emms, you can say the ‘I’ word if you really try.

    https://x.com/saulstaniforth/status/1845902914172150088?s=46&t=fJymV-V84rexmlQMLXHHJQ
  • Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 3,213
    Taz said:

    kinabalu said:

    Cookie said:

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    I think this insane Kamala Harris racist crypto bailout policy statement COULD be her “deplorables” - whereas the Columbus Day speech was bad but not dire as it was old. This is new

    But yesterday you were saying the Columbus Day speech was Kamala’s deplorables moment.

    *emits a wearied sigh*
    You’re going to be finding a lot of deplorables moments over the next month, aren’t you?
    It's slightly odd. His contributions on the US election are not at all what you would expect from someone who'd prefer Donald Trump to lose it.
    Well look, I'd prefer Donald Trump to lose it. But Donald Trump's failings are well known. It's sadly no longer particularly interesting to say 'look at what terrible thing Donald Trump has said now' because he can't actually appear any more unhinged than he already is. If he came onto stage and held his finger horizontally on his lips and flickered it up and down going 'bibibibibibibibi', grinned and pointed at his audience, then walked off, it would no longer particularly surprise us, would it?
    Whereas Kamala becoming more awful - like the clip from 2021 yesterday, and this tweet today - is new news.
    I don't want Trump to win. But Kamala is going to blow it by being an identity-obsessed lunatic who appears to disapprove of the concept of her country and most of the people in it. Isn't she? All she had to do was appear the reasonable centrist, but she can't, because that's not where her instincts lie, and she thinks the views of the weird identity-obsessed crowd she hangs round with are the views of the whole country. It's kind of frustrating. And worthy of comment.
    That clip wasn't part of the campaign it was from 3 years ago. Hardly new news. And this today is a targeted pitch to a voter segment (young black men) who Donald Trump has been making gains with. It's nothing more or less than you'd expect her to be doing.
    But spouting shite is not the answer. Her Tweet today was ridiculous, especially the bit about Crypto.
    Do Black people have a natural talent for Crypto?
This discussion has been closed.