When you think about it, it is a bit weird that Greenland is owned by Denmark. A small country in northern Europe being in charge of a massive landmass next to Canada.
There was a substantial Norwegian colony in Greenland from about 1000 to about 1400 at which point it died out. No-one knows what happened to it, but from genetic information it's possible survivors blended into the Inuit population. There were several attempts to revive the colony, with formal colonisation in the 18th century, by which point Norway was part of Denmark.
My view is that the colony became unviable, due to a worsening climate, and elephant ivory replacing walrus ivory. There is little evidence that the colonists died violently, or starved to death (once popular theories). Young people just left for Norway and Denmark, and those who did not wish to go died out.
Calling all cricket fans: what are England's chances of surviving today's play in Sydney?
Depends how long Australia keep batting. A reversion to losing 10 wickets in under 40 overs seems likely for England.
Though even if England lose today, 4 1 to Australia is still better than the 4 0 to Australia with 1 draw England got in their last 2 Ashes tours to Australia and the 5 0 to Australia result in 2013 (though England did win 3 1 and 1 draw in 2010)
When you think about it, it is a bit weird that India was owned by Blighty. A small country in northern Europe being in charge of a massive landmass next to China.
Denmark and the UK are slightly different.
Yes. And at the time India had far more obvious treasures to plunder than Greenland. And a better cuisine. Greenland cuisine gave voice to that great wartime song “Whale Meat Again.”
Imagine if chicken bhuna had never been discovered.
Calling all cricket fans: what are England's chances of surviving today's play in Sydney?
Depends how long Australia keep batting. A reversion to losing 10 wickets in under 40 overs seems likely for England.
Though even if England lose today, 4 1 to Australia is still better than the 4 0 to Australia with 1 draw England got in their last 2 Ashes tours to Australia and the 5 0 to Australia result in 2013 (though England did win 3 1 and 1 draw in 2010)
Maybe we should take a risk and make Bethell captain of the test team as well as the 20/20 team, because Stokes just keeps making too many tactical and strategic mistakes.
Sources said that in a presentation, ministers were told the government needed to gain back voters’ trust with three Es, emotion, empathy and evidence.
Sources said that in a presentation, ministers were told the government needed to gain back voters’ trust with three Es, emotion, empathy and evidence.
Depends if you want it to be about saving lives and road safety or about penalising drug users. If you want the former, then the limits for some substances should be raised. Cannabis the most obvious one - atm anyone taking it is likely to be over the limit for a few days afterwards even though in no sense impaired, so the irresponsible ones are deciding they may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb and the responsible ones are just risking an unjust ban at any point, meaning that the whole stigma attached to drug driving is being reduced as people (or young people anyway) now assume there's a high chance you were not, in fact, drug driving.
Meanwhile the smart ones get a medical marijuana prescription (not especially difficult if you're prepared to pay for it, there's literally adverts in my pharmacy) at which point the drug drive limits no longer apply.
Absolute insanity and a reminder of what Mrs May was like as Home Secretary.
Alongside our European allies, the UK made clear again today: Greenland belongs to its people, and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and Danes.
So what is controversial about that statement in it's entirety? "Greenland belongs to it's people and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes"?
It's all in the emphasis. She says it belongs to its people, not to Denmark. It's only a matter for the Danes because they are the current custodians. She also omits any mention of it being a matter for the EU or any other European country.
Putting it together it's clear that we are batting for Trump on this matter.
That’s consistent with what the Danes say as well.
When you think about it, it is a bit weird that Greenland is owned by Denmark. A small country in northern Europe being in charge of a massive landmass next to Canada.
Greenland isn’t owned by Denmark - it’s one of the constituent members of the Kingdom of Denmark
Sources said that in a presentation, ministers were told the government needed to gain back voters’ trust with three Es, emotion, empathy and evidence.
Chief Constable is likely toast now, well done to Nick Timothy MP for the campaign.
Is it known that he's a vice chairman of Conservative 'Friends of Israel'? I would imagine most whatever their ethnic background will side with the Chief Constable
Rogerdamus has spoken, expect the CC to be gone by the weekend.
Depends if you want it to be about saving lives and road safety or about penalising drug users. If you want the former, then the limits for some substances should be raised. Cannabis the most obvious one - atm anyone taking it is likely to be over the limit for a few days afterwards even though in no sense impaired, so the irresponsible ones are deciding they may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb and the responsible ones are just risking an unjust ban at any point, meaning that the whole stigma attached to drug driving is being reduced as people (or young people anyway) now assume there's a high chance you were not, in fact, drug driving.
Meanwhile the smart ones get a medical marijuana prescription (not especially difficult if you're prepared to pay for it, there's literally adverts in my pharmacy) at which point the drug drive limits no longer apply.
Absolute insanity and a reminder of what Mrs May was like as Home Secretary.
You are right that it lingers but cannabis is a special case anyway because, probably uniquely amongst illegal drugs and alcohol, if an abstinent driver is in a car with a smoking passenger, the driver will passively inhale the smoke and so be under the influence and over the limit.
White House: Trump and his team discussing options to acquire Greenland
Donald Trump and his team are discussing a range of methods for acquiring Greenland.
The US president has repeatedly made clear getting ahold of the territory is a "national security priority".
In a statement, the White House adds that "utilising the US military is always an option".
In response to queries from Reuters, it says:
"President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it's vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region. The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilising the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief's disposal."
Efforts to take control of it include buying the territory or forming a compact of free association with the island, Reuters reports, citing a senior US official.
They add that Trump wants the US to get ahold of Greenland during this current term in office and the issue is "not going away", despite objections from other NATO leaders.
It's the art of the deal. Eventually the resolution will be Denmark paying the US $1-2bn per year for a naval base in Greenland on a 100 year lease and a ratchet which gives the US some kind of mineral or drilling rights as part of it.
Trump didn't invade Venezuala, he removed the obstacle that prevented a deal being done that would deliver billions for US companies. I don't think the Greenland deal will be different, the implied threat of military action will be used to remove the obstacles to a permanent US military presence and mineral/oil rights for US companies.
He is the deals president, everything is measured in short term billions for US companies and nothing more. He doesn't give a fuck about Greenland or the people who live there, it's all about getting Denmark to pay up for his protection racket and gaining rights to natural resources for US companies.
It's a (maybe brutal) fact that Greenland is less likely to be taken over by China or Russia if it's being run by the USA rather than Denmark.
This “Russian Oil Tanker” in the North Atlantic story gets more intriguing by the hour.
It came from Iran, but never docked in Venezuela. It’s been reflagged as Russian, and Russia has sent a submarine and other naval assets to try and stop the Americans boarding it.
It’s supposed to be an empty oil tanker sanctioned by the West, but the rumour is that it’s full of Russian weapons.
I’m currently finishing American Psycho (published in 1991) and guess who gets mentioned every five pages or so as Patrick Bateman’s idol in the world of outrageous nihilism among late-1980s NYC yuppies. https://x.com/IAPonomarenko/status/2008665209515503833
Venezuela ‘turning over’ $2bn in oil to US, Trump says, in move that could cut supply to China Deal indicates Venezuelan government is responding to Trump’s demand that they open up to US oil companies or risk more military intervention https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/07/venezuela-oil-trump-us-latest
This “Russian Oil Tanker” in the North Atlantic story gets more intriguing by the hour.
It came from Iran, but never docked in Venezuela. It’s been reflagged as Russian, and Russia has sent a submarine and other naval assets to try and stop the Americans boarding it.
It’s supposed to be an empty oil tanker sanctioned by the West, but the rumour is that it’s full of Russian weapons.
A third possible use for the USAF's fleet of Globemasters and their special forces helicopters that landed in Britain over the weekend. Iran, Greenland or the Russian tanker with its mysterious cargo?
This “Russian Oil Tanker” in the North Atlantic story gets more intriguing by the hour.
It came from Iran, but never docked in Venezuela. It’s been reflagged as Russian, and Russia has sent a submarine and other naval assets to try and stop the Americans boarding it.
It’s supposed to be an empty oil tanker sanctioned by the West, but the rumour is that it’s full of Russian weapons.
A third possible use for the USAF's fleet of Globemasters and their special forces helicopters that landed in Britain over the weekend. Iran, Greenland or the Russian tanker with its mysterious cargo?
Don’t think it’s Greenland, that’s just posturing from Trump.
There is a NATO exercise on in the Baltics though, as well as Iran and this ghost ship.
Currently a US Coast Guard vessel close by, and it’s being tracked by P8 Poseidon aircraft. Presumably the plan is to land helicopters on it once they’re in range.
That Russia is seemingly coming to its defence definitely suggests it’s not just an empty old oil tanker. Some are even suggesting it could have a pile of Venezuelan gold on board, smuggled out before Maduro was disappeared, but that’s unlikely IMHO. The weapons rumour is more plausible, as Russia needs all the weapons they can get their hands on right now.
This “Russian Oil Tanker” in the North Atlantic story gets more intriguing by the hour.
It came from Iran, but never docked in Venezuela. It’s been reflagged as Russian, and Russia has sent a submarine and other naval assets to try and stop the Americans boarding it.
It’s supposed to be an empty oil tanker sanctioned by the West, but the rumour is that it’s full of Russian weapons.
A third possible use for the USAF's fleet of Globemasters and their special forces helicopters that landed in Britain over the weekend. Iran, Greenland or the Russian tanker with its mysterious cargo?
Don’t think it’s Greenland, that’s just posturing from Trump.
There is a NATO exercise on in the Baltics though, as well as Iran and this ghost ship.
Currently a US Coast Guard vessel close by, and it’s being tracked by P8 Poseidon aircraft. Presumably the plan is to land helicopters on it once they’re in range.
That Russia is seemingly coming to its defence definitely suggests it’s not just an empty old oil tanker. Some are even suggesting it could have a pile of Venezuelan gold on board, smuggled out before Maduro was disappeared, but that’s unlikely IMHO. The weapons rumour is more plausible, as Russia needs all the weapons they can get their hands on right now.
If the ship never made it to Venezuela – per your first link, https://x.com/trbrtc/status/2008628052973306154 – then if it is moving Russian weapons, it would be from Iran to Venezuela and now back to Russia, and we can rule out Venezuelan gold.
This “Russian Oil Tanker” in the North Atlantic story gets more intriguing by the hour.
It came from Iran, but never docked in Venezuela. It’s been reflagged as Russian, and Russia has sent a submarine and other naval assets to try and stop the Americans boarding it.
It’s supposed to be an empty oil tanker sanctioned by the West, but the rumour is that it’s full of Russian weapons.
A third possible use for the USAF's fleet of Globemasters and their special forces helicopters that landed in Britain over the weekend. Iran, Greenland or the Russian tanker with its mysterious cargo?
Don’t think it’s Greenland, that’s just posturing from Trump.
There is a NATO exercise on in the Baltics though, as well as Iran and this ghost ship.
Currently a US Coast Guard vessel close by, and it’s being tracked by P8 Poseidon aircraft. Presumably the plan is to land helicopters on it once they’re in range.
That Russia is seemingly coming to its defence definitely suggests it’s not just an empty old oil tanker. Some are even suggesting it could have a pile of Venezuelan gold on board, smuggled out before Maduro was disappeared, but that’s unlikely IMHO. The weapons rumour is more plausible, as Russia needs all the weapons they can get their hands on right now.
If the ship never made it to Venezuela – per your first link, https://x.com/trbrtc/status/2008628052973306154 – then if it is moving Russian weapons, it would be from Iran to Venezuela and now back to Russia, and we can rule out Venezuelan gold.
Yes it never docked in Venezuela, it seemingly came across the US blockade and turned around. Anything from there would need to have been transferred at sea, it’s possible the US saw something suspicious and decided to follow it.
There’s definitely something on that ship though, and the Russians know that the US knows. Weapons, drugs, gold, people..?
This “Russian Oil Tanker” in the North Atlantic story gets more intriguing by the hour.
It came from Iran, but never docked in Venezuela. It’s been reflagged as Russian, and Russia has sent a submarine and other naval assets to try and stop the Americans boarding it.
It’s supposed to be an empty oil tanker sanctioned by the West, but the rumour is that it’s full of Russian weapons.
A third possible use for the USAF's fleet of Globemasters and their special forces helicopters that landed in Britain over the weekend. Iran, Greenland or the Russian tanker with its mysterious cargo?
Don’t think it’s Greenland, that’s just posturing from Trump.
There is a NATO exercise on in the Baltics though, as well as Iran and this ghost ship.
Currently a US Coast Guard vessel close by, and it’s being tracked by P8 Poseidon aircraft. Presumably the plan is to land helicopters on it once they’re in range.
That Russia is seemingly coming to its defence definitely suggests it’s not just an empty old oil tanker. Some are even suggesting it could have a pile of Venezuelan gold on board, smuggled out before Maduro was disappeared, but that’s unlikely IMHO. The weapons rumour is more plausible, as Russia needs all the weapons they can get their hands on right now.
If the ship never made it to Venezuela – per your first link, https://x.com/trbrtc/status/2008628052973306154 – then if it is moving Russian weapons, it would be from Iran to Venezuela and now back to Russia, and we can rule out Venezuelan gold.
Yes it never docked in Venezuela, it seemingly came across the US blockade and turned around. Anything from there would need to have been transferred at sea, it’s possible the US saw something suspicious and decided to follow it.
There’s definitely something on that ship though, and the Russians know that the US knows. Weapons, drugs, gold, people..?
It might also explain the apparent tilt towards Ukraine (although we've seen before that the White House reacts to whoever spoke last) if the ship was thought to be carrying weapons to Venezuela for possible use against the United States. Shades of Cuba?
To be fair, I think Australia have questions to answer as well. For starters, WTF was Smith thinking in bowling Head and Labuschagne at the tail instead of Boland? Maybe time for Travis Head to be made captain in Cummins' absence.
To be fair, I think Australia have questions to answer as well. For starters, WTF was Smith thinking in bowling Head and Labuschagne at the tail instead of Boland? Maybe time for Travis Head to be made captain in Cummins' absence.
Team orders to make it last five days for the cash.
Depends if you want it to be about saving lives and road safety or about penalising drug users. If you want the former, then the limits for some substances should be raised. Cannabis the most obvious one - atm anyone taking it is likely to be over the limit for a few days afterwards even though in no sense impaired, so the irresponsible ones are deciding they may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb and the responsible ones are just risking an unjust ban at any point, meaning that the whole stigma attached to drug driving is being reduced as people (or young people anyway) now assume there's a high chance you were not, in fact, drug driving.
Meanwhile the smart ones get a medical marijuana prescription (not especially difficult if you're prepared to pay for it, there's literally adverts in my pharmacy) at which point the drug drive limits no longer apply.
Absolute insanity and a reminder of what Mrs May was like as Home Secretary.
I think cannabis users are impaired for quite a long time after smoking. In particular concentration and apathy affect judgement for a prolonged period, well into the next day and beyond.
One particularly dangerous aspect is there is evidence that cannabis users believe they are back to normal even when they are not:
This is a pernicious part of cannabis use. Users are more impaired across many dimensions of social and psychological functioning than they think they are, and often highly critical or even aggressive when people point this out to them.
Like most youngsters I dabbled a bit with drugs socially back in the Eighties and favoured more liberal laws, but over the years I have become much more aware of the harms. This is partly from professional experience, but also from observing what drugs did to some of my school friends. I think only one death, but thrre were many lives ruined, often the spouses and children of those users.
This “Russian Oil Tanker” in the North Atlantic story gets more intriguing by the hour.
It came from Iran, but never docked in Venezuela. It’s been reflagged as Russian, and Russia has sent a submarine and other naval assets to try and stop the Americans boarding it.
It’s supposed to be an empty oil tanker sanctioned by the West, but the rumour is that it’s full of Russian weapons.
A third possible use for the USAF's fleet of Globemasters and their special forces helicopters that landed in Britain over the weekend. Iran, Greenland or the Russian tanker with its mysterious cargo?
Don’t think it’s Greenland, that’s just posturing from Trump.
There is a NATO exercise on in the Baltics though, as well as Iran and this ghost ship.
Currently a US Coast Guard vessel close by, and it’s being tracked by P8 Poseidon aircraft. Presumably the plan is to land helicopters on it once they’re in range.
That Russia is seemingly coming to its defence definitely suggests it’s not just an empty old oil tanker. Some are even suggesting it could have a pile of Venezuelan gold on board, smuggled out before Maduro was disappeared, but that’s unlikely IMHO. The weapons rumour is more plausible, as Russia needs all the weapons they can get their hands on right now.
If the ship never made it to Venezuela – per your first link, https://x.com/trbrtc/status/2008628052973306154 – then if it is moving Russian weapons, it would be from Iran to Venezuela and now back to Russia, and we can rule out Venezuelan gold.
Yes it never docked in Venezuela, it seemingly came across the US blockade and turned around. Anything from there would need to have been transferred at sea, it’s possible the US saw something suspicious and decided to follow it.
There’s definitely something on that ship though, and the Russians know that the US knows. Weapons, drugs, gold, people..?
It might also explain the apparent tilt towards Ukraine (although we've seen before that the White House reacts to whoever spoke last) if the ship was thought to be carrying weapons to Venezuela for possible use against the United States. Shades of Cuba?
To be fair, I think Australia have questions to answer as well. For starters, WTF was Smith thinking in bowling Head and Labuschagne at the tail instead of Boland? Maybe time for Travis Head to be made captain in Cummins' absence.
Team orders to make it last five days for the cash.
All 5th day proceeds go to charity.
50% to the Mcgrath foundation and 50% to cricket Australia charities.
There are some mad - and possibly apocryphal - stories about engineers eating poppy seed sandwiches, distillery workers, posties and so on picking up trace amounts of drugs and alcohol and being dismissed as a result.
Sources said that in a presentation, ministers were told the government needed to gain back voters’ trust with three Es, emotion, empathy and evidence.
Surely this could be easily resolved by the beneficial owner showing some patriotism and cancelling the lease?
Environmental surveys are so woke, don't you think? No wonder we can't build new prisons what with the bat tunnels and poisonous, radioactive gases.
The levels of Radon we are talking about are unlikely to harm anyone.
The real bullshit is the “mitigation”. Previously it’s obviously been done badly - probably as cheaply as possible.
It’s pretty simple. Radon comes out of the granite below the ground. Mitigation is to install ventilation at/below ground level. Since it is hard work cutting ventilation ducts through granite walls, the contractors cheated/didn’t bother to do it right.
Ben Wallace being pretty uncompromising about crooked thieving Donald on R4 this am. Though Justin Webb brought up Badenoch’s appeasing bollocks about kidnapping Maduro being the moral thing to do, with his customary feebleness he didn’t ask Wallace what he thought about it.
When you think about it, it is a bit weird that Greenland is owned by Denmark. A small country in northern Europe being in charge of a massive landmass next to Canada.
Greenland isn’t owned by Denmark - it’s one of the constituent members of the Kingdom of Denmark
Is that like England don't own Scotland but actually act as if they do
Surely this could be easily resolved by the beneficial owner showing some patriotism and cancelling the lease?
Why is the government leasing expensive buildings rather than owning them?
Is this just another example of poor PFI type deals like in NHS and MOD that push liabilities off the balance sheet?
Dartmoor Prison has been leased since 1850. The report makes it seem like this is something new but it isn't.
They didn't have to renew the lease though. Renewed in a panic as there was no spare capacity to move the prisoners elsewhere because MoJ just let prisons run into crisis.
I think I've been on PB since about 2008/2009 (lurking at first) and from what I've learned, it seems things mostly don't happen.
Most things predicted on PB never happen. I think though you'll find that things in general happen at a pretty constant rate. Perhaps at an entirely constant rate. And if there's any variation it could be a big thing. But we don't know what big means. Or what 'means' means.
We're certainly not very good on PB at predicting what will happen, if the results of the 2025 PB Prediction Competition* are anything to go by.
(*Results which I hope to publish in the next week or so once the last result is in and I have time to collate the numbers.)
I'd find it personally helpful if you don't publish the results on here. Could you just notify the winner(s) privately? We don't need a league table. Thanks.
Yes, I can see from the provisional results why you might.
Though rest assured you are going to be well above that duffer @Benpointer in the published final table.
Well,I was in the relegation zone last year. My expectation is the same this year.
Sorry @Taz your entry was excluded as you were relegated last year.
😂😂
Being a Birmingham City fan the one certainty is relegations
Comments
Ex wife Kellyanne was of course the "alternate facts " lady.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/06/labour-government-emotion-link-starmer-mcsweeney
And the spinner not used stock can’t have gone down. -
Meanwhile the smart ones get a medical marijuana prescription (not especially difficult if you're prepared to pay for it, there's literally adverts in my pharmacy) at which point the drug drive limits no longer apply.
Absolute insanity and a reminder of what Mrs May was like as Home Secretary.
It came from Iran, but never docked in Venezuela. It’s been reflagged as Russian, and Russia has sent a submarine and other naval assets to try and stop the Americans boarding it.
It’s supposed to be an empty oil tanker sanctioned by the West, but the rumour is that it’s full of Russian weapons.
https://x.com/trbrtc/status/2008628052973306154
https://x.com/oalexanderdk/status/2008702026553966661
https://x.com/sentdefender/status/2008700853536903227
https://x.com/visegrad24/status/2008734647845634129
https://x.com/IAPonomarenko/status/2008665209515503833
Deal indicates Venezuelan government is responding to Trump’s demand that they open up to US oil companies or risk more military intervention
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/07/venezuela-oil-trump-us-latest
There is a NATO exercise on in the Baltics though, as well as Iran and this ghost ship.
Currently a US Coast Guard vessel close by, and it’s being tracked by P8 Poseidon aircraft. Presumably the plan is to land helicopters on it once they’re in range.
That Russia is seemingly coming to its defence definitely suggests it’s not just an empty old oil tanker. Some are even suggesting it could have a pile of Venezuelan gold on board, smuggled out before Maduro was disappeared, but that’s unlikely IMHO. The weapons rumour is more plausible, as Russia needs all the weapons they can get their hands on right now.
https://x.com/thenewarea51/status/2008734863407435799
Now do the batsmen have the patience to keep going until lunch time tomorrow?
White House sources claim it helped persuade some that Maduro wasn’t taking US threats seriously — and then they unleashed strikes on Caracas
https://www.thetimes.com/us/news-today/article/trump-dance-moves-steal-president-maduro-venezuela-jail-76w9mbnjb (£££)
Thoughts and prayers for future historians.
There’s definitely something on that ship though, and the Russians know that the US knows. Weapons, drugs, gold, people..?
Or Zak Crawley opening the batting
Or Will Jacks playing as the spinner
Then we will have to conclude the ECB have given up even pretending to care about Test cricket.
I see the USA gets more demented by the day.
"US President Donald Trump has been discussing "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including use of the military, the White House said."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyg1jg8xkmo
One particularly dangerous aspect is there is evidence that cannabis users believe they are back to normal even when they are not:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40077985/
This is a pernicious part of cannabis use. Users are more impaired across many dimensions of social and psychological functioning than they think they are, and often highly critical or even aggressive when people point this out to them.
Like most youngsters I dabbled a bit with drugs socially back in the Eighties and favoured more liberal laws, but over the years I have become much more aware of the harms. This is partly from professional experience, but also from observing what drugs did to some of my school friends. I think only one death, but thrre were many lives ruined, often the spouses and children of those users.
50% to the Mcgrath foundation and 50% to cricket Australia charities.
It's £15 to get in
Surely this could be easily resolved by the beneficial owner showing some patriotism and cancelling the lease?
Is this just another example of poor PFI type deals like in NHS and MOD that push liabilities off the balance sheet?
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jan/07/iron-age-war-trumpet-find-britain-norfolk-boudicca-links
The real bullshit is the “mitigation”. Previously it’s obviously been done badly - probably as cheaply as possible.
It’s pretty simple. Radon comes out of the granite below the ground. Mitigation is to install ventilation at/below ground level. Since it is hard work cutting ventilation ducts through granite walls, the contractors cheated/didn’t bother to do it right.
He really treats his parliamentary duties and constituents with contempt. Quite apart from his politics his attitude stinks.
NEW THREAD
Renewed in a panic as there was no spare capacity to move the prisoners elsewhere because MoJ just let prisons run into crisis.
Being a Birmingham City fan the one certainty is relegations