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The Canadian petri dish – politicalbetting.com

245

Comments

  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,487
    Roger said:

    I don't think that would happen. Contrary to widespread opinion some of the most cerebral people I know are Arab. The reason Iran doesn't have nuclear weapons is because indiscriminate slaughter in religiously unacceptable. Would Netanyahu treat the Gazans like a turkey shoot if they had a bomb? No of course not. Would the Gazans use that bomb? Absolutely not.


    It is the imbalance in power that has led to the oppression. It nearly always is.
    And yet they were willing to rape and murder innocent women and children.

    This is not a defence of Israel’s actions.

    But it just takes one bad guy

    (I think it would be more of an issue bombing the Dome on the Rock than killing all the people nearby)

  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,812
    Dura_Ace said:

    Starmer isn't going to do shit. He's picked a side and he's sticking with it.
    If Starmer did turn tail, could Trump/ Farage launch a coup from Lakenheath?
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,724

    The only people selling “it’s racist to suggest that non-white ethnic groups don’t all love each other” are figments of your imagination.
    Nope.

    It was even police policy at one point. Has a hilarious encounter where a white policeman tried to tell my Ghanaian ex that an incident she reported as racist, wasn’t.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,350
    Nigelb said:

    Not as far as we're concerned, it doesn't.
    Absolutely as far as we're concerned it does. Name a single occasion that we have differed from the US on who is a rogue state.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,350
    Roger said:

    I'm not sure about that. I've become a convert to nuclear weapons and would like to see some of the more oppressed nations get hold of them. Would Gaza have suffered the slaughter of 50,000 of their citizens if they had had one?
    They would if they had Trident, it's neither use nor ornament.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,350
    Dura_Ace said:

    I wonder if Kermit is going to get JDV to speak at the tory conference. It feels sort of on brand for her but the event is probably too low rent and irrelevant for him.

    Good idea.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,673

    They are going to talk to Russia regardless. We have the ability to reject any outcome of those talks provided we are prepared to step up and support Ukraine sufficiently ourselves
    That's my point.
    We need to be prepared.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 34,070
    Almost 40% of German voters supporting AfD, Linke or BSW in the latest INSA opinion poll.

    https://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,673
    These are eye watering figures, on something that's both unnecessary, and economically unproductive.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxnj42z90wo
    The government will end a contract worth £2bn a year with one of the largest providers of hotel asylum accommodation after the Home Office said an audit identified concerns about the company's performance.
    Stay Belvedere Hotels (SBHL) provides around a quarter of Home Office asylum accommodation across 51 hotels in England and Wales, and also operates Napier Barracks in Ken..
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,852
    Important to note when betting.
    The LPC doesn't need to win most votes to win most seats.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,724
    a
    Andy_JS said:

    Almost 40% of German voters supporting AfD, Linke or BSW in the latest INSA opinion poll.

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

    That’s a strange group of parties to pick.
  • DopermeanDopermean Posts: 876
    Eabhal said:

    Last time PB looked at this the £300 million was mostly spent on perfectly sensible things like buying the land needed.

    Anyway, I think this is basically fatal for the Labour London Party. Equivalent to 4GW of offshore wind, 9000 miles of cycle infrastructure or a quarter of HS2 to Manchester.
    My 11 year old wants a detailed explanation including cost and safety comparisons for why a tunnel was chosen over a bridge...
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 64,958

    I think Vance wants to be hailed as some sort of 'philosopher prince'.

    His writings (see the one that was linked to recently about his conversion to Catholicism) seem to show a need to boast about what he has achieved and what he knows.

    More generally Washington resembles a Tudor court more than a modern government.

    Trump has all the insecure, grandiose, erratic narcissism of late stage Henry VIII.

    Mike Pence / Thomas More as the former favourite who chose his conscience over his master orders.

    Vance as the Thomas Cromwell figure - low born and talented but always looked down on by those born to privilege.

    The likes of Musk, Rubio, Hegseth scheming for position as the Howards, Seymours and such like did.

    There's even a weak ineffective legislature and a threatened judicial system.
    V good.

    Actually there was a whole piece a few weeks ago about how Russell Vought is the Thomas Cromwell figure.

  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 121,344
    Cash is dead, part 20,454.

    Transport for London says that fewer than one per cent of Tube journeys – there are more than three million each weekday – are cash fares.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/tube-train-passengers-cash-tickets-tfl-london-travelwatch-report-b1218442.html
  • DopermeanDopermean Posts: 876
    Dopermean said:

    My 11 year old wants a detailed explanation including cost and safety comparisons for why a tunnel was chosen over a bridge...
    Lol, Express thinks it is a bridge...
    https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1935261/incredible-new-9bn-bridge-lower-thames-crossing
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,733
    Roger said:

    I'm not sure about that. I've become a convert to nuclear weapons and would like to see some of the more oppressed nations get hold of them. Would Gaza have suffered the slaughter of 50,000 of their citizens if they had had one?
    Just when you think PB can get no more idiotic, up pops Roger to suggest Hamas should have nukes.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,625

    Yes there is real hatred there. It's like Richard Nixon but dialled up to 11.
    BTW did you see the Sunday Times named Telegraph Hill as one of Britain's top neighbourhoods? Feeling even smugger than usual.
    I didn’t, but it stands to reason given the proximity of big Sainsburys.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,724
    Dopermean said:

    My 11 year old wants a detailed explanation including cost and safety comparisons for why a tunnel was chosen over a bridge...
    Relatively large vessels use that part of the Thames. Opening bridges are expensive. A bridge high enough to not need opening would be seriously expensive.

    A big chunk of the (estimated) cost of the project is the approaches, not the actual crossing.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,625

    a

    That’s a strange group of parties to pick.
    The UK figure for Reform, Green, Gaza independents and UKIP would be about 40% too.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,724
    TimS said:

    The UK figure for Reform, Green, Gaza independents and UKIP would be about 40% too.
    What grouping is this? The “populists”? The “Not The Traditional Parties”?

    Linke membership would probably commit mass seppuku if their party had anything to do with the AfD, for example.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,733
    Roger said:

    I don't think that would happen. Contrary to widespread opinion some of the most cerebral people I know are Arab. The reason Iran doesn't have nuclear weapons is because indiscriminate slaughter in religiously unacceptable. Would Netanyahu treat the Gazans like a turkey shoot if they had a bomb? No of course not. Would the Gazans use that bomb? Absolutely not.

    It is the imbalance in power that has led to the oppression. It nearly always is.
    And yet Hamas indiscriminately slaughtered 1700 people on October 7th?

    You'd be one of those people professing to us all how fair Hamas is while you were in front of the firing squad because you're Jewish. My wife has a word for people like you I won't repeat on here.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 23,892
    viewcode said:

    Second posting

    Hello everybody. I've uploaded an essay wot I wrote called "The Matter Of Britain" on the evolution of the nation-state since the Dark Ages. rcs1000 and TheScreamingEagles are aware. It is about 1600 words and is within the ydoethur limit. If the mods agree I'm hoping for a publication for next Sunday. If anybody wants to be a pre-reader just click on "like" and I'll send you a link.

    @NickPalmer , one of the sections of the article deals with Stalin's view on the National Question. You are a former Eurocommunist and I assume you understood Marxist theory, so can I ask you to check it to see if I got it right?

  • Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 3,547
    edited March 25

    Cash is dead, part 20,454.

    Transport for London says that fewer than one per cent of Tube journeys – there are more than three million each weekday – are cash fares.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/tube-train-passengers-cash-tickets-tfl-london-travelwatch-report-b1218442.html

    You mean you can no longer give 10p to the ticket collector late at night and pretend to have travelled from the adjacent station? Sic transit...
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 37,351
    The most telling part of the US group chat debacle (which won't be fully publicly acknowledged for a while yet) is that Trumpski has no fucking clue what is going on.

    When the story broke, he said he didn't know anything about it, but if you read the chat it's clear he wasn't in that conversation either.

    A senile old man nominally in charge
  • rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 8,605
    Nigelb said:

    These are eye watering figures, on something that's both unnecessary, and economically unproductive.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxnj42z90wo
    The government will end a contract worth £2bn a year with one of the largest providers of hotel asylum accommodation after the Home Office said an audit identified concerns about the company's performance.
    Stay Belvedere Hotels (SBHL) provides around a quarter of Home Office asylum accommodation across 51 hotels in England and Wales, and also operates Napier Barracks in Ken..

    It's mad. For 2bn pounds/year think how many hotels we could build.
  • another_richardanother_richard Posts: 27,353

    V good.

    Actually there was a whole piece a few weeks ago about how Russell Vought is the Thomas Cromwell figure.

    Matt Gaetz could be the equivalent of Richard Rich:

    Since the mid-16th century Rich has had a reputation for immorality, financial dishonesty, double-dealing, perjury and treachery rarely matched in English history. The historian Hugh Trevor-Roper called Rich a man "of whom nobody has ever spoken a good word".

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Rich,_1st_Baron_Rich#Legacy
  • rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 8,605
    Scott_xP said:

    The most telling part of the US group chat debacle (which won't be fully publicly acknowledged for a while yet) is that Trumpski has no fucking clue what is going on.

    When the story broke, he said he didn't know anything about it, but if you read the chat it's clear he wasn't in that conversation either.

    A senile old man nominally in charge

    Yes I wonder if he'll be annoyed they've been talking behind his back.
  • WhisperingOracleWhisperingOracle Posts: 9,934
    Morning, PB.

    If I was Canadian, the moniker "Perfidious Albion", would be beginning to come ro mind.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,686
    Scott_xP said:

    The most telling part of the US group chat debacle (which won't be fully publicly acknowledged for a while yet) is that Trumpski has no fucking clue what is going on.

    When the story broke, he said he didn't know anything about it, but if you read the chat it's clear he wasn't in that conversation either.

    A senile old man nominally in charge

    Trump said he didn't know anything about it even after it was briefed that Vance and Trump were in agreement, so either:

    1) he is lying
    2) the briefer was lying
    3) Trump has a problem with short term memory, perhaps due to dementia
    4) all of the above.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,673

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/25/stunning-signal-leak-reveals-depths-of-trump-administrations-loathing-of-europe

    The weird thing about this regime is that the more they proclaim a white, Christian, European vision of America, the more they hate Europe. There must be some kind of psychology thesis to be written about this.

    John Ossify has made a similar observation.

    They are literally the elites they pretend to hate.
    https://x.com/ossoff/status/1903998853046546942
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,186
    Scott_xP said:

    The most telling part of the US group chat debacle (which won't be fully publicly acknowledged for a while yet) is that Trumpski has no fucking clue what is going on.

    When the story broke, he said he didn't know anything about it, but if you read the chat it's clear he wasn't in that conversation either.

    A senile old man nominally in charge

    You've got that wrong. It was Biden. We were told so by every Republican...
  • WhisperingOracleWhisperingOracle Posts: 9,934
    Distaste for Europe is often built into American self-definition.

    Europe represents the old, the decadent, anxiety about one's own weakness. America is new, vitality, hoping for the salvation of white civilisation, for these people involved.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,411

    Yes, as Hamas nuke Jerusalem and Tel Aviv with no understanding of the mushroom cloud that is about to engulf them. Other than that, good idea.
    Not sure if this has been posted here yet - the Roberts report into 7th October. Utterly horrific reading, and provides some context to quite why Israel has reacted the way it has.

    https://worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/uk-parliaments-landmark-report-details-october-7th-hamas-atrocities

    I know that the conflict didn't start on 7th October. I know Israel has done horrific things too, but I question anyone to read this report and not be sickened.
  • another_richardanother_richard Posts: 27,353
    Nigelb said:

    Or perhaps an early 17thC Stuart monarchy.

    With a ruler who proclaims his absolute power, untrammelled by law, but places the actual administration in the hands of incompetent favourites.

    Which would make Vance the Duke of Buckingham.*

    The Tudors, after all, proved rather competent - though brutal - monarchs.

    You have a point with the multiple wives, of course.

    *Also fond of facial hair and guyliner...
    Not much competence between 1525 and 1558 though.

    There was a lot of personal enrichment and power centralisation from the dissolution of the monasteries which might equate to plutocratic corruption and state authoritarianism.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,724
    Roger said:

    I don't think that would happen. Contrary to widespread opinion some of the most cerebral people I know are Arab. The reason Iran doesn't have nuclear weapons is because indiscriminate slaughter in religiously unacceptable. Would Netanyahu treat the Gazans like a turkey shoot if they had a bomb? No of course not. Would the Gazans use that bomb? Absolutely not.

    It is the imbalance in power that has led to the oppression. It nearly always is.
    The reason that Iran hasn’t got nuclear weapons is due to a long running campaign by the US, Israel and a number of other countries preventing them getting there.

    The various, very extensive Iranian efforts on this have been documented by a number of sources, including the IAEI and UNODA.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 34,070
    The right-wing of ReformUK isn't at all happy with the candidate selection in Runcorn & Helsby. They don't like the fact she attended a "refugees welcome" event as a Conservative in 2022.
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 121,344

    You mean you can no longer give 10p to the ticket collector late at night and pretend to have travelled from the adjacent station? Sic transit...
    Further proof that cash is only really used by criminals.

    Kudos for the Latin.
  • BattlebusBattlebus Posts: 617
    Nigelb said:

    These are eye watering figures, on something that's both unnecessary, and economically unproductive.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czxnj42z90wo
    The government will end a contract worth £2bn a year with one of the largest providers of hotel asylum accommodation after the Home Office said an audit identified concerns about the company's performance.
    Stay Belvedere Hotels (SBHL) provides around a quarter of Home Office asylum accommodation across 51 hotels in England and Wales, and also operates Napier Barracks in Ken..

    This comes at the same time as £2bn being put into affordable housing.

    Now here is the odd thing. Social Landlords are the main source of affordable housing whose aim is to raise capital in the markets to fund the assets they get builders to build for them. So this £2bn appears to be some sort of subsidy possibly to compensate for the higher level of interest paid to the markets or a fee to builders. Either way it's not supposed to be a feature of social housing.

    There is a desperate need for more social housing if the land with PP is available. The £2bn announcement seems nothing other than an admission that housing policy is failing (or a bung is needed)
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,686
    edited March 25
    Foss said:
    The folks just love fun dad Ed Davey.

    More confirmation that Labour just pisses off its own voters by apeing Reform, while not convincing any of the Refukkers.
  • pm215pm215 Posts: 1,219
    Battlebus said:

    This comes at the same time as £2bn being put into affordable housing.

    Now here is the odd thing. Social Landlords are the main source of affordable housing whose aim is to raise capital in the markets to fund the assets they get builders to build for them. So this £2bn appears to be some sort of subsidy possibly to compensate for the higher level of interest paid to the markets or a fee to builders. Either way it's not supposed to be a feature of social housing.

    There is a desperate need for more social housing if the land with PP is available. The £2bn announcement seems nothing other than an admission that housing policy is failing (or a bung is needed)
    "Housing policy is failing" is a statement of the bleeding obvious, and one of the key things Labour need to do over the next few years is fix it...
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,812
    Stephen Miller suggesting that the USA need to surcharge Europe for the cost of Suez Canal related attack on the Houthi rebels.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 34,070
    edited March 25
    dixiedean said:

    Important to note when betting.
    The LPC doesn't need to win most votes to win most seats.

    Indeed, they've won the last two elections while losing the popular vote. Which means the Liberals have only won the popular vote once during the last 20 years, in 2015.
  • BattlebusBattlebus Posts: 617

    Stephen Miller suggesting that the USA need to surcharge Europe for the cost of Suez Canal related attack on the Houthi rebels.

    We're living in a modern day Western where there are guns-for-hire to take out the baddies. Perhaps we could call it Westworld.
  • FossFoss Posts: 1,329
    As far as I can tell, 22% appears to be the record low for a poll leading party. It's realistic to suggest that we might break that record sooner rather than later.
  • DopermeanDopermean Posts: 876

    Relatively large vessels use that part of the Thames. Opening bridges are expensive. A bridge high enough to not need opening would be seriously expensive.

    A big chunk of the (estimated) cost of the project is the approaches, not the actual crossing.
    They'd considered that issue...
    Looking at the route my suspicion is that the current Dartford congestion will be supplemented by ACW congestion at Ockendon and at that A13 junction.
    ACW from Kent to Essex looks like it will be a total nightmare during work and post-completion.
  • TresTres Posts: 2,772

    Max Kendix
    @MaxKendix
    ·
    19m
    EXC: The Lower Thames Crossing has been approved by the government. The £9billion project has been in the pipeline since 2009. £300m spent on the planning application alone.

    Finally! Next sort out the A1 and A9 please.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 64,958

    Stephen Miller suggesting that the USA need to surcharge Europe for the cost of Suez Canal related attack on the Houthi rebels.

    How long before US military is just 'for hire'? Available to any tin pot dictator or warlord, including Putin, who can stump up the necessary few million $.



  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,411
    Roger said:

    I don't think that would happen. Contrary to widespread opinion some of the most cerebral people I know are Arab. The reason Iran doesn't have nuclear weapons is because indiscriminate slaughter in religiously unacceptable. Would Netanyahu treat the Gazans like a turkey shoot if they had a bomb? No of course not. Would the Gazans use that bomb? Absolutely not.

    It is the imbalance in power that has led to the oppression. It nearly always is.
    FFS - read this and get back to the real world. Hamas is evil. As evil as the Nazis.

    https://worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/uk-parliaments-landmark-report-details-october-7th-hamas-atrocities
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,686
    Battlebus said:

    We're living in a modern day Western where there are guns-for-hire to take out the baddies. Perhaps we could call it Westworld.
    More like a gangster flick, but without the rationality of the Godfather.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,686
    I think LDs and Greens are going to have a good night at the locals, and Con and Labour having a very bad night.
  • BurgessianBurgessian Posts: 2,947
    Douglas Ross the latest MSP to announce he is standing down (although he intends running for Westminster next time round).

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1kjd0wp9dro

    Nicola Sturgeon, Humza Yousaf, and numerous other SNP-ers also going.

    Perhaps the most interesting one will be Fergus Ewing who has confirmed that he won't be standing for the SNP, but may run as an Independent. That would make Inverness & Nairn a very interesting contest after the LibDem success there in the general election.

  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,625
    Foss said:
    We’re not far off the singularity. We’d need Lab-2, Ref-1, Con-1, Green-1, LD+5 next time.
  • AugustusCarp2AugustusCarp2 Posts: 264
    Andy_JS said:
    The bouyancy of the Lib Dem support continues to baffle me. It used to be an immutable law of British politics that, six months after a General Election, the Lib Dems would be on about 5%, or roughly half of what they polled.
  • Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 14,215
    dixiedean said:
    What a gilded age of sober and reflective government we would enjoy with a tory/Fukker coalition loaded to the gunwales with thick-as-pigshit chavs and reactionary cranks. All operating on a thin majority that gives every obstreperous crackpot MP immense power.

    Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be a fat ITV viewer was very heaven.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,625
    Battlebus said:

    We're living in a modern day Western where there are guns-for-hire to take out the baddies. Perhaps we could call it Westworld.
    The UK recharge to the US for Iraq and Afghanistan would help fix our budget black hole. Might even fund a modest tax cut.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 34,344

    Not sure if this has been posted here yet - the Roberts report into 7th October. Utterly horrific reading, and provides some context to quite why Israel has reacted the way it has.

    https://worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/uk-parliaments-landmark-report-details-october-7th-hamas-atrocities

    I know that the conflict didn't start on 7th October. I know Israel has done horrific things too, but I question anyone to read this report and not be sickened.
    You are quite right. Hamas are a sickening, revolting bunch. However I suggest that all the Israelis are doing at the moment is to act as recruiting sergeants for them.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,686
    Andy_JS said:
    Subsample klaxon.

    LDs lead the poll at 25% in Rest of South.

  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,625

    The bouyancy of the Lib Dem support continues to baffle me. It used to be an immutable law of British politics that, six months after a General Election, the Lib Dems would be on about 5%, or roughly half of what they polled.
    Not always the case. In Lib Dem historical terms we’re in around 2002 now. Starmer is just setting out on his Blair poodle of POTUS tribute act.
  • No_Offence_AlanNo_Offence_Alan Posts: 4,892

    Absolutely as far as we're concerned it does. Name a single occasion that we have differed from the US on who is a rogue state.
    Grenada
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 18,411

    You are quite right. Hamas are a sickening, revolting bunch. However I suggest that all the Israelis are doing at the moment is to act as recruiting sergeants for them.
    Hard to disagree with that. At some point someone has to stop and try to make things work.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,673
    rkrkrk said:

    It's mad. For 2bn pounds/year think how many hotels we could build.
    That's only a quarter of the accommodation.
    £8bn every year, in total.

    Imagine if we'd trained some of them and put them to work the housing that we don't have sufficient trained workers to build. Rather than paying to keep them in enforced idleness.

    Or simply processed their claims speedily, one way or the other.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,625

    Grenada
    Ukraine?
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,852

    Amazing, especially as they are totally ignored by sky/BBC
    Probably explains much of it.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,686

    You are quite right. Hamas are a sickening, revolting bunch. However I suggest that all the Israelis are doing at the moment is to act as recruiting sergeants for them.
    The IDF supported the settler lynch mob on the Oscar winning Palestinian director last week.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/24/oscar-winning-palestinian-director-attacked-by-israeli-settlers-and-arrested?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,733
    Nigelb said:

    That's only a quarter of the accommodation.
    £8bn every year, in total.

    Imagine if we'd trained some of them and put them to work the housing that we don't have sufficient trained workers to build. Rather than paying to keep them in enforced idleness.

    Or simply processed their claims speedily, one way or the other.
    No, no, no. We can't create an even bigger pull factor for asylum seekers. We need to get deporting the ones we have, not making more of them want to come here.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 39,733

    Hard to disagree with that. At some point someone has to stop and try to make things work.
    It will only stop once Netanyahu Is removed. The guy is a maniac.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,673

    Further proof that cash is only really used by criminals.

    Kudos for the Latin.
    Shouldn't that be laudatio ?
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,350
    edited March 25

    Grenada
    Accepting that as a benchmark (I know little about it except they invaded without warning Thatcher), you are saying that we have not differed from the US on anyone's 'roguedom' for over 4 decades. And even with a relatively independent-minded leader like Thatcher we'd have probably 'caught up'.

    We do what America says. The only confusion at the moment is that Trump is an anti-establishment leader, so what's left of the US and global establisment is now on a different page to the White House. If Trump’s way sticks, it will be State visits for Mad Vlad and the Foreign Secretary trumpeting the huge and welcome decline in the latest figures for people being pushed out of windows, the same way we applaud the Saudis when they let women drive.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,686

    Grenada
    I watched Heartbreak Ridge last night. The usual "Tough sergeant kicks shambles into a fighting unit" movie, but with the farcical ending depicting the US invasion of Grenada as if it was a major contested victory.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,673
    Nigelb said:

    John Ossify has made a similar observation.

    They are literally the elites they pretend to hate.
    https://x.com/ossoff/status/1903998853046546942
    That's not a great autocorrect.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,673

    Grenada
    Rather more significantly, Vietnam.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 37,351

    Stephen Miller suggesting that the USA need to surcharge Europe for the cost of Suez Canal related attack on the Houthi rebels.

    @hugorifkind.bsky.social‬

    It might not seem like the major issue, but the historical illiteracy of an American administration complaining that freeloading Europeans haven't done enough to militarily control the Suez Canal is quite the thing, eh?

    https://bsky.app/profile/hugorifkind.bsky.social/post/3ll6thkiurs2i
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,625
    Nigelb said:

    Rather more significantly, Vietnam.
    I was going to say Canada, but we’re not showing much evidence of differing so far.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,673

    Accepting that as a benchmark (I know little about it except they invaded without warning Thatcher), you are saying that we have not differed from the US on anyone's 'roguedom' for over 4 decades. And even with a relatively independent-minded leader like Thatcher we'd have probably 'caught up'.

    We do what America says. The only confusion at the moment is that Trump is an anti-establishment leader, so what's left of the US and global establisment is now on a different page to the White House. If Trump’s way sticks, it will be State visits for Mad Vlad and the Foreign Secretary trumpeting the huge and welcome decline in the latest figures for people being pushed out of windows, the same way we applaud the Saudis when they let women drive.
    You're missing the point which is that we didn't - and don't - have to.

    The disaster in Iraq is one which we might well have avoided, had the government at the time been different. It was certainly not without considerable opposition on both sides of the House, and among the electorate.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 26,066

    Fake news.
    His maw is from the Isle of Lewis (fake news in itself as it's actually the Isle of Lewis & Harris).
    Happy to be corrected on that one.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 26,066
    Eabhal said:

    Last time PB looked at this the £300 million was mostly spent on perfectly sensible things like buying the land needed.

    Anyway, I think this is basically fatal for the Labour London Party. Equivalent to 4GW of offshore wind, 9000 miles of cycle infrastructure or a quarter of HS2 to Manchester.
    Yes. But they are getting TWO BICYCLE BUSES !!!!

    (Which will inevitable not be very accessible. BASTARDS.)
  • Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 3,547
    Nigelb said:

    Shouldn't that be laudatio ?
    I'll take either.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 34,070

    Cash is dead, part 20,454.

    Transport for London says that fewer than one per cent of Tube journeys – there are more than three million each weekday – are cash fares.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/tube-train-passengers-cash-tickets-tfl-london-travelwatch-report-b1218442.html

    But that's mainly because they've made it so expensive to use cash. They need to reduce the cash fares and the number of people using cash will go up again.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 34,344
    Nigelb said:

    Rather more significantly, Vietnam.
    Very much to Harold Wilson's credit that he kept us out, in Spielbergs, AIUI, of his considerable liking for LBJ.
    Although, if LBJ HAD been re-elected, would he have pulled the plug on the Vietnam adventure?
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,812
    MaxPB said:

    It will only stop once Netanyahu Is removed. The guy is a maniac.
    That can't happen. If Bibi loses power he goes to jail. The next election will be pushed back.
  • BurgessianBurgessian Posts: 2,947

    Distaste for Europe is often built into American self-definition.

    Europe represents the old, the decadent, anxiety about one's own weakness. America is new, vitality, hoping for the salvation of white civilisation, for these people involved.

    In MAGA land Putin is a white crusading Christian nationalist, while Europe is a Muslim-occupied trans hell-hole. Sadly, I don't think I'm much exaggerating.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,812

    In MAGA land Putin is a white crusading Christian nationalist, while Europe is a Muslim-occupied trans hell-hole. Sadly, I don't think I'm much exaggerating.
    Putin would agree with that analysis.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 26,066
    edited March 25
    Returning from my walk, I've been listening to some Times Radio, and I'm probably ready to declare them part of the lobotomised MSM.

    Title "Leaked chat: Trump administration is ‘astonishingly incompetent’".
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK_lhcJN2Nw

    WTFFFFF?

    It's has been blatantly obvious what sort of thing would happen for months and months.

    The fools in the USA elect the Mickey Mouse Club to govern them, and it's going to hell in a handcart. Surprise ! Who knew? Only the entire effing world if they had the eyes to see.

    One of Trump's criminal trials was for stealing top secret material, lying to the FBI about it, and giving it to foreigners for personal benefit. Back in November he refused to put his transition team through standard security clearance.

    Why did Times Radio not get this? What did they expect?


    (Rant over)
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 9,904
    MaxPB said:

    No, no, no. We can't create an even bigger pull factor for asylum seekers. We need to get deporting the ones we have, not making more of them want to come here.
    The problem is we're not dealing with the current pull factors. It still astonishes me that people are willing to cross the channel in an inflatable to come to the UK. I think Labour need to introduce some bonkers draconian law that fines people £5k for accepting a deliveroo meal/car wash from an illegal immigrant - just nuke all the demand for cheap illicit labour.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 34,344
    edited March 25
    Nigelb said:

    You're missing the point which is that we didn't - and don't - have to.

    The disaster in Iraq is one which we might well have avoided, had the government at the time been different. It was certainly not without considerable opposition on both sides of the House, and among the electorate.
    I think if our friend HYUFD was here he'd suggest that that would have meant that Saddam Hussein ...... or by now probably one of his sons ....,., would still be in power in Iraq.
    I'm not entirely sure which would have been worse for the ordinary Iraqi in the coffee house.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 45,038

    Putin would agree with that analysis.
    Odd then, that his military is so dependent on Muslim Chechens...
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,673
    TimS said:

    I was going to say Canada, but we’re not showing much evidence of differing so far.
    I doubt we'll take part in the invasion...
  • FossFoss Posts: 1,329

    Odd then, that his military is so dependent on Muslim Chechens...
    Why? They either win - and a problem goes away and he wins - or they die - and a problem goes away and he wins.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 34,344
    Nigelb said:

    I doubt we'll take part in the invasion...
    I would hope we take part in resisting it.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,673
    edited March 25
    Cyclefree said:

    With all these endlessly long headers from you and @ydoethur, I hope I'm going to get grovelling apologies for the many times you've criticised the length of mine.

    I have never been given a word limit by OGH BTW.

    Among my very occasional negative comments on your excellent headers, I've never complained of their prolixity.

    Oddly, it's the professional writers who seem to have problems with their length.
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,625

    I think if our friend HYUFD was here he'd suggest that that would have meant that Saddam Hussein ...... or by now probably one of his sons ....,., would still be in power in Iraq.
    I'm not entirely sure which would have been worse for the ordinary Iraqi in the coffee house.
    It’s one of the more interesting alternative histories.

    I assume Saddam would have remained in power until 2011. Then the Arab Spring would have engulfed Iraq as it did Syria and North Africa. Saddam would have reacted brutally.

    Would Western countries have intervened then? Probably. What about Turkey, or Iran in the South? There would probably have been no ISIS because they were the heirs to AQ in Iraq.
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