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PB Predictions Competition 2025 – The Entries – politicalbetting.com

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  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,824

    The only two good rules I follow: (1) exercise is good for you, so use your body and move about as much as you, and, (2) if you can't replicate it in your kitchen, don't eat it.
    You don't eat fruit and veg?
    Or do you have an orchard in your kitchen?
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,570
    Jonathan said:

    In the 80s Gateshead was still in the 70s
    In the 70s there were jobs.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226
    Jonathan said:

    Phones? We had avocados in the 80s
    Poorer diet I should think.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 62,051
    dixiedean said:

    You don't eat fruit and veg?
    Or do you have an orchard in your kitchen?
    What you can cook or make in your kitchen.


  • Air pollution, microplastics, lack of physical activity, highly processed foods
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 22,100

    In the 70s there were jobs.
    Would you rather have a job or an avocado? Don’t answer that.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 64,709

    What you can cook or make in your kitchen.
    It is possible that lack of IRL social contact amongst the young is causing cancer?

    Often seems their lives are dedicated to phones and social media and not just being with another human.

    As social animals that has to be very very bad.
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 4,842
    edited February 22
    The German polling has been stable for weeks with hardly any movement .

    Recent events don’t seem to have had much of an impact . Part of this might be due to the high postal vote which means many have already voted .

    Putting aside the last election which had a postal vote of 47% and effected by Covid there has been a large increase in that over the previous cycles .

    So on recent trends you’d expect at least 30% will have already voted by post .
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,471
    edited February 22

    Poorer diet I should think.
    Poorer diet and fatness. But cancer levels in young people are minuscule anyway. So it’s a rise on a tiny baseline.

    I had a micro skin cancer scare after a medical check up this week. Doctor looked worried and referred me. Turns out it’s a patch of dry skin.
  • WinchyWinchy Posts: 130
    The Pope is in a critical condition:

    https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-02/pope-at-gemelli-hospital-respiratory-crisis-in-the-morning.html

    Mars turns direct tomorrow (Sunday) at 07:29 GMT.
    It has been in retrograde motion since 6 December.

  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 62,051
    On Bond, one minor detail: I really like the innovative score Éric Serra brought to Goldeneye with the Russian voices and "communist" percussive noises.

    Sumed up the post-cold war world brilliantly, in Russia, and it wouldn't be the same film without it.

    Honourable mention for Martin Campbell who actually managed to get Pierce Brosnan to act and not muck around.
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 42,986
    dixiedean said:

    Still don't.
    Dunno, bet there are still a few bathroom suites around..
  • I said the other day what a remarkable difference there is with Rashford now he's playing for a team with passion. He was part of the reason we only got a draw in midweek.

    Same today, Villa well and truly deserved the winner against Chelsea and he may not have scored but set up both goals.

    I wonder how United fans feel seeing him playing so well, but just not in their shirt?

    Missed the Arsenal game, for some reason I had in my head that it was tomorrow, but LOL at the result. Will be happy with a draw against City tomorrow, any result should be good enough now I think.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226
    edited February 22



    Air pollution, microplastics, lack of physical activity, highly processed foods

    The air is less polluted than it's ever been.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,824
    What are the odds of a Nazi salute?
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 62,051

    It is possible that lack of IRL social contact amongst the young is causing cancer?

    Often seems their lives are dedicated to phones and social media and not just being with another human.

    As social animals that has to be very very bad.
    So what's our excuse then?
  • dixiedean said:

    You don't eat fruit and veg?
    Or do you have an orchard in your kitchen?
    Indeed I don't. ;)
  • WinchyWinchy Posts: 130
    edited February 22

    I am very glad we have Sir Keir Starmer as PM now and not Nigel Farage. I do believe he will come to be viewed as one of the great PMs.

    For Keir Starmer to be known merely as "Sir" is an affront. He is more than a Sir. He is a veritable peace dukes' peace duke.[*] His saying the Israelis had the right to cut off the water supply to 2 million Palestinians was the greatest and most beautiful statement ever. He is the king, nay the God, of peace dukes.

    *Ask any Russian speaker to confirm.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226
    TimS said:

    Poorer diet and fatness. But cancer levels in young people are minuscule anyway. So it’s a rise on a tiny baseline.

    I had a micro skin cancer scare after a medical check up this week. Doctor looked worried and referred me. Turns out it’s a patch of dry skin.
    I'm never sure whether the storage of energy as fat can really be described as a cause. I think it's more of a symptom of poor diet really.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,202
    https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1893386883444437415

    Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week.

    Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226

    I'm never sure whether the storage of energy as fat can really be described as a cause. I think it's more of a symptom of poor diet really.
    And I'm very glad your scare turned out to be nothing.
  • TresTres Posts: 2,755

    I'm never sure whether the storage of energy as fat can really be described as a cause. I think it's more of a symptom of poor diet really.
    probably just more improvements in detection than anything else
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,364

    I don't have a beef with Uruguay. Mark tells us that we could not build the supply base
    that we would need to support a joint UK-
    Argentinian oil project around the Falklands
    because Uruguay would antagonise
    Argentina if they agreed. I can't see how it would be any of their business or why we
    would care about their displeasure.
    I think Mark was saying Uruguayan wouldn’t agree to host the supply base because it would annoy Argentina.

    We can’t exactly force them to host it…

  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,471

    I'm never sure whether the storage of energy as fat can really be described as a cause. I think it's more of a symptom of poor diet really.
    Yes, with the exception of cardiac conditions where fatty build up in the arteries does it, for youngsters it would presumably be things other than the fat itself - blood sugar, weakened immune system, fewer antioxidants etc.
  • WinchyWinchy Posts: 130

    It is possible that lack of IRL social contact amongst the young is causing cancer?

    Often seems their lives are dedicated to phones and social media and not just being with another human.

    As social animals that has to be very very bad.
    If there is one thing I believe all right-thinking people who care about future generations should come together over, from the left, right, and centre, it's this. Jam antisocial media or, better still, ban mobile phones. Don't do it, and, as you suggest, the species will end up in a very bad place indeed.

    The Luddites were fucking right.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226
    Tres said:

    probably just more improvements in detection than anything else
    You think lots of young people have been just getting cancer and not noticing?
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,471
    edited February 22
    Tres said:

    probably just more improvements in detection than anything else
    Not sure that can be the case with youngsters. They wouldn’t be ill otherwise so if they get cancer they’re going to know about it. Unless it’s a very very slow growing one. But in any case early detection rates have fallen (I think, I’ll check).
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,001
    dixiedean said:

    What are the odds of a Nazi salute?

    I’m waiting for someone to come out with a “we are reclaiming the Roman salute from the Nazis”.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,364
    rcs1000 said:

    Sure, but I'm reminded of the parable of the Sultan's advisor who was sentenced to death, and promised to teach the dog to sing.

    Just getting the US out of Russia's orbit,
    in return for a promise of minerals that may or may not be valuable at some point in the future and which will no doubt be subject to the democratic decisions of future Ukrainian governments seems like a ugly trade, but probably one worth doing.
    Given the lead time on development of mines I would imagine Ukraine would have the opportunity to repudiate the deal at some point in the future before the money starts to flow
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,471

    I think Mark was saying Uruguayan wouldn’t agree to host the supply base because it would annoy Argentina.

    We can’t exactly force them to host it…

    The other product Uruguay is famous for, apart from retired Nazi war criminals, is Tannat. But I couldn’t find any decent puns on the Tannat theme.

    (Minor Bordeaux / SW France grape gets its place in the sun in a new world country. An old story).
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,364
    rcs1000 said:

    Sure, but I'm reminded of the parable of the Sultan's advisor who was sentenced to death, and promised to teach the dog to sing.

    Just getting the US out of Russia's orbit,
    in return for a promise of minerals that may or may not be valuable at some point in the future and which will no doubt be subject to the democratic decisions of future Ukrainian governments seems like a ugly trade, but probably one worth doing.
    Given the lead time on development of mines I would imagine Ukraine would have the opportunity to repudiate the deal at some point in the future before the money starts to flow
  • TresTres Posts: 2,755

    You think lots of young people have been just getting cancer and not noticing?
    yes
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,824
    This is surreal.
    Surprisingly enough his riff on autism was utter bollocks.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,399

    So what's our excuse then?
    I'm an anti-social b*****d - I'm not sure about the rest of you
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226
    TimS said:

    Yes, with the exception of cardiac conditions where fatty build up in the arteries does it, for youngsters it would presumably be things other than the fat itself - blood sugar, weakened immune system, fewer antioxidants etc.
    Do the arteries get conventional fat growth within them (though of course compromised arteries does correlate with being fat a lot)? I was under the impression arterial plaque was made up of mainly calcium.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,364
    carnforth said:

    An odd one. Can it just be obesity?

    (Smoking helps with schizophrenia, apparently. Don't know of any others.)
    Vaping is linked to colorectal cancer

  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,364
    TimS said:

    The other product Uruguay is famous for, apart from retired Nazi war criminals, is
    Tannat. But I couldn’t find any decent puns on the Tannat theme.

    (Minor Bordeaux / SW France grape gets its place in the sun in a new world country. An old story).
    Well don’t just wine, do something about it!
  • LeonLeon Posts: 58,970
    boulay said:

    I’m glad this has been picked up on. Frankly I’m fed up with the amount of minority friends and women whose houses have burnt down whilst firemen just sat there watching it, wolf whistling or shouting racist abuse as houses turned to ash.

    People might have noticed that the fire brigade brutally snubbed the Village People by refusing to send along a representative to band auditions too.

    The only message they will understand is if we boycott them and refuse to use their services.
    Personally, I’ve had enough of the blatant lack of dwarves in top flight basketball

    It’s like: they don’t even try to hide it. Zero dwarves. Nil homunculi. And if you don’t believe me try and remember the last time you saw a deft skilful midget dribbling through the Lakers defence then jumping eight times his own height to execute a perfect slam dunk?

    Fact is: you don’t remember this coz it’s never happened because basketball remains a bastion of anti-diddymen heightism
  • theProletheProle Posts: 1,290
    edited February 22

    https://x.com/vonderleyen/status/1893319236409319665

    Outrageous scenes in Sofia where our EU office has been vandalised.

    In Europe, we exercise the right to demonstrate in a peaceful way. Violence and vandalism are never the answer.

    Have she seen what happens to Paris when the French government mildly annoys their farmers?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,454
    Tres said:

    probably just more improvements in detection than anything else
    Obesity is quite a major cause of cancer, but there unexplained rises in others too. Lymphoma is twice as common as it used to be, for no very obvious reason. For the benefit of our Saturday trolls long preceeding covid vaccinations.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,471
    edited February 22

    Do the arteries get conventional fat growth within them (though of course compromised arteries does correlate with being fat a lot)? I was under the impression arterial plaque was made up of mainly calcium.
    Called plaque but made up of fats, cholesterol and proteins.

    https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24038-atheroma
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226

    I think Mark was saying Uruguayan wouldn’t agree to host the supply base because it would annoy Argentina.

    We can’t exactly force them to host it…

    It that was his intended meaning, then all those problems go back to Argentina not wanting the UK to exploit the oil on territory it regards to be its own. So again, all those issues would be solved by a partnership with Argentina to exploit the resource. Then the supply base could be in Argentina. All the better to benefit the country with visible jobs.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,570
    boulay said:

    I’m waiting for someone to come out with a “we are reclaiming the Roman salute from the Nazis”.
    Leeds United tried that with their proposed new badge.

    Somewhat ill judged.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,031

    Given the lead time on development of mines I would imagine Ukraine would have the opportunity to repudiate the deal at some point in the future before the money starts to flow
    If the Democrats are in power, there might be a renegotiation.

    If there really is an investment of tens of billions of US$ to unlock hundreds of billions of "rare earth metals", that will have a massive effect in the Ukrainian economy. As well as a worldwide effort to support reconstruction, it will be one of the most active economies anywhere. The multiplier used in large civil engineering projects is 2.2 - so every 10 billion spent feels like 22 billion in the local economy.

    Of course, a shiny revitalised Ukraine is going to be an ever more attractive bauble for Putin.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,570
    eek said:

    I'm an anti-social b*****d - I'm not sure about the rest of you
    Me too. Covid was a godsend.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226
    Tres said:

    yes
    Apart from that being an utterly ludicrous idea, can you point to a corresponding fall in cancer rates in the next age cohort as a result of all those early detections?
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,471
    Lyon airport. I always liked it, but this evening they’ve failed on the capitalism front.

    The “Alpage” bar and restaurant, where we were looking forward to an Alpine themed burger or melty cheese dish were closed when I came to enquire at 8pm. So I thought about going to “Exty” but it closed at 8.30. Ended up queuing at Burger King. For half an hour. And then they said « désolé, nous sommes fermé » after half an hour of waiting. So it was a bottle of wine from the duty free and a couple of pizza slices from “Mozzarella and co”..

    I mean FFS don’t close when you have a queue of about 20 willing buyers. In an airport. Where flights depart up to midnight.
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 10,497

    I am very glad we have Sir Keir Starmer as PM now and not Nigel Farage. I do believe he will come to be viewed as one of the great PMs.

    Well maybe in fantasy lefty land, Starmer will be a great pm in the same way as genghis khan was seen as a pacifist who preached peace and love
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,471
    edited February 22
    Pagan2 said:

    Well maybe in fantasy lefty land, Starmer will be a great pm in the same way as genghis khan was seen as a pacifist who preached peace and love
    I think Starmer will be remembered, post-power, in the same vein as Eden, Callaghan, Major, May and Sunak. And Carter, Hollande, Scholz. Decent enough person but couldn’t quite rise to the occasion.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226
    TimS said:

    Called plaque but made up of fats, cholesterol and proteins.

    https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24038-atheroma
    And calcium, according to the link.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,001
    TimS said:

    Lyon airport. I always liked it, but this evening they’ve failed on the capitalism front.

    The “Alpage” bar and restaurant, where we were looking forward to an Alpine themed burger or melty cheese dish were closed when I came to enquire at 8pm. So I thought about going to “Exty” but it closed at 8.30. Ended up queuing at Burger King. For half an hour. And then they said « désolé, nous sommes fermé » after half an hour of waiting. So it was a bottle of wine from the duty free and a couple of pizza slices from “Mozzarella and co”..

    I mean FFS don’t close when you have a queue of about 20 willing buyers. In an airport. Where flights depart up to midnight.

    Had that at Southampton Airport (dump) the other week. Flight delayed and the whole place basically closed at 8.30 except the duty free so we went to buy bottles of wine with screw tops and the duty free ladies twigged and told us we couldn’t drink them or they would be confiscated.

    Was a pretty dry and dull couple of hours wait after that.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226
    TimS said:

    I think Starmer will be remembered, post-power, in the same vein as Eden, Callaghan, Major, May and Sunak. And Carter, Hollande, Scholz. Decent enough bloke but couldn’t quite rise to the occasion.
    Poor old May and her leopard print shoes being remembered as a bloke.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,471
    boulay said:

    Had that at Southampton Airport (dump) the other week. Flight delayed and the whole place basically closed at 8.30 except the duty free so we went to buy bottles of wine with screw tops and the duty free ladies twigged and told us we couldn’t drink them or they would be confiscated.

    Was a pretty dry and dull couple of hours wait after that.
    We saw that tendency during Covid lockdowns. People who think fun spreads germs.
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 10,497
    edited February 22
    TimS said:

    I think Starmer will be remembered, post-power, in the same vein as Eden, Callaghan, Major, May and Sunak. And Carter, Hollande, Scholz. Decent enough person but couldn’t quite rise to the occasion.
    Sorry decent person doesn't cut it he wanted to be a leader but he cannot lead
    Being a nice guy doesn't cut it else we would have elected Ed Davey
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,031

    I think Mark was saying Uruguayan wouldn’t agree to host the supply base because it would annoy Argentina.

    We can’t exactly force them to host it…

    Exactly so.

    And security might be a bit of an issue if you tried.

    "Nice supply base you've got there. Shame if it had a bit of a fire...".
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,001
    TimS said:

    We saw that tendency during Covid lockdowns. People who think fun spreads germs.
    It was an extra shame as there was a netball team who had started on the beers before the bar closed so could have been a fun airport session.

    The only upside was that the only screw top reds were pretty dodge so probably saved me from a thumping headache on the Monday morning. Thanks Puritan ladies.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226

    Exactly so.

    And security might be a bit of an issue if you tried.

    "Nice supply base you've got there. Shame if it had a bit of a fire...".
    Sure, but this is all without a political agreement to exploit the resource jointly.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,471

    Exactly so.

    And security might be a bit of an issue if you tried.

    "Nice supply base you've got there. Shame if it had a bit of a fire...".
    On a tangential note I’m reading the magisterial history of football “the ball is round” by David Goldblatt and he does an excellent job covering the role of Uruguay in early football history. Really punched (kicked) above its weight.
  • ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 4,495
    (Apols for AI stuff). But a video from The Economist :

    "Google DeepMind and Anthropic founders, Demis Hassabis and Dario Amodei, are two of the world's foremost leaders in artificial intelligence. Our editor-in-chief, Zanny Minton Beddoes, sat down with them to discuss AI safety, timelines for artificial general intelligence and whether they fear becoming the Oppenheimers of our time, in a conversation for Visionaries Club."

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4poqjZlM8Lo&list=WL
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,471
    boulay said:

    It was an extra shame as there was a netball team who had started on the beers before the bar closed so could have been a fun airport session.

    The only upside was that the only screw top reds were pretty dodge so probably saved me from a thumping headache on the Monday morning. Thanks Puritan ladies.
    And an airport is the one place you expect to be able to have a drink n’importe quand. 7am? Pint? Fine.
  • .
    Leon said:

    Personally, I’ve had enough of the blatant lack of dwarves in top flight basketball

    It’s like: they don’t even try to hide it. Zero dwarves. Nil homunculi. And if you don’t believe me try and remember the last time you saw a deft skilful midget dribbling through the Lakers defence then jumping eight times his own height to execute a perfect slam dunk?

    Fact is: you don’t remember this coz it’s never happened because basketball remains a bastion of anti-diddymen heightism
    Jahmani Swanson says hello.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXz2KvpHr9k
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,680
    edited February 22
    TimS said:

    I think Starmer will be remembered, post-power, in the same vein as Eden, Callaghan, Major, May and Sunak. And Carter, Hollande, Scholz. Decent enough person but couldn’t quite rise to the occasion.
    I think we shall have to wait and see about that and a number of other things. We are a month or so into the most extraordinary state coup of our lifetime - even more so than the collapse of communism
    - and in due course there is going to be a new cast of heroes and villains for those who support tolerance, freedom and liberty. Maybe Starmer will be one of the heroes.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,001
    TimS said:

    On a tangential note I’m reading the magisterial history of football “the ball is round” by David Goldblatt and he does an excellent job covering the role of Uruguay in early football history. Really punched (kicked) above its weight.
    My joyful Southampton Airport experience was due to being in the UK to watch one of the forerunners of football so a nice circular conversation.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,333
    edited February 22
    TimS said:

    I think Starmer will be remembered, post-power, in the same vein as Eden, Callaghan, Major, May and Sunak. And Carter, Hollande, Scholz. Decent enough person but couldn’t quite rise to the occasion.
    Major's reputation has risen massively since he left office. He left a growing economy, balanced budget, a nation in the EU but with an opt out from the Euro, he began the NI peace process and he won a war with Iraq with UN approval and a huge coalition of nations assembled with Bush Snr and founded the National Lottery which has generated funds for the arts and sports and increased our Olympic gold medal count
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,031

    It that was his intended meaning, then all those problems go back to Argentina not wanting the UK to exploit the oil on territory it regards to be its own. So again, all those issues would be solved by a partnership with Argentina to exploit the resource. Then the supply base could be in Argentina. All the better to benefit the country with visible jobs.
    The basic problem you have is the Falkland Islanders have no interest in any development where Argentina benefits at all.

    The nineteen eighties are still raw to the occupants.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 44,888
    boulay said:

    Had that at Southampton Airport (dump) the other week. Flight delayed and the whole place basically closed at 8.30 except the duty free so we went to buy bottles of wine with screw tops and the duty free ladies twigged and told us we couldn’t drink them or they would be confiscated.

    Was a pretty dry and dull couple of hours wait after that.
    I flew back to Southampton from Dublin after a journey on a tall ship. I was accompanied by the ship's cook, who was *exceptionally* drunk. So drunk, in fact, I kept away from him at Dublin airport as I was concerned he would not be allowed to fly. Mrs J was waiting for me when I arrived in Southampton, and the cook went up to her and gave her a massive hug. Mrs J says she nearly fainted from the stench of alcohol.
  • WinchyWinchy Posts: 130
    TimS said:

    The other product Uruguay is famous for, apart from retired Nazi war criminals, is Tannat. But I couldn’t find any decent puns on the Tannat theme.

    (Minor Bordeaux / SW France grape gets its place in the sun in a new world country. An old story).
    How many other countries than Uruguay have a city named for a number?
    (Sevenoaks doesn't count. Seven would.)
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,333

    https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1893386883444437415

    Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week.

    Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.

    I assume that also applies to the Federal employee in the Oval office?
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,680
    Pagan2 said:

    Sorry decent person doesn't cut it he wanted to be a leader but he cannot lead
    Being a nice guy doesn't cut it else we would have elected Ed Davey
    Given the events of the last month it is quite possible that within a year we shall have a government of national unity; and if I had the choice of the two to lead it right now I would go for Blair (for whom I never voted) and Cameron.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,570
    boulay said:

    It was an extra shame as there was a netball team who had started on the beers before the bar closed so could have been a fun airport session.

    The only upside was that the only screw top reds were pretty dodge so probably saved me from a thumping headache on the Monday morning. Thanks Puritan ladies.
    Me, the 13th Duke of Wybourne, here, in an airport departure lounge, with a drunken netball team? What were they thinking!
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,001
    Winchy said:

    How many other countries than Uruguay have a city named for a number?
    (Sevenoaks doesn't count. Seven would.)
    Scotland - Fife.
  • ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 4,495
    boulay said:

    I’m waiting for someone to come out with a “we are reclaiming the Roman salute from the Nazis”.
    "It's just a tattoo of an old Hindu symbol!"...
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,471
    algarkirk said:

    Given the events of the last month it is quite possible that within a year we shall have a government of national unity; and if I had the choice of the two to lead it right now I would go for Blair (for whom I never voted) and Cameron.
    Davey, surely?

    Personally I think it’s a shame we never had PM Farron representing us on the world stage.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,333
    edited February 22

    I wonder if Trump will demand an American Pope.
    Trump is evangelical and raised Presbyterian, he doesn't even get a say as he belongs to a heretic Protestant church.

    Vance as a Roman Catholic may get to have a say but the Cardinals will decide, I would suggest an African or Filipino Pope is more likely though we wish Pope Francis a few more years
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226

    The basic problem you have is the Falkland Islanders have no interest in any development where Argentina benefits at all.

    The nineteen eighties are still raw to the occupants.
    Sure. But whilst the islanders have every right to control what happens on their islands, I don't see that they have the right to control what happens under the sea. And if it made them wealthy and caused Argentina to drop its territorial ambitions as part of the settlement, I believe they would be persuaded in any case.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226
    HYUFD said:

    I assume that also applies to the Federal employee in the Oval office?
    Whatever else we can accuse Trump of, inactivity isn't it.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,570
    Winchy said:

    How many other countries than Uruguay have a city named for a number?
    (Sevenoaks doesn't count. Seven would.)
    Twente is a region of the Netherlands.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,570
    HYUFD said:

    I assume that also applies to the Federal employee in the Oval office?
    He's done more than enough in the past week.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,364
    boulay said:

    Had that at Southampton Airport (dump) the other week. Flight delayed and the whole place basically closed at 8.30 except the duty free so we went to buy bottles of wine with screw tops and the duty free ladies twigged and told us we couldn’t drink them or they would be confiscated.

    Was a pretty dry and dull couple of hours wait after that.
    You should try overnighting in Namsos Airport…

  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 10,497
    algarkirk said:

    Given the events of the last month it is quite possible that within a year we shall have a government of national unity; and if I had the choice of the two to lead it right now I would go for Blair (for whom I never voted) and Cameron.
    We won't have a government of national unity within a year because there is no national unity frankly.....there are people like most on here that are ok and thinking the status quo is just dandy....then there is people like me who rent and dont see our pay rising and about to start tearing things down frankly.... my pay rise this year 1%, my power bill up 10% my water up 10% my council tax up 5% rent up 12% food prices up by more than 1% story of the last quarter decade.......where are we going to find national unity when most politicians come from a class that never suffered that and most middle classes like here don't either?
  • WinchyWinchy Posts: 130
    edited February 22

    If the Democrats are in power, there might be a renegotiation.

    If there really is an investment of tens of billions of US$ to unlock hundreds of billions of "rare earth metals", that will have a massive effect in the Ukrainian economy. As well as a worldwide effort to support reconstruction, it will be one of the most active economies anywhere. The multiplier used in large civil engineering projects is 2.2 - so every 10 billion spent feels like 22 billion in the local economy.

    Of course, a shiny revitalised Ukraine is going to be an ever more attractive bauble for Putin.
    What makes you think there won't be similar investment opportunities on the eastern side of the ceasefire line? It's quite possible some of the money invested will come from outside the region too. [*] Perhaps from China. Perhaps from the USA or Germany - who knows? Money has no smell.

    * Although probably not from Wales, as in Donetsk which was known as Hughesovka from its foundation until 1924:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hughes_(businessman)

    There is probably a good Millwall joke here somewhere.

  • HYUFD said:

    I assume that also applies to the Federal employee in the Oval office?
    If you reply "sacked some essential staff by mistake and spent the rest of the week shitposting on social media", is that a good thing or a bad thing?
  • Just watched the third Johnny English film (J E Strikes Again) on TV.

    Dire as it is, I can't help thinking the baddie "Jason Volta" is more than loosely based on Elon Musk :lol:
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 64,709

    Whatever else we can accuse Trump of, inactivity isn't it.
    Yep, he's carried out every one of the tasks that Vlad set him at the start of the week.

    He must be exhausted.

  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,333
    edited February 22
    Pagan2 said:

    We won't have a government of national unity within a year because there is no national unity frankly.....there are people like most on here that are ok and thinking the status quo is just dandy....then there is people like me who rent and dont see our pay rising and about to start tearing things down frankly.... my pay rise this year 1%, my power bill up 10% my water up 10% my council tax up 5% rent up 12% food prices up by more than 1% story of the last quarter decade.......where are we going to find national unity when most politicians come from a class that never suffered that and most middle classes like here don't either?
    Well unless you work for a nationalised industry or the state, earn minimum wage or live in state provided housing not a huge amount the government can do about that given the global rise in prices and cost of living since the Ukraine war and Covid and now with Trump's tariffs coming along too. Even council tax is the council's responsibility.

    Though they could maybe do more to support our farmers to reduce food prices and 'drill baby drill' to increase energy supplies. Plenty of votes have been cast in protest for Corbyn and now for Farage, it doesn't mean they have the answers either
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 42,986
    theProle said:

    Have she seen what happens to Paris when the French government mildly annoys their farmers?
    Or England when Farage tweets legitimate questions about truth being withheld.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 6,001
    Winchy said:

    What makes you think there won't be similar investment opportunities on the eastern side of the ceasefire line? It's quite possible some of the money invested will come from outside the region too. [*] Perhaps from China. Perhaps from the USA or Germany - who knows? Money has no smell.

    * Although probably not from Wales, as in Donetsk which was known as Hughesovka from its foundation until 1924:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hughes_(businessman)

    When I lived in Geneva there was a bar under a Private Bank’s offices called “Le Nonolet”. It was owned by a few of the bankers who had named it after “Pecuniam Non Olet” which was quite witty for Swiss financiers.

    I see from google it’s still going.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,333

    Whatever else we can accuse Trump of, inactivity isn't it.
    He wakes up makes a provocative statement or tweet or 2, then has lunch, maybe meets or phones a world leader and then spends much of the afternoon playing golf

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0XoVj99w-U&themeRefresh=1
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,617
    edited February 22

    And calcium, according to the link.
    Are you thinking of dental plaque/tartar?

    Edit: that is primarily calcareous, in terms of being in large part calcium phosphate. Not, as I undersyand it, the case with arterial plaque.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,824
    edited February 22
    Isn't there an 88 in New Mexico?

    Edit. It's Kentucky.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 64,709

    https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1893386883444437415

    Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week.

    Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.

    I'm starting to feel slightly more optimistic.

    The levels of overreach from AfD's american branch and its own pet teen nazis are going to cause a reaction.

    America is better than this and the fight back will begin soon.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,454
    Pagan2 said:

    We won't have a government of national unity within a year because there is no national unity frankly.....there are people like most on here that are ok and thinking the status quo is just dandy....then there is people like me who rent and dont see our pay rising and about to start tearing things down frankly.... my pay rise this year 1%, my power bill up 10% my water up 10% my council tax up 5% rent up 12% food prices up by more than 1% story of the last quarter decade.......where are we going to find national unity when most politicians come from a class that never suffered that and most middle classes like here don't either?
    We won't have a government of national unity for the simple and obvious reason that Starmer has a huge parliamentary majority for the next 4 1/2 years.

    You must be in a uniquely moribund line of work, as for the last year private sector mean wages have had bigger rises than either the public sector or inflation.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,202
    Foxy said:

    As a matter of interest, has Trump appointed any minorities since his anti DEI campaign started?

    https://x.com/afpost/status/1893061259160912083

    Kash Patel sworn in as FBI Director on the Bhagavad Gita instead of the Bible.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,226
    Carnyx said:

    Are you thinking of dental plaque/tartar?
    Er, no, read the link that Tim posted.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,617

    Er, no, read the link that Tim posted.
    Sure, but that was him not you.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,570
    HYUFD said:

    Well unless you work for a nationalised industry or the state, earn minimum wage or live in state provided housing not a huge amount the government can do about that given the global rise in prices and cost of living since the Ukraine war and Covid and now with Trump's tariffs coming along too. Even council tax is the council's responsibility.

    Though they could maybe do more to support our farmers to reduce food prices and 'drill baby drill' to increase energy supplies. Plenty of votes have been cast in protest for Corbyn and now for Farage, it doesn't mean they have the answers either
    Farming is the most heavily subsidised industry going. If the same approach had been taken in other sectors, we'd still have a steelworks in Consett and shipyards on the Tyne.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,824
    HYUFD said:

    He wakes up makes a provocative statement or tweet or 2, then has lunch, maybe meets or phones a world leader and then spends much of the afternoon playing golf

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0XoVj99w-U&themeRefresh=1
    I've just watched him set a new world record for spouting stream of consciousness, non-sequitur bollocks.
    That, and being an longstanding crook and sex pest means he'll need plenty of downtime.
This discussion has been closed.