Weekend Edition - Saturday 13th. and Sunday 14th December

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 8:38 am

Good morning, everyone!

Many thanks to Refitman for the Countdown Clock -

Sir Cartoonist Rowson has an excellent thing at the G today. It's all about water. And possibly electricity.

It is entirely possible that the right brother is actually the wrong brother after all.
The current wrong brother is currently the leader of the Labour Party.
The current right brother isn't, but lots of people think he should be.

The now likely wrong brother is not the leader of the Labour Party, which is good.
The now likely right brother IS the leader of the Labour Party, which is very good.
This is why the current wrong brother is, in fact, the right brother - as he has been all along.

It would appear that the previously wrong brother, being the right brother really, is now guilty of HAVING the wrong brother now that we know who the wrong brother really is.

There is a very special word for moving a brother from one place to another and completely changing what they are.

Rendition.

Have a nice day.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 8:53 am

Timing as they say is everything. Ephemerid makes some excellent points. Rendition was always the cloud hanging over DM in 2010. Just how screwed would Labour be if he was leader right now?

To more important (maybe not) matters

Groan Awards Please Nominate

There are but a few days left in the Groan Awards nominations, and other than WelshIan pretty much nobody has been nominating. I had to reject YahYah's request for a Louise Mensch award (IDS would win).

The Groan awards are important because they are the FTN equivalent of seasonal marketing, and they raise awareness plus annoy the hell out of right wing CiF posters when the results go up.

Last year we made a CiF pick. So please there must be a whole load of stuff worthy of praise (and rather more worthy of scorn) - get nominating.

I have even summoned the Devil for the morning.

Plus you don't want Chris Huhne walking away with best article.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 8:59 am

Morning.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-30415396" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"Why are hospitals under so much pressure?"

"hospitals are also finding it difficult to discharge patients. The figures for September, the last full month for which they are available, were at their highest since that data set began in 2010.

A significant factor in this is the squeeze on councils' social care budgets. "

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 9:13 am

Help, please, someone! What is the name of that fabulous chap who was a kid in the 30s and spoke at Labour Party Conference and is my hero but I. Cannot. Retrieve. Name. From. Memory! :mrs angry:

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 9:13 am

Morning.

New Scottish poll has Nats 20% ahead.

http://www1.politicalbetting.com/index. ... -20-ahead/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 9:16 am

LadyCentauria wrote:Help, please, someone! What is the name of that fabulous chap who was a kid in the 30s and spoke at Labour Party Conference and is my hero but I. Cannot. Retrieve. Name. From. Memory! :mrs angry:

Harry Smith, or Leslie ?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 9:19 am

Morning all. More of Grayling's petty, but devastating in their outcomes, punishments are being challenged. I hadn't realised just how cruel and perverse some of the outcomes would be - but he should have - he should have drilled down into the consequences for all groups affected but clearly didn't because he doesn't care and doesn't have the knowledge and intelligence required.

Domestic violence victims’ access to legal aid ‘unlawfully restricted’
Rights campaigners claim mandatory evidence requirements block 40% of women affected by violence from getting legal aid
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014 ... -legal-aid

... those applying for legal aid must have evidence of domestic violence that is dated in the last two years. “What the government has just started doing recently is withdrawing legal aid if the evidence ‘expires’ during legal proceedings, unless victims can provide fresh evidence of abuse,” Scott said.

She says this is likely to be a problem in two main instances. “Firstly, perpetrators can manipulate events and wait until they know the woman has got no chance of getting legal aid before they refuse to let them see children or have access to money or property,” said Scott. “Secondly, the very nature of these kinds of proceedings mean they often go on for a long time – or come back to court much later when the man suddenly refuses to adhere to original court orders. This often happens when the original evidence is older than two years and therefore the woman is not eligible for legal aid.”...

So we've got IDS being challenged in the courts over the supreme and petty meanness of making women suffering domestic violence pay bedroom tax on a panic room .......... and Grayling being called out for blocking domestic violence victims from getting legal aid. Meanwhile Osborne seems to think no ones world has fallen in because of cuts to public services. Tell that to the women and children affected by this.

No doubt Cameron and his election team are still wondering why they have a problem with women.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 9:20 am

yahyah wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:Help, please, someone! What is the name of that fabulous chap who was a kid in the 30s and spoke at Labour Party Conference and is my hero but I. Cannot. Retrieve. Name. From. Memory! :mrs angry:
Harry Smith, or Leslie ?

Harry Leslie Smith.

Who has written a fantastic book "Harry's Last Stand"

Who Tweets like a demon and is a top bloke.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 9:23 am

yahyah wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:Help, please, someone! What is the name of that fabulous chap who was a kid in the 30s and spoke at Labour Party Conference and is my hero but I. Cannot. Retrieve. Name. From. Memory! :mrs angry:
Harry Smith, or Leslie ?

Harry Leslie Smith! Thank you, I love you!

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 9:33 am

ephemerid wrote:Who has written a fantastic book "Harry's Last Stand".

Which, if I had won the Lottery, would be beneath every Christmas tree in the land this year. I hope it will be beneath more than a few, as it is a moving & thought provoking read.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 9:49 am

Purveyor of cheap tacky titles gives 300 grand to tacky opportunistic party, it had to happen didn't it?!

http://news.sky.com/story/1390791/expre ... 0k-to-ukip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 9:57 am

ephemerid wrote:
yahyah wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:Help, please, someone! What is the name of that fabulous chap who was a kid in the 30s and spoke at Labour Party Conference and is my hero but I. Cannot. Retrieve. Name. From. Memory! :mrs angry:
Harry Smith, or Leslie ?

Harry Leslie Smith.

Who has written a fantastic book "Harry's Last Stand"

Who Tweets like a demon and is a top bloke.

Thank you! I love you, too

I love all of you but sometimes I love just a little bit more :blows kisses:

I hate these memory fails. Unless they are funny, like the time I was getting really rather frustrated with my lovely ex's obtuseness when i was simply asking him to hand me the rain-barrow so I could hang it up out of the way. He just kept looking at me blankly and looking around. scratching his head. The bloody thing was just behind him. Eventually he asked, What is it for? Ker-rist, I thought.

"It's a bloody rain-barrow!" I snapped. "You put the barrow under the tap and the...
Rain doesnt come out of taps, does it? What comes out of taps?"

"Water, love," he said, gently."Did you mean the watering-can?" All I could do was nod.

Anyhow, we got it sorted. The watering-can is the slightly oval-shaped galvanised metal cylinder with the long narrow spout. The rain-barrow is the funky shaped black moulded-plastic container with a wide spout and a snap-on rose that always falls off.

Punctuation's gone to pot. I haven't

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 9:59 am

LSTTL - nice hound! (v cute ears)

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:01 am

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Purveyor of cheap tacky titles gives 300 grand to tacky opportunistic party, it had to happen didn't it?!

http://news.sky.com/story/1390791/expre ... 0k-to-ukip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am wondering what will happen to Mr.Desmond's more august publications.

Where will he find the "Asian Babes" to populate his magazine bearing that name? The party he now supports would send 'em all home.

Perhaps a new career beckons for the non-Bird-lover, now that we know her degree isn't quite as advertised.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:08 am

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/ ... 32702.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

Jean-Claude Juncker wrote:"Especially in Great Britain which always fought for the enlargement of the European Union, there has to be an end to discrimination against countries just because it goes down well topically when you beat up others," he told a TV debate.

"Self-flagellation is sometimes appropriate.

V insightful. In the past the majority of us were a people who beat ourselves up. Today, the toffs and their Oxbridge mates in business, law and the press are presenting us to the world as a people who like to beat up others. It's not a very attractive image - nor is it (yet) entirely representative.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:17 am

LadyCentauria wrote:
ephemerid wrote:
yahyah wrote: Harry Smith, or Leslie ?

Harry Leslie Smith.

Who has written a fantastic book "Harry's Last Stand"

Who Tweets like a demon and is a top bloke.
Thank you! I love you, too

I love all of you but sometimes I love just a little bit more :blows kisses:

I hate these memory fails. Unless they are funny, like the time I was getting really rather frustrated with my lovely ex's obtuseness when i was simply asking him to hand me the rain-barrow so I could hang it up out of the way. He just kept looking at me blankly and looking around. scratching his head. The bloody thing was just behind him. Eventually he asked, What is it for? Ker-rist, I thought.

"It's a bloody rain-barrow!" I snapped. "You put the barrow under the tap and the...
Rain doesnt come out of taps, does it? What comes out of taps?"

"Water, love," he said, gently."Did you mean the watering-can?" All I could do was nod.

Anyhow, we got it sorted. The watering-can is the slightly oval-shaped galvanised metal cylinder with the long narrow spout. The rain-barrow is the funky shaped black moulded-plastic container with a wide spout and a snap-on rose that always falls off.

Punctuation's gone to pot. I haven't

My house is full of thingummybobwotsityouknowwhatifuckingmeandiddlyplonksforgodssakeyou'rejustpretendingtobethickaren'tyous.
There are some itwashereaminuteagoandyouvedonesomethingwithitiknowyouhave scattered about as well.

Showmaster is blessed with an incurable condition called blokelookingstraightatsomethinganddenyingitisinfrontofhim.
I counter this with itsrightinfrontofyouandyouareatotalmoronandblindtobootwithknobsonohisupposei'llhavetogetupnow syndrome.

I've also got lots of iputitinasafeplacesoiwontforgetwhereitisandiswearyou'vemoveditbecauseicantfinditanywheres.

Sometimes, Show really is a moron and blind to boot. And sometimes I forget stuff, though you'd never ever notice. Really.

Today, I have been searching for ohcomeonyouknowwhatimeanthatstuffthatsmellsniceyouputinthewashingitslikeshowergelonlymorelikelotionstuffreally.
I absolutely know that this stuff
isinthelaundrycupboardbecause iboughtsometheotherdayandiputitthereandyouhavemoveditandnowicantfinditatall.

I'm sure you will all be happy to know that the washing has actually been done without the body lotion.
So it won't smell as nice as it usually does when I put the bath oil in the spin cycle.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:25 am

10.30 Scottish Labour leader announced, whoever it is I hope they take the fight to the SNP, now isn't the time for dilly dallying.

DonutHingeParty · Post by **DonutHingeParty** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:30 am

Exclusive from Any Questions warm up, Ken Livingstone asked what picture he would have on his Christmas jumper. Answer was a decapitated George Osborne, followed by a cheeky "Don't tell the Daily Mail" Jonathan Dimbleby is tiny - the same height as Polly Toynbee. Shook Kens hand afterwards.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:39 am

@ephe:

Having finally recovered my breath and wiped away the tears after rofcmyol-ing for the past nearly-ten-minutes, I thank you. Apart from the companionable laughter, whilst I was getting myself upright again I found my Terry Pratchett audio-discs down the side of the chair.

Trouble with living alone is no-one to blame when you find the kettle in the fridge when you have given up on the idea of making tea (because it would mean washing a saucepan and finding a lid that fits) so you've gone to the fridge to get a glass of milk, instead, after half-an-hour of searching and you have checked the bathroom thoroughly in case you left it in there after using it for hot water to wash your hair because the boiler is on the blink!

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:43 am

Kezia Dugdale elected as Deputy Leader Scottish Labour Party. She's good.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:45 am

Leaders contse
Sara Boyack:9.24%
Neil Findlay 34.99%
Jim Murphy wins with 55.77%

I'll grab their percentages

Edit to add Findlay and Murphy's percentages. Sparrow ended up beating me to it because he probably doesn't have a sticky keyboard

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:46 am

LadyCentauria wrote:Leaders contse
Sara Boyack:9.24%
Neil Findlay ...
Jim Murphy wins

I'll grab their percentages

Seems a pretty conclusive victory too, first round win.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:52 am

yahyah wrote:Morning.

New Scottish poll has Nats 20% ahead.

http://www1.politicalbetting.com/index. ... -20-ahead/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So we now wait to see if Jim can fix it......

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:54 am

yahyah wrote:Morning.

New Scottish poll has Nats 20% ahead.

http://www1.politicalbetting.com/index. ... -20-ahead/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...but this might knock a few points off:

A FURIOUS row erupted last night over new Scottish Government guidelines that suggest teachers should report under-age sexual activity to a child’s “named person” ahead of parents.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/education/ ... -1-3633482

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:56 am

LadyCentauria wrote:@ephe:

Having finally recovered my breath and wiped away the tears after rofcmyol-ing for the past nearly-ten-minutes, I thank you. Apart from the companionable laughter, whilst I was getting myself upright again I found my Terry Pratchett audio-discs down the side of the chair.

Trouble with living alone is no-one to blame when you find the kettle in the fridge when you have given up on the idea of making tea (because it would mean washing a saucepan and finding a lid that fits) so you've gone to the fridge to get a glass of milk, instead, after half-an-hour of searching and you have checked the bathroom thoroughly in case you left it in there after using it for hot water to wash your hair because the boiler is on the blink!

I was making a Dundee-style fruit cake yesterday.

I made Show take me to the Co-Op because I had no dried fruit or almonds or that stuffthatcomesofffruitandgetschoppedupintobits.
Well, not in the storecupboard, anyway.

I delved into the back of the cupboardialwayskeepthebakingtinsin and couldn't find the baking tins (this is because a person or persons unknown put them in the cupboard in the hall with all that stuffinevereverusebecauseinevereveruseit) but I did find several jars full of the very stuff you need to make a Dundee-style fruit cake.

Phew!

We now have a very-very-much-larger-than-originally-planned Dundee-style fruit cake. With fruity-bits-I-can't-name in as well.

You can have some if you like. All I have to do is find the spoons. I'll start looking in the boot of the car, I think.....

There is a very old joke in AA which is told by many people many times at this time of year.
You can take the brandy/rum/etc. out of a fruitcake, but you've still got a fruit cake,

That's me, that is.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 10:58 am

Very good acceptance/First-Speech-as-Leader from Murphy, I thought.

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 11:03 am

ephemerid wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:@ephe:

Having finally recovered my breath and wiped away the tears after rofcmyol-ing for the past nearly-ten-minutes, I thank you. Apart from the companionable laughter, whilst I was getting myself upright again I found my Terry Pratchett audio-discs down the side of the chair.

Trouble with living alone is no-one to blame when you find the kettle in the fridge when you have given up on the idea of making tea (because it would mean washing a saucepan and finding a lid that fits) so you've gone to the fridge to get a glass of milk, instead, after half-an-hour of searching and you have checked the bathroom thoroughly in case you left it in there after using it for hot water to wash your hair because the boiler is on the blink!

I was making a Dundee-style fruit cake yesterday.

I made Show take me to the Co-Op because I had no dried fruit or almonds or that stuffthatcomesofffruitandgetschoppedupintobits.
Well, not in the storecupboard, anyway.

I delved into the back of the cupboardialwayskeepthebakingtinsin and couldn't find the baking tins (this is because a person or persons unknown put them in the cupboard in the hall with all that stuffinevereverusebecauseinevereveruseit) but I did find several jars full of the very stuff you need to make a Dundee-style fruit cake.

Phew!

We now have a very-very-much-larger-than-originally-planned Dundee-style fruit cake. With fruity-bits-I-can't-name in as well.

You can have some if you like. All I have to do is find the spoons. I'll start looking in the boot of the car, I think.....

There is a very old joke in AA which is told by many people many times at this time of year.
You can take the brandy/rum/etc. out of a fruitcake, but you've still got a fruit cake,

That's me, that is.

Well, I'm glad you added the '-style', otherwise the State Police would have been knocking on your door (unless you live in Dundee, of course).

Dundee Cake is a step closer to having Protected Geographical Indicator (PGI) status after Scotland’s Food Secretary Richard Lochhead launched a national consultation today to consider the application.

http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Go-nut ... -1203.aspx

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 11:05 am

http://www.theconversation.com/exactly- ... ster-35226" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Targeting Labour voters is a key theme and grand strategy which Alex Salmond and the SNP have woven into their campaign for the next Westminster election.

I know we know this already, but found this looking for something else, and it riles me greatly. If the SNP were genuninely interested in getting to a progressive UK - rather than simply being self-righteous - one would expect to see a degree of canniness. Have they forgotten that the Tories are the biggest problem facing the majority of the UK just now?

As they say in the world of campaigning: Do you want to be "right" (in some narrowly defined, pedantic sense) or do you want to win (and thus get a chance to effect positive change)?
I know what I want.

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 11:20 am

tinyclanger2 wrote:http://www.theconversation.com/exactly- ... ]Targeting Labour voters is a key theme and grand strategy which Alex Salmond and the SNP have woven into their campaign for the next Westminster election.

I know we know this already, but found this looking for something else, and it riles me greatly. If the SNP were genuninely interested in getting to a progressive UK - rather than simply being self-righteous - one would expect to see a degree of canniness. Have they forgotten that the Tories are the biggest problem facing the majority of the UK just now?

As they say in the world of campaigning: Do you want to be "right" (in some narrowly defined, pedantic sense) or do you want to win (and thus get a chance to effect positive change)?
I know what I want.[/quote]
The only thing the SNP are genuinely interested in is breaking up the UK and hence gaining maximum power for themselves.

It's not often I would agree with the Telegraph but here's a view on Salmond I can go along with:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... mself.html

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 11:24 am

tinyclanger2 wrote:http://www.theconversation.com/exactly- ... ]Targeting Labour voters is a key theme and grand strategy which Alex Salmond and the SNP have woven into their campaign for the next Westminster election.

I know we know this already, but found this looking for something else, and it riles me greatly. If the SNP were genuninely interested in getting to a progressive UK - rather than simply being self-righteous - one would expect to see a degree of canniness. Have they forgotten that the Tories are the biggest problem facing the majority of the UK just now?

As they say in the world of campaigning: Do you want to be "right" (in some narrowly defined, pedantic sense) or do you want to win (and thus get a chance to effect positive change)?
I know what I want.[/quote]

Twitter is already full of self righteous 45ers sneering at Murohy and Dugdale's poll win; the fact that the wins were so convincing, so emphatic should perhaps give them reason to pause for thought, as it suggests that the Scottish Labour Party may be more united than they suspect - still, why bother thinking when you have your certainty to keep you warm.

Post by **letsskiptotheleft** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 11:30 am

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
tinyclanger2 wrote:http://www.theconversation.com/exactly- ... ]Targeting Labour voters is a key theme and grand strategy which Alex Salmond and the SNP have woven into their campaign for the next Westminster election.
I know we know this already, but found this looking for something else, and it riles me greatly. If the SNP were genuninely interested in getting to a progressive UK - rather than simply being self-righteous - one would expect to see a degree of canniness. Have they forgotten that the Tories are the biggest problem facing the majority of the UK just now?

As they say in the world of campaigning: Do you want to be "right" (in some narrowly defined, pedantic sense) or do you want to win (and thus get a chance to effect positive change)?
I know what I want.

Twitter is already full of self righteous 45ers sneering at Murohy and Dugdale's poll win; the fact that the wins were so convincing, so emphatic should perhaps give them reason to pause for thought, as it suggests that the Scottish Labour Party may be more united than they suspect - still, why bother thinking when you have your certainty to keep you warm.

[/quote]

Just ask them the price of a barrel of oil.

They based their whole economic plan on $113 dollars a barrel, it is now $63 dollars, there's wells in the US making a profit on $50 dollars, quite simply they would have been ******.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102262608" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 11:38 am

letsskiptotheleft wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
tinyclanger2 wrote:http://www.theconversation.com/exactly- ... ]Targeting Labour voters is a key theme and grand strategy which Alex Salmond and the SNP have woven into their campaign for the next Westminster election.
I know we know this already, but found this looking for something else, and it riles me greatly. If the SNP were genuninely interested in getting to a progressive UK - rather than simply being self-righteous - one would expect to see a degree of canniness. Have they forgotten that the Tories are the biggest problem facing the majority of the UK just now?

As they say in the world of campaigning: Do you want to be "right" (in some narrowly defined, pedantic sense) or do you want to win (and thus get a chance to effect positive change)?
I know what I want.
Twitter is already full of self righteous 45ers sneering at Murohy and Dugdale's poll win; the fact that the wins were so convincing, so emphatic should perhaps give them reason to pause for thought, as it suggests that the Scottish Labour Party may be more united than they suspect - still, why bother thinking when you have your certainty to keep you warm.

Just ask them the price of a barrel of oil.

They based their whole economic plan on $113 dollars a barrel, it is now $63 dollars, there's wells in the US making a profit on $50 dollars, quite simply they would have been ******.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102262608" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;[/quote]

You mean you don't believe the former oil economist at RBS (aka Alex Salmond)?

Neither does Brian Wilson:

But – as the price of Brent plunges towards $60 a barrel – let us not forget what the Scottish Government was saying just a few months ago. In paragraph 423 of its white paper, it declared: “Production in Scottish waters can generate approximately £48 billion of tax revenues between 2012-13 and 2017-18 based on industry estimates of production and an average cash price of approximately $113 a barrel”.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/brian-wils ... -1-3633313

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 11:41 am

Eric_WLothian wrote:
Well, I'm glad you added the '-style', otherwise the State Police would have been knocking on your door (unless you live in Dundee, of course).

Dundee Cake is a step closer to having Protected Geographical Indicator (PGI) status after Scotland’s Food Secretary Richard Lochhead launched a national consultation today to consider the application.
http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Go-nut ... -1203.aspx

I'll have to watch it. won't I?

I have been known to make Cassoulet without confit d'oie. Truly. We calls it bean stew in our house. With bangers. Quelle horreur!
I've even made Boeuf Bourguinon without using the correct appellation wine. Being an ex-alky, I drank the nice stuff and used the plonk instead. When I didn't drink that too......

It's bad enough having Les Flics de Pensee Francais on me tail without having to deal with blokes in skirts arguing about cake names.

Given the content of my conversation with Lady C whose name I forget I'm more likely to call a cake a pork pie.
Melton Mowbray to you too.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 11:42 am

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
tinyclanger2 wrote:http://www.theconversation.com/exactly- ... ]Targeting Labour voters is a key theme and grand strategy which Alex Salmond and the SNP have woven into their campaign for the next Westminster election.
I know we know this already, but found this looking for something else, and it riles me greatly. If the SNP were genuninely interested in getting to a progressive UK - rather than simply being self-righteous - one would expect to see a degree of canniness. Have they forgotten that the Tories are the biggest problem facing the majority of the UK just now?

As they say in the world of campaigning: Do you want to be "right" (in some narrowly defined, pedantic sense) or do you want to win (and thus get a chance to effect positive change)?
I know what I want.

Twitter is already full of self righteous 45ers sneering at Murohy and Dugdale's poll win; the fact that the wins were so convincing, so emphatic should perhaps give them reason to pause for thought, as it suggests that the Scottish Labour Party may be more united than they suspect - still, why bother thinking when you have your certainty to keep you warm.

[/quote]

It strikes me that flattery will get you a long way. Giving up a seat in Westminster (even one that isn't 100% safe) to run for leader of the Scottish Labour party must reflect a heightened sense of importance and prestige in the post. If Labour unleashing their big guns doesn't make the Scots feel they are taken seriously, I don't know what will. And looking down their nose at meddling Westminster politicians will no longer be an option for the SNP as Salmond is heading there himself.

Incidentally, is the fact Murphy is a bit of a Blairite really a problem in Scotland? The SNP are neoliberal also, their promise of floor-scraping corporation tax if they won independence in Scotland is an indication of that, and it doesn't seem to be a problem for them. I guess I just get a bit confused when the nationalists accuse Labour of being right-wing when they seem pretty right-wing themselves to me.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 11:51 am

Here are the full results of the Scottish Labour elections:

Leadership

Sarah Boyack MSP: 9.24% of overall vote
Section 1 (MPs, MSPs/MEPs): 4.22%
Section 2 (Members): 2.3%
Section 3 (Affiliates): 2.73%

Neil Findlay MSP: 34.99% of the overall vote
Section 1 (MPs, MSPs/MEPs) : 6.75%
Section 2 (Members): 10.89%
Section 3 (Affiliates): 17.34%

Jim Murphy MP: 55.77% of the overall vote
Section 1 (MPs, MSPs/MEPs): 22.36%
Section 2 (Members): 20.14%
Section 3 (Affiliates): 13.26%

Deputy Leadership

Katy Clark MP: 37.11% of the overall vote
Section 1 (MPs, MSPs/MEPs) : 4.7%
Section 2 (Members): 11.22%
Section 3 (Affiliates): 21.2%

Kezia Dugdale MSP: 62.89% of the overall vote
Section 1 (MPs, MSPs/MEPs): 28.63%
Section 2 (Members): 22.11%
Section 3 (Affiliates): 12.13%

http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/blog/e ... qdfYo.dpuf

Someone cleverer than I will tell me if I'm wrong but I think No. I have no idea whether the unions will be broadly satisfied with the results or not. Attempting the maths made my brain go wibble...

Edit to fix formatting, after a fashion

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 11:55 am

Willow904 wrote:Incidentally, is the fact Murphy is a bit of a Blairite really a problem in Scotland? The SNP are neoliberal also, their promise of floor-scraping corporation tax if they won independence in Scotland is an indication of that, and it doesn't seem to be a problem for them. I guess I just get a bit confused when the nationalists accuse Labour of being right-wing when they seem pretty right-wing themselves to me.

You won't find a 45er who will admit to the SNP being neoliberal, I've been assured they are only real socialists on these islands; even Owen Jones and OneButtonMichael are Red Tories to them. It seems less like a political movement and more like a cult with each passing day which is why, TC, mentioning inconvenient details like the falling oil price is a waste of breath.

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 12:00 pm

ephemerid wrote: I'll have to watch it. won't I?

I have been known to make Cassoulet without confit d'oie. Truly. We calls it bean stew in our house. With bangers. Quelle horreur!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWM8U7rkLfU

I'll get my coat...

Kam · Post by **Kam** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 12:02 pm

letsskiptotheleft wrote:Purveyor of cheap tacky titles gives 300 grand to tacky opportunistic party, it had to happen didn't it?!

http://news.sky.com/story/1390791/expre ... 0k-to-ukip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hmmmm didn't Farage used to rail against other political parties and their friends in the media? But no doubt it will now be explained away in some spurious manner.

kam

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 12:04 pm

ephemerid wrote:
Eric_WLothian wrote:
Well, I'm glad you added the '-style', otherwise the State Police would have been knocking on your door (unless you live in Dundee, of course).

Dundee Cake is a step closer to having Protected Geographical Indicator (PGI) status after Scotland’s Food Secretary Richard Lochhead launched a national consultation today to consider the application.
http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Go-nut ... -1203.aspx

I'll have to watch it. won't I?

I have been known to make Cassoulet without confit d'oie. Truly. We calls it bean stew in our house. With bangers. Quelle horreur!
I've even made Boeuf Bourguinon without using the correct appellation wine. Being an ex-alky, I drank the nice stuff and used the plonk instead. When I didn't drink that too......

It's bad enough having Les Flics de Pensee Francais on me tail without having to deal with blokes in skirts arguing about cake names.

Given the content of my conversation with Lady C whose name I forget I'm more likely to call a cake a pork pie.
Melton Mowbray to you too.

A cook after my own heart (add own "fava beans" joke here). Food is there to be enjoyed, all those damn pedants who insist on following recipes to the letter and only using the "correct ingredients" deserve a slap (preferably with an incorrect ingredient); I look upon recipes less as a rule book to be followed rigidly, more as a guide to move to me final destination - my 'cassoulet' would also horrify the purists, but I've never had anybody refuse seconds yet!! Mind you, unlike Gareth, I've never attempted Duck à la Banana.

Picking up on your comment about the plonk, spotted this & thought you might be interested; with a cast like that (including, coincidentally, John Hannah) it looks like a winner to me.

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2014/12/1 ... medy_in_aa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 12:04 pm

Eric_WLothian wrote:
ephemerid wrote: I'll have to watch it. won't I?

I have been known to make Cassoulet without confit d'oie. Truly. We calls it bean stew in our house. With bangers. Quelle horreur!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWM8U7rkLfU

I'll get my coat...

Make sure you give it a spray first, mind....

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 12:08 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Willow904 wrote:Incidentally, is the fact Murphy is a bit of a Blairite really a problem in Scotland? The SNP are neoliberal also, their promise of floor-scraping corporation tax if they won independence in Scotland is an indication of that, and it doesn't seem to be a problem for them. I guess I just get a bit confused when the nationalists accuse Labour of being right-wing when they seem pretty right-wing themselves to me.
You won't find a 45er who will admit to the SNP being neoliberal, I've been assured they are only real socialists on these islands; even Owen Jones and OneButtonMichael are Red Tories to them. It seems less like a political movement and more like a cult with each passing day which is why, TC, mentioning inconvenient details like the falling oil price is a waste of breath.

I think the fact that Jim Murphy has significant experience in 'real' politics (as opposed to Holyrood politics) is far more important than which end of the Labour political spectrum he represents.
What's needed is somebody who can be heard above the shouting of the minority SNP - and I think Jim is the only one of the candidates that fits that particular bill, as he proved during the referendum debate.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 12:14 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:OTHER THINGS ENDING IN OLLY

brolly
folly
wally
Molly
dolly
trolley
golly
Anatoly?

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 12:18 pm

Murphy's past (especially the well sourced rumours he was briefing the likes of DFH againast Ed) was a problem for him in this campaign, and one of the main reasons some were hesitant about backing him. But he has run for Scottish leader on a notably "traditionalist" social democratic pitch (he used the word "equality" more than once - that one used to have Blair reaching for the crucifix and garlic) and he is also promising to be an inclusive leader; it will be interesting to see what role he gives Findlay, whose campaign did him no harm at all.

Fingers crossed

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 12:23 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Willow904 wrote:Incidentally, is the fact Murphy is a bit of a Blairite really a problem in Scotland? The SNP are neoliberal also, their promise of floor-scraping corporation tax if they won independence in Scotland is an indication of that, and it doesn't seem to be a problem for them. I guess I just get a bit confused when the nationalists accuse Labour of being right-wing when they seem pretty right-wing themselves to me.
You won't find a 45er who will admit to the SNP being neoliberal, I've been assured they are only real socialists on these islands; even Owen Jones and OneButtonMichael are Red Tories to them. It seems less like a political movement and more like a cult with each passing day which is why, TC, mentioning inconvenient details like the falling oil price is a waste of breath.

I'm beginning to see more than a few similarities between the SNP and Ukip. I'm wondering if nationalism is naturally right wing. The corporate tax thing is a good example. It's all very well using low corporation tax to attract investment which is then redistributed to the benefit of Scottish people, but if it is at the expense of ordinary people living in other countries then it's not socialism, is it? The over-riding impulse of nationalism is one of selfishness, of drawing back into ever smaller groups of people which look after themselves with no regard to the impact on other groups of people. The contrast with Cuba sending doctors to West Africa to tackle the ebola crisis couldn't be striking. Real socialism is global, it sees all people as equal and equally deserving and will attempt to help everyone regardless of geography or social class. Both the SNP and Ukip seem highly manipulative constructions to me. Right-wing politics dressed up as left and obscured by the simplicity of the nationalist message, playing on the natural human instinct that makes us wary of outsiders.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 12:24 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote: A cook after my own heart (add own "fava beans" joke here). Food is there to be enjoyed, all those damn pedants who insist on following recipes to the letter and only using the "correct ingredients" deserve a slap (preferably with an incorrect ingredient); I look upon recipes less as a rule book to be followed rigidly, more as a guide to move to me final destination - my 'cassoulet' would also horrify the purists, but I've never had anybody refuse seconds yet!! Mind you, unlike Gareth, I've never attempted Duck à la Banana.

Picking up on your comment about the plonk, spotted this & thought you might be interested; with a cast like that (including, coincidentally, John Hannah) it looks like a winner to me.

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2014/12/1 ... medy_in_aa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I like cooking. I have a wonderful book called The Rich Tradition by Elisabeth Luard, and it's about the peasant cookery of Europe, from which all the fancy-pants cuisine comes. I've got some Elizabeth David too; but I don't think she's as good as some say.

Cawl in Wales is like hotpot in Lancashire - you use what you have and fiddle about with recipes as your purse and imagination allows.
Just because we don't have the right fish here to make a "proper" Bouillabaisse, it doesn't mean we can't make a fantastic fish stew which is almost the same and every bit as delicious.
I was watching Masterchef the other day, and the faffing about that goes on to murder ingredients is ridiculous. Some bloke was doing a panna cotta that involved tarragon syrup and an ice-cream pyramid thing that looked very weird and which the judges said would have been OK if the panna cotta had been made properly.
How a very simple-to-make and delicious (if not mucked about with) staple dish, originating from an area of Italy that is famous for the quality of its cream which is why it was invented in the first place, becomes what the contestant dished up is a mystery to me. I don't know why people muck about with things like that.

Re. the radio show - looks good. One thing that struck me as a newcomer was how much laughter there is in AA meetings.
Amid all the doom, debt, disease, and disaster, there is a wickedly funny black humour.
Thanks for the link.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 12:52 pm

Eric_WLothian wrote:
Just ask them the price of a barrel of oil. They based their whole economic plan on $113 dollars a barrel, it is now $63 dollars, there's wells in the US making a profit on $50 dollars, quite simply they would have been ******.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102262608" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You mean you don't believe the former oil economist at RBS (aka Alex Salmond)?

Neither does Brian Wilson:

But – as the price of Brent plunges towards $60 a barrel – let us not forget what the Scottish Government was saying just a few months ago. In paragraph 423 of its white paper, it declared: “Production in Scottish waters can generate approximately £48 billion of tax revenues between 2012-13 and 2017-18 based on industry estimates of production and an average cash price of approximately $113 a barrel”.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/brian-wils ... -1-3633313

[/quote]

Well, indeed. And the amazing thing is that this was taken seriously when oil was about $80 a barrell as recently as 2010.

Much more of this and the oil companies are going to want more tax breaks to carry on producing very much at all. They'll rack up lots of tax losses and that'll wipe out taxable profits for a while into the future. Maybe they'd carry them back first and get some repayments for the previous couple of years.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 1:05 pm

Willow904 wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Willow904 wrote:Incidentally, is the fact Murphy is a bit of a Blairite really a problem in Scotland? The SNP are neoliberal also, their promise of floor-scraping corporation tax if they won independence in Scotland is an indication of that, and it doesn't seem to be a problem for them. I guess I just get a bit confused when the nationalists accuse Labour of being right-wing when they seem pretty right-wing themselves to me.
You won't find a 45er who will admit to the SNP being neoliberal, I've been assured they are only real socialists on these islands; even Owen Jones and OneButtonMichael are Red Tories to them. It seems less like a political movement and more like a cult with each passing day which is why, TC, mentioning inconvenient details like the falling oil price is a waste of breath.
I'm beginning to see more than a few similarities between the SNP and Ukip. I'm wondering if nationalism is naturally right wing. The corporate tax thing is a good example. It's all very well using low corporation tax to attract investment which is then redistributed to the benefit of Scottish people, but if it is at the expense of ordinary people living in other countries then it's not socialism, is it? The over-riding impulse of nationalism is one of selfishness, of drawing back into ever smaller groups of people which look after themselves with no regard to the impact on other groups of people. The contrast with Cuba sending doctors to West Africa to tackle the ebola crisis couldn't be striking. Real socialism is global, it sees all people as equal and equally deserving and will attempt to help everyone regardless of geography or social class. Both the SNP and Ukip seem highly manipulative constructions to me. Right-wing politics dressed up as left and obscured by the simplicity of the nationalist message, playing on the natural human instinct that makes us wary of outsiders.

I think that comparison is unfair- the SNP are impeccably internationalist, and have got support partly because UKIP are dragging the UK away from internationalism, the commitment to international aid excepted.

I think any new nation is going to find it hard to be anything but pretty hardnosed, with lowish corporation tax and short term focus on the deficit, even without the Bank of England chucking on a strait-jacket if it's to be Scotland's central bank too. There's been a fair bit of unfair leftist comment on the right-wing small statism of Eastern Europe- when others are doing it, it's hard to avoid it- and that's leaving out the structures inherited from Soviet days, which would see state money nicked by the in-crowd.

I find the 45 types absolutely deluded about left wing iScotland. Left wing policies in a devolved Parliament is surely the way to go. Not that I think the SNP are leftwing, more chucking Barnett money about.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 1:22 pm

ephemerid wrote:
TheGrimSqueaker wrote: A cook after my own heart (add own "fava beans" joke here). Food is there to be enjoyed, all those damn pedants who insist on following recipes to the letter and only using the "correct ingredients" deserve a slap (preferably with an incorrect ingredient); I look upon recipes less as a rule book to be followed rigidly, more as a guide to move to me final destination - my 'cassoulet' would also horrify the purists, but I've never had anybody refuse seconds yet!! Mind you, unlike Gareth, I've never attempted Duck à la Banana.

Picking up on your comment about the plonk, spotted this & thought you might be interested; with a cast like that (including, coincidentally, John Hannah) it looks like a winner to me.

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2014/12/1 ... medy_in_aa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I like cooking. I have a wonderful book called The Rich Tradition by Elisabeth Luard, and it's about the peasant cookery of Europe, from which all the fancy-pants cuisine comes. I've got some Elizabeth David too; but I don't think she's as good as some say.

Cawl in Wales is like hotpot in Lancashire - you use what you have and fiddle about with recipes as your purse and imagination allows.
Just because we don't have the right fish here to make a "proper" Bouillabaisse, it doesn't mean we can't make a fantastic fish stew which is almost the same and every bit as delicious.
I was watching Masterchef the other day, and the faffing about that goes on to murder ingredients is ridiculous. Some bloke was doing a panna cotta that involved tarragon syrup and an ice-cream pyramid thing that looked very weird and which the judges said would have been OK if the panna cotta had been made properly.
How a very simple-to-make and delicious (if not mucked about with) staple dish, originating from an area of Italy that is famous for the quality of its cream which is why it was invented in the first place, becomes what the contestant dished up is a mystery to me. I don't know why people muck about with things like that.

Re. the radio show - looks good. One thing that struck me as a newcomer was how much laughter there is in AA meetings.
Amid all the doom, debt, disease, and disaster, there is a wickedly funny black humour.
Thanks for the link.

Was glad to see he got booted off, tarragon and panna cotta is a perfect example of the type of 'proper' cooking I was railing against. And, absolutely right, you should be able to adjust recipes to allow for budget and available ingredients without being sneered at; risotto is one of my staples, ultimate comfort food, and will just use whatever is to hand.

TinyClanger, I've just my annual reread of "Hogfather" hence the seasonal signature and avatar; not many authors who can still make you lol on your 18th reading!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogfather" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 1:23 pm

The War Office has been sold.

Bought on a long-lease arrangement from the MOD by Hinduja in partnership with a Spanish company.

It will be developed into a hotel and luxury apartments.

Sickening.

It should have been developed into bedsits for MPs so they stop having taxpayer funded second homes when they live in fucking Surrey and rent out their London properties. Yes, Maude, Grayling, and all the rest - I'm looking at you.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sat 13 Dec, 2014 1:46 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote: TinyClanger, I've just my annual reread of "Hogfather" hence the seasonal signature and avatar; not many authors who can still make you lol on your 18th reading!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogfather" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Will look into it - thanks. From the W entry I have already enjoyed:

Death's granddaughter, Susan, ...