politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Looking back to those final GE15 phone polls one thing stan

OblitusSumMe said:

I still don't particularly see what Yvette Cooper stands for, but not being a Blairite and not being Len McCluskey's homunculus might be enough. After all Ed Miliband pretty much won the leadership by not being a Blairite (ie David Miliband) and not being a Brownite (ie Ed Balls).

For Labour's sake, I hope that's where the comparison ends if she's elected!

RobD said:

Anorak said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Anorak said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

RobD said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

On topic, one final thought, if Labour's ground game had been half decent they might have got these non voters out to vote.

I don't know what you could possibly mean by that.

I can't remember a single Labour activist hyping up their ground game on PB before the election.

Happy to be corrected.

That is odd. Why, simple following this link reveals the HUGE number of times it was stated how utterly superior Labour's ground game was.

Irony doesn't travel well on the interweb

Well, RobD got it. Or have we reached the point where no-one is quite sure who is being sarcastic and who is not?

Ah, I was playing along with TSE's joke. We ribbed (in absentia) IOS relentlessly regarding his protestations about Labour's ground game.

I know. My post was sarcastic too. Dearie me, we need irony tags or something for the posts. We have indeed reached the point I referred to

Alistair said:

Anorak said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Anorak said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

RobD said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

On topic, one final thought, if Labour's ground game had been half decent they might have got these non voters out to vote.

I don't know what you could possibly mean by that.

I can't remember a single Labour activist hyping up their ground game on PB before the election.

Happy to be corrected.

That is odd. Why, simple following this link reveals the HUGE number of times it was stated how utterly superior Labour's ground game was.

Irony doesn't travel well on the interweb

Well, RobD got it. Or have we reached the point where no-one is quite sure who is being sarcastic and who is not?

Italics, the font of sarcasm.

Well, Labour's ground game was crap.

Oops, emphasis, not sarcasm!

Anorak said:

RobD said:

Anorak said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Anorak said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

RobD said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

On topic, one final thought, if Labour's ground game had been half decent they might have got these non voters out to vote.

I don't know what you could possibly mean by that.

I can't remember a single Labour activist hyping up their ground game on PB before the election.

Happy to be corrected.

That is odd. Why, simple following this link reveals the HUGE number of times it was stated how utterly superior Labour's ground game was.

Irony doesn't travel well on the interweb

Well, RobD got it. Or have we reached the point where no-one is quite sure who is being sarcastic and who is not?

Ah, I was playing along with TSE's joke. We ribbed (in absentia) IOS relentlessly regarding his protestations about Labour's ground game.

I know. My post was sarcastic too. Dearie me, we need irony tags or something for the posts. We have indeed reached the point I referred to

LOL, oh dear.

RobD said:

42nd on Labour's list. Perhaps your ward typically leans Tory, and so efforts were focussed elsewhere in the constituency?

Seems unlikely - both councillors are Labour, and not by huge majorities at that. I actually live on a council estate - very mixed socially, several owner-occupiers but plenty of social tenants left. This is what has been so baffling me about these claims regarding this magnificent dark campaign - there simply wasn't any sign of it here, where you would expect it to be.

Maybe Lynton Crosby was on a bonus and anxious to secure it?

Dair said:

Alistair said:

CarlottaVance said:

Prof Tomkins on the Scotland Bill:

If Scottish Ministers do not like the tax and spend decisions taken by the United Kingdom Government in Westminster, the Smith Commission Agreement — and now today’s Bill — gives them the power to do something about it. In short, they will be able to put our money where their mouths are. They can fill what they perceive to be gaps in public spending on welfare and social security. They can create new benefits. They can top-up, for Scots, even those benefits which continue to be reserved to Westminster. And they have the tax powers to pay for it all. This is why the Prime Minister said yesterday that it is finally time for the SNP to put up or shut up. At last, we can move the argument on from nationalists’ bleating that they don’t have sufficient powers to a forensic examination of how they choose to use their powers.

https://notesfromnorthbritain.wordpress.com/2015/05/28/the-smith-commission-agreement-and-the-scotland-bill/

I am shocked, shocked that Prof Tomkins thinks it's time for the SNP to shut up and be destroyed. An amazing change of pace for him.

If they continue with their current strategy of "SNP Bad" and assuming the new MPs will embarrass Scotland, they are in for a substantial shock over the coming years.

Why would the SNP 'ending austerity in Scotland' and getting Scottish tax payers to pay for it be an embarrassment?

Surely you support such a move?

ydoethur said:

RobD said:

42nd on Labour's list. Perhaps your ward typically leans Tory, and so efforts were focussed elsewhere in the constituency?

Seems unlikely - both councillors are Labour, and not by huge majorities at that. I actually live on a council estate - very mixed socially, several owner-occupiers but plenty of social tenants left. This is what has been so baffling me about these claims regarding this magnificent dark campaign - there simply wasn't any sign of it here, where you would expect it to be.

Maybe Lynton Crosby was on a bonus and anxious to secure it?

Perhaps your ward leans too far the other way to be worthwhile, then? The bods at CCHQ must have had their reasons to ignore you and your neighbours!

OblitusSumMe said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

antifrank said:

kle4 said:

antifrank said:

Has anyone noticed that Yvette Cooper is concentrating on nominations at the nominations stage, and seems to be doing so rather effectively?

Presumably when it comes to the engaging with the wider membership stage she will start concentrating more on that. If she turns out to be as effective at that as she is at the getting nominations part of the process, she should be favourite, not 6/1 outsider.

That may be something in that. It's already been speculated she may attempt to be the 'middle' candidate of the frontrunners, and it does feel noticeable that Kendall and Burnham made the biggest initial splashes, despite Cooper having as much of a big profile as Burnham (theoretically - she's been pretty invisible for years), but that perhaps she can time things right for emerging as the clear frontrunner as the start of the actual campaign nears, without any risk of trying too much too soon and crashing and burning.

She doesn't need to make a big splash at the outset. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

By any definition Yvette Cooper is a serious contender and she will be on the ballot paper. If she can get on the ballot paper nominated by a sizeable proportion of the Labour Parliamentary party, she will automatically command serious attention. That is what she is working on now, and her work seems to be bearing fruit with a wide range of MPs supporting her from across the party.

6/1 is absurd. Right now 2/1 would feel generous to me.

Crazy price, you wonder if people are putting too much emphasis on her past health issues.

About a week or so ago Yvette Cooper looked like yesterday's candidate, with the contest being a straight Burnham vs Kendall (Unions vs Blairite) struggle for the soul of the Labour party.

I still don't particularly see what Yvette Cooper stands for, but not being a Blairite and not being Len McCluskey's homunculus might be enough. After all Ed Miliband pretty much won the leadership by not being a Blairite (ie David Miliband) and not being a Brownite (ie Ed Balls).

Yvette is maybe benefitting from a kinda lacklustre start from Andy. She's the only one who's dared to suggest that - gasp! - there should be more government spending, namely on childcare. Wouldn't be surprised to see her get support from the mainstream "soft left" of the party if Andy continues to take them for granted by saying the Mansion Tax was "anti-aspiration" or whatever nonsense.

ydoethur said:

OblitusSumMe said:

I still don't particularly see what Yvette Cooper stands for, but not being a Blairite and not being Len McCluskey's homunculus might be enough. After all Ed Miliband pretty much won the leadership by not being a Blairite (ie David Miliband) and not being a Brownite (ie Ed Balls).

For Labour's sake, I hope that's where the comparison ends if she's elected!

It is of a piece with their election campaigning, which pretty much boils down to: "The Tories are nasty. You must vote Labour to stop them and save the NHS."

If Labour manage to choose a leader on the basis of his or her merits, rather than to stop the perceived negative alternative, then it will signal a positive change of emphasis in their mentality.

ydoethur said:

RobD said:

Perhaps your ward leans too far the other way to be worthwhile, then? The bods at CCHQ must have had their reasons to ignore you and your neighbours!

Labour by a narrow margin 'leans too far the other way to be worthwhile'? Hardly. It was exactly the sort of place to target if they wanted to get their message out, yet they didn't. And despite that, the majority went up in this constituency.

I'm suggesting the reason they ignored me and my neighbours is that this talk about campaigns is a load of hogwash, and it made the square root of Anglo-Saxon verb for the sex act all difference to the actual outcome. I would be interested to know if anyone else out there in a tight marginal had a similar experience - or where they love bombed by CCHQ?

Sorry, I didn't equate "not huge majorities" to "narrow margin". Admit it, you're just upset that you weren't 'love bombed' yourself

I did wonder, in all fairness, whether the new housing estates in Cannock and Rugeley might have affected the outcome - they tend to be bought by affluent people from Birmingham who commute in on the Chase Line. But the simple fact is, that there are too few of them yet to make a significant difference. I was firmly convinced that Labour would win here because I knew full well that there had been a swing from the Tories to them among the lower-middle-class/upper-working-class vote. Yet that appears to have been cancelled out by a massive rise for the Tories in the pensioner vote, which was clearly not flagged up, or at least not to Labour, in advance.

In the longer term, it's very difficult to see how Labour can retake this seat - it's going to become a Birmingham dormitory town (or towns including Rugeley) and most of the commuters will likely be Conservative.

But on the key point, I remain convinced that this talk of Crosby's genius is a red herring, because if it wasn't used here - and it appears not to have been - and yet the result mirrored the rest of the country, what evidence is there it made any difference anywhere?

RobD said:

ydoethur said:

RobD said:

Perhaps your ward leans too far the other way to be worthwhile, then? The bods at CCHQ must have had their reasons to ignore you and your neighbours!

Labour by a narrow margin 'leans too far the other way to be worthwhile'? Hardly. It was exactly the sort of place to target if they wanted to get their message out, yet they didn't. And despite that, the majority went up in this constituency.

I'm suggesting the reason they ignored me and my neighbours is that this talk about campaigns is a load of hogwash, and it made the square root of Anglo-Saxon verb for the sex act all difference to the actual outcome. I would be interested to know if anyone else out there in a tight marginal had a similar experience - or where they love bombed by CCHQ?

Sorry, I didn't equate "not huge majorities" to "narrow margin". Admit it, you're just upset that you weren't 'love bombed' yourself

Well, we none of us like to feel overlooked Rob!

Mary Creagh has found an uncontroversial bandwagon to jump on:

http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/bobby-and-christi-shepherd-mary-creagh-to-raise-thomas-cook-failings-in-parliament-1-7283210

Sky News were going out of their way to get young people to vote, but if the figures are correct it looks like they stayed away in even greater numbers than previously.

TGOHF said:

SNP protester who confronted Murphy & Balls up on criminal charges

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/u/serial-protester-facing-criminal-charges-for-jim-murphy-hijackings-lawyer-claims.1432817396

"would be charged and reported to the procurator fiscal for breaches of section 38 and section 38(1) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Act 2010."

Seems a lovely chap as well..

And not a member of the SNP.

AndyJS said:

Sky News were going out of their way to get young people to vote, but if the figures are correct it looks like they stayed away in even greater numbers than previously.

And people want to lower the age to 16/17?

AndyJS said:

ydoethur said:

I did wonder, in all fairness, whether the new housing estates in Cannock and Rugeley might have affected the outcome - they tend to be bought by affluent people from Birmingham who commute in on the Chase Line. But the simple fact is, that there are too few of them yet to make a significant difference. I was firmly convinced that Labour would win here because I knew full well that there had been a swing from the Tories to them among the lower-middle-class/upper-working-class vote. Yet that appears to have been cancelled out by a massive rise for the Tories in the pensioner vote, which was clearly not flagged up, or at least not to Labour, in advance.

In the longer term, it's very difficult to see how Labour can retake this seat - it's going to become a Birmingham dormitory town (or towns including Rugeley) and most of the commuters will likely be Conservative.

But on the key point, I remain convinced that this talk of Crosby's genius is a red herring, because if it wasn't used here - and it appears not to have been - and yet the result mirrored the rest of the country, what evidence is there it made any difference anywhere?

I seem to remember that both of us were saying this just before the election. I talked about a new estate I'd seen in Rugeley where I thought the Tories would do well.

Yes you did, and I disagreed with you - I said I thought it would make no difference (still do think that, mind) and that Labour would still win (we all make mistakes...)

But longer term, things like that are going to tell against Labour except under a Blair-like leader who can attract the affluent middle classes (the famed Mondeo Man or Worcester Woman) in this seat and of course in others like it.

Mind, it's not all doom and gloom. For every vote the conservatives gain in Cannock, they will lose one in Dudley or Wolverhampton - some marginals there to play with too.

CarlottaVance said:

Dair said:

Alistair said:

CarlottaVance said:

Prof Tomkins on the Scotland Bill:

If Scottish Ministers do not like the tax and spend decisions taken by the United Kingdom Government in Westminster, the Smith Commission Agreement — and now today’s Bill — gives them the power to do something about it. In short, they will be able to put our money where their mouths are. They can fill what they perceive to be gaps in public spending on welfare and social security. They can create new benefits. They can top-up, for Scots, even those benefits which continue to be reserved to Westminster. And they have the tax powers to pay for it all. This is why the Prime Minister said yesterday that it is finally time for the SNP to put up or shut up. At last, we can move the argument on from nationalists’ bleating that they don’t have sufficient powers to a forensic examination of how they choose to use their powers.

https://notesfromnorthbritain.wordpress.com/2015/05/28/the-smith-commission-agreement-and-the-scotland-bill/

I am shocked, shocked that Prof Tomkins thinks it's time for the SNP to shut up and be destroyed. An amazing change of pace for him.

If they continue with their current strategy of "SNP Bad" and assuming the new MPs will embarrass Scotland, they are in for a substantial shock over the coming years.

Why would the SNP 'ending austerity in Scotland' and getting Scottish tax payers to pay for it be an embarrassment?

Surely you support such a move?

Because that's not what the article is saying.

It is re-running the referendum by claiming Scotland is not fiscally solvent despite being forced to remit £12bn of Scottish tax revenue to Westminster each year.

It is claiming that "SNP Bad" because ending austerity will harm Scots significantly in the pocket.

Of course your typically illiterate interpretation of political statements (or as some would say Faux Outrage) means you probably know this anyway. Your shtick is getting tired. You need to wake up and realise it's not working.

RobD said:

Have we stumbled upon a new polling phenomenon: jilted Tories?

Well, whatever it was, it cost them my vote for the district council. As it happens, I still thought about Ed Balls as chancellor when I got to the booth, freaked out and tamely voted for Amanda Milling. That seems really ironic with hindsight! But if they could hardly be bothered to solicit my vote for Westminster, they didn't deserve it ahead of a local councillor on a local council that, while not without its faults, does a decent job on the whole.

AndyJS said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

On topic, one final thought, if Labour's ground game had been half decent they might have got these non voters out to vote.

On election day we were told that key London marginals were being flooded with thousands of Labour activists.

They were, I think. Just not targeted.

Carnyx said:

JosiasJessop said:

Carnyx said:

TGOHF said:

SNP protester who confronted Murphy & Balls up on criminal charges

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/u/serial-protester-facing-criminal-charges-for-jim-murphy-hijackings-lawyer-claims.1432817396

"would be charged and reported to the procurator fiscal for breaches of section 38 and section 38(1) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Act 2010."

Seems a lovely chap as well..

You ight want to correct that 'SNP' as it would hurt the poor chap's feelings - he doesn't like the SNP either (having left it long ago as a matter of principle, I believe). Either that or you need to put your posting in this wonderful new irony/sarcasm font we are all nearing about tonight.

O/t:

Carnyx, I think you recommended Andrew Dow's last book, 'The Railway' to me. If you did, then can I thank you as it really is very much up my street. An excellent read for railway nerds.

An ex-girlfriend came to visit today and whilst she was cooing over my son, I was sitting in the rocking chair reading the book. I think this is what happens when a) you reach middle age, b) you get married, and c) you get an afternoon of free childcare. ;-)

I did indeed. I was wondering if you had got it, as I hung onto my library copy long enough to read it again from cover to cover. Not just oddities like glass sleepers but also the general evolution of the technology - far less uniform than I had conceived.

Edit: if @Sunil and @Dr_Spyn are interested - it's about the permanent way itself.

Don't believe I've read it, but thanks!

RobD said:

AndyJS said:

Sky News were going out of their way to get young people to vote, but if the figures are correct it looks like they stayed away in even greater numbers than previously.

And people want to lower the age to 16/17?

Why not? Some youngsters seem to really care

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/11/milifan-prime-minister-ed-miliband?CMP=twt_gu

TheScreamingEagles said:

RobD said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Just when you thought it wasn't possible for Ben Harris-Quinney to be an even bigger bellend than he was during the campaign.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/05/28/vile-homophobe-tory-councillor-goes-on-anti-gay-rant-at-the-kremlin/

Not supporting the man, but how is that a 'vile homophobic rant'. The journalist must live quite a sheltered life

As a scientist you and Sunil will appreciate this

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/movie-scientsts/35486/20-excellent-scientists-in-mainstream-film-and-tv

Would prefer to see a list of the worst representations of scientists on TV/Movies.

Although I suspect Scorpion would get the top four slots very easily.

RobD said:

AndyJS said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

On topic, one final thought, if Labour's ground game had been half decent they might have got these non voters out to vote.

On election day we were told that key London marginals were being flooded with thousands of Labour activists.

They were, I think. Just not targeted.

I was told on the Guardian website in late April that Labour would be the largest party, and given as proof the excellence of their work in London 'where they might even retake the seat of Finchley and Golders Green.' I pointed out that retaking a seat they had held for thirteen years until the last election was hardly a noteworthy achievement and would make no difference to the national outcome. I also suggested maybe if they wanted to make a real splash they should aim at Kensington, which is not nearly as safe as it once was. For my pains, I was told I was an idiot with no grasp of geography (don't ask me why, because I don't know, but the person concerned was a Labour candidate and therefore I think we must assume was a little lacking).

Summed up Labour's problem really - they were wasting effort in London (where they held most of the seats they could realistically win already) and not in places like Swindon which they needed to actually win to make a difference.

And after all that, they went backwards in Finchley anyway!

I've always thought the problem might be related to the "certainty to vote" weighting. I wouldn't be surprised if the numbering system they use (1-10) could mean very different things to distinct groups of voters (eg. someone who will vote for one specific party or none, someone who will consider voting for more than one party, someone who is in a marginal, someone who is in a safe seat etc et c)

Dair said:

TGOHF said:

SNP protester who confronted Murphy & Balls up on criminal charges

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/u/serial-protester-facing-criminal-charges-for-jim-murphy-hijackings-lawyer-claims.1432817396

"would be charged and reported to the procurator fiscal for breaches of section 38 and section 38(1) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Act 2010."

Seems a lovely chap as well..

And not a member of the SNP.

Merely a former SNP Local Councillor candidate.

You keep trying Fair, and we'll keep laughing.

MattW said:

Dair said:

TGOHF said:

SNP protester who confronted Murphy & Balls up on criminal charges

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/u/serial-protester-facing-criminal-charges-for-jim-murphy-hijackings-lawyer-claims.1432817396

"would be charged and reported to the procurator fiscal for breaches of section 38 and section 38(1) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Act 2010."

Seems a lovely chap as well..

And not a member of the SNP.

Merely a former SNP Local Councillor candidate.

You keep trying Fair, and we'll keep laughing.

12 years ago I believe. Bit like saying Nigel Farage is a Tory.

Derrick Hatton of Militant fame rejoins the Labour Party. (ITV News)

Hohoho......

CarlottaVance said:

Alistair said:

CarlottaVance said:

Prof Tomkins on the Scotland Bill:

If Scottish Ministers do not like the tax and spend decisions taken by the United Kingdom Government in Westminster, the Smith Commission Agreement — and now today’s Bill — gives them the power to do something about it. In short, they will be able to put our money where their mouths are. They can fill what they perceive to be gaps in public spending on welfare and social security. They can create new benefits. They can top-up, for Scots, even those benefits which continue to be reserved to Westminster. And they have the tax powers to pay for it all. This is why the Prime Minister said yesterday that it is finally time for the SNP to put up or shut up. At last, we can move the argument on from nationalists’ bleating that they don’t have sufficient powers to a forensic examination of how they choose to use their powers.

https://notesfromnorthbritain.wordpress.com/2015/05/28/the-smith-commission-agreement-and-the-scotland-bill/

I am shocked, shocked that Prof Tomkins thinks it's time for the SNP to shut up and be destroyed. An amazing change of pace for him.

Perhaps you should read it again (at all?)

Prof Tomkins suggests the SNP live up to their promise of ending austerity and getting Scottish tax payers to pay for it.

You don't object, surely?

Tomkins is a total turnip

Dair said:

CarlottaVance said:

Dair said:

Alistair said:

CarlottaVance said:

Prof Tomkins on the Scotland Bill:

If Scottish Ministers do not like the tax and spend decisions taken by the United Kingdom Government in Westminster, the Smith Commission Agreement — and now today’s Bill — gives them the power to do something about it. In short, they will be able to put our money where their mouths are. They can fill what they perceive to be gaps in public spending on welfare and social security. They can create new benefits. They can top-up, for Scots, even those benefits which continue to be reserved to Westminster. And they have the tax powers to pay for it all. This is why the Prime Minister said yesterday that it is finally time for the SNP to put up or shut up. At last, we can move the argument on from nationalists’ bleating that they don’t have sufficient powers to a forensic examination of how they choose to use their powers.

https://notesfromnorthbritain.wordpress.com/2015/05/28/the-smith-commission-agreement-and-the-scotland-bill/

I am shocked, shocked that Prof Tomkins thinks it's time for the SNP to shut up and be destroyed. An amazing change of pace for him.

If they continue with their current strategy of "SNP Bad" and assuming the new MPs will embarrass Scotland, they are in for a substantial shock over the coming years.

Why would the SNP 'ending austerity in Scotland' and getting Scottish tax payers to pay for it be an embarrassment?

Surely you support such a move?

Because that's not what the article is saying.

It is re-running the referendum by claiming Scotland is not fiscally solvent despite being forced to remit £12bn of Scottish tax revenue to Westminster each year.

It is claiming that "SNP Bad" because ending austerity will harm Scots significantly in the pocket.

Of course your typically illiterate interpretation of political statements (or as some would say Faux Outrage) means you probably know this anyway. Your shtick is getting tired. You need to wake up and realise it's not working.

Bitter and twisted about Scotland, cannot get beyond it and prefers to just make up fibs.

Tim_B said:

Moses_ said:

Derrick Hatton of Militant fame rejoins the Labour Party. (ITV News)

Hohoho......

Wasn't something stolen from his garden recently?

Ooooo.....Very topical....
Our Derek was always good at digging holes though. Saved the country. Few times.... From him.

Dair said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

RobD said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Just when you thought it wasn't possible for Ben Harris-Quinney to be an even bigger bellend than he was during the campaign.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/05/28/vile-homophobe-tory-councillor-goes-on-anti-gay-rant-at-the-kremlin/

Not supporting the man, but how is that a 'vile homophobic rant'. The journalist must live quite a sheltered life

As a scientist you and Sunil will appreciate this

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/movie-scientsts/35486/20-excellent-scientists-in-mainstream-film-and-tv

Would prefer to see a list of the worst representations of scientists on TV/Movies.

Although I suspect Scorpion would get the top four slots very easily.

Not to be confused with Scorpio from the Simpsons!

It takes a miracle to get soccer in the headlines here, but the THIEFA scandal has done it.

Wall to wall coverage on the sports networks, and ESPN has a prime time special on it this evening.

Major League Soccer (MLS) is a dreadful product and there's no money to be made in it.

If there is no such thing as bad publicity then MLS should make out like a bandit after this.

The head of the US Soccer Federation has refused to say if he will vote for Blatter tomorrow.

RobD said:

Dair said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

RobD said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Just when you thought it wasn't possible for Ben Harris-Quinney to be an even bigger bellend than he was during the campaign.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/05/28/vile-homophobe-tory-councillor-goes-on-anti-gay-rant-at-the-kremlin/

Not supporting the man, but how is that a 'vile homophobic rant'. The journalist must live quite a sheltered life

As a scientist you and Sunil will appreciate this

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/movie-scientsts/35486/20-excellent-scientists-in-mainstream-film-and-tv

Would prefer to see a list of the worst representations of scientists on TV/Movies.

Although I suspect Scorpion would get the top four slots very easily.

Not to be confused with Scorpio from the Simpsons!

I would imagine that scientists from Bond movies and Austin Powers would feature on the list, although my favorite bad scientist is the one on Police Squad

Carnyx said:

JosiasJessop said:

Carnyx said:

TGOHF said:

SNP protester who confronted Murphy & Balls up on criminal charges

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/u/serial-protester-facing-criminal-charges-for-jim-murphy-hijackings-lawyer-claims.1432817396

"would be charged and reported to the procurator fiscal for breaches of section 38 and section 38(1) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Act 2010."

Seems a lovely chap as well..

You ight want to correct that 'SNP' as it would hurt the poor chap's feelings - he doesn't like the SNP either (having left it long ago as a matter of principle, I believe). Either that or you need to put your posting in this wonderful new irony/sarcasm font we are all nearing about tonight.

O/t:

Carnyx, I think you recommended Andrew Dow's last book, 'The Railway' to me. If you did, then can I thank you as it really is very much up my street. An excellent read for railway nerds.

An ex-girlfriend came to visit today and whilst she was cooing over my son, I was sitting in the rocking chair reading the book. I think this is what happens when a) you reach middle age, b) you get married, and c) you get an afternoon of free childcare. ;-)

I did indeed. I was wondering if you had got it, as I hung onto my library copy long enough to read it again from cover to cover. Not just oddities like glass sleepers but also the general evolution of the technology - far less uniform than I had conceived.

Edit: if @Sunil and @Dr_Spyn are interested - it's about the permanent way itself.

It's been fascinating so far. I've been pick-n-mixing sections, but it's already answered some questions that I've had for years.

There are lots of weird hobbies out there. One guy I knew used to collect rail chairs, collecting one of as many different types as possible. He'd get really excited if we were on a salvage job and he'd find an ex-LYR or MBMMJR (*) chair that he hadn't got.

I never discovered if that hobby survived his marriage. ;-)

(*) Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Joint Railway. And that isn't even the longest name of the pre-grouping companies. And no, this is nothing to do with politics or netting. ;-)

kle4 said:

Tim_B said:

The head of the US Soccer Federation has refused to say if he will vote for Blatter tomorrow.

Translation: He will, but doesn't want to?

on the sports networks, translation is he's an idiot and a Blatter fellow traveler. Add in the whole FIFA business and it's yet another reason not to take soccer seriously.

I was very surprised to read that Tavish Scott, Shetland's MSP, told the Shetland News that he became aware of Carmichael's role on Sunday, 10th May:

" Scott said he was only informed of his colleague’s role in leaking the memo by Carmichael himself on the Sunday following the 7 May election. "

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/10745-protesters-anger-at-mp-far-wider-than-just-snp

The timeline on all of this is starting to look interesting, why Tavish did not advise Carmichael to inform their constituents is a question which needs answering. If Carmichael had started telling colleagues about his role, had the Cabinet Office already caught him before 7th May?

kle4 said:

Tim_B said:

The head of the US Soccer Federation has refused to say if he will vote for Blatter tomorrow.

Translation: He will, but doesn't want to?

Translation: Blatter knows where ALL the bodies are buried...

Why do I get the feeling that a number of spouses and children will be returned safely to their homes once Blatter is safely re-elected?

I'm beginning to think that Mr Carmichael will increase his majority substantially in 2020.

nigel4england said:

MarqueeMark said:

kle4 said:

Tim_B said:

The head of the US Soccer Federation has refused to say if he will vote for Blatter tomorrow.

Translation: He will, but doesn't want to?

Translation: Blatter knows where ALL the bodies are buried...

Why do I get the feeling that a number of spouses and children will be returned safely to their homes once Blatter is safely re-elected?

I think EUFA may pull out of FIFA tournaments and in particular boycott the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Which is ironic given that Platini voted for Qatar, and by a strange quirk of fate his son Laurent was made CEO of Burrda, a Qatar based sportswear company.

The whole lot of them are rotten.

I think the real losers in this are the population of South Africa - they thought they got the World Cup because of Mandela - now they find out the grubby truth and it tarnishes the whole event,

What US sports talk radio is saying about the FIFA scandal...in this case Jim Rome:

http://jimrome.com/2015/05/27/stay-classy-thiefa/

nigel4england said:

MarqueeMark said:

kle4 said:

Tim_B said:

The head of the US Soccer Federation has refused to say if he will vote for Blatter tomorrow.

Translation: He will, but doesn't want to?

Translation: Blatter knows where ALL the bodies are buried...

Why do I get the feeling that a number of spouses and children will be returned safely to their homes once Blatter is safely re-elected?

I think EUFA may pull out of FIFA tournaments and in particular boycott the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Which is ironic given that Platini voted for Qatar, and by a strange quirk of fate his son Laurent was made CEO of Burrda, a Qatar based sportswear company.

The whole lot of them are rotten.

I don't see how this can work.

UEFA don't compete in FIFA, UEFA nations like England, Germany etc do as direct members of FIFA, not as subsidiaries of UEFA. The two groups aren't directly linked which is why for example the FIFA Football game series has the "Europe League" instead of the Champions League - they don't have the UEFA licence.

In order to have a boycott all European nations would have to boycott individually, they couldn't get a majority to enforce a boycott on all. I don't think each nation will individually.

calum said:

I was very surprised to read that Tavish Scott, Shetland's MSP, told the Shetland News that he became aware of Carmichael's role on Sunday, 10th May:

" Scott said he was only informed of his colleague’s role in leaking the memo by Carmichael himself on the Sunday following the 7 May election. "

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/10745-protesters-anger-at-mp-far-wider-than-just-snp

The timeline on all of this is starting to look interesting, why Tavish did not advise Carmichael to inform their constituents is a question which needs answering. If Carmichael had started telling colleagues about his role, had the Cabinet Office already caught him before 7th May?

You know what the word following means?

Unless Tavish has a Tardis he couldn't possibly advise Carmichael to inform constituents before the election if he only found out after it.

Dair said:

Tim_B said:

RobD said:

Dair said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

RobD said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Just when you thought it wasn't possible for Ben Harris-Quinney to be an even bigger bellend than he was during the campaign.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/05/28/vile-homophobe-tory-councillor-goes-on-anti-gay-rant-at-the-kremlin/

Not supporting the man, but how is that a 'vile homophobic rant'. The journalist must live quite a sheltered life

As a scientist you and Sunil will appreciate this

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/movie-scientsts/35486/20-excellent-scientists-in-mainstream-film-and-tv

Would prefer to see a list of the worst representations of scientists on TV/Movies.

Although I suspect Scorpion would get the top four slots very easily.

Not to be confused with Scorpio from the Simpsons!

I would imagine that scientists from Bond movies and Austin Powers would feature on the list, although my favorite bad scientist is the one on Police Squad

Nothing screams bad science like Scorpion and given that that is the shows entire premise it makes for the most bizarre thing on TV just now.

It's a CBS show...thanks to DirecTV I'm downloading it now

Eye-opening footage a Juncker here:

http://www.friatider.se/full-eu-ordf-rande-rfilade-upp-l-fven#.VWdo-muCPl9.twitter

He's clearly pissed.

It's perfect for HIGNFY. But will they run it given that it's a gift for BOOers? If it was Putin they certainly would - see Yeltsin. But the President of the EU?

Life_ina_market_town said:

Interesting news from Ulster. The defendant is going to appeal against the judgment of District Judge Brownlie in Lee v Ashers Bakery [2015] NICty 2. Hopefully, it will persuade the District Judge to state a case for the opinion of Her Majesty's Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland, rather than appealing as of right to the High Court.

I can't link, but Alisdair Reynolds, of 1 Crown Office Row, has explained very clearly, on UK Human Rights Blog, how the District Judge erred in law.

Tim_B said:

Dair said:

Tim_B said:

RobD said:

Dair said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

RobD said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Just when you thought it wasn't possible for Ben Harris-Quinney to be an even bigger bellend than he was during the campaign.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/05/28/vile-homophobe-tory-councillor-goes-on-anti-gay-rant-at-the-kremlin/

Not supporting the man, but how is that a 'vile homophobic rant'. The journalist must live quite a sheltered life

As a scientist you and Sunil will appreciate this

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/movie-scientsts/35486/20-excellent-scientists-in-mainstream-film-and-tv

Would prefer to see a list of the worst representations of scientists on TV/Movies.

Although I suspect Scorpion would get the top four slots very easily.

Not to be confused with Scorpio from the Simpsons!

I would imagine that scientists from Bond movies and Austin Powers would feature on the list, although my favorite bad scientist is the one on Police Squad

Nothing screams bad science like Scorpion and given that that is the shows entire premise it makes for the most bizarre thing on TV just now.

It's a CBS show...thanks to DirecTV I'm downloading it now

Prediction.

About 8 minutes into the pilot your mouth will open and won't close or even utter a sound before it ends.

You'll then watch the next 4 episodes to see if it really can pull this off.

Then you'll realise. Science shows with ridiculous premises and solutions bearing no relation to actual science in a show which uses Customary Units in all instances is probably never going to be anything other than you just saw and none of the action sequences will be as ridiculously stupid but still actually fun as the one at the end of the pilot. Then you'll give up.