A Labour win in Donside was never on the cards IMO. But considering that from an outside brief look, Labour candidate makes Iain Gray looking powerful and that SLAB allowed SNP to run a campaign on Council matters (where Lab is in government and SNP in opposition) rathern than Holyrood issues, I wonder how far they will end up. Because (substantially) cutting the majority was the real aim.
Agree , though key point is that labour are nowhere, they have dire candidate , and Lamont is not even turning up. Unless you live on another planet and only read the Scotsman it is very obvious Labour are in a ditch and going nowhere, mid term and in dire circumstances they are not even denting the SNP. Their alliance with the Tories and shift to the right to support Milliband will finish them completely.
A Labour win in Donside was never on the cards IMO. But considering that from an outside brief look, Labour candidate makes Iain Gray looking powerful and that SLAB allowed SNP to run a campaign on Council matters (where Lab is in government and SNP in opposition) rathern than Holyrood issues, I wonder how far they will end up. Because (substantially) cutting the majority was the real aim.
Agree , though key point is that labour are nowhere, they have dire candidate , and Lamont is not even turning up. Unless you live on another planet and only read the Scotsman it is very obvious Labour are in a ditch and going nowhere, mid term and in dire circumstances they are not even denting the SNP. Their alliance with the Tories and shift to the right to support Milliband will finish them completely.
The SNP's candidate in Aberdeen Donside is a perfect example of the modern career politician ;
" Born 1980 in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. Educated at Dyce Academy, the Univ. of Dundee (MA in Politics) and Univ. of Aberdeen (MLitt in Strategic Studies), and worked as a personal assistant to three SNP MSPs in 2003-11. Mark served as an Aberdeen City Councillor for Dyce, Bucksburn & Danestone in 2007-12. He became a North-East MSP on 5 May 2011, and was a member of the Parliament's Health & Sport Committee; a sub. member of the Local Government & Regeneration Committee; and a member of the Cross-Party Group on Oil & Gas and eight other Groups. Lives at Dyce in the constituency with his wife and two children."
OT For those interested and with access - True Blood returns to TV screens today. And if you're a fan of The Killing - its now on S3 E4 and looking as good as ever.
On topic, I guess Labour will do whatever it takes to gain control of Number 10, as would any party with most seats. If that means a coalition with the Lib Dems, then that'll happen. I really can't see an outcome that doesn't involve Ed Milliband as PM.
Off topic, Political Betting is the one site I check everyday, I like its mix of politics, news, trivia, banter, even the full blown arguments are entertaining. I mostly lurk, due to a busy life, and Vanilla not being that easy to navigate on an Android phone.
As for banning people, I think anyone advocating a ban on a fellow PBer should automatically be banned. (Have I just banned myself?)
A Labour win in Donside was never on the cards IMO. But considering that from an outside brief look, Labour candidate makes Iain Gray looking powerful and that SLAB allowed SNP to run a campaign on Council matters (where Lab is in government and SNP in opposition) rathern than Holyrood issues, I wonder how far they will end up. Because (substantially) cutting the majority was the real aim.
Agree , though key point is that labour are nowhere, they have dire candidate , and Lamont is not even turning up. Unless you live on another planet and only read the Scotsman it is very obvious Labour are in a ditch and going nowhere, mid term and in dire circumstances they are not even denting the SNP. Their alliance with the Tories and shift to the right to support Milliband will finish them completely.
The SNP's candidate in Aberdeen Donside is a perfect example of the modern career politician ;
" Born 1980 in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. Educated at Dyce Academy, the Univ. of Dundee (MA in Politics) and Univ. of Aberdeen (MLitt in Strategic Studies), and worked as a personal assistant to three SNP MSPs in 2003-11. Mark served as an Aberdeen City Councillor for Dyce, Bucksburn & Danestone in 2007-12. He became a North-East MSP on 5 May 2011, and was a member of the Parliament's Health & Sport Committee; a sub. member of the Local Government & Regeneration Committee; and a member of the Cross-Party Group on Oil & Gas and eight other Groups. Lives at Dyce in the constituency with his wife and two children."
Depressing and boring.
At least he is a local man interested in his place of birth/local area , different story from most of the carpetbaggers at Westminster who get safe seats depending on who their buddies are. He has given up his safe job , albeit for a safe seat, and taken the small risk that there could be a real politician to challenge in the seat.
PlatoOkay - after finding Inception unbearable tosh, I'm about to watch The Matrix - how I managed to avoid it for 14yrs is a mystery but I'm wondering if I'm going to hate this film as well...
"The Matrix" is so hyped up and has such a cult reputation that I eventually got round to watching it after several years of not doing. It wasn't exactly rubbish, but there was nothing special about it. If you haven't watched it yet, don't bother.
Ludicrous comment. The last part, that is. Plato, I too found Inception almost impossible to watch. The Matrix is a great film, cursed by the success of a cult following, especially amongst yoofs, and poor sequels. It's still quite rightly in the Top 20 IMDB all-time movies.
As for Tim, I don't bother reading his posts. If he rationed himself I'd probably pay more attention.
Why Ed has got it totally wrong over the EU vote, by senior Labour MP
- Tony Blair took us from being a Eurosceptic party to being a very pro-EU party - I'm all in favour of a common market but a single state is completely different
This from the article by kate hoey -
I think there may be complacency in the Labour Party thinking that UKIP is only taking votes from the Conservatives. I don’t think that’s true.
Even if UKIP didn’t exist I think it’s the right thing to offer a referendum, but it is giving them an open goal if Labour don’t say that we support one.
In fact, if we had come out and said we supported a referendum earlier we could have made it very difficult for the Conservatives.
The Labour leadership want to play party politics now, but if they’d played party politics earlier we could have had a pro-referendum position before the Conservatives.
Which brings me to Ed Miliband.
Ed is inherently very pro-EU. But he has got members of his shadow cabinet who, without doubt, would like to see us change our position. I think the strength of his leadership will be to show he does realise it is untenable to continue with this position.
I got about an hour into The Matrix and it was all very stylishly done/CGI most impressive for its time - but it just didn't keep me interested enough to carry on. It had cult-movie stamped all over it which is fine, but not me.
At least he is a local man interested in his place of birth/local area , different story from most of the carpetbaggers at Westminster
it's probably unfair....in Scotland there aren't many Labour carpetbaggers simply because almost all seats used to be safe including the area they were born in many years before.
Travelling down to South West....here's Labour shortlist for Kingswood:
Josie Channor (Barking Cllr) Leonie Cooper (Wandsworth Cllr; former GLA candidate for Merton & Wandswroth constituency) Rowena Hayward (Membership Development Officer at GMB; she lives in Willsbridge)
Recap of yesterday's PPC selections
Warrington South: Nick Bent (the 2010 candidate) Brighton Kemptown: Nancy Platts (2010 candidate in Pavilion) Hove: Peter Kyle (works in the charity sector)
OT Is it possible to have a disaster movie cast in a sci-fi film?
I'm watching X-Men 3 and so far we've had Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Vinnie Jones, Frasier [Kesley Grammer], Mark Sloan from Grey's Anatomy, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman...
Every few mins I'm stopping the film and thinking Hang On, isn't that XYZ? The last one was Femke Janssen who some will recall as Ms Xenia Onatopp in GoldenEye...
I'm wondering who will be next... BTW - has anyone noticed how many productions Vinnie Jones has been in - its enormous http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005068/
If Labour are the party with the largest number of MPs after the next election, but without a majoroty, then not being prepared to have a coalition would mean political uncertainty and not be in the national interest.
By forming a coalition at a time of national crisis, Conservative and Lib Dem acted responsibly in the national interest rather than party interest (particularly not in the Lib Dem's interest).
Since we will continue to be in crisis in 201, Labour would be letting the country down if they don't form a coalition in these circumstances.
well, we can't judge if it has been fixed or not unless we know who else applied. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't much else to choose from.
Some number of applications for recent AWS seats:
Lewisham Deptford: 17 or 18 (I cant't recall it now!) Weaver Valley: 12 Wirral West: around 12 Hampstead & Kilburn: 10 Croydon Central: 10 Colne Valley: 5 Brighton Kemptown: 4 Brighton Pavilion: 3
Bristol South and Somerset North East also selecting this month probably also helped to lower the number of applications as some parliamentary wannabes living in the region may have decided to go just for 1 rather than all 3 of them.
"Cameron could not possibly have such a vote in the Commons unless he was sure to win. It would be a resigning matter. And I am not sure he would win right now.
So I think our contribution, if it comes to it, will be everything up to but below lethal weapons, such as armoured vehicles, mine detectors, body armour, communications etc etc with the US providing the teeth.
Personally I am with Danny Alexander on this. A long way from being persuaded but probably persuadable depending how the chips fall. The only thing I am completely against is any British or indeed western forces on the ground. Been there, got the T shirt and it is full of holes."
"However he also drives away lurkers and occasional posters. As an example this was a post he made last night (I noticed it at the time but didn't respond as it would have derailed the thread)"
@Charles, totally agree, that personal attack last night was a classic example of this modus operandi from this poster. But the real irony is that he often interrupts and successfully derails threads by doing just this when he doesn't like the political direction that they are taking.
I saw your comment about poor Duncan. I think we don't see anymore since he was stormrolled by Andrew Neil on BBC in the early days of coalition :-(
@AndreaParma_82 I think its a real shame as he was one of the most entertaining and effective media operators we had on the Conservative benches. We could do with more like him, its been too long since we saw Hunky Dunky as a regular.
I saw your comment about poor Duncan. I think we don't see anymore since he was stormrolled by Andrew Neil on BBC in the early days of coalition :-(
@AndreaParma_82 I think its a real shame as he was one of the most entertaining and effective media operators we had on the Conservative benches. We could do with more like him, its been too long since we saw Hunky Dunky as a regular.
I agree - he's a Tory who has a sort of self-depreciating charm that isn't seen often enough - and he's not frightened of being himself.
That CCHQ have been scared off using his talents is a shame. I'd much rather they did.
Reading the comments about Donside from nationalist supporters on Wings over Scotland, there seems to be a split between those who think the SNP will win extremely easily, and those who are a touch concerned about the number of postal votes, and who think Labour might be attempting a repeat of Glenrothes (by fair means or foul).
Marcia of this parish seems to be more in the former camp, although she hasn't been personally involved in the campaign this time.
Miss Fitalass, perhaps ironic, perhaps deliberate.
Red Rag does spring to mind. Consider how much less cordial and how much more tribal pb is now than several years ago. When I first joined in 2007 it was altogether more welcoming and friendly. I'm not sure I'd join today.
IOS, to be fair, most poster are not in the slightst concrened about this poster called tim.Anyone who uses the terms, fop, red faced,chinless, chumocracy etc is completely ignored. If a poster has to resort to that sort of slanging nonsense then the argument or point being made is lost.
"When I first joined in 2007 it was altogether more welcoming and friendly. I'm not sure I'd join today."
I joined in 2008 and it seemed friendly for about five minutes - then SeanT noticed I was a Scot Nat and gave me the full treatment over a period of hours.
I know people hark back to the almost mythical period when this site was genuinely ecumenical, but even five years ago it was fairly Tory-dominated.
I saw your comment about poor Duncan. I think we don't see anymore since he was stormrolled by Andrew Neil on BBC in the early days of coalition :-(
@AndreaParma_82 I think its a real shame as he was one of the most entertaining and effective media operators we had on the Conservative benches. We could do with more like him, its been too long since we saw Hunky Dunky as a regular.
I agree - he's a Tory who has a sort of self-depreciating charm that isn't seen often enough - and he's not frightened of being himself.
That CCHQ have been scared off using his talents is a shame. I'd much rather they did.
@Plato, its all the more strange when you consider that Duncan remains a Minister in the DFID. He is now just about invisible alongside Lynn Featherstone in a department that could do with some media savvy PR to pitch its importance to the electorate right now.
Inception is a great film. You are the first person I have known not like it1
Mrs J is a Sci-Fi connoisseur, and I agreed with her opinion on Inception. The plot was nowhere near as complex as people made out, and it was really over-hyped.
If you want a great sci-fi film, then Primer is brilliant with perhaps the most complex plot ever put onto film. It demands being watched two or three times, just so you can work out what went on in the last half-hour.
If you want a really hard-to-watch film, then 'Tyrannosaur' is brilliant. It starts Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan, and is a great character study of broken people. Not one to watch if you want to hear dogs being kicked to death, though.
The plot could be understood by a 6 year old! The point was it was at times beautiful cinematography and has an exceptional soundtrack by the great Hans Zimmer.
"When I first joined in 2007 it was altogether more welcoming and friendly. I'm not sure I'd join today."
I joined in 2008 and it seemed friendly for about five minutes - then SeanT noticed I was a Scot Nat and gave me the full treatment over a period of hours.
I know people hark back to the almost mythical period when this site was genuinely ecumenical, but even five years ago it was fairly Tory-dominated.
Was that 'fore-a'-aff-taheeh a Red Meteor eek-ploodad....?
It was apparent that TB had not really considered the end game when he supported the invasion of IRAQ - even though that scenario without the controlling, but brutal, hand of Saddam was easy to envisage.
However, Syria with its implications for the Lebanon and Jordan (and even Palestine and Israel) the end game is not so apparent - except for future interminable conflict in the eastern Med.
The aggressiveness of ex_KGB Putin and his unrevealed ambitions further muddies the waters. Does any PBer see how the end game will be played out?
I'm about to embark on the prequel to X-Men called First Class - its getting very solid good reviews from average punters so hope to be pleasantly surprised.
I'm generally not a prequel fan at all - and when was the last time a trilogy had a good finale? I'm struggling to think of one.
X-Men 3 Last Stand - crikey what a weak film, no wonder it had a disaster movie cast. I'd give it a spec more credit than IM3 and that's damning with feint praise.
It was apparent that TB had not really considered the end game when he supported the invasion of IRAQ - even though that scenario without the controlling, but brutal, hand of Saddam was easy to envisage.
However, Syria with its implications for the Lebanon and Jordan (and even Palestine and Israel) the end game is not so apparent - except for future interminable conflict in the eastern Med.
The aggressiveness of ex_KGB Putin and his unrevealed ambitions further muddies the waters. Does any PBer see how the end game will be played out?
Pure guess.
Syria is a Russian client. If the USA wants another war then someone has to blink. As since 9/11 the Russians have let all their other clients in the mid-east get stomped you'd think they'd finally draw the line at the last and most important one. In which case either the Americans (and poodles) blink or it could all get very ugly indeed.
When the site started, I seem to recall reading Sean Fear was a lone right of centre viewpoint. The site was more right of centre in the last few years because Labour were on the wane and even more so after the lunacy of Brown's coronation.
Plato have you seen The Green Mile? I watched it for first time a week ago and was blown away. Astonishing film, but then maybe I shouldn't be so astonished when you consider it's by the brilliant Stephen King who's not only America's most successful writer of all-time but also behind films like The Shawshank Redemption, Misery, Carrie, Stand by Me, The Shining.
"The site was more right of centre in the last few years because Labour were on the wane and even more so after the lunacy of Brown's coronation."
We kept hearing that the tide would turn and the site would move back to the left after Labour established a lead in the polls. Well, Labour have had a lead for ages but the PB tide still hasn't turned. I don't expect it will. PB has become culturally Tory.
Plato have you seen The Green Mile? I watched it for first time a week ago and was blown away. Astonishing film, but then maybe I shouldn't be so astonished when you consider it's by the brilliant Stephen King who's not only America's most successful writer of all-time but also behind films like The Shawshank Redemption, Misery, Carrie, Stand by Me, The Shining.
I saw the Green Mile at the pix years ago - its a superb film. The Shawshank Redemption is probably one of my favs of all time, and was beaten by Forrest Gump at the Oscars...the Green Mile was trumped by American Beauty. I loved all of them but what bad luck Stephen King had for those two.
PS If you like Michael Clarke Duncan who played the convict in Green Mile - then you may like the TV series The Finder - it was cancelled after S1 because he died. It's a great fun show with the chap who starred in Six Feet Under.
"The site was more right of centre in the last few years because Labour were on the wane and even more so after the lunacy of Brown's coronation."
We kept hearing that the tide would turn and the site would move back to the left after Labour established a lead in the polls. Well, Labour have had a lead for ages but the PB tide still hasn't turned. I don't expect it will. PB has become culturally Tory.
James, Given labour are almost clones of the Tories these days, does it matter.
@JamesKelly pb has remained predominantly right of centre as you say. But Scottish nationalism and UKIPpery are both very fully represented on pb - far beyond their appeal to the electorate at large - presumably because they are generating debate. Labour are not coming up with many big new ideas that are grabbing public attention.
"But Scottish nationalism and UKIPpery are both very fully represented on pb - far beyond their appeal to the electorate at large"
The SNP received 45% of the Scottish vote in 2011, which is equivalent to 4% of the UK population. Do Nationalists make up more than 4% of PB posters? I doubt it.
Its not the site's fault that there are not many SNP posters. Are you suggesting OGH should introduce quotas? Get real. I am sure there will be much more SNP activity the closer we get to the referendum.
dear oh dear Fluffy, you are scraping the bottom of the barrel having to quote the biggest buffoon and windbag in the UK. Unionists are in dire straits right enough.
"But Scottish nationalism and UKIPpery are both very fully represented on pb - far beyond their appeal to the electorate at large"
The SNP received 45% of the Scottish vote in 2011, which is equivalent to 4% of the UK population. Do Nationalists make up more than 4% of PB posters? I doubt it.
But Scottish nationalism has taken up or taken over many PB threads whereas I cannot recall a recent one one on Welsh Nationalism. Perhaps after 2014 both situations may change. The Silk Commission in Wales is now looking at further devolution for Wales including tax-raising powers.
Its not the site's fault that there are not many SNP posters. Are you suggesting OGH should introduce quotas? Get real. I am sure there will be much more SNP activity the closer we get to the referendum.
"The Silk Commission in Wales is now looking at further devolution for Wales including tax-raising powers."
If PB covers that with the same enthusiasm with which it dealt with the 2011 referendum on greater powers for the Welsh Assembly, aren't we in for a treat.
The day after that referendum, I posted here to say what a wonderful day it was for Wales. The PB Tory reaction was to assume that I must be being "ironic".
"I can't think of a single Scottish Labour poster ever on PB - unless of course we count Mr Pork here."
Oh dear, Plato. You wouldn't be breaking your own rules by "creepily stalking" Mr Pork, would you?
I can remember at least one Scottish Labour poster, but it was probably before your time. His name was Fred and he posted canvass returns during the 2007 Holyrood election. Maybe he was driven away by all the libertarianism and fiscal conservative twistedness? Who knows.
I can't think of a more important issue facing the UK than whether it will continue to exist in its current form. In my book the relationship between the home nations is much more interesting than whether Cameron is posh or Miliband is strange, EU membership and so on. I don't think many of us have begun to think through the implications of the 2014 vote, whichever way it goes. It seems to me to be almost certain that constitutionally we will be living in a very different country by 2020, if not well before.
England have a 24 over match to stay in the competition. Somewhat strangely Cook is amongst the openers. Why was Root not promoted? Morgan should be 3, Buttler 4, Bopara 5. But I bet they are not.
I'm surprised to see that tim et al believe what they read in the Daily Mail.
What next? Jeremy Clarkson is the font of all knowledge?
Now the stories in the tabloids may be correct sometimes, and Cammo is capable of it, but linking to them Is akin to linking to the Beano. Let's have a little consistency here. Had the PB Tories linked to a favourable story in the Mail for Cammo, you wouldn't have believed a word.
What level of tip could he have left where, you would not criticise Cameron? No need to answer as its patently obvious that whatever tip he left you would find a reason to criticise him for it.
I can't think of a more important issue facing the UK than whether it will continue to exist in its current form. In my book the relationship between the home nations is much more interesting than whether Cameron is posh or Miliband is strange, EU membership and so on. I don't think many of us have begun to think through the implications of the 2014 vote, whichever way it goes. It seems to me to be almost certain that constitutionally we will be living in a very different country by 2020, if not well before.
SO, agree , regardless of vote this time we are heading for minimum federal UK or a split.
They went to Pizza Express for a meal afterwards where Dave left a £50 tip.
Good for Dave. It must be terrible for the restaurant staff living off the minimum wage, which Labour set so low. Actually ex-Bullingdon men are always good tippers. In Oxford, restaurant owners love it when the Bullingdons show up. Yes, they smash the place up, but they pay for the damage four times over. 'Do come again gentlemen!' is a familiar cry as the Bullies spill out on to the pavement.
Fluffy, I keep hovering over little icons at the bottom of my posts and finding the words - "Fluffy Thoughts - Troll". I wouldn't put up with that kind of abuse if I were you.
"And how dare you use that foul term 'PB Tories'."
You're right - I should have said ... 'our more Conservative colleagues who have every right to hold those views, as do our more left wing colleagues too.'
The SNP received 45% of the Scottish vote in 2011, which is equivalent to 4% of the UK population. Do Nationalists make up more than 4% of PB posters? I doubt it.
If you add it up, they do probably make far more than 4% of the comments though You and MickPork are quire prolific.
They went to Pizza Express for a meal afterwards where Dave left a £50 tip.
You'd think the PR guy inside him would've stopped the guilt ridden fop inside him from chucking a £50 tip after a pizza.
Obama like Cameron is a famously generous tipper ;
" President Obama’s generosity at restaurants and bars is well documented. One time, then-Senator Obama left a 900 percent tip while grabbing a beer at Raleigh Times Bar in Raleigh, N.C., said TMZ. One time, he paid for a $2 beer with a twenty, and told the bartender to keep the change. Another time, Obama, this time as president, “dropped over $200″ on a burger lunch for him and a large group of campaign volunteers at Ted’s Bulletin Restaurant in Washington, D.C. "
Makes a nice change after the ghastly tight-fisted money-grubbing Blairs and Browns.
"JamesKelly is the one baiting Plato, posting seagull videos while quoting plato FFS, we all know exactly what is going on."
READ the thread before you make stupid comments like that. My guess is she was trying to bait me with the Braveheart comment (which is why I responded with a seagull video), but there's not much doubt she baited me in an earlier comment ages before I even came on.
"JamesKelly is the one baiting Plato, posting seagull videos while quoting plato FFS, we all know exactly what is going on."
READ the thread before you make stupid comments like that. My guess is she was trying to bait me with the Braveheart comment (which is why I responded with a seagull video), but there's not much doubt she baited me in an earlier comment ages before I even came on.
So if that is what the second one was for, what about the first one - did you get bored, or felt the need to remind everyone about your argument with her?
Why not be a grown up about it and just ignore it, it's petty and it engulfs the entire comment stream. The same goes for Plato too. We get it, you two don't get along.
"JamesKelly is the one baiting Plato, posting seagull videos while quoting plato FFS, we all know exactly what is going on."
READ the thread before you make stupid comments like that. My guess is she was trying to bait me with the Braveheart comment (which is why I responded with a seagull video), but there's not much doubt she baited me in an earlier comment ages before I even came on.
Or could it be that Braveheart was an average film (setting aside the historical accuracy and political message and focusing on the film) while Apollo 13 was pretty good?
"If it was a question I would have used a question mark."
Best not to use the word 'why' then, old son. Just a hint for future reference. Thankyou for clarifying that you have no interest in anyone's opinion but your own.
"If it was a question I would have used a question mark."
Best not to use the word 'why' then, old son. Just a hint for future reference. Thankyou for clarifying that you have no interest in anyone's opinion but your own.
All because of something Plato said, no doubt.
You are absolutely right that I don't care about your reasons why you think continuing this argument is a good idea. I do care about what you have to say on political related matters, and I am also interested in peoples opinions on other 'off-topic' topics (just not this stupid argument).
"You are absolutely right that I don't care about your reasons why you think continuing this argument is a good idea."
Then we are in a remarkably similar position. OK, I get it, you don't like me challenging Plato on her passive-aggressive drivel. I don't care. It is the right thing to do, and I will continue to do it.
The Matrix was definitely worth watching when it came out in the summer of 1999 because the special effects were on an entirely different level to anything seen before, maybe in the same way that Star Wars was in 1977. But I'm not sure the story was that interesting.
"You are absolutely right that I don't care about your reasons why you think continuing this argument is a good idea."
Then we are in a remarkably similar position. OK, I get it, you don't like me challenging Plato on her passive-aggressive drivel. I don't care. It is the right thing to do, and I will continue to do it.
Sorry.
Actually, I'm not sorry. Get out of my face.
Looks like we need to find another animal to counter your passive-agressive seagull drivel
"Braveheart was historical and geographic garbage. It was filmed in Eire."
About two-thirds of it was filmed in Ireland (why are you using the non-English word "Eire"?), and about one-third in Scotland. You're correct that as a history lesson it was atrocious. You're incorrect that it was intended as a history lesson.
They went to Pizza Express for a meal afterwards where Dave left a £50 tip.
You'd think the PR guy inside him would've stopped the guilt ridden fop inside him from chucking a £50 tip after a pizza.
Obama like Cameron is a famously generous tipper ;
" President Obama’s generosity at restaurants and bars is well documented. One time, then-Senator Obama left a 900 percent tip while grabbing a beer at Raleigh Times Bar in Raleigh, N.C., said TMZ. One time, he paid for a $2 beer with a twenty, and told the bartender to keep the change. Another time, Obama, this time as president, “dropped over $200″ on a burger lunch for him and a large group of campaign volunteers at Ted’s Bulletin Restaurant in Washington, D.C. "
Makes a nice change after the ghastly tight-fisted money-grubbing Blairs and Browns.
We don't know how much previous PMs tipped when out with their spouses because their PR people never felt the need to mention it.
Didn't Dave get caught out undertipping somewhere else once? I guess voters need to realise he has learned his lesson.
Comments
" Born 1980 in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. Educated at Dyce Academy, the Univ. of Dundee (MA in Politics) and Univ. of Aberdeen (MLitt in Strategic Studies), and worked as a personal assistant to three SNP MSPs in 2003-11.
Mark served as an Aberdeen City Councillor for Dyce, Bucksburn & Danestone in 2007-12. He became a North-East MSP on 5 May 2011, and was a member of the Parliament's Health & Sport Committee; a sub. member of the Local Government & Regeneration Committee; and a member of the Cross-Party Group on Oil & Gas and eight other Groups. Lives at Dyce in the constituency with his wife and two children."
Depressing and boring.
I guess Labour will do whatever it takes to gain control of Number 10, as would any party with most seats. If that means a coalition with the Lib Dems, then that'll happen. I really can't see an outcome that doesn't involve Ed Milliband as PM.
Off topic,
Political Betting is the one site I check everyday, I like its mix of politics, news, trivia, banter, even the full blown arguments are entertaining. I mostly lurk, due to a busy life, and Vanilla not being that easy to navigate on an Android phone.
As for banning people, I think anyone advocating a ban on a fellow PBer should automatically be banned. (Have I just banned myself?)
Plato, I too found Inception almost impossible to watch. The Matrix is a great film, cursed by the success of a cult following, especially amongst yoofs, and poor sequels. It's still quite rightly in the Top 20 IMDB all-time movies.
As for Tim, I don't bother reading his posts. If he rationed himself I'd probably pay more attention.
- Tony Blair took us from being a Eurosceptic party to being a very pro-EU party
- I'm all in favour of a common market but a single state is completely different
This from the article by kate hoey -
I think there may be complacency in the Labour Party thinking that UKIP is only taking votes from the Conservatives. I don’t think that’s true.
Even if UKIP didn’t exist I think it’s the right thing to offer a referendum, but it is giving them an open goal if Labour don’t say that we support one.
In fact, if we had come out and said we supported a referendum earlier we could have made it very difficult for the Conservatives.
The Labour leadership want to play party politics now, but if they’d played party politics earlier we could have had a pro-referendum position before the Conservatives.
Which brings me to Ed Miliband.
Ed is inherently very pro-EU. But he has got members of his shadow cabinet who, without doubt, would like to see us change our position. I think the strength of his leadership will be to show he does realise it is untenable to continue with this position.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4970771/Why-Ed-has-got-it-totally-wrong-over-the-EU-vote.html
I got about an hour into The Matrix and it was all very stylishly done/CGI most impressive for its time - but it just didn't keep me interested enough to carry on. It had cult-movie stamped all over it which is fine, but not me.
I ended up looking into who created the costumes and the use of bullet-time camera work which was very interesting - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullet_time
‘Frugal’ Ed’s team blew fortune on posh nosh and booze
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4970803/Frugal-Eds-team-blew-fortune-on-posh-nosh-and-booze.html
Travelling down to South West....here's Labour shortlist for Kingswood:
Josie Channor (Barking Cllr)
Leonie Cooper (Wandsworth Cllr; former GLA candidate for Merton & Wandswroth constituency)
Rowena Hayward (Membership Development Officer at GMB; she lives in Willsbridge)
Recap of yesterday's PPC selections
Warrington South: Nick Bent (the 2010 candidate)
Brighton Kemptown: Nancy Platts (2010 candidate in Pavilion)
Hove: Peter Kyle (works in the charity sector)
I'm watching X-Men 3 and so far we've had Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Vinnie Jones, Frasier [Kesley Grammer], Mark Sloan from Grey's Anatomy, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman...
Every few mins I'm stopping the film and thinking Hang On, isn't that XYZ? The last one was Femke Janssen who some will recall as Ms Xenia Onatopp in GoldenEye...
I'm wondering who will be next... BTW - has anyone noticed how many productions Vinnie Jones has been in - its enormous http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005068/
By forming a coalition at a time of national crisis, Conservative and Lib Dem acted responsibly in the national interest rather than party interest (particularly not in the Lib Dem's interest).
Since we will continue to be in crisis in 201, Labour would be letting the country down if they don't form a coalition in these circumstances.
Some number of applications for recent AWS seats:
Lewisham Deptford: 17 or 18 (I cant't recall it now!)
Weaver Valley: 12
Wirral West: around 12
Hampstead & Kilburn: 10
Croydon Central: 10
Colne Valley: 5
Brighton Kemptown: 4
Brighton Pavilion: 3
Bristol South and Somerset North East also selecting this month probably also helped to lower the number of applications as some parliamentary wannabes living in the region may have decided to go just for 1 rather than all 3 of them.
So I think our contribution, if it comes to it, will be everything up to but below lethal weapons, such as armoured vehicles, mine detectors, body armour, communications etc etc with the US providing the teeth.
Personally I am with Danny Alexander on this. A long way from being persuaded but probably persuadable depending how the chips fall. The only thing I am completely against is any British or indeed western forces on the ground. Been there, got the T shirt and it is full of holes."
@DavidL, totally agree with that view.
I saw your comment about poor Duncan. I think we don't see anymore since he was stormrolled by Andrew Neil on BBC in the early days of coalition :-(
Inception is a great film. You are the first person I have known not like it1
@Charles, totally agree, that personal attack last night was a classic example of this modus operandi from this poster. But the real irony is that he often interrupts and successfully derails threads by doing just this when he doesn't like the political direction that they are taking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqy9hxhUxK0
To be fair the majority of the posters came out in support of Tim!
That CCHQ have been scared off using his talents is a shame. I'd much rather they did.
Marcia of this parish seems to be more in the former camp, although she hasn't been personally involved in the campaign this time.
According to AlBeeb a month ago it was the jihadists supposedly using chemical weapons - if that's the reason/excuse shouldn't we be arming Assad?
Red Rag does spring to mind. Consider how much less cordial and how much more tribal pb is now than several years ago. When I first joined in 2007 it was altogether more welcoming and friendly. I'm not sure I'd join today.
I joined in 2008 and it seemed friendly for about five minutes - then SeanT noticed I was a Scot Nat and gave me the full treatment over a period of hours.
I know people hark back to the almost mythical period when this site was genuinely ecumenical, but even five years ago it was fairly Tory-dominated.
If you want a great sci-fi film, then Primer is brilliant with perhaps the most complex plot ever put onto film. It demands being watched two or three times, just so you can work out what went on in the last half-hour.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0390384/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
If you want a really hard-to-watch film, then 'Tyrannosaur' is brilliant. It starts Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman and Eddie Marsan, and is a great character study of broken people. Not one to watch if you want to hear dogs being kicked to death, though.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1204340/
With music co-written by my cousin. ;-)
The plot could be understood by a 6 year old! The point was it was at times beautiful cinematography and has an exceptional soundtrack by the great Hans Zimmer.
tim stole most of those from the press. especially chumocracy.
It was apparent that TB had not really considered the end game when he supported the invasion of IRAQ - even though that scenario without the controlling, but brutal, hand of Saddam was easy to envisage.
However, Syria with its implications for the Lebanon and Jordan (and even Palestine and Israel) the end game is not so apparent - except for future interminable conflict in the eastern Med.
The aggressiveness of ex_KGB Putin and his unrevealed ambitions further muddies the waters. Does any PBer see how the end game will be played out?
In the immortal words of the newly-decorated Mr Atkinson, you really must excuse me, for I fear my sides have split.
@copy; Cockahs@telegraph.com
I'm generally not a prequel fan at all - and when was the last time a trilogy had a good finale? I'm struggling to think of one.
X-Men 3 Last Stand - crikey what a weak film, no wonder it had a disaster movie cast. I'd give it a spec more credit than IM3 and that's damning with feint praise.
Syria is a Russian client. If the USA wants another war then someone has to blink. As since 9/11 the Russians have let all their other clients in the mid-east get stomped you'd think they'd finally draw the line at the last and most important one. In which case either the Americans (and poodles) blink or it could all get very ugly indeed.
@copy; Cockahs@telegraph.com"
As Rory Bremner said to Cochrane on discovering he's on his second marriage - "so you can break a union, then?"
We kept hearing that the tide would turn and the site would move back to the left after Labour established a lead in the polls. Well, Labour have had a lead for ages but the PB tide still hasn't turned. I don't expect it will. PB has become culturally Tory.
A quickie summary of Oscar winning films against their rivals is here - http://www.widescreenings.com/list-best-picture-oscar.html I adored Quiz Show as well. Ralph Fiennes is superb in it.
And Braveheart beat Apollo 13 - I mean really...
PS If you like Michael Clarke Duncan who played the convict in Green Mile - then you may like the TV series The Finder - it was cancelled after S1 because he died. It's a great fun show with the chap who starred in Six Feet Under.
So the Oscar committee do get the odd one right, then? Let's have another seagull video -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqyQFoPzfJE
The SNP received 45% of the Scottish vote in 2011, which is equivalent to 4% of the UK population. Do Nationalists make up more than 4% of PB posters? I doubt it.
What in God's name are you talking about, man? I was simply disputing Antifrank's claim that SNP posters are OVER-represented.
If PB covers that with the same enthusiasm with which it dealt with the 2011 referendum on greater powers for the Welsh Assembly, aren't we in for a treat.
The day after that referendum, I posted here to say what a wonderful day it was for Wales. The PB Tory reaction was to assume that I must be being "ironic".
Oh dear, Plato. You wouldn't be breaking your own rules by "creepily stalking" Mr Pork, would you?
I can remember at least one Scottish Labour poster, but it was probably before your time. His name was Fred and he posted canvass returns during the 2007 Holyrood election. Maybe he was driven away by all the libertarianism and fiscal conservative twistedness? Who knows.
I see your request to another poster is being ingored yet again.
Would that constitute an "indirect reference" to me? Heaven forbid.
"I can't think of a more important issue facing the UK than whether it will continue to exist in its current form."
Seriously? In an Ashes summer?
https://twitter.com/PeterMurrell/status/346224609433104384/photo/1
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22926813
Jet-tastic!
They went to Pizza Express for a meal afterwards where Dave left a £50 tip.
Beyond parody. that is half poured Guinness territory.
nothing like a bit of victim playing to keep you happy.
What next? Jeremy Clarkson is the font of all knowledge?
Now the stories in the tabloids may be correct sometimes, and Cammo is capable of it, but linking to them Is akin to linking to the Beano. Let's have a little consistency here. Had the PB Tories linked to a favourable story in the Mail for Cammo, you wouldn't have believed a word.
What level of tip could he have left where, you would not criticise Cameron? No need to answer as its patently obvious that whatever tip he left you would find a reason to criticise him for it.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0At91c3wX1Wu5dDRiT1FSRTF2bjVYRThSTnRaNzFXMlE#gid=0
"guilt ridden fop"
describes you completely
And how dare you use that foul term 'PB Tories'.
"And how dare you use that foul term 'PB Tories'."
You're right - I should have said ... 'our more Conservative colleagues who have every right to hold those views, as do our more left wing colleagues too.'
I apologise.
" President Obama’s generosity at restaurants and bars is well documented. One time, then-Senator Obama left a 900 percent tip while grabbing a beer at Raleigh Times Bar in Raleigh, N.C., said TMZ. One time, he paid for a $2 beer with a twenty, and told the bartender to keep the change. Another time, Obama, this time as president, “dropped over $200″ on a burger lunch for him and a large group of campaign volunteers at Ted’s Bulletin Restaurant in Washington, D.C. "
Makes a nice change after the ghastly tight-fisted money-grubbing Blairs and Browns.
Doubtful.
READ the thread before you make stupid comments like that. My guess is she was trying to bait me with the Braveheart comment (which is why I responded with a seagull video), but there's not much doubt she baited me in an earlier comment ages before I even came on.
Why not be a grown up about it and just ignore it, it's petty and it engulfs the entire comment stream. The same goes for Plato too. We get it, you two don't get along.
The first what?
"Why not be a grown up about it and just ignore it"
That is framed as a question but I generally find that when people ask something like that they're not interested in hearing an answer. Are you?
If it was a question I would have used a question mark.
I've posted three seagull videos, not two.
"If it was a question I would have used a question mark."
Best not to use the word 'why' then, old son. Just a hint for future reference. Thankyou for clarifying that you have no interest in anyone's opinion but your own.
It's a dark day when a poster can't say in a discussion about films with another poster that Apollo 13 was a better movie than Braveheart.
Speaking of good films - X-Men First in Class [the prequel] was excellent, highly recommend it for action, good CGI and a fun fast paced plot.
Spider Trilogy up next...
Yup, as expected, that is the nature of the bait. I could almost have predicted that response, word for word.
You are absolutely right that I don't care about your reasons why you think continuing this argument is a good idea. I do care about what you have to say on political related matters, and I am also interested in peoples opinions on other 'off-topic' topics (just not this stupid argument).
What about your three seagull videos? Also bait? Or more tat?
Then we are in a remarkably similar position. OK, I get it, you don't like me challenging Plato on her passive-aggressive drivel. I don't care. It is the right thing to do, and I will continue to do it.
Sorry.
Actually, I'm not sorry. Get out of my face.
'Makes a nice change after the ghastly tight-fisted money-grubbing Blairs and Browns'.
Yes, a change from those scroungers.
About two-thirds of it was filmed in Ireland (why are you using the non-English word "Eire"?), and about one-third in Scotland. You're correct that as a history lesson it was atrocious. You're incorrect that it was intended as a history lesson.
Didn't Dave get caught out undertipping somewhere else once? I guess voters need to realise he has learned his lesson.