After my report of two flags per lamppost in Redditch and rural North Worcestershire yesterday, today the roundabouts of Shrewsbury were resplendent with their new Union flags.
To be fair to Shrewsbury it is close enough to Wales to ward off the Taffs.
We have to go through Shrewsbury on the train to get to Cardiff, Aberystwyth, and Pwllheli
I was coming back from Denbigh. There isn't a good route South. My preferred route is via Aberystwyth, but today I followed the SatNav to Leominster and then went off piste over the Beacons. I couldn't face the Wye Bridge in Hereford. No flags to report except for Shrewsbury.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
Oh yes; his ability to engage with the audience is head and shoulders above any other comedian out there. He's not just churning out a well rehearsed routine, he's able to take questions and be funny and personable. I'm hoping i'll get to see him this summer in the US.
I've told any number of jokes since university that could have ended my career a thousand times over. Many were offensive.
We need to be a bit less outraged if we don't want a humourless society.
People often tell jokes because they want other people to applaud them for being so clever and witty, instead of for the purpose of making other people laugh, and in the former case they are terribly put out if you don't react how they want you to.
Someone who is genuinely funny will know their audience and choose their jokes to please their audience (rather than themselves).
That is why, for example, Stewart Lee is a tremendous comedian. He really knows his audience.
Stewart Lee, professional comedian
Malcolm Offord, not a professional comedian
Putting aside all the pearl clutching and fake offence here why would you book him as an after dinner speaker ?
Is he known on the circuit or were they on a budget and couldn’t afford Lee Hurst
I can’t say I’d be shelling out cash to hear his routine.
I looked into this a little a while back and basically anyone interesting will cost you an absolute fortune, and for anyone else then I'd agree, why would you bother?
And besides, in any group of a hundred or so people there will be a natural comic. My mother's speech at my wedding had everyone in stitches.
Stephen Fisher's local election net seat gains/losses projections for May 2026:
Con -1010 Lab -1900 LD +200 Green +450 Reform +2260
There are 4,851 council seats up for election. If these numbers are correct then at least 60% will change hands, with Reform winning almost half of the total number up for election.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
And both with something weird going on with their hair.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I don't think so. Monkhouse was rarely cruel, while Carr and Gervais often are "edgy".
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I don't think so. Monkhouse was rarely cruel, while Carr and Gervais often are "edgy".
Tim Vine is more like Monkhouse.
Carr was dead the moment he started doing the "Look, this next joke is going to be edgy" commentary instead of just doing the jokes. Not to mention his recent descent into sub-Jordan-Petersen podcast life advice guy.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
Eddie Izzard at his best had the most profound comic timing. He was so precise that, during one of his prolonged gags, even a well-timed shrug would have you doubled over like a Fent addict, with laughter
Also: Jeremy Clarkson. He is not a trillionaire and worldwide celeb because he is really knowledgeable about cars. He is mega famous and rich because he's a naturally genius comedian, with exquisite timing, PLUS he has clever comic ideas and can see the comedy in others
Not really. A joke should have some vague attempt at being funny. It has no importance beyond confirming that Offord is an arse but you can’t just pass off something obnoxious as “it was just a joke”. Crass behaviour should be called out
Badging something 'joke' isn't a license to spew crude nauseating bigotry and escape being viewed badly because of it.
Come now, totally unfair to judge someone whose theoretical stock in trade is communication, persuasion and taking people with you over their misreading of an audience.
I think I'm in a parallel universe sometimes. It's not po-faced or sanctimonious to not want 'that' or the purveyors of it in positions of power, is it. Surely it isn't. It's draining the swamp, isn't it. Draining the swamp. If only.
I’m getting the impression that those outraged over the ‘pearl clutchers’ seem to be the most outraged.
My idea of free speech is that people should be able to say all sorts of wanky stuff and that others should be able to call them horrible arseholes for it. Offord isn’t being prosecuted or fired, he’s just a public figure having things he said publicly pointed out.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I don't think so. Monkhouse was rarely cruel, while Carr and Gervais often are "edgy".
Tim Vine is more like Monkhouse.
Tim Vine once held the world record for the number of jokes told in an hour - 499!
A vile death hoax claim made about Liverpool legend Kevin Keegan has been quashed after a post on social media claimed he had only days to live.
Liverpool & Wales great Toshack diagnosed with dementia
Salah leaving for Saudi
Bad week for Liverpool
Keegans finest moment was nothing to do with football but his reaction to falling off his bike on superstars when he dismissed the mess of his arm as ‘only a graze’ . Cannot imagine footballers of today competing in such a thing never mind brushing off a horrific looking injury straight after getting up
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
Eddie Izzard at his best had the most profound comic timing. He was so precise that, during one of his prolonged gags, even a well-timed shrug would have you doubled over like a Fent addict, with laughter
Also: Jeremy Clarkson. He is not a trillionaire and worldwide celeb because he is really knowledgeable about cars. He is mega famous and rich because he's a naturally genius comedian, with exquisite timing, PLUS he has clever comic ideas and can see the comedy in others
Not really. A joke should have some vague attempt at being funny. It has no importance beyond confirming that Offord is an arse but you can’t just pass off something obnoxious as “it was just a joke”. Crass behaviour should be called out
It has no importance full stop.
It’s a joke. Some people find it funny, some don’t.
Waiting 8 years to call out this so called crass behaviour is a bit odd.
When is it a joke vs being offensive. I’m always curious
It's a joke if it's funny.
Does that make Mrs Browns Boys offensive !!
On reflection, I take it back. My earlier post was particularly glib. A joke can be funny or unfunny. And cam be offensive or unoffensive. And something cam be funny without being a joke. I think something is a joke if you mean it a) to amuse and b) insincerely. But you can be funny without joking. I have no doubt David Mitchell feels as strongly as he appears to about the absurdity of the Americanism "I could care less" - he isn't joking - but he still makes me laugh. And Mrs Brown's boys is definitely jokes, but doesn't make me laugh. Funjy, though, depends on the intended audience. Clrarly many people find MBB hilarious. Basically we have a three-circled Venn diagram, labelled 'jokes', 'offensive' and 'funny'. Something can be all three, or just two, or just one, or none at all. And you can get away with offensive IF AMD ONLY IF you are also in the 'joke' and 'funny' categories.
Off topic, but I found this deeply moving. We are so used to reviling examples of human depravity and we encounter so many in the news, but it's much rarer that the spotlight is focused on an example of its opposite, as here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9q58xq9lxzo
The courage and the resourcefulness of this man is truly awe-inspiring.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I don't think so. Monkhouse was rarely cruel, while Carr and Gervais often are "edgy".
Tim Vine is more like Monkhouse.
Carr was dead the moment he started doing the "Look, this next joke is going to be edgy" commentary instead of just doing the jokes. Not to mention his recent descent into sub-Jordan-Petersen podcast life advice guy.
Monkhouse was the master of the Vine one liner.
Monkhouse was the master of the 1 minute and 2 minute joke
I can’t believe that anyone believes that McSweeney’s phone was actually stolen
It's less insultingly implausible than the Barnard Castle story. Or anything Nick Timothy has said, ever.
Is the real lesson of this that the role of political Svengali attracts idiots and it would save us all time to assume their idiocy, rather than having to wait for evidence?
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I don't think so. Monkhouse was rarely cruel, while Carr and Gervais often are "edgy".
Tim Vine is more like Monkhouse.
Tim Vine once held the world record for the number of jokes told in an hour - 499!
It staggers me thar someone as excellent as Tim Vine can have such a Dickhead as a brother.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I don't think so. Monkhouse was rarely cruel, while Carr and Gervais often are "edgy".
Tim Vine is more like Monkhouse.
Tim Vine once held the world record for the number of jokes told in an hour - 499!
It staggers me thar someone as excellent as Tim Vine can have such a Dickhead as a brother.
I can’t believe that anyone believes that McSweeney’s phone was actually stolen
It's less insultingly implausible than the Barnard Castle story. Or anything Nick Timothy has said, ever.
Is the real lesson of this that the role of political Svengali attracts idiots and it would save us all time to assume their idiocy, rather than having to wait for evidence?
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I don't think so. Monkhouse was rarely cruel, while Carr and Gervais often are "edgy".
Tim Vine is more like Monkhouse.
Carr was dead the moment he started doing the "Look, this next joke is going to be edgy" commentary instead of just doing the jokes. Not to mention his recent descent into sub-Jordan-Petersen podcast life advice guy.
In what way dead? Still seams to be doing alright for himself.
Good evening all. Just catching up after a busy day. Where’s the one Tory seat in the Senedd located? Is there an opportunity to tactically vote it away for the LOLZ? Tories 0 seats would be funnier than any Bob Monkhouse joke, in fact even funnier than anything that Malcolm Offord would laugh at.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
It's genuinely brilliant, Richard, but that's the 25th time it's been posted on here this week.
Going to join pineapple on pizza, this one, I think.
And why the hell not.
It's all about the telling of the joke. When I posted it I got four flags. Richard is currently on seven likes.
Off topic, but I found this deeply moving. We are so used to reviling examples of human depravity and we encounter so many in the news, but it's much rarer that the spotlight is focused on an example of its opposite, as here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9q58xq9lxzo
The courage and the resourcefulness of this man is truly awe-inspiring.
Great story.
Though he clearly lives for danger:
"Newby, who was being treated for a chest infection at the time, said he had gone outside for a vape"
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I agree. They are very similar in terms of delivery, and in telling "jokes"/ one liners rather than recounting humorous stories. Both a bit smarmy. They both leave me somewhat cold to be honest, although of the two I'd say Monkhouse is preferable. My wife likes Monkhouse but hates Carr.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
It's genuinely brilliant, Richard, but that's the 25th time it's been posted on here this week.
Going to join pineapple on pizza, this one, I think.
And why the hell not.
It's all about the telling of the joke. When I posted it I got four flags. Richard is currently on seven likes.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I don't think so. Monkhouse was rarely cruel, while Carr and Gervais often are "edgy".
Tim Vine is more like Monkhouse.
Carr was dead the moment he started doing the "Look, this next joke is going to be edgy" commentary instead of just doing the jokes. Not to mention his recent descent into sub-Jordan-Petersen podcast life advice guy.
In what way dead? Still seams to be doing alright for himself.
Sorry, dead to me. I am particular about comedians.
It looks as though current Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is going to have first go at forming a Government in coalition with the Socialistiske Folkeparti and the Radikale Venstre. That would be a minority Government but if it were unopposed by the Moderates under Rasmussen and the other parties in the "red" block, could probably serve a term.
Kemi and her front bench team are going to have to u-turn on this, so they are in future backed up by the science and the facts in what they are claiming.
No they don't. They say it won't change oil and gas prices, which it won't.
As a matter of economics, it will earn the country money, and won't make any difference at all to our oil and gas consumption.
We could even put the £2bn or so extra that government might earn into solar plus grid backup projects.
So there is no good argument not to do it.
The Unions game here is wholly interested in taxpayers money keeping people in jobs, by government subsidising any industry, anywhere, that’s not economically viable or profit making. That’s what Unions are doing in the lobby.
The industry lobby says it’s all government policy decision, not geology at all. Green Lobby says UK North Sea is waning due to geology, and UK policy is still too much commitment to drilling fossil fuel for far too long. Here’s an example of Green Lobby spin: https://www.upliftuk.org/post/the-declining-economics-of-the-north-sea
North Sea policy is a war. There’s various sides, each have vested interest in not sticking to fact or balance - including government with their net zero policy, and the Conservatives who invented net zero policy in office, but prefer to argue Populist position against net zero in opposition.
Truth is the first casualty of war. It’s very hard to for us to spot what’s smartest in long run with this one imho.
That's just babble. If the government allowed licenses for the new fields, industry would develop them at their own expense.
There's no argument about that.
Nigel - but this is exactly the point I am arguing about. 🤷♀️
Industry would not develop them at their own expense. They haven’t even been doing so, even when the basins were more mature than they are now. Private ventures drilling UKs North Sea do this with bungs of tax payers money.
Remember the bad old days before Lady Thatcher, where factories, coal pits etc etc etc were not making profit, but Labour and the Unions were bunging them help with tax payers money? That’s what Kemi and Farage are pushing for, from the opposition benches.
Both Farage and Kemi have said the same thing at PMQs this past week. UK gets All the gas. Factually not true. UK gas prices will be cheaper. Factually not true. But thirdly, quite importanty what they are not saying, the jobs are secured, the private ventures take a dividend, but based on a hefty tax payer bung to the new drilling.
The UK is highly integrated with the European gas market, being physically linked with the wider continent through undersea pipelines. It will be the European market price UK customers will pay, unless we can change that marginally buy pumping an awful lot more than anyone’s currently suggesting.
UK needs to make the right decision here, for now, the short term, medium and long term of National interest. The post you called babble was me saying, wherever we go for the facts of what that is,we are being met with spin, lobby groups, vested interests, and political opportunism.
And your “unarguable point” is one of very many arguable nuances towards getting it right - especially for anyone with a liking and a love for Thatcherism. Kemi Badenoch was in bed with the UK Unions and 1970s British Socialism at Lunchtime today. When in coalition government with Reform after the next election, both Kemi and Farage will hang portraits of Lady Thatcher in their offices. But that’s fake, it’s ignorance and cosplay, if they’re not practicing the economic philosophy Lady Thatcher bequeathed to us.
Don’t use ChatGPT
Instead look at the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. They are drilling wells. Lots of them. Right next door to fields we are shutting down.
I’m glad you brought that up.
The fourth piece of ignorance both Kemi and Farage are bringing to the North Sea drilling debate is where they keep saying Norway are doing it, so why don’t we - as though it’s as easy as copying Norway to get the same result for UK that Norway will get. That line is a con. To coin a phrase: One Piece Economics. Just go and pick up the treasure and get rich. In many ways UK in a vastly different place than Norway regarding this.
Direct ownership in oil/gas fields is very different currently between the two countries, meaning income is going to be very different. The Norwegian oil and gas industry is not fully nationalized, but it is heavily controlled by the state through a hybrid model. The state owns all resource rights, holds a 67% stake in Equinor, and maintains direct financial interests in fields and infrastructure via Petoro. With these different models, while UK and Norway have produced similar total volumes of oil and gas over the years, their financial outcomes differ by quite a bit. In 2018, for recent example, Norway generated roughly 34 times more oil tax revenue than the UK from similar total volumes.
In recent years - once you look at net figure minus all the bungs making it happen - UK government income has been averaging £3.5BN. No new drilling, this falls to £300M by the end of this decade. With the new drilling Farage, Kemi {and their economic advisors the Unions} are pushing for, it is £1.5B income at end of this decade instead of the £300M. It’s definitely not the great easy to pick up treasure trove being spurned, that it’s being made out to be.
The geology was never perfectly split. Eight of the ten largest fields in the North Sea are located in Norwegian waters. Norway's sector tends to have thicker reservoirs and larger "structural closures," which provide longer production tails. Norway still has relatively underexplored "frontier" areas like the Barents Sea. And UK pumped ours out faster leading to UK production peak in the last century - 1999.
The two countries are in different places as regards what they have left, and how they have been generating income from it. Are you saying this is factually wrong to say?
There’s a really great Norwegian tv series about that called State of Happiness . It’s 3 seasons , it’s a shame BBC Iplayer only now have the 3rd . If you get a chance to find the whole series I’m sure you’d enjoy it .
If you talk to people actually in the industry, the reasons for the shutdowns (apart from The licensing stuff) is things like inconsistent tax regime and the demand to move to “green” power for the rigs.
The Norwegians have a stable, consistent tax regime that makes investing in operations predictable in the long term. And while they are pushing for “green” power on the rigs, they are not mandating it, to the point of killing stuff off.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
It's genuinely brilliant, Richard, but that's the 25th time it's been posted on here this week.
Going to join pineapple on pizza, this one, I think.
And why the hell not.
It's all about the telling of the joke. When I posted it I got four flags. Richard is currently on seven likes.
When is it a joke vs being offensive. I’m always curious
It's a joke if it's funny.
Does that make Mrs Browns Boys offensive !!
On reflection, I take it back. My earlier post was particularly glib. A joke can be funny or unfunny. And cam be offensive or unoffensive. And something cam be funny without being a joke. I think something is a joke if you mean it a) to amuse and b) insincerely. But you can be funny without joking. I have no doubt David Mitchell feels as strongly as he appears to about the absurdity of the Americanism "I could care less" - he isn't joking - but he still makes me laugh. And Mrs Brown's boys is definitely jokes, but doesn't make me laugh. Funjy, though, depends on the intended audience. Clrarly many people find MBB hilarious. Basically we have a three-circled Venn diagram, labelled 'jokes', 'offensive' and 'funny'. Something can be all three, or just two, or just one, or none at all. And you can get away with offensive IF AMD ONLY IF you are also in the 'joke' and 'funny' categories.
Am I the only person on PB who thinks Mrs Browns Boys can be moderately amusing at times? I mean, not side splittingly funny, but recognizable as humour? Comedy is obviously extremely subjective. The whole question of "offence" is interesting too. I don't personally find anything "offensive" in the way that most people seem to use the word. If something is genuinely funny it is generally worth saying, and context is important. But if you say something hurtful or cruel about someone else and it's not even funny then I think you should expect people to think less of you.
One nasty one is stopping and starting LNG “trains”’ - the sequences of equipment that turn the gas into liquid and then (at the other end) turn the liquid back into gas.
Massive pressures, temperature ranges. Lots of opportunity for stuff to go wrong.
In normal times, keeping a flow through (though the rate may vary a bit) is considered very important.
Shut ins and restarts will be slow, expensive and potentially dangerous.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I agree. They are very similar in terms of delivery, and in telling "jokes"/ one liners rather than recounting humorous stories. Both a bit smarmy. They both leave me somewhat cold to be honest, although of the two I'd say Monkhouse is preferable. My wife likes Monkhouse but hates Carr.
Speaking of Bob Monkhouse, I've not quite been able to get my head around this one.
OK so some of the jokes might have been dodgy by modern standards, but presumably being featured on The Repair Shop did not automatically require them all to be read out and/or shown on the programme?
George Parker @GeorgeWParker · 2h New - First sign of potential Iran-related shortages. Govt to spend £100m on reopening mothballed Teesside plant making carbon dioxide, used in fizzy drinks, vaccines, food packaging etc
I saw a man smoking a pipe at the top of Kinder Scout on Saturday. I was quite taken aback, I realised it's been years since 8've seen a piprle smoker. If you could visualise him without his pipe he looked about 40, but with it he looked about 60. If I wasn't confused enough, it was an unusually shiny pipe.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I agree. They are very similar in terms of delivery, and in telling "jokes"/ one liners rather than recounting humorous stories. Both a bit smarmy. They both leave me somewhat cold to be honest, although of the two I'd say Monkhouse is preferable. My wife likes Monkhouse but hates Carr.
Speaking of Bob Monkhouse, I've not quite been able to get my head around this one.
OK so some of the jokes might have been dodgy by modern standards, but presumably being featured on The Repair Shop did not automatically require them all to be read out and/or shown on the programme?
Also, there are many old documents which contain all manner of stuff the is bad by modern standards.
Do we not repair those?
I’ve preciously noticed that the works of Kipling, when published have more and more pieces taken out. Which has the curious effect of whitewashing him. He was a clear racist - yet by what is now published of his work (the poems are generally less problematic) he appears not to be.
Alex Ward @alexbward · 1h At least 3 congressional Republicans—including chairs of House and Senate Armed Services—are hinting strongly that a ground operation in Iran is planned and could potentially be underway soon
I saw a man smoking a pipe at the top of Kinder Scout on Saturday. I was quite taken aback, I realised it's been years since 8've seen a piprle smoker. If you could visualise him without his pipe he looked about 40, but with it he looked about 60. If I wasn't confused enough, it was an unusually shiny pipe.
I used to smoke a pipe. I’m sometimes tempted to restart, just to be different. Also, in the west of Scotland, it helps keep the midges away.
BREAKING: In a landmark decision, a jury found Meta and YouTube negligent for designing apps that harmed kids and teens and failed to warn them about the dangers.
I saw a man smoking a pipe at the top of Kinder Scout on Saturday. I was quite taken aback, I realised it's been years since 8've seen a piprle smoker. If you could visualise him without his pipe he looked about 40, but with it he looked about 60. If I wasn't confused enough, it was an unusually shiny pipe.
I used to smoke a pipe. I’m sometimes tempted to restart, just to be different. Also, in the west of Scotland, it helps keep the midges away.
My father smoked a pipe in his thirties. But that was because he was growing the tobacco in the garden. He only stopped when the last factory willing to process small parcels of tobacco leaves closed.
I saw a man smoking a pipe at the top of Kinder Scout on Saturday. I was quite taken aback, I realised it's been years since 8've seen a piprle smoker. If you could visualise him without his pipe he looked about 40, but with it he looked about 60. If I wasn't confused enough, it was an unusually shiny pipe.
You tend to see one or two people smoking pipes if you go to out-of-the-way places like St Ives or Tenby.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I agree. They are very similar in terms of delivery, and in telling "jokes"/ one liners rather than recounting humorous stories. Both a bit smarmy. They both leave me somewhat cold to be honest, although of the two I'd say Monkhouse is preferable. My wife likes Monkhouse but hates Carr.
Speaking of Bob Monkhouse, I've not quite been able to get my head around this one.
OK so some of the jokes might have been dodgy by modern standards, but presumably being featured on The Repair Shop did not automatically require them all to be read out and/or shown on the programme?
Also, there are many old documents which contain all manner of stuff the is bad by modern standards.
Do we not repair those?
I’ve preciously noticed that the works of Kipling, when published have more and more pieces taken out. Which has the curious effect of whitewashing him. He was a clear racist - yet by what is now published of his work (the poems are generally less problematic) he appears not to be.
There was a somewhat interesting LLM project I came across :
They were trained with data right up until various early/mid 1900's dates so that you could talk to them about attitudes of the time, how they saw 'events' unfolding. I thought it was quite an interesting use-case.
Malcolm Offord what a totally loathsome vile cxnt !
There’s banter and there’s his disgusting homophobic so called joke about George Michael . We shouldn’t be surprised because Reform are full of vile bigots .
I missed that. George Michael was probably the most talented British musician of his generation. Who is Malcolm Offord and what stellar achievements is he bringing to the table?
He was decent, and a great human being, but most talented of his generation 🤷♂️
It was a joke at an after dinner speech. All this fake offence is pathetic.
I've not seen it so am not taking offense but really homophobic "jokes" what is this the 1970s? Ooh missus, look out for the shirtlifters, "I'm free"... give me strength. George Michael is an epochal musical talent and will be remembered long after this Reform mouthbreather is consigned to the dustbin of history.
It was 2018 when the joke was cracked.
He was a Tory then. But, muh, Reform.
It was a joke at an after dinner speech. A lot of fake offence about it now. Pretty pathetic.
Should we get all jokes approved so sensitive flowers aren’t offended ?
It's a free country, he can say what he likes but shouldn't act surprised at the reaction. FWIW I'm not offended, I just think the guy is obviously a fucking vile piece of shit.
Why, on the basis of a joke made at an after dinner speech ?
A few words which take up a couple of minutes of his life.
Why should that define what he is as a person. I don’t know the motherfucker from Adam but I wouldn’t judge him solely on a joke he made.
The reaction is stupid and fake offence. But typical of our politics and all parties are just as bad and all parties fake offence. Even Reform.
You refer frequently to people taking 'fake offence', but you never seem to consider the possibility that the offence taken is real, not 'fake'. In respect of the 'joke' involved, I can imagine quite a lot of people finding it really offensive.
Go on then - what's the offense? It's a weak joke.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I agree. They are very similar in terms of delivery, and in telling "jokes"/ one liners rather than recounting humorous stories. Both a bit smarmy. They both leave me somewhat cold to be honest, although of the two I'd say Monkhouse is preferable. My wife likes Monkhouse but hates Carr.
Speaking of Bob Monkhouse, I've not quite been able to get my head around this one.
OK so some of the jokes might have been dodgy by modern standards, but presumably being featured on The Repair Shop did not automatically require them all to be read out and/or shown on the programme?
Also, there are many old documents which contain all manner of stuff the is bad by modern standards.
Do we not repair those?
I’ve preciously noticed that the works of Kipling, when published have more and more pieces taken out. Which has the curious effect of whitewashing him. He was a clear racist - yet by what is now published of his work (the poems are generally less problematic) he appears not to be.
Anyone who reads 'If' without studying 'The White Man's Burden' will entirely misunderstand 'If'.
Alex Ward @alexbward · 1h At least 3 congressional Republicans—including chairs of House and Senate Armed Services—are hinting strongly that a ground operation in Iran is planned and could potentially be underway soon
Malcolm Offord what a totally loathsome vile cxnt !
There’s banter and there’s his disgusting homophobic so called joke about George Michael . We shouldn’t be surprised because Reform are full of vile bigots .
I missed that. George Michael was probably the most talented British musician of his generation. Who is Malcolm Offord and what stellar achievements is he bringing to the table?
He was decent, and a great human being, but most talented of his generation 🤷♂️
It was a joke at an after dinner speech. All this fake offence is pathetic.
I've not seen it so am not taking offense but really homophobic "jokes" what is this the 1970s? Ooh missus, look out for the shirtlifters, "I'm free"... give me strength. George Michael is an epochal musical talent and will be remembered long after this Reform mouthbreather is consigned to the dustbin of history.
It was 2018 when the joke was cracked.
He was a Tory then. But, muh, Reform.
It was a joke at an after dinner speech. A lot of fake offence about it now. Pretty pathetic.
Should we get all jokes approved so sensitive flowers aren’t offended ?
It's a free country, he can say what he likes but shouldn't act surprised at the reaction. FWIW I'm not offended, I just think the guy is obviously a fucking vile piece of shit.
Why, on the basis of a joke made at an after dinner speech ?
A few words which take up a couple of minutes of his life.
Why should that define what he is as a person. I don’t know the motherfucker from Adam but I wouldn’t judge him solely on a joke he made.
The reaction is stupid and fake offence. But typical of our politics and all parties are just as bad and all parties fake offence. Even Reform.
You refer frequently to people taking 'fake offence', but you never seem to consider the possibility that the offence taken is real, not 'fake'. In respect of the 'joke' involved, I can imagine quite a lot of people finding it really offensive.
Go on then - what's the offense? It's a weak joke.
It’s gross and unfunny not offensive.
Where’s the humour?
The juxtaposition of a flaccid penis and ejaculate oozing from an anus and the loose stool following a curry.
It won't win the Edinburgh comedy best joke award for sure.
For those taking offence would they if it was a recent widow? Heyerosexual men appear to be all for ansl sex, or so a quick poll of stepmums on porn hub would have one believe.
When is it a joke vs being offensive. I’m always curious
It's a joke if it's funny.
Does that make Mrs Browns Boys offensive !!
On reflection, I take it back. My earlier post was particularly glib. A joke can be funny or unfunny. And cam be offensive or unoffensive. And something cam be funny without being a joke. I think something is a joke if you mean it a) to amuse and b) insincerely. But you can be funny without joking. I have no doubt David Mitchell feels as strongly as he appears to about the absurdity of the Americanism "I could care less" - he isn't joking - but he still makes me laugh. And Mrs Brown's boys is definitely jokes, but doesn't make me laugh. Funjy, though, depends on the intended audience. Clrarly many people find MBB hilarious. Basically we have a three-circled Venn diagram, labelled 'jokes', 'offensive' and 'funny'. Something can be all three, or just two, or just one, or none at all. And you can get away with offensive IF AMD ONLY IF you are also in the 'joke' and 'funny' categories.
Am I the only person on PB who thinks Mrs Browns Boys can be moderately amusing at times? I mean, not side splittingly funny, but recognizable as humour? Comedy is obviously extremely subjective. The whole question of "offence" is interesting too. I don't personally find anything "offensive" in the way that most people seem to use the word. If something is genuinely funny it is generally worth saying, and context is important. But if you say something hurtful or cruel about someone else and it's not even funny then I think you should expect people to think less of you.
Comedy is subjective is exactly my point re the Offord joke. No one here is an arbiter of what is or what is not a joke. Merely what they find amusing.
Mrs Brown's Boys I found amusing initially but I think it’s passed its peak.
Popular comedies like Duty Free or Vicar of Dibley never made me laugh. But they’re clearly popular comedies.
Malcolm Offord what a totally loathsome vile cxnt !
There’s banter and there’s his disgusting homophobic so called joke about George Michael . We shouldn’t be surprised because Reform are full of vile bigots .
I missed that. George Michael was probably the most talented British musician of his generation. Who is Malcolm Offord and what stellar achievements is he bringing to the table?
He was decent, and a great human being, but most talented of his generation 🤷♂️
It was a joke at an after dinner speech. All this fake offence is pathetic.
I've not seen it so am not taking offense but really homophobic "jokes" what is this the 1970s? Ooh missus, look out for the shirtlifters, "I'm free"... give me strength. George Michael is an epochal musical talent and will be remembered long after this Reform mouthbreather is consigned to the dustbin of history.
It was 2018 when the joke was cracked.
He was a Tory then. But, muh, Reform.
It was a joke at an after dinner speech. A lot of fake offence about it now. Pretty pathetic.
Should we get all jokes approved so sensitive flowers aren’t offended ?
It's a free country, he can say what he likes but shouldn't act surprised at the reaction. FWIW I'm not offended, I just think the guy is obviously a fucking vile piece of shit.
Why, on the basis of a joke made at an after dinner speech ?
A few words which take up a couple of minutes of his life.
Why should that define what he is as a person. I don’t know the motherfucker from Adam but I wouldn’t judge him solely on a joke he made.
The reaction is stupid and fake offence. But typical of our politics and all parties are just as bad and all parties fake offence. Even Reform.
You refer frequently to people taking 'fake offence', but you never seem to consider the possibility that the offence taken is real, not 'fake'. In respect of the 'joke' involved, I can imagine quite a lot of people finding it really offensive.
Go on then - what's the offense? It's a weak joke.
It’s gross and unfunny not offensive.
Where’s the humour?
The juxtaposition of a flaccid penis and ejaculate oozing from an anus and the loose stool following a curry.
It won't win the Edinburgh comedy best joke award for sure.
For those taking offence would they if it was a recent widow? Heyerosexual men appear to be all for ansl sex, or so a quick poll of stepmums on porn hub would have one believe.
Possible that the popularisation of hetero anal sex did good work against homophobia. It mitigates the first and greatest revulsion.
Alex Ward @alexbward · 1h At least 3 congressional Republicans—including chairs of House and Senate Armed Services—are hinting strongly that a ground operation in Iran is planned and could potentially be underway soon
Malcolm Offord what a totally loathsome vile cxnt !
There’s banter and there’s his disgusting homophobic so called joke about George Michael . We shouldn’t be surprised because Reform are full of vile bigots .
I missed that. George Michael was probably the most talented British musician of his generation. Who is Malcolm Offord and what stellar achievements is he bringing to the table?
He was decent, and a great human being, but most talented of his generation 🤷♂️
It was a joke at an after dinner speech. All this fake offence is pathetic.
I've not seen it so am not taking offense but really homophobic "jokes" what is this the 1970s? Ooh missus, look out for the shirtlifters, "I'm free"... give me strength. George Michael is an epochal musical talent and will be remembered long after this Reform mouthbreather is consigned to the dustbin of history.
It was 2018 when the joke was cracked.
He was a Tory then. But, muh, Reform.
It was a joke at an after dinner speech. A lot of fake offence about it now. Pretty pathetic.
Should we get all jokes approved so sensitive flowers aren’t offended ?
It's a free country, he can say what he likes but shouldn't act surprised at the reaction. FWIW I'm not offended, I just think the guy is obviously a fucking vile piece of shit.
Why, on the basis of a joke made at an after dinner speech ?
A few words which take up a couple of minutes of his life.
Why should that define what he is as a person. I don’t know the motherfucker from Adam but I wouldn’t judge him solely on a joke he made.
The reaction is stupid and fake offence. But typical of our politics and all parties are just as bad and all parties fake offence. Even Reform.
You refer frequently to people taking 'fake offence', but you never seem to consider the possibility that the offence taken is real, not 'fake'. In respect of the 'joke' involved, I can imagine quite a lot of people finding it really offensive.
Go on then - what's the offense? It's a weak joke.
It’s gross and unfunny not offensive.
Where’s the humour?
The juxtaposition of a flaccid penis and ejaculate oozing from an anus and the loose stool following a curry.
It won't win the Edinburgh comedy best joke award for sure.
For those taking offence would they if it was a recent widow? Heyerosexual men appear to be all for ansl sex, or so a quick poll of stepmums on porn hub would have one believe.
Possible that the popularisation of hetero anal sex did good work against homophobia. It mitigates the first and greatest revulsion.
People were mentioning Bob Monkhouse yesterday on here. Here are three classic Monkhouseisms - I think I heard him give the middle one live -
- "I'm not saying my wife's a bad cook, but he uses our smoke alarm as a timer" - "I got a horse for my wife. Fair trade, wouldn't you say?" - "I still enjoy sex at 74. I live at 75, so it's just across the road"
"When I first said I wanted to be a comedian, everybody laughed. They're not laughing now."
That's my all time favourite Monkhouse joke.
He was the master of timing.
The only person I can think of who compares -and it's a very, very different kind of humour- is Ricky Gervais.
Only with Ricky, he's throwing in something so wildly outrageous, you can't believe he said it. "Don't worry, I didn't kill her." (And we all know how that one ends.)
The successor to Bob Monkhouse is Jimmy Carr. I will die on this hill. Very similar in terms of delivery, dealing with hecklers, being able to think on his feet.
I agree. They are very similar in terms of delivery, and in telling "jokes"/ one liners rather than recounting humorous stories. Both a bit smarmy. They both leave me somewhat cold to be honest, although of the two I'd say Monkhouse is preferable. My wife likes Monkhouse but hates Carr.
I had the unfortunate experience of seeing Carr on a charity NEC Bill for Children's Charity organised by Jasper Carrott
He was completely and utterly bested by Carrot and Jethro.
Comments
Con -1010
Lab -1900
LD +200
Green +450
Reform +2260
Iran is preparing to take over UAE with a ground invasion if the US put troops on the ground
IRIB Iranian state TV:
“If the United States makes a mistake, Iran’s armed forces are ready to seize the coastlines of the UAE and Bahrain and reshape the region”
In other news Corbyn won in 2017!!
And as @bigjohnowls says 'you protest too much'
https://acoup.blog/2026/03/25/miscellanea-the-war-in-iran/
And besides, in any group of a hundred or so people there will be a natural comic. My mother's speech at my wedding had everyone in stitches.
Con -750
SKS -1100
LD + 350
GRN +450
Ref +1600
"They'll get mowed down": Trump rebuffed Netanyahu idea to call for Iran uprising
For whoever was asking earlier.
Tim Vine is more like Monkhouse.
https://electionsetc.com/2026/03/25/local-election-seat-projections-for-2026/
There are 5,014 seats up for grabs. I struggle with Fisher's projection of the scale of Conservative and Labour losses.
I think Labour to lose 1000 and the Conservatives to lose 500 is where I am currently.
EXCL: Cabinet Office understood to hold text & email exchanges between Peter Mandelson & Morgan McSweeney, despite theft of former CoS’s phone.
His messages with Mandelson have been under intense scrutiny since it was reported his work device was stolen shortly after former US ambo was sacked.
https://bsky.app/profile/pippacrerar.bsky.social/post/3mhvsswfq622s
(What are people expecting to find? "Yeah, Mandy admitted to giving Epstein loads of secrets, but the PM wants him as Ambassador anyway"?)
Bondi was in such a rush to try and frame Jack Smith that she accidentally ended up releasing files that show why.
Trump profited from classified information as a private citizen.
He didn’t declassify it as president.
He didn’t just fail to return it.
He knowingly kept, shared and monetized sensitive US information,
Including information that only 6 people had access to that was deemed a “severe national security risk”
https://x.com/adamscochran/status/2036893258245140728
Also: Jeremy Clarkson. He is not a trillionaire and worldwide celeb because he is really knowledgeable about cars. He is mega famous and rich because he's a naturally genius comedian, with exquisite timing, PLUS he has clever comic ideas and can see the comedy in others
Liverpool & Wales great Toshack diagnosed with dementia
Salah leaving for Saudi
Bad week for Liverpool
My idea of free speech is that people should be able to say all sorts of wanky stuff and that others should be able to call them horrible arseholes for it. Offord isn’t being prosecuted or fired, he’s just a public figure having things he said publicly pointed out.
What new hell is this?
On YouTube if you search keegan superstars
It’s a joke. Some people find it funny, some don’t.
Waiting 8 years to call out this so called crass behaviour is a bit odd.
A joke can be funny or unfunny. And cam be offensive or unoffensive. And something cam be funny without being a joke.
I think something is a joke if you mean it a) to amuse and b) insincerely. But you can be funny without joking. I have no doubt David Mitchell feels as strongly as he appears to about the absurdity of the Americanism "I could care less" - he isn't joking - but he still makes me laugh. And Mrs Brown's boys is definitely jokes, but doesn't make me laugh.
Funjy, though, depends on the intended audience. Clrarly many people find MBB hilarious.
Basically we have a three-circled Venn diagram, labelled 'jokes', 'offensive' and 'funny'. Something can be all three, or just two, or just one, or none at all.
And you can get away with offensive IF AMD ONLY IF you are also in the 'joke' and 'funny' categories.
The courage and the resourcefulness of this man is truly awe-inspiring.
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Natural-Gas/Gas-Crisis-Dwarfs-Oil-Shock-as-LNG-Supply-Breaks.html
OH STOP MY ACHING SIDES
Monkhouse was the master of the 1 minute and 2 minute joke
He could also do Dave Allen type stories.
I can't think of anything he couldn't do.
Is the real lesson of this that the role of political Svengali attracts idiots and it would save us all time to assume their idiocy, rather than having to wait for evidence?
Man credited with cooling Greenland tensions with Donald Trump is poised to play central role in any coalition deal"
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/25/lars-lokke-rasmussen-denmark-general-election-coalition-deal-profile
(Weak joke for the chemists out there)
Tim Vine is. Decent darts player too.
Though he clearly lives for danger:
"Newby, who was being treated for a chest infection at the time, said he had gone outside for a vape"
Saw Carr at my college ball in 2002. Hilarious.
The licensing stuff) is things like inconsistent tax regime and the demand to move to “green” power for the rigs.
The Norwegians have a stable, consistent tax regime that makes investing in operations predictable in the long term. And while they are pushing for “green” power on the rigs, they are not mandating it, to the point of killing stuff off.
"Karl Turner MP
@KarlTurnerMP
I don’t believe McSwindle had his iPhone stolen. 🤷🏼♂️"
https://x.com/KarlTurnerMP/status/2036883121392517252
Comedy is obviously extremely subjective. The whole question of "offence" is interesting too. I don't personally find anything "offensive" in the way that most people seem to use the word. If something is genuinely funny it is generally worth saying, and context is important. But if you say something hurtful or cruel about someone else and it's not even funny then I think you should expect people to think less of you.
Massive pressures, temperature ranges. Lots of opportunity for stuff to go wrong.
In normal times, keeping a flow through (though the rate may vary a bit) is considered very important.
Shut ins and restarts will be slow, expensive and potentially dangerous.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn43ve4pyjeo
OK so some of the jokes might have been dodgy by modern standards, but presumably being featured on The Repair Shop did not automatically require them all to be read out and/or shown on the programme?
@GeorgeWParker
·
2h
New - First sign of potential Iran-related shortages. Govt to spend £100m on reopening mothballed Teesside plant making carbon dioxide, used in fizzy drinks, vaccines, food packaging etc
https://x.com/GeorgeWParker/status/2036871943907942515
If I wasn't confused enough, it was an unusually shiny pipe.
Do we not repair those?
I’ve preciously noticed that the works of Kipling, when published have more and more pieces taken out. Which has the curious effect of whitewashing him. He was a clear racist - yet by what is now published of his work (the poems are generally less problematic) he appears not to be.
Alex Ward
@alexbward
·
1h
At least 3 congressional Republicans—including chairs of House and Senate Armed Services—are hinting strongly that a ground operation in Iran is planned and could potentially be underway soon
https://x.com/alexbward/status/2036889670571663652
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25936324.greens-unveil-plan-make-x-facebook-liable-harmful-content/
Same goes for my Mother in Law; every time she has a facelift she ages a decade
There’s no excuse for allowing Keir Starmer to evade every question time and time again during #PMQs
https://x.com/archrose90/status/2036907788140437739?s=46&t=CW4pL-mMpTqsJXCdjW0Z6Q
https://github.com/DGoettlich/history-llms
They were trained with data right up until various early/mid 1900's dates so that you could talk to them about attitudes of the time, how they saw 'events' unfolding. I thought it was quite an interesting use-case.
Where’s the humour?
Betty Boothroyd would never have allowed any of this!
Always available to right wing media to make a stupid comment.
What the feck else is there to do in Humberside
He utterly embarrassed Badenoch twice.
Firstly reading her comments when in Government
Secondly scolding er for her complete lack of understanding of the law.
The threatened Hull East by-election is surely on.
It won't win the Edinburgh comedy best joke award for sure.
For those taking offence would they if it was a recent widow? Heyerosexual men appear to be all for ansl sex, or so a quick poll of stepmums on porn hub would have one believe.
Gone on 5 or 6 years too long.
Mrs Brown's Boys I found amusing initially but I think it’s passed its peak.
Popular comedies like Duty Free or Vicar of Dibley never made me laugh. But they’re clearly popular comedies.
Give me Sledge Hammer any day of the week.
Becuase otherwise even allowing for galloping dementia, delusions of grandeur and very limited intellect, his actions are totally inexplicable.
He was completely and utterly bested by Carrot and Jethro.
In fact he was embarrassing.