There was some great material this week on the socials about the myriad meanings and uses of the word shit, several of which are close to being contronyms. You’re shit vs you’re the shit. Shit hot. Got shit to do (which can mean anything other than actually doing a shit), this is good shit vs this is shit, no shit, bullshit, horseshit, apeshit, chicken shit, get my shit together etc etc. Probably the most complex word in the English language.
On JD Vance's campaigning skills: When he ran for the Senate in Ohio, polls showed he was in trouble, and so Mitch McConnell arranged for additional funds to go to his campaign. (Ohio's Republican Party is one of the strongest in the US, so I am sure they helped, too.)
Vance announced his Senate campaign in Ohio on July 1, 2021.[3] On May 3, 2022, he won the Republican primary with 32% of the vote,[93] defeating multiple candidates, including Josh Mandel (23%) and Matt Dolan (22%).[94] On November 8, in the general election, Vance defeated Democratic nominee Tim Ryan with 53% of the vote to Ryan's 47%.[3][95] This vote share was considered a vast underperformance compared to other Ohio Republicans, especially in the coinciding gubernatorial election.[96]
IDK, should European politicians really have tried to emphasise the European aspect of this national vote?
Hungarians have said "yes to Europe" with this vote, Magyar says.
The new government has a great task ahead, he tells the huge crowd, and calls on them to celebrate peacefully tonight, before beginning the "healing" of the country tomorrow.
He says his party will work every day to earn the trust that was given to them with this victory.
Magyar also calls on Viktor Orbán not to take any action between now and formally leaving office which would obstruct the job of the new government when it is formed.
He says the "puppets" of the Orbán government must go and the institutions of the state have to change.
Checks and balances will be restored, he vows, telling supporters he will restore Hungarian democracy.
Behave, he’s a lawyer, there is no such thing as a dim lawyer.
Even all the ones who go into politics because they cannot hack it in the legal profession?
Law and politics are different professions, Cherie Blair was a far better lawyer than Tony but he was a brilliant politician.
If you want to be a brilliant lawyer focus on law, if you want to be a brilliant politician focus on politics, rarely is a brilliant lawyer also a brilliant politician. The PM can hire the brilliant lawyers to be his Attorney General or lead the Justice Department anyway
I guess someone senior pointed out the potential acts of war and piracy that the US Navy would be committing against countries with no dog in this fight.
That says to and from non-Iranian ports. That seems to be just laying the ground rules that it's just Iranian ships they'll be stopping.
I guess someone senior pointed out the potential acts of war and piracy that the US Navy would be committing against countries with no dog in this fight.
That says to and from non-Iranian ports. That seems to be just laying the ground rules that it's just Iranian ships they'll be stopping.
Are there any Iranian ships going anywhere at the moment?
Maybe Waitrose or M&S might sell "doughnuts", I don't know.
But Asda and Aldi happily sell donuts.
Tells its own story.
You say if I say 'donut' I should be corrected. Why? What business is it of yours?
I would encourage the correction of a youngster. I would certainly expect it of an English teacher to a pupil, although context is important, so there are circumstances where 'donut' is not only acceptable, but appropriate, eg in reference to a product or slang.
But people here don't need correcting. It has nothing to do with being upset by being corrected, it's just plain rude.
I guess someone senior pointed out the potential acts of war and piracy that the US Navy would be committing against countries with no dog in this fight.
That says to and from non-Iranian ports. That seems to be just laying the ground rules that it's just Iranian ships they'll be stopping.
Are there any Iranian ships going anywhere at the moment?
Yes currently the majority of the ships traveling down the strait are carrying Iranian oil but the ships will be Chinese / indian
I guess someone senior pointed out the potential acts of war and piracy that the US Navy would be committing against countries with no dog in this fight.
That says to and from non-Iranian ports. That seems to be just laying the ground rules that it's just Iranian ships they'll be stopping.
Are there any Iranian ships going anywhere at the moment?
Nearly none of the ships carrying Iranian oil will be flagged to Iran.
I don’t understand the Rory love in the UK.He chooses to play for the Republic of Ireland at the Olympics and has questionable behaviour in his marriage which would sink politicians and some celebs. He’s a bit of a dull twat and he plays golf for a career. Mystified. Why isn’t Justin Rose given the same adulation?
I guess someone senior pointed out the potential acts of war and piracy that the US Navy would be committing against countries with no dog in this fight.
That says to and from non-Iranian ports. That seems to be just laying the ground rules that it's just Iranian ships they'll be stopping.
Are there any Iranian ships going anywhere at the moment?
Yes currently the majority of the ships traveling down the strait are carrying Iranian oil but the ships will be Chinese / indian
Has any political party in the West ever stayed in power longer than the Tories' 18 years from 1979 to 1997?
Yes, many, if you include coalitions then in Europe some parties have gone many-decades being ever-present in power. Sweden's Social Democrats and Italy's Christian Democrats were coincidentally both in power for 44 years.
If you count Japan as part of the "West" then the LPJ held majority office for 28 years.
I guess someone senior pointed out the potential acts of war and piracy that the US Navy would be committing against countries with no dog in this fight.
That says to and from non-Iranian ports. That seems to be just laying the ground rules that it's just Iranian ships they'll be stopping.
Are there any Iranian ships going anywhere at the moment?
Yes currently the majority of the ships traveling down the strait are carrying Iranian oil but the ships will be Chinese / indian
Stopping a Chinese tanker would be ... interesting.
I don’t understand the Rory love in the UK.He chooses to play for the Republic of Ireland at the Olympics and has questionable behaviour in his marriage which would sink politicians and some celebs. He’s a bit of a dull twat and he plays golf for a career. Mystified. Why isn’t Justin Rose given the same adulation?
I guess someone senior pointed out the potential acts of war and piracy that the US Navy would be committing against countries with no dog in this fight.
That says to and from non-Iranian ports. That seems to be just laying the ground rules that it's just Iranian ships they'll be stopping.
Are there any Iranian ships going anywhere at the moment?
There are a fair number of Iranian cargo ships in the strait according to my Marine Traffic App. A 53 000 ton Iranian container ship arriving shortly in Bandar Abbas from Malaysia for example. Quite a few Iranian tugs and fishing vessels too.
I guess someone senior pointed out the potential acts of war and piracy that the US Navy would be committing against countries with no dog in this fight.
Also, how can the US Navy know which ships have paid a toll to Iran?
I guess someone senior pointed out the potential acts of war and piracy that the US Navy would be committing against countries with no dog in this fight.
Also, how can the US Navy know which ships have paid a toll to Iran?
For example a 24 000 ton Panamanian cargo ship is hugging the Iranian coastline on its course from Oman to Iraq. How does it do this without Iranian permission?
I guess someone senior pointed out the potential acts of war and piracy that the US Navy would be committing against countries with no dog in this fight.
Also, how can the US Navy know which ships have paid a toll to Iran?
There was some great material this week on the socials about the myriad meanings and uses of the word shit, several of which are close to being contronyms. You’re shit vs you’re the shit. Shit hot. Got shit to do (which can mean anything other than actually doing a shit), this is good shit vs this is shit, no shit, bullshit, horseshit, apeshit, chicken shit, get my shit together etc etc. Probably the most complex word in the English language.
You need to the read Christopher Brookmyre's The Sacred Art of Stealing.
I guess someone senior pointed out the potential acts of war and piracy that the US Navy would be committing against countries with no dog in this fight.
Also, how can the US Navy know which ships have paid a toll to Iran?
Any that haven't paid a toll to the US Navy, but which is not attacked by Iran.
There was some great material this week on the socials about the myriad meanings and uses of the word shit, several of which are close to being contronyms. You’re shit vs you’re the shit. Shit hot. Got shit to do (which can mean anything other than actually doing a shit), this is good shit vs this is shit, no shit, bullshit, horseshit, apeshit, chicken shit, get my shit together etc etc. Probably the most complex word in the English language.
You need to the read Christopher Brookmyre's The Sacred Art of Stealing.
The ANC has been in power for 30+ years in South Africa.
And a fat lot of good that's done ordinary South Africans.
(The record of Revolutionaries / national liberation movements who go into government is not a good one: one could argue the same for the first half century of Ireland post Independence; the PRI in Mexico; Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe; and others.)
There was some great material this week on the socials about the myriad meanings and uses of the word shit, several of which are close to being contronyms. You’re shit vs you’re the shit. Shit hot. Got shit to do (which can mean anything other than actually doing a shit), this is good shit vs this is shit, no shit, bullshit, horseshit, apeshit, chicken shit, get my shit together etc etc. Probably the most complex word in the English language.
You need to the read Christopher Brookmyre's The Sacred Art of Stealing.
The word "set" has 464 different meanings.
How many can you define without consulting a dictionary?
There was some great material this week on the socials about the myriad meanings and uses of the word shit, several of which are close to being contronyms. You’re shit vs you’re the shit. Shit hot. Got shit to do (which can mean anything other than actually doing a shit), this is good shit vs this is shit, no shit, bullshit, horseshit, apeshit, chicken shit, get my shit together etc etc. Probably the most complex word in the English language.
You need to the read Christopher Brookmyre's The Sacred Art of Stealing.
The word "set" has 464 different meanings.
How many can you define without consulting a dictionary?
There was some great material this week on the socials about the myriad meanings and uses of the word shit, several of which are close to being contronyms. You’re shit vs you’re the shit. Shit hot. Got shit to do (which can mean anything other than actually doing a shit), this is good shit vs this is shit, no shit, bullshit, horseshit, apeshit, chicken shit, get my shit together etc etc. Probably the most complex word in the English language.
You need to the read Christopher Brookmyre's The Sacred Art of Stealing.
The word "set" has 464 different meanings.
Do you know the full set of those 464 meanings? Because you set that record an hour ago; are you set upon informing this a set number of times, or should we set aside an expectation for this to be set in all our minds?
The ANC has been in power for 30+ years in South Africa.
And a fat lot of good that's done ordinary South Africans.
(The record of Revolutionaries / national liberation movements who go into government is not a good one: one could argue the same for the first half century of Ireland post Independence; the PRI in Mexico; Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe; and others.)
There was some great material this week on the socials about the myriad meanings and uses of the word shit, several of which are close to being contronyms. You’re shit vs you’re the shit. Shit hot. Got shit to do (which can mean anything other than actually doing a shit), this is good shit vs this is shit, no shit, bullshit, horseshit, apeshit, chicken shit, get my shit together etc etc. Probably the most complex word in the English language.
You need to the read Christopher Brookmyre's The Sacred Art of Stealing.
The word "set" has 464 different meanings.
Do you know the full set of those 464 meanings? Because you set that record an hour ago; are you set upon informing this a set number of times, or should we set aside an expectation for this to be set in all our minds?
Yes, but he is useful, a fact that distresses some people to the point of encoding it in a portable tape device.
The ANC has been in power for 30+ years in South Africa.
And a fat lot of good that's done ordinary South Africans.
(The record of Revolutionaries / national liberation movements who go into government is not a good one: one could argue the same for the first half century of Ireland post Independence; the PRI in Mexico; Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe; and others.)
The political question I'd most like to know the answer to is: why have wealthy people become more left-wing over recent decades?
I don't think they have.
Generally speaking wealthy people are in favour of the status quo, because they're wealthy, and so they're doing quite well out of the status quo.
The left was in general routed during the 80s, and largely reacted to that by tacking to the centre and reducing the extent to which it sought to alter the status quo, particularly economically. It thus has become more of a defender of the status quo.
The right largely reacted to their victories of the 80s by adopting a policy of permanent revolution - seeking to push further on top of what they had achieved. This has tended to make right-wing parties, particularly those that have become populist, less reliable defenders of the status quo.
So the wealthy are still voting for the status quo, it's just that is generally more represented by parties of the left than of the right (insofar as we are talking about parties of the centre left and the populist right).
Orban was the link, both real and perceived, between 'national populism' and appeasement of Russia and Putin and this served to delegitimise right-wing politics among European elites. The fall of Orban changes this equation and will have a cascading effect by breaking the link across Europe, with the result that Europe will simultaneously move to the right and be tougher on Putin.
The ANC has been in power for 30+ years in South Africa.
And a fat lot of good that's done ordinary South Africans.
(The record of Revolutionaries / national liberation movements who go into government is not a good one: one could argue the same for the first half century of Ireland post Independence; the PRI in Mexico; Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe; and others.)
The average South African today is much better off today than 30 years ago, plus of course they got rid of apartheid.
Orban was the link, both real and perceived, between 'national populism' and appeasement of Russia and Putin and this served to delegitimise right-wing politics among European elites. The fall of Orban changes this equation and will have a cascading effect by breaking the link across Europe, with the result that Europe will simultaneously move to the right and be tougher on Putin.
I suspect it has more to do with internal Hungarian politics and rather less to do with foreign affairs.
That's just the lens we see it through, because we're not Hungarian.
The political question I'd most like to know the answer to is: why have wealthy people become more left-wing over recent decades?
I have no sources for any of this, is pure intuit:
Depending upon what you mean by wealthy, the routes for becoming so have changed. At the "top end" of wealth, we retain the usual two methods - self made and inheritance. The former while being extremely diverse are overall neither more or less right wing I think. The inherited lot I'd guess are marginally more left wing, being less insulated from the lower classes than they used to be.
For those at the lower rungs though - it's become easier and easier to get minor wealth through generalist upper middle manager type stuff, and harder and harder through risk taking and dynanism.
My great hope is that AI will change this, as risk/reward is changing again in favour of the risk takers.
The ANC has been in power for 30+ years in South Africa.
And a fat lot of good that's done ordinary South Africans.
(The record of Revolutionaries / national liberation movements who go into government is not a good one: one could argue the same for the first half century of Ireland post Independence; the PRI in Mexico; Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe; and others.)
The average South African today is much better off today than 30 years ago, plus of course they got rid of apartheid.
The latter is true, not sure the former is.
Hard to get accurate data as median figures aren't cleanly published like in the UK, but in the early 1990s the median (not white) South African was estimated to have a comparable income to the median Pole. Now Poles are massively better off than South Africans.
If you don't like a European example you can look around the globe. South Africa has underperformed most nations that were comparably developed to it in the 1990s, not just Eastern Europe but Thailand, Malaysia, Chile and more.
Apartheid may be over, but economically South Africans are not doing well.
What is noteworthy too is that economic equality has not improved under ANC rule. SA's Gini coefficient today is basically the same as it was at the end of apartheid, which is absolutely incredible!
The political question I'd most like to know the answer to is: why have wealthy people become more left-wing over recent decades?
I have no sources for any of this, is pure intuit:
Depending upon what you mean by wealthy, the routes for becoming so have changed. At the "top end" of wealth, we retain the usual two methods - self made and inheritance. The former while being extremely diverse are overall neither more or less right wing I think. The inherited lot I'd guess are marginally more left wing, being less insulated from the lower classes than they used to be.
For those at the lower rungs though - it's become easier and easier to get minor wealth through generalist upper middle manager type stuff, and harder and harder through risk taking and dynanism.
My great hope is that AI will change this, as risk/reward is changing again in favour of the risk takers.
As long as AI doesn't automate half the jobs without replacing them, entrepreneurs who take risks and build successful organisations and create popular new products have always been well rewarded
Orban was the link, both real and perceived, between 'national populism' and appeasement of Russia and Putin and this served to delegitimise right-wing politics among European elites. The fall of Orban changes this equation and will have a cascading effect by breaking the link across Europe, with the result that Europe will simultaneously move to the right and be tougher on Putin.
I suspect it has more to do with internal Hungarian politics and rather less to do with foreign affairs.
That's just the lens we see it through, because we're not Hungarian.
Indeed:
People in Hungary got poorer in the last four years, while those connected with Fidasz got richer.
The ANC has been in power for 30+ years in South Africa.
And a fat lot of good that's done ordinary South Africans.
(The record of Revolutionaries / national liberation movements who go into government is not a good one: one could argue the same for the first half century of Ireland post Independence; the PRI in Mexico; Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe; and others.)
The average South African today is much better off today than 30 years ago, plus of course they got rid of apartheid.
The latter is true, not sure the former is.
Hard to get accurate data as median figures aren't cleanly published like in the UK, but in the early 1990s the median (not white) South African was estimated to have a comparable income to the median Pole. Now Poles are massively better off than South Africans.
If you don't like a European example you can look around the globe. South Africa has underperformed most nations that were comparably developed to it in the 1990s, not just Eastern Europe but Thailand, Malaysia, Chile and more.
Apartheid may be over, but economically South Africans are not doing well.
What is noteworthy too is that economic equality has not improved under ANC rule. SA's Gini coefficient today is basically the same as it was at the end of apartheid, which is absolutely incredible!
I'm not sure that's quite true: the median South African in 1990 lived in a township, in what can be best described as informal accommodation.
There was some great material this week on the socials about the myriad meanings and uses of the word shit, several of which are close to being contronyms. You’re shit vs you’re the shit. Shit hot. Got shit to do (which can mean anything other than actually doing a shit), this is good shit vs this is shit, no shit, bullshit, horseshit, apeshit, chicken shit, get my shit together etc etc. Probably the most complex word in the English language.
You need to the read Christopher Brookmyre's The Sacred Art of Stealing.
The word "set" has 464 different meanings.
Do you know the full set of those 464 meanings? Because you set that record an hour ago; are you set upon informing this a set number of times, or should we set aside an expectation for this to be set in all our minds?
Britain could adopt single market rules without MPs’ vote as part of UK-EU reset
Exclusive: Ministers planning new legislation for alignment without full parliamentary scrutiny if in national interest
Ministers are planning to fundamentally reshape Britain’s relationship with the European Union, with new legislation that could result in the UK signing up to EU single market rules without a normal parliamentary vote.
In a major development in the prime minister’s push for closer ties with the continent in after the Iran war, the Guardian understands ministers are bracing to face down opposition to “dynamic alignment” with the EU from those who “scream treason” over the powers in a new EU-UK reset bill.
After weeks of Donald Trump’s war with Iran that have exposed the fragility of the UK’s damaged special relationship with the US, ministers argue the move will add billions to the UK economy and to help temper the cost of the conflict and boost sluggish productivity.
A new bill, which will bring into force the food and drink trade deal with the EU, will contain powers enabling the government to dynamically align with Europe on areas where it has already made agreements. But it will also allow the UK to quickly implement evolving single market rules if it determines it is in the national interest, without having to face full parliamentary scrutiny each time.
Turn GE in to a closer integration with Europe Poll
Watch Reform and Tories eat each other apart
Watch Tories literally implode.
Put real pressure on Green vote, their core vote will want it but will realise only a Labour led Government can deliver it.
Similar pressure on LDs
By 2029 seriously possible could be 60 : 40 in favour of closer ntegration.
Even higher if Trump stops democratic process in US
"Literally"?
"Literally" can be a contranym and actually mean "figuratively", but I think he means "actually", figuratively speaking.
No it can't.
The English language is an evolving thing that changes as people use it differently. We lost the battle on this one. Literally is now often used simply as an indicator of emphasis, rather than for its prior, literal, meaning.
That's because more people are getting it wrong.
You can say that you think the fact that more people are ill-educated should mean that their mistake enters the lexicon, I say otherwise.
It's really as simple as that.
You accept that language has changed over time, right? That we no longer use words the same way, spell them the same way, pronounce them the same way?
So I'm not sure who has declared you the arbiter of the English language, a one man Academie Francais.
I'm personally sympathetic to specific example you're complaining about here, but you seem to be just denying that language can change because you personally don't like it, and that's not stubborn insistence to the 'correct' way of doing things, it's just ignoring how languages work.
I assumed this was just a bit, but I guess not.
The language has not changed. The meaning of the word has not been lost in the sands of time over centuries or decades; we have ample resources where the correct meaning is explained.
That is quite different from an evolution of the language. I see this as more like the modern mullet - a silly trend that will clearly be seen as rather embarrassing when looking back. Rather than changing the entire meaning of a useful word (is there now no word that means 'literally' according to you?) people who make the mistake should just be corrected - it is just a feature of our current political miasma that we don't feel we can correct people any more because it might upset them.
Literally still means literally. It just means other things too. You have to use context to work out which. This is one of the things that can make English a difficult, but fun language.
Perhaps prime will find a different way to qualify literally to emphasise that they mean literally literally? I guess we'll find out, in time.
Therein lying the issue. If the word retains its original meaning, that stands in opposition to its meaning when used in error. The word cannot mean both things. Disinterested (another error) can mean both unbiased and uninterested for the most part, because the instances when the word is used are usually different. Literally isn't like that. In fact, what even is its meaning when used in error? Really but not.
The language has not changed, people are just being dickless about correcting others because they don't want to appear behind the times. That's fine, go ahead. I will continue to say it is wrong, because it is.
The word literally does mean both things.
How can literally mean "not literally"?
How can inflammable mean flammable?
Because it isn't unflammable.
Action and inaction; Activity and inactivity; Attentive and etc.etc etc
Intense Invest Incarcerate Inebriation
An "in" prefix is not always the same as an "un".
Incarcerate and carcerate mean the same thing so the “in” can have multiple meanings or none.
The political question I'd most like to know the answer to is: why have wealthy people become more left-wing over recent decades?
Three reasons (in the UK)
- the relative rise of high paid public sector roles - The increased importance of government funding for private business (eg that green energy chap) - The cohort effect for people in the late 40s/early 50s who became political aware under Major’s government and have had a sustained anti-Tory lean for all their lives but are now approaching peak wealth
Orban was the link, both real and perceived, between 'national populism' and appeasement of Russia and Putin and this served to delegitimise right-wing politics among European elites. The fall of Orban changes this equation and will have a cascading effect by breaking the link across Europe, with the result that Europe will simultaneously move to the right and be tougher on Putin.
I suspect it has more to do with internal Hungarian politics and rather less to do with foreign affairs.
That's just the lens we see it through, because we're not Hungarian.
Hopefully someone will run the headline “Hungary for change”
I can't remember last time a politician's downfall was so universally celebrated. Maybe Ceausescu?
I don't remember Ceausescu winning 4 elections like Orban and Orban has conceded this election tonight while Ceaucescu was shot by firing squad after a revolution. Even now Orban's party still got 37% of the vote in defeat
I know nothing about Orban. But UVDL crowing about a member state's election results isn't a particularly good look.
Classic EU though, they are happy to pose as a club of democracies, but only as long as democracy delivers the right result.
And, just like Trump or Putin, they use all the tools at their disposal to ensure that it does. Berlusconi was another example - Merkel and the EU pretty much arranged his deposition after he finally got something right, calling the euro out for the economic disaster that it was. The Greek referendum was yet another one. And of course our own referendum, where they did everything they could to frustrate the outcome which their arrogance and incompetence beforehand had ensured. And the numerous other referenda on EU treaties where people have been required to vote again until they got the right answer. As our electorate is slightly less cowardly than others in the EU, as soon as Cameron announced that future EU treaties were subject to referenda, I knew our membership was on borrowed time.
The EU interferes less than those two not because it has more scruples, but because it is weaker, and is perhaps slightly wiser in realising that interference can be counter-productive.
To Rubio. To not be in the room when the fuck up happens. Nor even to be in the same continent.
There was a story somewhere about the decision making for the Iran war
- Hegseth was in favour - Vance opposed - Rubio sat on the fence
I mean, how does the *Secretary of State* not have a definitive position on something that could upend his country’s global foreign policy?
The tragic answer to that question is nobody in the regime has real jobs. They were all appointed based on vibes and are maximising the taxpayers expense, but none of them are actually working much
"Magyar has promised to reverse Orbán-era changes to education and health, tackle corruption, (restore the independence of the judiciary) and kill off the widely loathed system of patronage (known as NER) that helped enrich party loyalists and squander state resources.
Remove the bits in brackets and it's very close to the disgeaceful actions of Tory Government s 1979 - 1997 and 2019 - 2024....
The political question I'd most like to know the answer to is: why have wealthy people become more left-wing over recent decades?
Three reasons (in the UK)
- the relative rise of high paid public sector roles - The increased importance of government funding for private business (eg that green energy chap) - The cohort effect for people in the late 40s/early 50s who became political aware under Major’s government and have had a sustained anti-Tory lean for all their lives but are now approaching peak wealth
Cohort effects in political opinion and voting behaviour are under appreciated, because they take so long to play out. Those of us young under Mrs T have struggled with the concept of voting Tory ever since.
Comments
464 different meanings.
Incumbent Republican governor Mike DeWine did slightly better than Vance in 2022: 62.41% to 37.38%: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Ohio_gubernatorial_election.
In most US races, being able to smile is an asset, something Vance seems to be unaware of.
No, I don't know why Peter Thiel backed Vance in that race -- but would like to.)
Hungarians have said "yes to Europe" with this vote, Magyar says.
The new government has a great task ahead, he tells the huge crowd, and calls on them to celebrate peacefully tonight, before beginning the "healing" of the country tomorrow.
He says his party will work every day to earn the trust that was given to them with this victory.
Magyar also calls on Viktor Orbán not to take any action between now and formally leaving office which would obstruct the job of the new government when it is formed.
He says the "puppets" of the Orbán government must go and the institutions of the state have to change.
Checks and balances will be restored, he vows, telling supporters he will restore Hungarian democracy.
As he speak, the crowd chants "Europe".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c2d8zw2d3rkt
(Yes, obviously some specific national matters mentioned, but for a Euro to focus on the Euro makes sense)
No, I expect Trump and Vance will find themselves Austriacised in future.
He won't be back.
👎
If you want to be a brilliant lawyer focus on law, if you want to be a brilliant politician focus on politics, rarely is a brilliant lawyer also a brilliant politician. The PM can hire the brilliant lawyers to be his Attorney General or lead the Justice Department anyway
Plus the US Democrats held the presidency for 20 years from 1933 to 1953 and held Congress for 18 of those years too
I would encourage the correction of a youngster. I would certainly expect it of an English teacher to a pupil, although context is important, so there are circumstances where 'donut' is not only acceptable, but appropriate, eg in reference to a product or slang.
But people here don't need correcting. It has nothing to do with being upset by being corrected, it's just plain rude.
Tage Erlander (no, me neither), was PM for 23 years alone from 1946-1969 (apparently much of the time in minority government).
Funnily enough his wikipedia page says his last election was his most successful then he retired a year later.
If you count Japan as part of the "West" then the LPJ held majority office for 28 years.
But the CDU were in power from 1949-1969.
Fianna Fáil was in power in Ireland almost continuously been 1931 and 2011, a period of 80 years.
And a fat lot of good that's done ordinary South Africans.
(The record of Revolutionaries / national liberation movements who go into government is not a good one: one could argue the same for the first half century of Ireland post Independence; the PRI in Mexico; Zanu-PF in Zimbabwe; and others.)
An upset asset cassette, in fact.
Generally speaking wealthy people are in favour of the status quo, because they're wealthy, and so they're doing quite well out of the status quo.
The left was in general routed during the 80s, and largely reacted to that by tacking to the centre and reducing the extent to which it sought to alter the status quo, particularly economically. It thus has become more of a defender of the status quo.
The right largely reacted to their victories of the 80s by adopting a policy of permanent revolution - seeking to push further on top of what they had achieved. This has tended to make right-wing parties, particularly those that have become populist, less reliable defenders of the status quo.
So the wealthy are still voting for the status quo, it's just that is generally more represented by parties of the left than of the right (insofar as we are talking about parties of the centre left and the populist right).
I'm gonna keep and cherish that phrase from tonight.
And use it.
Still 138.
I think we can call that a wrap.
Night all.
https://x.com/iiwasinthee212/status/2043437616473821262
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Péter_Magyar
Orban was the link, both real and perceived, between 'national populism' and appeasement of Russia and Putin and this served to delegitimise right-wing politics among European elites. The fall of Orban changes this equation and will have a cascading effect by breaking the link across Europe, with the result that Europe will simultaneously move to the right and be tougher on Putin.
That's just the lens we see it through, because we're not Hungarian.
Depending upon what you mean by wealthy, the routes for becoming so have changed. At the "top end" of wealth, we retain the usual two methods - self made and inheritance. The former while being extremely diverse are overall neither more or less right wing I think. The inherited lot I'd guess are marginally more left wing, being less insulated from the lower classes than they used to be.
For those at the lower rungs though - it's become easier and easier to get minor wealth through generalist upper middle manager type stuff, and harder and harder through risk taking and dynanism.
My great hope is that AI will change this, as risk/reward is changing again in favour of the risk takers.
Hard to get accurate data as median figures aren't cleanly published like in the UK, but in the early 1990s the median (not white) South African was estimated to have a comparable income to the median Pole. Now Poles are massively better off than South Africans.
If you don't like a European example you can look around the globe. South Africa has underperformed most nations that were comparably developed to it in the 1990s, not just Eastern Europe but Thailand, Malaysia, Chile and more.
Apartheid may be over, but economically South Africans are not doing well.
What is noteworthy too is that economic equality has not improved under ANC rule. SA's Gini coefficient today is basically the same as it was at the end of apartheid, which is absolutely incredible!
People in Hungary got poorer in the last four years, while those connected with Fidasz got richer.
Just thanked Viktor Orban at the end of the Hungarian Presidency for being our secret weapon and helping us bring down the EU project.
https://x.com/Nigel_Farage/status/88164439928483840
Not my best yesterday as I had food poisoning.
But it does serve as a reminder if the length and depth of the relationship.
https://www.desmog.com/2026/04/08/mapped-the-reform-farage-orban-network/
Got to love English!
- Hegseth was in favour
- Vance opposed
- Rubio sat on the fence
I mean, how does the *Secretary of State* not have a definitive position on something that could upend his country’s global foreign policy?
- the relative rise of high paid public sector roles
- The increased importance of government funding for private business (eg that green energy chap)
- The cohort effect for people in the late 40s/early 50s who became political aware under Major’s government and have had a sustained anti-Tory lean for all their lives but are now approaching peak wealth
And, just like Trump or Putin, they use all the tools at their disposal to ensure that it does. Berlusconi was another example - Merkel and the EU pretty much arranged his deposition after he finally got something right, calling the euro out for the economic disaster that it was. The Greek referendum was yet another one. And of course our own referendum, where they did everything they could to frustrate the outcome which their arrogance and incompetence beforehand had ensured. And the numerous other referenda on EU treaties where people have been required to vote again until they got the right answer. As our electorate is slightly less cowardly than others in the EU, as soon as Cameron announced that future EU treaties were subject to referenda, I knew our membership was on borrowed time.
The EU interferes less than those two not because it has more scruples, but because it is weaker, and is perhaps slightly wiser in realising that interference can be counter-productive.
Admittedly the system was less than perfectly democratic but it's still the record.
https://x.com/DPJHodges/status/2043564642291568855?s=20
In absolutely chef’s kiss timing, Matthew Goodwin is due to speak at Orbán’s in-house propaganda group MCC *today*
Badloss strikes again.
https://bsky.app/profile/writesbright.bsky.social/post/3mje3scwrb22l
"Magyar has promised to reverse Orbán-era changes to education and health, tackle corruption, (restore the independence of the judiciary) and kill off the widely loathed system of patronage (known as NER) that helped enrich party loyalists and squander state resources.
Remove the bits in brackets and it's very close to the disgeaceful actions of Tory Government s 1979 - 1997 and 2019 - 2024....
Then we have the rant about the Pope...
https://bsky.app/profile/nothoodlum.bsky.social/post/3mjdq4aeouc26