wokeandwoofing @wokeandwoofing · 4h I'm doing a modern remake of 'Mrs Doubtfire' where the Daniel character doesn't use any prosthetics or wigs and just changes his pronouns. Everyone goes along with it except the mother, who protests. She's branded Transphobic and Daniel gets custody of the children.
At the risk of pointing out the obvious, wasn't hounding her out of her job the entire point of the exercise?
It's a good question. I think supporters of Sandie Peggie would say the point of the exercise is to protect women . But what does that rather abstract claim mean in this specific case? That Beth Upton should stop pretending to be a woman? That s/he shouldn't be a doctor? Or something else?
It means that Upton should not go into a room where women are changing their clothes for work. Its really that simple. Upton wanted to make an issue of this and was enthusiastically supported by a management completely committed to the transgender cause and totally indifferent to women's rights. I accept that as this spiralled out of control Upton became every bit as much of a victim as Peggie. The management responsible should be fired.
Which would be a simple policy change on changing room use, or in the case of NHS Fife, having one in the first place. It wouldn't be a suit of victimisation and discrimination, all of which failed at the tribunal. Maybe Sandie Peggie will get this overturned on appeal - we'll see - but it wouldn't then be a simple issue of changing room use. I would also challenge Peggie as a victim - demanding to know your colleague's chromosomes as they get changed are seems aggressive, and she also sued Dr Upton personally for harrassment, claims which were dismissed in their entirety.
Hungary's opposition leader Peter Magyar met Polish PM Donald Tusk in Munich and introduced Anita Orban as “Hungary’s future foreign minister,” joking that “her name is only a coincidence, Orban”
Hungary's opposition leader Peter Magyar met Polish PM Donald Tusk in Munich and introduced Anita Orban as “Hungary’s future foreign minister,” joking that “her name is only a coincidence, Orban”
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Didn't need to be in Cabinet to know how out of her depth Braverman was as Home Sec. As Dep Chairman of Home Affairs Select Comm I saw how dysfunctional she let the Home Office become week in week out. The graceless way she now blames colleagues who covered for her is shameful https://x.com/timloughton/status/2023037710290542858
I’m not going to keep going on this. If you want to criticise Rishi - fine. I get that. If you want to say Farage was right - again, I get that. If you want to say you failed to make the case, never asked for support, prepared no legislation or legal opinions, gave no speeches or interviews to make the case and only made statements that could be tweets, again I get that. The problem I have is not that you’re wrong, it’s that you were actually responsible, you were the Conservative Party and you were brought back into cabinet after being sacked - not over policy - and so had huge leverage and couldn’t handle the politics. So fine - I get it, you tried and failed but blaming others is just pretty poor.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
It's great technology in the hands of fools. They'll get it right eventually, and then it will be a real plus, as it is in Rugby and Cricket. It will take a while though. Might be a few years, but they will get there in the end.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
I've always believed that things like VAR take the game too far away from the grass roots. Same with hawkeye and various cricket and Rugby technology.
You should trust the official if they make mistakes it's part of the game and part of the respect for the game.
Today's ref let the game flow, their goal I've heard may have been offside on VAR had it been used, it was a cracking finish, it deserved a goal.
I could not sit there for 8 minutes waiting for a decision.
It's split second, it's raw, it's the roots of the game in my opinion. May be I'm just an old git
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
I've always believed that things like VAR take the game too far away from the grass roots. Same with hawkeye and various cricket and Rugby technology.
You should trust the official if they make mistakes it's part of the game and part of the respect for the game.
Today's ref let the game flow, their goal I've heard may have been offside on VAR had it been used, it was a cracking finish, it deserved a goal.
I could not sit there for 8 minutes waiting for a decision.
It's split second, it's raw, it's the roots of the game in my opinion. May be I'm just an old git
Perhaps the Welsh should stop playing rugby and merge with England like Wales do with the cricket.
Welsh rugby is not attracting young players and the sport seems to be dying here
It is so sad
Similarity with Windies in test cricket perhaps?
Young Windies cricketers want to chase the money
Yes, test cricket is not the road to riches. I was thinking more with the Wales comparison about how something that seemed to have a special cultural grip on a place no longer has. And how people outside those places feel sad about it because it had a sort of romance to it. Then again, did we feel the magic when we were getting whupped by Wales and Windies in the 70s? Probably not.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
Thats not what I said.
May be Usain Bolt coukd have bowled at 120mph
What I was told back in 1999 was that young Jamaicans weren't taking up Cricket but track and field and soccer.
A few years later Jamaica start delivering a massive seam of athletes and decent footballers like Ricardo Fuller.
I went to a cricket match at that time to see the new and perhaps last sensation of Indies cricket in Montego Bay. His name was Chris Gayle, he didn't turn out too bad
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
President Trump's longtime confidant Thomas Barrack, now serving as U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, was in regular, close contact with Jeffrey Epstein for years after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor https://x.com/PollTracker2024/status/2022745385513402555
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
Green in name only. If you have a green council look forward to fly tipping.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
I've always believed that things like VAR take the game too far away from the grass roots. Same with hawkeye and various cricket and Rugby technology.
You should trust the official if they make mistakes it's part of the game and part of the respect for the game.
Today's ref let the game flow, their goal I've heard may have been offside on VAR had it been used, it was a cracking finish, it deserved a goal.
I could not sit there for 8 minutes waiting for a decision.
It's split second, it's raw, it's the roots of the game in my opinion. May be I'm just an old git
Also rank unfairness is integral to football's visceral appeal. There's only one thing better than beating a bitter rival with a late goal and that is where it should have been disallowed.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
I think the number of Premier League footballers who might have been top lawyers or bankers is a select band
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
I've always believed that things like VAR take the game too far away from the grass roots. Same with hawkeye and various cricket and Rugby technology.
You should trust the official if they make mistakes it's part of the game and part of the respect for the game.
Today's ref let the game flow, their goal I've heard may have been offside on VAR had it been used, it was a cracking finish, it deserved a goal.
I could not sit there for 8 minutes waiting for a decision.
It's split second, it's raw, it's the roots of the game in my opinion. May be I'm just an old git
Yeah, all things considered I think it's best to do away with VAR.
wokeandwoofing @wokeandwoofing · 4h I'm doing a modern remake of 'Mrs Doubtfire' where the Daniel character doesn't use any prosthetics or wigs and just changes his pronouns. Everyone goes along with it except the mother, who protests. She's branded Transphobic and Daniel gets custody of the children.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
The idea behind VAR is to prevent clear and obvious errors. If an offside has to be measured with a micrometer then it is not "clear and obvious". No VAR decision should take more than seconds, and it can work that way, for example at the Qatar World Cup.
That said, I am not missing it in the Championship, despite the abysmal decline of my team.
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
Green in name only. If you have a green council look forward to fly tipping.
The usual problem is charging too much for waste disposal because "we want to discourage it". Thus making fly tipping economically viable.
Although I suspect 80% of the fly tipping round here comes from 5 or 6 specific locations where there seems to be an excess of tipper trucks. The police won't go near, of course.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
The idea behind VAR is to prevent clear and obvious errors. If an offside has to be measured with a micrometer then it is not "clear and obvious". No VAR decision should take more than seconds, and it can work that way, for example at the Qatar World Cup.
That said, I am not missing it in the Championship, despite the abysmal decline of my team.
They should change offside so as long as a part of the attacking player is in line with the last defender than it’s good. Would increase the number of goals.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
The idea behind VAR is to prevent clear and obvious errors. If an offside has to be measured with a micrometer then it is not "clear and obvious". No VAR decision should take more than seconds, and it can work that way, for example at the Qatar World Cup.
That said, I am not missing it in the Championship, despite the abysmal decline of my team.
They should change offside so as long as a part of the attacking player is in line with the last defender than it’s good. Would increase the number of goals.
Careful about that, though, increasing the number of goals. Football's appeal (in addition to the strong possibility of rank unfairness) relies on goals being rare events. You don't want it getting like basketball. High scoring games with the best team always winning.
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
Green in name only. If you have a green council look forward to fly tipping.
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
Green in name only. If you have a green council look forward to fly tipping.
He's a one man Momentum
Said it since day 1, he's very cunningly seduced and hijacked a political party.
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
Green in name only. If you have a green council look forward to fly tipping.
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
Green in name only. If you have a green council look forward to fly tipping.
He's a one man Momentum
Said it since day 1, he's very cunningly seduced and hijacked a political party.
You’re absolutely right but until other parties realise he’s just as much the enemy as Reform he will continue to get a free pass.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
Another PB bluenose? That's 3 by my count.
Lifelong. Railway Upper seats as a kid, Kop from late teens, Tilton Block 13 from 94 to 2013.... Occasional visitor these days. Occasional at Plainmoor.
Hungary's opposition leader Peter Magyar met Polish PM Donald Tusk in Munich and introduced Anita Orban as “Hungary’s future foreign minister,” joking that “her name is only a coincidence, Orban”
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
I quite that like that sentiment tbh. Comes from the right place, even if preposterously naive. According to the Facebook whoppers the Greens won't allow anyone out of their postcode and track them with 5G guided microchips; this suggests that concern is a bit overblown. It might be the case the Greens under Polanski are actually the most liberal of all the parties.
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
I quite that like that sentiment tbh. Comes from the right place, even if preposterously naive. According to the Facebook whoppers the Greens won't allow anyone out of their postcode and track them with 5G guided microchips; this suggests that concern is a bit overblown. It might be the case the Greens under Polanski are actually the most liberal of all the parties.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
The idea behind VAR is to prevent clear and obvious errors. If an offside has to be measured with a micrometer then it is not "clear and obvious". No VAR decision should take more than seconds, and it can work that way, for example at the Qatar World Cup.
That said, I am not missing it in the Championship, despite the abysmal decline of my team.
The equivalent of 'umpire's call' should not have been beyond football.
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
I quite that like that sentiment tbh. Comes from the right place, even if preposterously naive. According to the Facebook whoppers the Greens won't allow anyone out of their postcode and track them with 5G guided microchips; this suggests that concern is a bit overblown. It might be the case the Greens under Polanski are actually the most liberal of all the parties.
"Flytipping is fine by me!"
The people who toss bags of dog shit into the tops of the lime trees around my flat would be first against the wall in my Scotland.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
Another PB bluenose? That's 3 by my count.
Lifelong. Railway Upper seats as a kid, Kop from late teens, Tilton Block 13 from 94 to 2013.... Occasional visitor these days. Occasional at Plainmoor.
I grew up in Brum but not a Blues fan, although many at my school were.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
The idea behind VAR is to prevent clear and obvious errors. If an offside has to be measured with a micrometer then it is not "clear and obvious". No VAR decision should take more than seconds, and it can work that way, for example at the Qatar World Cup.
That said, I am not missing it in the Championship, despite the abysmal decline of my team.
They should change offside so as long as a part of the attacking player is in line with the last defender than it’s good. Would increase the number of goals.
Careful about that, though, increasing the number of goals. Football's appeal (in addition to the strong possibility of rank unfairness) relies on goals being rare events. You don't want it getting like basketball. High scoring games with the best team always winning.
Before VAR the laws gave no assistance in clarifying what 'level' actually meant in connection with offside. It was simply left to the discretion of referees. The precision of the new technology enabled hairline decisions to be made with extreme accuracy, but the authorities were characteristically slow to give any clarification to officials as to whether 'level' meant the arms, the legs, any part of the body or the central mass, or whatever. The result was that widely different and contradictory interpretations applied from game to game. They are starting to sort this out a bit now but they are slow learners and it will be a while yet before we get a sensible all-purpose definition. My own recommendation would be to use the feet, since that would be relatively easy to apply, and kind of makes sense.
I suspect the authorities will just blunder on for a while yet, making it up as they go along (just as they did with 'clear and obvious error' and other basic aspects of VAR.)
At the risk of pointing out the obvious, wasn't hounding her out of her job the entire point of the exercise?
It's a good question. I think supporters of Sandie Peggie would say the point of the exercise is to protect women . But what does that rather abstract claim mean in this specific case? That Beth Upton should stop pretending to be a woman? That s/he shouldn't be a doctor? Or something else?
It means that Upton should not go into a room where women are changing their clothes for work. Its really that simple. Upton wanted to make an issue of this and was enthusiastically supported by a management completely committed to the transgender cause and totally indifferent to women's rights. I accept that as this spiralled out of control Upton became every bit as much of a victim as Peggie. The management responsible should be fired.
If we use that article as a source, we can extract the following
The tribunal was told "...that Dr Upton was afraid to leave home because of a hostile “social media circus”..."
After being told that Upton had left the NHS, Susan Smith (director of For Women Scotland) said that she was "...not sure someone like that should have a place in the NHS...” and regarding Upton's future employment Smith said that she hoped "...anywhere that employs Dr Upton in future is aware of the risks they run with someone who clearly thrives on creating trouble...”
The article points out that "...All claims against Dr Upton were rejected..."
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
I think the number of Premier League footballers who might have been top lawyers or bankers is a select band
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
I quite that like that sentiment tbh. Comes from the right place, even if preposterously naive. According to the Facebook whoppers the Greens won't allow anyone out of their postcode and track them with 5G guided microchips; this suggests that concern is a bit overblown. It might be the case the Greens under Polanski are actually the most liberal of all the parties.
"Flytipping is fine by me!"
The people who toss bags of dog shit into the tops of the lime trees around my flat would be first against the wall in my Scotland.
When I saw that picture of Truss with Trump, I was reminded of the Duke of Windsor visiting Hitler and, to paraphrase Cadogan's comment about Sir Samuel Hoare:
"She'll be the Prime Minister of England when America conquers us and I am deported".
I also need to apologise for my post this morning which contained a huge inaccuracy pointed out by @MattW (which goes to show how many read my incoherent ramblings).
I meant to say "22 million including those on Housing Benefits". My sole mitigation was I had just read Rupert Lowe's rambling personal manifesto and I was feeling nauseous.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
I think the number of Premier League footballers who might have been top lawyers or bankers is a select band
of ZERO
Isn’t Ramon Vega who played for spurs now a crazy rich and successful investment banker? There are plenty of others who have done degrees post career and been successful. Weirdly mostly non Brits.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
I think the number of Premier League footballers who might have been top lawyers or bankers is a select band
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
I think the number of Premier League footballers who might have been top lawyers or bankers is a select band
of ZERO
Way back there was a footballer called Alan Giwland, he had a university degree but can't remember if he had a career as such.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
I think the number of Premier League footballers who might have been top lawyers or bankers is a select band
of ZERO
Way back there was a footballer called Alan Giwland, he had a university degree but can't remember if he had a career as such.
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
I think football fans thought VAR would be the same as the tv replays the pundits look at, and the bloopers, like those at Villa Park and The Etihad yesterday, would be obvious and sorted out quickly.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
The idea behind VAR is to prevent clear and obvious errors. If an offside has to be measured with a micrometer then it is not "clear and obvious". No VAR decision should take more than seconds, and it can work that way, for example at the Qatar World Cup.
That said, I am not missing it in the Championship, despite the abysmal decline of my team.
The equivalent of 'umpire's call' should not have been beyond football.
If you have ever had any direct dealings with the football authorities you will know that such common sense is completely beyond them. Even basic competence is unusual.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
I think the number of Premier League footballers who might have been top lawyers or bankers is a select band
of ZERO
Way back there was a footballer called Alan Giwland, he had a university degree but can't remember if he had a career as such.
Gowland
Brian Hall and Steve Heighway were both graduates and played in the same successful Liverpool team.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
I think the number of Premier League footballers who might have been top lawyers or bankers is a select band
of ZERO
Isn’t Ramon Vega who played for spurs now a crazy rich and successful investment banker? There are plenty of others who have done degrees post career and been successful. Weirdly mostly non Brits.
Mathieu Flamini is worth £10 billion - from biochemicals, oddly enough.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
I think the number of Premier League footballers who might have been top lawyers or bankers is a select band
of ZERO
Isn’t Ramon Vega who played for spurs now a crazy rich and successful investment banker? There are plenty of others who have done degrees post career and been successful. Weirdly mostly non Brits.
Giorgio Chiellini (who I've met, and who is super nice) has an MBA from a pretty decent business school.
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
I quite that like that sentiment tbh. Comes from the right place, even if preposterously naive. According to the Facebook whoppers the Greens won't allow anyone out of their postcode and track them with 5G guided microchips; this suggests that concern is a bit overblown. It might be the case the Greens under Polanski are actually the most liberal of all the parties.
"Flytipping is fine by me!"
The people who toss bags of dog shit into the tops of the lime trees around my flat would be first against the wall in my Scotland.
Scumbags like that should be fed it for a month
Whilst I agree with the sentiment, Malc, I'm puzzled by their logic. If you have picked the poo up in a bag you have done the difficult bit. Disposing of it properly is then easy. Hanging it in a tree negates the effort you have already made.
I've seen plenty of this strange fruit, but never actually caught someone doing it, so I have never had the opportunity to question them.
Dan Bloom @danbloom1 · 1h 👀 Patrick Wintour reports that Jonathan Powell:
— is weighing up leaving No. 10 at the end of this year — won't be the new No. 10 chief of staff — "very strongly advised" Keir Starmer not to appoint Peter Mandelson
As I posted at the time when all this kicked off, the STimes had reported via the former editor of Newstatesman that Powell had told Starmer NOT to appoint Mandelson. Yet for days after other papers were saying he argued for Mandelson and it is all partly his fault.
Disappointing to discover that the Team Snowboarding does not involve six people all standing on one really big smowboard.
It always disappoints me that the downhill skiers go down one at a time. How much more fun it would be if they were all released together and had to push and fight for position on the way down.
We'd be in with more a chance then. We could get Joey Barton to represent us.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
I think the number of Premier League footballers who might have been top lawyers or bankers is a select band
of ZERO
ISTR Martin O Neil studied law at university
Pat Nevin has a degree and is clearly highly intelligent. Then there's Graham Le Saux who went to uni and would have graduated if it weren't for needing to get going with the pro football. He reads the Guardian and visits museums.
Not only did that head of iceberg lettuce outlast you, Madam Briefest Prime Minister in the Entire History of the United Kingdom, that lettuce was also much, much smarter than you.
Here's another demonstration that the leader of the so-called Green Party is a total that who couldn't give a fuck about the environment. From Sky:
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
I quite that like that sentiment tbh. Comes from the right place, even if preposterously naive. According to the Facebook whoppers the Greens won't allow anyone out of their postcode and track them with 5G guided microchips; this suggests that concern is a bit overblown. It might be the case the Greens under Polanski are actually the most liberal of all the parties.
"Flytipping is fine by me!"
The people who toss bags of dog shit into the tops of the lime trees around my flat would be first against the wall in my Scotland.
Any response Kemi? Last time I looked Truss was still a member.
It's just so over the top. Like, I'd get if she genuinely likes Trump as a person and a leader (I'd disagree, but I'd get it), but 'right about everything' whilst sucking up for a photo? How lucrative is the american podcast circuit?
Farage likes Trump too and he doesn't gush so blatantly.
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
I recall being in Jamaica on late 90s.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
So who are all these top level Caribbean athletes and footballers who would have been international cricketers ?
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
I think the problem is that a lot of good West Indian athletes/sportsmen get picked up for sports scholarships in the US. It’s attractive to them as they get a good uni place and the potential for top class coaching on track and often get sidelined into American football.
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
But I’m not sure this is true. You can make millions in T20 cricket. Indeed it’s probably easier to do it in cricket than in ultra competitive NFL -or basketball where you need to be a physical freak in size
True, but for a lot of 16 year olds, when they have to really start specialising and considering future options if someone from UCLA is scouting you for a track scholarship where you will end up with a good step up the ladder or you have to hope you are one of the cricketers who will be great enough to get the big contracts, a lot will choose the former - totally understandably.
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
I think the number of Premier League footballers who might have been top lawyers or bankers is a select band
of ZERO
ISTR Martin O Neil studied law at university
Pat Nevin has a degree and is clearly highly intelligent. Then there's Graham Le Saux who went to uni and would have graduated if it weren't for needing to get going with the pro football. He reads the Guardian and visits museums.
Footballers aren't lacking in educational qualifications because they're not intelligent, it's because their clubs don't value their education
Dan Bloom @danbloom1 · 1h 👀 Patrick Wintour reports that Jonathan Powell:
— is weighing up leaving No. 10 at the end of this year — won't be the new No. 10 chief of staff — "very strongly advised" Keir Starmer not to appoint Peter Mandelson
As I posted at the time when all this kicked off, the STimes had reported via the former editor of Newstatesman that Powell had told Starmer NOT to appoint Mandelson. Yet for days after other papers were saying he argued for Mandelson and it is all partly his fault.
Comments
@wokeandwoofing
·
4h
I'm doing a modern remake of 'Mrs Doubtfire' where the Daniel character doesn't use any prosthetics or wigs and just changes his pronouns. Everyone goes along with it except the mother, who protests. She's branded Transphobic and Daniel gets custody of the children.
https://x.com/wokeandwoofing/status/2022994015185154327?s=20
Rank
Rigor Mortis
Reading
Riting
Rithmetic
Rachel
Reeves
Hold on, I have it:
Racists
In the professional era, sheer size of population and potential player pool is beginning to dominate, in rugby
For decades much smaller countries could, in various ways, punch above their weight
All blacks were the obvious example, but also wales and latterly Ireland
But now the biggest teams are the biggest countries. South Africa, France, England,
Italy rising. Argentina. Japan too
Australia somewhere in the middle
It’s a shame, as rugby was an exception to the law of bigness
Two Reform Councillors suspended for anti-Muslim comments have had the whip restored in the last 5 days:
Doncaster
Reform UK to restore whip to suspended Doncaster councillor following Facebook posts investigation
https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/politics/reform-uk-to-restore-whip-to-suspended-doncaster-councillor-following-investigation-in-facebook-posts-5597394
Lancashire
Suspended Padiham Reform UK councillor reinstated to party
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/25849178.suspended-padiham-reform-uk-councillor-reinstated-party/
“My name is Donald,” Tusk joked in response.
https://x.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/2022690671409188967
Perhaps the Welsh should stop playing rugby and merge with England like Wales do with the cricket.
Not long after Reggae Boyz got to WC98
A few locals told me it would kill Cricket as young lads who were already starting to go to US Colleges for Track and Field scholarships would play soccer too.
The great Welsh teams were honed in the Mines and Steel works.
Gatland fused a side for a decade that punched way above their weight
Maladministration hasn't helped.
Damn. I write like that anyway! Specifically, I over-use bold subheadings in title case followed by bullet points. Like this:
Three Reasons Why Viewcode Is Cool
- The general coolness of viewcode
- The specific coolness of viewcode
- The complete absence of not-coolness, leading to a not-coolness deficit, of the very cool viewcode
I shall have to find an AI-detector to see if my text triggers a thresholdIt is so sad
Very rare visit up home for Birmingham v Leeds FA Cup Tie.
Cracking game
Cracking atmosphere boosted by Leeds having full Away end
Best side lost but no complaints as goals win the game
But massive credit to a Referee who let the game flow, made all the right calls and did it with a smile.
Re-publican.
Yes, I know what you mean. No way for the UKs foremost political punditry space to behave.
Actual names.
Given how specialised top level sport is now plus how much more money there is in cricket compared with the last century the numbers lost is more probably minimal to zero.
Instead we got absurdly granular decisions, offsides to the nearest millimetre, handball for anything that brushes a players arm, and endless delays that have killed the spectacle. They should just use the tv replays we all see and if it’s not clear wave play on
Or just get rid
PICTURED: Liz Truss meets with Donald Trump at his golf course in Palm Beach
Didn't need to be in Cabinet to know how out of her depth Braverman was as Home Sec. As Dep Chairman of Home Affairs Select Comm I saw how dysfunctional she let the Home Office become week in week out. The graceless way she now blames colleagues who covered for her is shameful
https://x.com/timloughton/status/2023037710290542858
I’m not going to keep going on this. If you want to criticise Rishi - fine. I get that. If you want to say Farage was right - again, I get that. If you want to say you failed to make the case, never asked for support, prepared no legislation or legal opinions, gave no speeches or interviews to make the case and only made statements that could be tweets, again I get that. The problem I have is not that you’re wrong, it’s that you were actually responsible, you were the Conservative Party and you were brought back into cabinet after being sacked - not over policy - and so had huge leverage and couldn’t handle the politics. So fine - I get it, you tried and failed but blaming others is just pretty poor.
I’m happy for you to say “Reform and right and I was wrong” that at least is honest.
https://x.com/TomTugendhat/status/2023023365607289111
https://x.com/trussliz/status/2023061720017822019?s=20
Now they might not “make it” but if they have been focussed away from cricket from 16 to early 20s even if they were good cricketers that’s a lot of lost development time and very hard to switch back.
If you can run a crazy 100m time and you are well built run the potential to earn millions a year in American football is probably more a temptation than taking a risk on cricket where the pay and sponsorship will never come close and the employment numbers are lower in cricket.
You should trust the official if they make mistakes it's part of the game and part of the respect for the game.
Today's ref let the game flow, their goal I've heard may have been offside on VAR had it been used, it was a cracking finish, it deserved a goal.
I could not sit there for 8 minutes waiting for a decision.
It's split second, it's raw, it's the roots of the game in my opinion. May be I'm just an old git
I gladly chipped in to the Tom Wagner banner.
Labour are outdoing the last government in scandals and sleeze
And after everything Starmer said before the last election
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/15/labour-together-thinktank-inquiry-calls-journalists-investigation-keir-starmer?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
In soccer it’s awful.
May be Usain Bolt coukd have bowled at 120mph
What I was told back in 1999 was that young Jamaicans weren't taking up Cricket but track and field and soccer.
A few years later Jamaica start delivering a massive seam of athletes and decent footballers like Ricardo Fuller.
I went to a cricket match at that time to see the new and perhaps last sensation of Indies cricket in Montego Bay. His name was Chris Gayle, he didn't turn out too bad
I had friends at school who were scouted by top division football clubs and asked to join but turned it down because their plans were becoming lawyers or bankers etc because it was something they knew they would do well in and benefit financially long term whereas lots of young players disappear and then you’ve thrown away a life career. I know it’s not the same situation but it’s a major consideration for young people and parents.
So glad I’m a detached freehold
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cyv970141pro?at_ptr_name=twitter&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_link_origin=BBC_Kent&at_link_type=web_link&at_campaign_type=owned&at_format=link&at_link_id=F404DE12-085C-11F1-8F78-D963936B04C1&at_medium=social&at_campaign=Social_Flow
https://x.com/PollTracker2024/status/2022745385513402555
Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, told Sky's Trevor Phillips that policing waste crime may result in "an arms race of surveillance".
"Unless we're going to surveil people 24/7 all the time, and I think that has to be the last resort, I'd much rather look at behaviour change and get people to feel pride in their place," he said.
Fucking clueless.
(Democratic voters surveyed nationwide)
Below are some prominent Democrats. For each one, what is your overall view? (Net)
🟦✅AOC (+78)
🟦✅Pete Buttigieg (+68)
🟦✅Gavin Newsom (+66)
🟦✅Kamala Harris (+64)
🟦✅Gretchen Whitmer (+55)
🟦✅JB Pritzker (+51)
🟦✅Andy Beshear (+48)
🟦✅Joe Biden (+46)
🟦✅Josh Shapiro (+46)
🟦✅Hakeem Jeffries (+40)
🟦✅Wes Moore (+36)
🟦✅Chuck Schumer (+1)
https://x.com/PollTracker2024/status/2022784797148434797
BRACE!
That said, I am not missing it in the Championship, despite the abysmal decline of my team.
Although I suspect 80% of the fly tipping round here comes from 5 or 6 specific locations where there seems to be an excess of tipper trucks. The police won't go near, of course.
Isn't the rise in "Lab most seats" mostly down to the certainty that Starmer will not be leader for the GE, rather than confidence in him?
Said it since day 1, he's very cunningly seduced and hijacked a political party.
New photos give glimpse inside Iran’s bloody crackdown on anti-government protests
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/ng-interactive/2026/feb/15/new-photos-give-glimpse-inside-irans-bloody-crackdown-on-anti-government-protests
I suspect the authorities will just blunder on for a while yet, making it up as they go along (just as they did with 'clear and obvious error' and other basic aspects of VAR.)
https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/15925555/trans-doc-quits-nhs-sandie-peggie-case/
If we use that article as a source, we can extract the following
@trussliz
Right about everything. @realDonaldTrump
https://x.com/trussliz/status/2023061720017822019
Any response Kemi? Last time I looked Truss was still a member.
When I saw that picture of Truss with Trump, I was reminded of the Duke of Windsor visiting Hitler and, to paraphrase Cadogan's comment about Sir Samuel Hoare:
"She'll be the Prime Minister of England when America conquers us and I am deported".
I meant to say "22 million including those on Housing Benefits". My sole mitigation was I had just read Rupert Lowe's rambling personal manifesto and I was feeling nauseous.
She needs expelling.
Has the Leader a backbone.
I've seen plenty of this strange fruit, but never actually caught someone doing it, so I have never had the opportunity to question them.
@danbloom1
·
1h
👀 Patrick Wintour reports that Jonathan Powell:
— is weighing up leaving No. 10 at the end of this year
— won't be the new No. 10 chief of staff
— "very strongly advised" Keir Starmer not to appoint Peter Mandelson
https://x.com/danbloom1/status/2023081475340685348
===
As I posted at the time when all this kicked off, the STimes had reported via the former editor of Newstatesman that Powell had told Starmer NOT to appoint Mandelson. Yet for days after other papers were saying he argued for Mandelson and it is all partly his fault.
We'd be in with more a chance then. We could get Joey Barton to represent us.
@gtconway3d
Not only did that head of iceberg lettuce outlast you, Madam Briefest Prime Minister in the Entire History of the United Kingdom, that lettuce was also much, much smarter than you.
https://x.com/gtconway3d/status/2023075667458621743
Farage likes Trump too and he doesn't gush so blatantly.