Thursday 4th December 2014

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Spacedone
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Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by Spacedone »

Mike Smithson posts the front pages of the newspapers.

The genius of George Osborne: His government’s failure on the deficit is being ignored
http://www1.politicalbetting.com/index. ... g-ignored/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When practically every newspaper is run by the Conservative fan club it's not hard to see how all the negative stories keep getting suppressed.

When I woke this morning the BBC presenters on the radio were talking about stamp duty. One of them said "Here are some text we've received on the subject of stamp duty" and proceeded to read out messages from the public pleading with the BBC not to be distracted by stamp duty but instead to focus on how the Government want to take us back to the 1930s and have 5 more years of grinding austerity. Having read them out the BBC presenters promptly ignored them and went right back to talking about how great the stamp duty policy is. :wall:
StephenDolan
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Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by StephenDolan »

Morning all.

With the fun of Osborne's cunning plans and squirrels yesterday this passed me by.
Morgan at the select committee.


Graham Stuart challenged Morgan’s evidence, saying: “You will have had exactly the same evidence we’ve got which is that there’s very little support out there for the decoupling of AS and A-levels.

“It sits rather oddly with a government which says it trusts the frontline, that schools and teachers know what’s best for their pupils ... There is overwhelming and near unanimous support from the entire sector saying actually they don’t agree with this and you haven’t listened. Isn’t this something you could review?”
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TheGrimSqueaker
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by TheGrimSqueaker »

Spacedone wrote:Mike Smithson posts the front pages of the newspapers.

The genius of George Osborne: His government’s failure on the deficit is being ignored
http://www1.politicalbetting.com/index. ... g-ignored/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When practically every newspaper is run by the Conservative fan club it's not hard to see how all the negative stories keep getting suppressed.

When I woke this morning the BBC presenters on the radio were talking about stamp duty. One of them said "Here are some text we've received on the subject of stamp duty" and proceeded to read out messages from the public pleading with the BBC not to be distracted by stamp duty but instead to focus on how the Government want to take us back to the 1930s and have 5 more years of grinding austerity. Having read them out the BBC presenters promptly ignored them and went right back to talking about how great the stamp duty policy is. :wall:
Caught bits of both the BBC and ITN coverage of the 'Autumn' Statement; the BBC forgot to mention that Ed Balls was even present, ITV had a tiny snippet of him, certainly neither of them reported on the comprehensive savaging he gave Osborne's efforts. But then, to be fair, I never expected they would. :wall:
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PaulfromYorkshire
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

Amazing. Osborne absolutely flailing with Humphreys.
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refitman
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by refitman »

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Amazing. Osborne absolutely flailing with Humphreys.
He got a bit shirty when Humphrey's deigned to ask him a question :toss:
PaulfromYorkshire
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

refitman wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Amazing. Osborne absolutely flailing with Humphreys.
He got a bit shirty when Humphrey's deigned to ask him a question :toss:
And when asked where he was going to cut back spending to achieve the biggest cuts in even Humprys' lifetime, Osborne explained where he would find £2 billion.
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by tinyclanger2 »

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Amazing. Osborne absolutely flailing with Humphreys.
Meanwhile CMG at #2

and:
www.lbc.co.uk/vote-who-do-you-trust-to- ... result-320

Poll: Autumn Statement 2014 Poll

Who do you trust most to run the economy?

72.6% Miliband & Balls
27.4% Cameron & Osborne
Thanks for your vote.
While on the BBC.
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-30287363
Are the media ignoring another St Louis killing?
Does this have anything to do with it I wonder:

Bill Turnbull - Eton
Louise Minchin - Hong Kong, St Andrews
Naga Munchetty - golf
Sophie Raworth - St Paul's (Girls)
Kate Silverton - Durham
George Alagiah - Durham
Fiona Bruce - Singapore, Oxford
Evan Davis - Oxford
Emily Maitliss - Cambridge
Kirsty Wark - Edinburgh
Laura Kuenssberg - Edinburgh
and not forgetting
Tony Hall, Baron Hall of Birkenhead, Oxford

Such diversity.
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TechnicalEphemera
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by TechnicalEphemera »

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:
refitman wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Amazing. Osborne absolutely flailing with Humphreys.
He got a bit shirty when Humphrey's deigned to ask him a question :toss:
And when asked where he was going to cut back spending to achieve the biggest cuts in even Humprys' lifetime, Osborne explained where he would find £2 billion.

The media are going to pick and pick at this. Osborne has overdone it, and getting shirty about it will just encourage hard questions.

Cameron is going to get the fallout as well.
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yahyah
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by yahyah »

Someone on Radio 4 saying the stamp duty cut will probably add 1.5% to average house prices, and could fuel price rises in lower end of the market.

So, the unintended consequences not likely to help many lower/average income home buyers or first time buyers.
Last edited by yahyah on Thu 04 Dec, 2014 8:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
yahyah
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by yahyah »

& a frosty good morning.
Literally freezing here this morning.
StephenDolan
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by StephenDolan »

refitman wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Amazing. Osborne absolutely flailing with Humphreys.
He got a bit shirty when Humphrey's deigned to ask him a question :toss:
A delightful surprise. When ministers resort to blaming the BBC (how dare they ask questions based upon what the OBR have said?!) the battle is lost. Osborne was acting very spiky. Nice.

:line:
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citizenJA
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by citizenJA »

Morning everyone.
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Lonewolfie
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by Lonewolfie »

Morning all...

I saw a bit on here about Cuba last night....I'd like to add my appreciation and respect for Castro and Cuba along with others here :) They are, of course, only slightly more people-centric than Britain from 1945 to 1979...but they were able to resist the Neo-Liberal coup (mostly as Castro had already told the US to f*** off, depriving them of their 'playground' so, as with bulllies everywhere, they tried to force change through 'sanctions' and failed)

WRT Thatcher, '87 and Kinnocks' speech - for a bit of balance, I'd just like to point out that, although we tend to see that period as a time when Britain (and the majority of the public) agreed with the Thatcherite destruction of the Post-War Consensus, the reality is a little different.

1979 saw a 44% Tory vote for 53% of seats (55% voted against)
1983 saw a 42% Tory vote (reduction of 2%) for 61% of the seats (55% voted against)
(So a 2% reduction in the actual voting numbers has an 8% increase in Parliamentary representation)
1987 saw a 42% Tory vote (reduction of 0.2%) for 58% of the seats (55% voted against)

Figs approx, but hopefully you can see what I'm trying to say. It suited Uncle Rupert and the MSM (not including the BBC at the time - a war of attrition from Murkydochia has gone them to where they are now) to pretend that 1) Labour and their policies were rubbish and very unpopular and 2) Britain suddenly lurched to the right. There was never any popular support for the Thatcherite con trick and, here in Hope (which seems to be getting a bit crowded - I'll have to have a word with the Immigration Dept), I believeTM we will start to see the truth come out.

Edit to add - In fact, the hat in the avatar is a genuine reversible Cuban beret :rock:
Last edited by Lonewolfie on Thu 04 Dec, 2014 9:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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yahyah
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by yahyah »

StephenDolan wrote:
refitman wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:Amazing. Osborne absolutely flailing with Humphreys.
He got a bit shirty when Humphrey's deigned to ask him a question :toss:
A delightful surprise. When ministers resort to blaming the BBC (how dare they ask questions based upon what the OBR have said?!) the battle is lost. Osborne was acting very spiky. Nice.

:line:

Ed got asked about the bacon butty for weeks, and Today leapt on it at every opportunity.

Gordon Brown's mental health became an issue before the last general election.
Brown was asked directly [by Marr if I remember correctly] if he was taking prescribed medication and it was reported & speculated on widely to help his downfall by media.

Yet this morning Osborne wasn't asked about his strange behaviour in the house last week, or asked to confirm whether it may be related to his reportedly stringent diet or to deny rumours about what may/may not go up his nose.
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Lonewolfie
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by Lonewolfie »

Not sure if anyone's posted this yet...

http://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g7350

...further proof (if needed) of the abject failure of the inhuman IDS/Fraud (UNUM/ATOS) project.
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yahyah
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by yahyah »

Sophy Ridge ✔ @SophyRidgeSky
Follow
George Osborne tells @EamonnHolmes about Lib Dems: "In private they sign up to these policies and then in public they slag them off"
8:46 AM - 4 Dec 2014


If I were a Tory I'd record the Lib Dems doing it and then release it to the media.
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Willow904
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by Willow904 »

yahyah wrote:Someone on Radio 4 saying the stamp duty cut will probably add 1.5% to average house prices, and could fuel price rises in lower end of the market.

So, the unintended consequences not likely to help many lower/average income home buyers or first time buyers.
Nothing unintended about the consequential rise in house prices, for Osborne it was the whole point. It's another way to prop up the property market, wrapped up in a way to look like help for buyers, but sellers will be the real winners as what their buyers once paid in stamp duty will now be free to add to the asking price. If Osborne was merely interested in reform of stamp duty he could have done what Scotland did, which was make the reform fiscally neutral so stamp duty continued to raise the same money, but the burden was spread more evenly and fairly. Instead this is a tax giveaway to property dealers and will be funded by even more severe cuts - at least I presume so. I notice the media aren't asking Osborne to say precisely where he'll find the money as they do with Labour, but maybe that'll change now the Tories have so many apparently uncosted tax giveaways on the table?

Also I'm fed up with people suggesting the stamp duty reform does away with the need/ competes with the mansion tax. Stamp duty is a purchase tax, a mansion tax is a wealth tax. Despite both being related to houses, in tax terms they're not even remotely the same thing. Although the mansion tax is a drop in the ocean, it would be hugely symbolic imo, opening the flood gates to more wealth taxes in future, which is probably why very wealthy individuals are squealing so much about it.
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Lonewolfie
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by Lonewolfie »

I knew there was something else - Chris Bryant to DCMS - well done again, Mr Ed - another snub to the waning power of the Murkydochian bag of putrid bile...and well done Lucy Powell - I believetm that'll be Mr Ed doing something along the lines of 'Thanks for getting me elected Labour Leader - we know we've got 5 years 'til the next election so go have some down time, focus on your family and I'll get you back 6 months before the election, when you'll be refreshed and ready to help stick it to the Etonian charlatan'
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StephenDolan
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by StephenDolan »

Lonewolfie wrote:I knew there was something else - Chris Bryant to DCMS - well done again, Mr Ed - another snub to the waning power of the Murkydochian bag of putrid bile...and well done Lucy Powell - I believetm that'll be Mr Ed doing something along the lines of 'Thanks for getting me elected Labour Leader - we know we've got 5 years 'til the next election so go have some down time, focus on your family and I'll get you back 6 months before the election, when you'll be refreshed and ready to help stick it to the Etonian charlatan'
If she influenced the punchy lines from Miliband and Balls yesterday she's doing exactly what is needed.
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citizenJA
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by citizenJA »

Lonewolfie wrote:Morning all...

I saw a bit on here about Cuba last night....I'd like to add my appreciation and respect for Castro and Cuba along with others here :) They are, of course, only slightly more people-centric than Britain from 1945 to 1979...but they were able to resist the Neo-Liberal coup (mostly as Castro had already told the US to f*** off, depriving them of their 'playground' so, as with bulllies everywhere, they tried to force change through 'sanctions' and failed)....

Edit to add - In fact, the hat in the avatar is a genuine reversible Cuban beret :rock:
I like the beret a lot - now everyone will want one - I know I do.

My whole life, the loudest voices taught me people try to escape Cuba in rubber rafts, Castro emptied Cuba's prisons & sent them adrift pointing them in the direction of the USA & Cubaiswrongm'kay. Fortunately, I've also had teachers rounding out that information with what they knew to be true of Cuba's collective society benefiting many.

The US CIA Factbook website has some good information in it - though it narrates with one point of view - fiscal instruments used to benefit a few, not the many. After reading the details on a regular basis I see the editorial content inserted into the definitions.

I'm going to go out on a limb here by posting a quote from Bill Bryson:
...puts me in mind of what Britain might have been like under Communism.

It has long seemed to me unfortunate - and I'm taking the global view here - that such an important experiment in social organization was left to the Russians when the British would have managed it so much better.

Please understand I'm not saying that Britain would have been a happier, better place under Communism, merely that the British would have done it properly. They would have taken it in their stride, with good heart, and without excessive cheating.

http://readfreeonline.net/OnlineBooks/N ... nd_35.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I've only quoted what I consider the parts I can more or less agree with (though I'm more sanguine about a communist UK being a good thing now) - the rest I leave to my friends here to either read more from the page linked above.

I know just a little about Bryson & haven't read all of his books though I've sold many to others when I worked in an independent, brick & mortar book store.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Lonewolfie wrote:Morning all...


Edit to add - In fact, the hat in the avatar is a genuine reversible Cuban beret :rock:
That's a fabby avatar Wolfie.

Beret apart (and it's a corker) - look into my eyes, my eyes, my eyes, 1, 2, 3, .... you're not under, are you?

Morning all.
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by rebeccariots2 »

yahyah wrote:Ed got asked about the bacon butty for weeks, and Today leapt on it at every opportunity.

Gordon Brown's mental health became an issue before the last general election.
Brown was asked directly [by Marr if I remember correctly] if he was taking prescribed medication and it was reported & speculated on widely to help his downfall by media.

Yet this morning Osborne wasn't asked about his strange behaviour in the house last week, or asked to confirm whether it may be related to his reportedly stringent diet or to deny rumours about what may/may not go up his nose.
Natalie Rowe ‏@RealNatalieRowe 12h12 hours ago
Osborne should show more humility, so what if house buyers have benefited,what about the homeless ? "Have mercy Mistress" you once cried!

Dave Cameroon ‏@DaveCamm 12h12 hours ago
@RealNatalieRowe Did Gideon like to be spanked on his bare bottom, or did he keep his strides on?

Natalie Rowe
‏@RealNatalieRowe
@DaveCamm One must limit the bruising
She's one of the most entertaining political commentators around at present
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onebuttonmonkey
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by onebuttonmonkey »

Morning all. Today is possibly a two-rant day (BBCQT has Shirley Williams on later, so my keyboard is already sobbing).

Today, however, is about the reaction to the Autumn Statement. Having watched the BBC coverage about how great everything is and how austerity is inevitable (there's a tough choice, isn't it) I ended up tidying up some comments from the other place and spewing this out here. Because we mustn;t forget how George's announcements must have made everyone celebrate at the food banks last night.:

http://onebuttonmonkey.squarespace.com/ ... eaves.html

I've got to post and run because of work. If I get a chance to post the BBCQT rant done, I'll nip back later and post it - although having seen the panel, all the adjectives might just commit suicide by the time the show's on.
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by DonutHingeParty »

I'm off to sunny Portishead next Friday to join the Any Questions audience.

Panel confirmed as:
Natalie Bennett
Ken Livingstone
Jeremy Browne
Jacob Rees Mogg

Should be an entertaining mix. . .
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Ian Dunt retweeted
Frances Crook @francescrook · 12h 12 hours ago
Another man has died at Elmley jail, the 9th this year, just days after the Lord Chancellor called suicides a 'blip' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-30319549" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by rebeccariots2 »

DonutHingeParty wrote:I'm off to sunny Portishead next Friday to join the Any Questions audience.

Panel confirmed as:
Natalie Bennett
Ken Livingstone
Jeremy Browne
Jacob Rees Mogg

Should be an entertaining mix. . .
Certainly should be. What are you going to prepare a question about?
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by rebeccariots2 »

George Eaton @georgeeaton · 2h 2 hours ago
Osborne sounds furious at "totally hyperbolic BBC coverage of spending cuts". Beeb should brace itself for more austerity... #r4today
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citizenJA
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by citizenJA »

This is the place my media player decided to function yesterday - Ed Balls picks up the OBR report
...since he has sat down I’ve now received the Office for Budget Responsibility’s Economic and Fiscal Forecast...in table 1.2 on page 15 they actually set out in detail how the latest fiscal forecast compares to the forecast at the time of the Budget...it gives us the numbers which the Chancellor failed to tell us in his Autumn Statement.

So Mr Speaker, I will give the country and the House the numbers which the Chancellor failed to give us.

Compared to his Budget target, it’s here on page 15, table 1.2, borrowing this year has not gone down it’s has been revised up by £4.9bn. Revised up by £4.9 billion this year. Next year, it’s revised up by £7.6 billion. Over two years he’s revised up borrowing by £12.5 billion. And the answer to my other question- this means that the Chancellor will have borrowed in this Parliament £219 billion more than he planned in 2010.

£219 billion.

It’s all here in black and white - hard evidence from the OBR that the Chancellor’s borrowing targets are all in tatters. We can all know that the he’s changed the way he styles his hair. But he can’t brush away the facts. People are worse off. And that’s why he’s failed to balance the books.

- Ed Balls response to the Autumn Statement - 3 December 2014
http://press.labour.org.uk/post/1042478 ... -statement" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Current government tax receipts are weak, government borrowing is as high as it is because according to the ONS, VAT & income related taxes are where current government find approximately 80% of total government tax receipts. It doesn't have to be that way. Corporation tax, land, property & shares make up the remainder of current government tax receipts - what government doesn't tax at all I don't know.

Ed Balls is correctly, appropriately criticising Osborne's budgets & spending as Chancellor. When those hoarding capital aren't required to pay for infrastructure, training & businesses through taxation, the land & people don't get fed.

I'm not an economist or accountant, obviously, & I'm open to any correction anyone may make.
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by DonutHingeParty »

rebeccariots2 wrote:
DonutHingeParty wrote:I'm off to sunny Portishead next Friday to join the Any Questions audience.

Panel confirmed as:
Natalie Bennett
Ken Livingstone
Jeremy Browne
Jacob Rees Mogg

Should be an entertaining mix. . .
Certainly should be. What are you going to prepare a question about?
I thought about something like; "With the removal of air passenger duty for children, and the predicted concomitant rise in air travel, won't this put greater pressure on airports such as Heathrow and Bristol, to expand and create more noise, traffic, and carbon pollution?" as it seems to be an area no-one's covered yet.
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

You mean the BBC were actually at least making a token effort to do their job this morning?

No wonder Osborne was shocked :)
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by tinyclanger2 »

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-30326161" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Calamity Clegg currently "proud" of Autumn Statement.
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by rebeccariots2 »

DonutHingeParty wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
DonutHingeParty wrote:I'm off to sunny Portishead next Friday to join the Any Questions audience.

Panel confirmed as:
Natalie Bennett
Ken Livingstone
Jeremy Browne
Jacob Rees Mogg

Should be an entertaining mix. . .
Certainly should be. What are you going to prepare a question about?
I thought about something like; "With the removal of air passenger duty for children, and the predicted concomitant rise in air travel, won't this put greater pressure on airports such as Heathrow and Bristol, to expand and create more noise, traffic, and carbon pollution?" as it seems to be an area no-one's covered yet.
Well Natalie should enjoy answering a question like that. Not sure how Ken will cope ... forgotten what his green credentials were like ... but think he was solid on transport stuff and reducing emissions when he was Mayor. Rees Mogg and Browne - well, Browne will give us a neo liberal spin answer and Rees Mogg would probably prefer all us ordinary folk to be travelling in carts anyway.
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by tinyclanger2 »

The deputy prime minister said he chose to "talk to normal people" in Cornwall.
:lol: :lol: :lol:

Someone take that man's spade off him.
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by tinyclanger2 »

rebeccariots2 wrote: Rees Mogg would probably prefer all us ordinary folk to be travelling in carts anyway.
Cart? You flash get.
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ephemerid
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by ephemerid »

tinyclanger2 wrote:http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-30326161

Calamity Clegg currently "proud" of Autumn Statement.

So very proud, in fact, that he ran away to Cornwall for the day to talk to "normal people", while the Ginger Rodent opined that this was the last time the coalition would be agreeing on economic policy before the GE. The Budget should be interesting.........

The Telegraph, which perceives Clegg as the reason why the Tories have been so gentle on us all, has an article in which it states that Clegg didn't want to be seen sitting next to Our Glorious Ronsealed Fishpointer General yesterday.....personally, I think nobody wants to be seen sitting next to Clegg. I mean, would you?
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

tinyclanger2 wrote:
The deputy prime minister said he chose to "talk to normal people" in Cornwall.
:lol: :lol: :lol:

Someone take that man's spade off him.
At this rate 6% will be a poll highlight for them by the GE.......
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by tinyclanger2 »

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

#CameronMustGo: Campaign calling for UK PM to quit nears million tweets

Russia Today covering it. Maybe BBC could have another look. CMG still trending 11 days on.
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NonOxCol
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by NonOxCol »

Morning.
My entry for Simon Mayo's "Three Word Thursday" on Radio 2:
Fucking Alan Titchmarsh.
Kam
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by Kam »

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Lonewolfie
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by Lonewolfie »

citizenJA wrote:
Lonewolfie wrote:Morning all...

I saw a bit on here about Cuba last night....I'd like to add my appreciation and respect for Castro and Cuba along with others here :) They are, of course, only slightly more people-centric than Britain from 1945 to 1979...but they were able to resist the Neo-Liberal coup (mostly as Castro had already told the US to f*** off, depriving them of their 'playground' so, as with bulllies everywhere, they tried to force change through 'sanctions' and failed)....

Edit to add - In fact, the hat in the avatar is a genuine reversible Cuban beret :rock:
I like the beret a lot - now everyone will want one - I know I do.

My whole life, the loudest voices taught me people try to escape Cuba in rubber rafts, Castro emptied Cuba's prisons & sent them adrift pointing them in the direction of the USA & Cubaiswrongm'kay. Fortunately, I've also had teachers rounding out that information with what they knew to be true of Cuba's collective society benefiting many.

The US CIA Factbook website has some good information in it - though it narrates with one point of view - fiscal instruments used to benefit a few, not the many. After reading the details on a regular basis I see the editorial content inserted into the definitions.

I'm going to go out on a limb here by posting a quote from Bill Bryson:
...puts me in mind of what Britain might have been like under Communism.

It has long seemed to me unfortunate - and I'm taking the global view here - that such an important experiment in social organization was left to the Russians when the British would have managed it so much better.

Please understand I'm not saying that Britain would have been a happier, better place under Communism, merely that the British would have done it properly. They would have taken it in their stride, with good heart, and without excessive cheating.

http://readfreeonline.net/OnlineBooks/N ... nd_35.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I've only quoted what I consider the parts I can more or less agree with (though I'm more sanguine about a communist UK being a good thing now) - the rest I leave to my friends here to either read more from the page linked above.

I know just a little about Bryson & haven't read all of his books though I've sold many to others when I worked in an independent, brick & mortar book store.
Brysons' 'Notes from a Small Island' has a less than complimentary passage about Murdoch/Newcorpse, The Times and Wapping - paints quite a picture of bullying and oppression - who'd'a thunk it :o

WRT Communism in Britain, I've never believedtm it needed to go that far - we had a perfectly adequate system of capital regulation (Pre-Nixon and the Gold Standard, which I think started this whole con trick off) supported by public services that needed updating, but not in the way they were updated - and without the blatant theft of national assets.

Re teachers and Cuba/Marxism - I've had 2 conversations recently, one with an English teacher teaching History who refused to accept that Guevara wasn't Cuban by birth (one of those conversations where I appear to have been wrong, in spite of evidence :roll: ) the other? At a party, started to talk about Marx and the teacher pipes up that he was happy teaching Marx on a course - I asked which bits he'd read - 'oh no', came the reply, 'I haven't actually read any'. (To be clear - I'm not having a pop at teachers - both these people work incredibly long hours and are generally sh4t upon from above so I have nothing but respect for those that can stick it out)
Proud to be 1 of the 76% - Solidarity...because PODEMOS
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Lonewolfie
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by Lonewolfie »

NonOxCol wrote:Morning.
My entry for Simon Mayo's "Three Word Thursday" on Radio 2:
Fucking Alan Titchmarsh.
Who is, and what with?
Proud to be 1 of the 76% - Solidarity...because PODEMOS
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rebeccariots2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by rebeccariots2 »

Faisal Islam retweeted
LBC @LBC · 3h 3 hours ago
Clegg: We'd borrow less than Labour and cut less than the Conservatives. http://l-bc.co/C1egg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; #CallClegg :dance:
The 'Lesser Lib Dem'. A haunted looking bird with pronounced yellow belly and feet designed with suction pads to cling on especially hard to whichever branch of power it attains. The call is a repetitive, futile bleat which sounds increasingly like tootle pip as it fades away. Its mating dance and call is a mock aggressive preen - its yellow belly puffs out to reveal bright orange under feathers. But it is unable to keep up this stance for any length of time and falls over on its back, legs in the air and yellow colouring returned, within minutes.

Once prevalent around the British Isles - favourite haunts Scotland, parts of the North, South West and East - this bird is now on the currently endangered list.
Working on the wild side.
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Lonewolfie
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by Lonewolfie »

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Lonewolfie wrote:Morning all...


Edit to add - In fact, the hat in the avatar is a genuine reversible Cuban beret :rock:
That's a fabby avatar Wolfie.

Beret apart (and it's a corker) - look into my eyes, my eyes, my eyes, 1, 2, 3, .... you're not under, are you?

Morning all.
I was going more for a 'head above the parapet' look :D and that's the reverse side
Last edited by Lonewolfie on Thu 04 Dec, 2014 12:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Proud to be 1 of the 76% - Solidarity...because PODEMOS
DonutHingeParty
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by DonutHingeParty »

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Faisal Islam retweeted
LBC @LBC · 3h 3 hours ago
Clegg: We'd borrow less than Labour and cut less than the Conservatives. http://l-bc.co/C1egg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; #CallClegg :dance:
The 'Lesser Lib Dem'. A haunted looking bird with pronounced yellow belly and feet designed with suction pads to cling on especially hard to whichever branch of power it attains. The call is a repetitive, futile bleat which sounds increasingly like tootle pip as it fades away. Its mating dance and call is a mock aggressive preen - its yellow belly puffs out to reveal bright orange under feathers. But it is unable to keep up this stance for any length of time and falls over on its back, legs in the air and yellow colouring returned, within minutes.

Once prevalent around the British Isles - favourite haunts Scotland, parts of the North, South West and East - this bird is now on the currently endangered list.
Ah, takes me back to good old Paddy "Middle Ground" Ashdown. "I neither touched her left leg, nor her right leg, but somewhere inbetween"
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by tinyclanger2 »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... erage.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Quick BBC, daddy's cross. Better get a picture of Miliband looking stupid to distract the dogends.
LET'S FACE IT I'M JUST 'KIN' SEETHIN'
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Lonewolfie
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by Lonewolfie »

Wow - hadn't heard that name in the conspiracy-world lists...it's in other news feeds now, but no further detail yet.
Proud to be 1 of the 76% - Solidarity...because PODEMOS
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Lonewolfie
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by Lonewolfie »

tinyclanger2 wrote:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... erage.html

Quick BBC, daddy's cross. Better get a picture of Miliband looking stupid to distract the dogends.
A bit like being savaged by a wet lettuce leaf (or was it a dead sheep) but :rofl: anyway!
Proud to be 1 of the 76% - Solidarity...because PODEMOS
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AngryAsWell
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by AngryAsWell »

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Faisal Islam retweeted
LBC @LBC · 3h 3 hours ago
Clegg: We'd borrow less than Labour and cut less than the Conservatives. http://l-bc.co/C1egg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; #CallClegg :dance:
The 'Lesser Lib Dem'. A haunted looking bird with pronounced yellow belly and feet designed with suction pads to cling on especially hard to whichever branch of power it attains. The call is a repetitive, futile bleat which sounds increasingly like tootle pip as it fades away. Its mating dance and call is a mock aggressive preen - its yellow belly puffs out to reveal bright orange under feathers. But it is unable to keep up this stance for any length of time and falls over on its back, legs in the air and yellow colouring returned, within minutes.

Once prevalent around the British Isles - favourite haunts Scotland, parts of the North, South West and East - this bird is now on the currently endangered list.
Brilliant! :lol: :lol:
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by PaulfromYorkshire »

tinyclanger2 wrote:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... erage.html

Quick BBC, daddy's cross. Better get a picture of Miliband looking stupid to distract the dogends.
That's brilliant! Their complaining just makes it an issue.
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Thursday 4th December 2014

Post by tinyclanger2 »

"The Prime Minister and Chancellor do think that is a hyperbolic descriptions which don't help us have what is important here which is a clear, and sensible and measured debate about the decisions that are being taken and that need to be taken in the future. So the Prime Minister very much shares the Chancellor's view."
Or rather;
"The Prime Minister and Chancellor do think that is a hyperbolic descriptions which don't help us have what is important here which is basically our own way because of the divine right of the aristos and everything. So the Prime Minister very much shares the Chancellor's view."
LET'S FACE IT I'M JUST 'KIN' SEETHIN'
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