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First. I am wondering whether TSE has become addicted to power?

Absolutely cracking job in OGH's absence. Well done that man.

FPT

Just looked through the 300+ comments on CIF in response to the Guardian's analysis of the ICM poll. Could not find one comment in support of EdM, EdB and the rest of the shadow cabinet, but there is trough loads of criticism of Labour.

Socrates said:

Quite. In fact, it's far more clear what would happen if we left the EU, because it's the status of a whole bunch of countries: Switzerland, Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia etc. What's less clear is what will happen in the EU, because it's a unique experiment in integration between nations that has never happened before. But none of those countries have never been in the EU. If you could tell me emphatically that we can disentangle ourselves from 40 years of membership with minimal fuss and that we'll all sail off into a better future when OUT then I'd vote OUT tomorrow, Nothing would make me happier.

-----------------------------------------------------

As Omnium says below (and I thank him for his wise point) the decision to drive an OUT vote should be made on principle. The fact that no leading political party is making a principled case for leaving concerns me that leaving may not be a good idea. Perhaps our leading politicians are a bunch of gutless Europhile dumbf*cks all gormlessly heading for the inevitable crash together, ready to take us down with it.

Or perhaps they are all hard-headed pragmatists, aware that the socio-economic and political situation across the EU is precarious right now and that a decision by a governing British party to leave the EU could destabilise things to a point beyond which we can control it.

I'm always willing to be told I am very, very wrong. And part of me wants Cameron to tell the EU to piss off and shat on the Brussels carpet as he leaves. But that's why people like me won't ever get very far in sensible politics. And it's why I'm among a minority of people who still naive/docile/servile to believe our political leaders will choose the best option for all of us.

Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, has passed a law imposing heavy fines for providing information about homosexuality to people under 18.

The measure was passed unanimously and will become law when approved by the upper house and President Vladimir Putin, a virtual formality.

Gay rights campaigners clashed with anti-gay activists outside the Duma.

The lower house also passed a bill imposing up to three years in jail on those who offend religious believers.

The law comes in the wake of the imprisoning of members of the punk band Pussy Riot for performing an anti-Putin protest in an Orthodox cathedral in February 2012.

Two band members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, are currently serving two-year jail terms.

The new law on "offending religious feelings of the faithful" will also take effect after approval by the upper house and the president.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22862210

A belated "Well done" TSE on running the site in OGH absence - including the memorable "CatFlap" (now immortalised on a blog somewhere!) - which you successfully delegated.

Thanks also for The Hobbit trailer - I saw "Behind the Candelabra" yesterday in a surprisingly busy Monday afternoon matinee. Excellent performances all round - in particular Michael Douglas - who sadly will never get an Oscar as it was judged "too gay" for mainstream Cinema release in the US and ended up on HBO.

The Brits passed it uncut as "Suitable for 15 year olds".

Mr. Financier, by chance I was reading the Wiki entry about the Ottoman Empire earlier today. In the mid-19th century they decriminalised homosexuality. It's a shame that nowadays some countries are moving in quite the opposite direction.

I just read the comments over at James Kelly's site Scot Goes Pop under his piece about PB anti-leftwingery..

Lol.

I think I must be just as tragic for going there (my first ever visit) and reading it all.

Omnium said:

Socrates said:

I'd love to hear Yokel's views on the Turkish protest movement, and how it differs from other Arab Spring countries.

Turkey isn't anything like the other states involved in the 'Arab Spring'. This is much more akin to protests here in the UK.

When was the last time tear gas was used in London?

@MonikerDiCanio

I apologise if you found my comment hurtful. My point (and perhaps Tim's) was that you can't generalise. The Arab Spring was a 'meme' that caught on in the predominantly Arab world. Turkey has long been a place where ideas are mixed between East and West. No doubt there is some influence resulting from the appetite for change in her neighbours. However they are a democracy (no doubt with issues).

FPT, the wonders of the Single Market leave me cold. Where is the advantage in wishing to integrate with a part of the world whose share of world GDP and British exports is in irrevocable decline?

Omnium said:

@MonikerDiCanio

I apologise if you found my comment hurtful. My point (and perhaps Tim's) was that you can't generalise. The Arab Spring was a 'meme' that caught on in the predominantly Arab world. Turkey has long been a place where ideas are mixed between East and West. No doubt there is some influence resulting from the appetite for change in her neighbours. However they are a democracy (no doubt with issues).

I wasn't offended or hurt by your comment. I was just surprised that you regarded tim's ignorant and vulgar post as excellent.

MonikerDiCanio said:

Omnium said:

tim said:

1.Turks aren't Arabs
2.Turkey is a democracy.

It's hard to conceive of a better summary.

tim said:

Socrates said:

I'd love to hear Yokel's views on the Turkish protest movement, and how it differs from other Arab Spring countries.

1.Turks aren't Arabs
2.Turkey is a democracy.

Turkey has a large arab minority. Please desist in your vulgar and ignorant generalisations.

I thought the largest minority in Turkey are the Kurds (who aren't Arab, as they speak an Iranian language-family).

Just this minute got a flyer through my door for a prospective independent councillor standing for Redbridge Council next year - so he must be keen! His main policy plank is to campaign to keep our local A & E at King George's Hospital. His name is Andy Walker and he was a Labour Councillor until recently.

Here is his website as mentioned on the flyer:

http://www.savekinggeorgehospital.wordpress.com

There's also a Mister Fear

[Presumably he's part of the 18-rated Mister Men Books].

F1: Vettel extends contract with Red Bull to 2015:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/22865133

Andy_JS said:

This week's local elections for local people:

http://ukgeneralelection2015.blogspot.co.uk/

There's nothing for you here!

DavidL said:

Financier said:

Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, has passed a law imposing heavy fines for providing information about homosexuality to people under 18.

The measure was passed unanimously and will become law when approved by the upper house and President Vladimir Putin, a virtual formality.

Gay rights campaigners clashed with anti-gay activists outside the Duma.

The lower house also passed a bill imposing up to three years in jail on those who offend religious believers.

The law comes in the wake of the imprisoning of members of the punk band Pussy Riot for performing an anti-Putin protest in an Orthodox cathedral in February 2012.

Two band members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, are currently serving two-year jail terms.

The new law on "offending religious feelings of the faithful" will also take effect after approval by the upper house and the president.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22862210

It's democracy Jim, but not as we know it.

Those are pretty bad laws, but Western European political establishments are also quite keen to repress speech that they deem offensive.

Marshall Aid wasn't a prominent US Army Commander.

Neil said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

His name is Andy Walker and he was a Labour Councillor until recently.

That suggests he was deselected?

Possibly, though he actually says he resigned from Labour.

Morris_Dancer said:

There's also a Mister Fear

[Presumably he's part of the 18-rated Mister Men Books].

In due course, I hope to be Arch Lector Fear.

Sunil_Prasannan said:

But the London "protestors" in 2011 weren't calling for Cameron to go, they were mostly interested in their EMA - Electrical Merchandise Allowance

It doesn't really matter what they were protesting about does it? We have today a bunch of clowns that have been dragged off to experience her Majesty's pleasure from Beak Street. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Turkish people have an opportunity to vote for a new government in about 1 years time.

I have some sympathy for protesters here in the UK in that the system doesn't allow them to get an audience for their views, and perhaps that might be more the case in Turkey. There is though a place for the rule of law. It's a hard line to draw, but there is a line.

Andy_JS said:

I wonder what Mullah Omar's doing these days?

You'd like to think he's chilled out a bit and developed a taste for the hardcore clubbing scene but it doesnt seem likely.

Sean_F said:

In due course, I hope to be Arch Lector Fear.

Those Arches have got away with all sorts in the past. They need a good Lector.

Sunil_Prasannan said:

Just this minute got a flyer through my door for a prospective independent councillor standing for Redbridge Council next year - so he must be keen! His main policy plank is to campaign to keep our local A & E at King George's Hospital. His name is Andy Walker and he was a Labour Councillor until recently.

Here is his website as mentioned on the flyer:

http://www.savekinggeorgehospital.wordpress.com

He'd better be careful about what he says he's doing or he'll fall foul of the rules on election expenses.

Sean_F said:

FPT, the wonders of the Single Market leave me cold. Where is the advantage in wishing to integrate with a part of the world whose share of world GDP and British exports is in irrevocable decline?

It's time to get out of the protectionist single market so that we can pursue a policy of free trade and migration.

@Neil - According to Wiki, Mullers (as he is known to his mates) has one eye missing and "has been described as shy and non-talkative with foreigners". Poor sausage.

Introduce him to the gayers, give him a loving hug and I guarantee he'll be a man transformed.

I want to take Mullah Omar to Poptastic.

Seriously, under the Taliban, no booze, no women, no pop music, no wonder they want to blow themselves up.

World peace could be achieved in Poptastic.

http://www.poptastic.co.uk/

On a more Nighthawks-ish note, I also got Depeche Mode's new single via the Amazon site today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt-28iNQnwY

tim said:

That's the logical anti EU position.
Sadly most of those wanting out of the EU would rather close the borders than accept Indian or Brazilian students and crap themselves at the thought of building a new airport in case some foreigners use it.

They might do better if they weren't so protectionist when it comes to people.

The logic of their position is to subsidise worklessness at home, and to prevent highly motivated aliens from working. It's madness. But no major political party is pro-immigration, and in fact their positions are all very similar in practice, so there is effectively no choice on the matter

Neil said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

His name is Andy Walker and he was a Labour Councillor until recently.

That suggests he was deselected?

This is not uncommon. In my ward we have two Independent councillors who could not get elected as Labour candidates, blamed the local party, and were expelled. They then stood successfully as Independents.

TheScreamingEagles said:

@Sunil, I see them on Saturday!

*Them being DM

TSE

Depeche were simply awesome a couple of weeks back at the O2, I'm sure they will be just as awesome in Paris!

Socrates said:

DavidL said:

Financier said:

Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, has passed a law imposing heavy fines for providing information about homosexuality to people under 18.

The measure was passed unanimously and will become law when approved by the upper house and President Vladimir Putin, a virtual formality.

Gay rights campaigners clashed with anti-gay activists outside the Duma.

The lower house also passed a bill imposing up to three years in jail on those who offend religious believers.

The law comes in the wake of the imprisoning of members of the punk band Pussy Riot for performing an anti-Putin protest in an Orthodox cathedral in February 2012.

Two band members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, are currently serving two-year jail terms.

The new law on "offending religious feelings of the faithful" will also take effect after approval by the upper house and the president.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22862210

It's democracy Jim, but not as we know it.

Like Turkey, it's not a democracy. You need free and fair elections for that, and neither country has them.

How are Turkey's elections not free and fair? This seems particularly weird when comparing to Russia's elections, which I would agree are not.

Tim down below put it well and succinctly. Turkey is a melting pot ethnically (mainly due to its position), and whilst many Arabs live there, they are not an Arabic culture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Turkey#Ethnic_groups

Off-topic: I'e just been having a rather interesting drink with an old mate. He's working on Big Data, and apparently every single person's genome is 13 Terrabytes of data (compressed, I think he said). Of this, only 2TB is really necessary, but the scientists like having the rest around just in case.

Just twenty years ago I was using 1.6 Megabyte 3.5" floppy discs.

The amount of data they are handling and storing on a daily basis is truly phenomenal, yet they manage it on a daily basis. If you put this guy in charge of any government IT project and ave him dictator powers, it would be delivered on time.

JJ: "Just twenty years ago I was using 1.6 Megabyte 3.5" floppy discs."

I wish I could remember the name of the movie in which a character held one up and said: "Why are they called floppy discs? They're not floppy and they're not discs."

Gilbert_Pinfold said:

JJ: "Just twenty years ago I was using 1.6 Megabyte 3.5" floppy discs."

I wish I could remember the name of the movie in which a character held one up and said: "Why are they called floppy discs? They're not floppy and they're not discs."

The old 5 1/4 inch discs were quite floppy (I'm too young to have really used the 8" discs). They also blooming well hurt when thrown across the computing lab. We used to have competitions to see who could throw one the furthest and still get data off it. :-)

I have some BBC Domesday discs in the garage, which I am going to convert into mirrors for our house when I get around to it. Think really thick laserdiscs.

I am currently on a short tour of hotels in central southern England. Last night was the Elephant in Pangbourne.(Reading West - Con). Rather eccentric hotel but superb food( rabbit and pistaccio terrine for starters). Tonight in the Carlton in Bournemouth(Con). Itwas the hotel of choice for Conservatives in the 60s and 70s for conferences. In the bar there are portraits of Macmillan, Home, and Heath but also Macleod next to Powell. There are also portraits of Eisenhower and Monygomery who used it as base in the preparations for D- Day. Ironically most of the guests were German tourists! Tomorrow Lyme Regis.

JJ: I began my (extremely short) programming career using data entry cards. They were the size of dollar bills because their American inventors couldn't think of anything better. The 8-inch floppy was manna from heaven.

Cycling fans might appreciate this: How Lance Armstrong Ruined Everything

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snLWkqWLY1g

Gilbert_Pinfold said:

JJ: I began my (extremely short) programming career using data entry cards. They were the size of dollar bills because their American inventors couldn't think of anything better. The 8-inch floppy was manna from heaven.

Tchah! Punched cards! Modern nonsense. Paper tape was good enough for me, with little hole-punchers and sticky tape to correct coding errors.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22861577

Greek state broadcaster shut down...

not a coup, just saving money, apparently

dugarbandier said:

"we used do our data entry on granite wi our teeth"

whic, come to think of it, might have been quicker than the ol zx81 keyboard i grew up with

MyBurningEars said:

dugarbandier said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22861577

Greek state broadcaster shut down...

not a coup, just saving money, apparently

Is this the prelude to a firesale?

who knows. can't feel great if you're greek.

i'd be shitting my pants if something like that happened to the BBC...

Latest YouGov / The Sun results 11th June - CON 30%, LAB 38%, LD 9%, UKIP 16%; APP -33 - See more at: http://yougov.co.uk/news/2013/06/12/update-labour-lead-8/#sthash.DHn5NKzu.dpuf