Friday 20th March 2015

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yahyah
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Friday 20th March 2015

Post by yahyah »

Morning all.

Sunny here, with a light mist in the valley.
Have eclipse viewing specs at the ready for 8.30 onwards.
Hope weather is clear for those elsewhere.
fedup59
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by fedup59 »

yahyah wrote:Morning all.

Sunny here, with a light mist in the valley.
Have eclipse viewing specs at the ready for 8.30 onwards.
Hope weather is clear for those elsewhere.

Morning - clear blue sky in Stirlingshire and instructions to get Mr Fedup out of bed for 8:30! Change is coming or something. :D
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ErnstRemarx
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by ErnstRemarx »

yahyah wrote:Morning all.

Sunny here, with a light mist in the valley.
Have eclipse viewing specs at the ready for 8.30 onwards.
Hope weather is clear for those elsewhere.
Blimey, are you on British Summer Time already?
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ErnstRemarx
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by ErnstRemarx »

I posted this late on last night; I hope no one minds me reposting.

"Right. Been to the CLP's meeting this evening, and apparently Ed Miliband will be turning up in town in April. I think I'll be there, and AAW, if you're a member, check it out with your CLP.

Of more interest to me is the fact that Rachel Reeves is coming up here fairly soon for a Labour social. If Effie and anyone else in the clutches of/at the mercy of the DWP would like to send me a PM then I'll send you my council email address. I want to nail her on comments she's made passim about Labour and social security and I need lots of ammo. Questions are good; articles you've clipped (not links) or your own findings are better. If you want Labour to be more sympathetic towards those in need of social security, then send me the ammo.

I hope this is classed as a local smellysocks political hack listening to the great unwashed. Go to it."
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LadyCentauria
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by LadyCentauria »

Morning all :) We've got total cloud cover and a light mist, here :( But perhaps we'll get a bit of a break-through as things build. The moon has started biting into the sun in Newquay – in the pics on the telly...
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danesclose
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by danesclose »

Good morning all.
Today's "No shit, Sherlock" item, hidden away on the BBC website:
Mental health service budgets 'cut by 8%'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31970871
Proud to be part of The Indecent Minority.
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ephemerid
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by ephemerid »

Morning all - Ernst, will send you a PM, thanks.

Seems it's not just the IFS who wants to know where Osborne intends to make his "welfare" cuts. Lots of people asking - even at the G!

For someone who is alleged to be a master political strategist, he's a bit of a div.
Does he seriously expect that not telling people what he will do is acceptable just weeks before a general election?
Like - "We have a plan, but we won't tell you what it is in case you don't vote for us and we'll only tell you when we're in office"

Since when has electing a government been a blind date?
"Poverty is the worst form of violence" - Mahatma Gandhi
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mbc1955
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by mbc1955 »

A tiny bit of occlusion here in Stockport but the cloud cover has gotten a lot thicker in that section of the sky and there's little to see: everything's generally still light.
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StephenDolan
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

Morning all.

Riding in with my polarised glasses on I could see the covering starting even with slight cloud cover. Impressive sight.
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TechnicalEphemera
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by TechnicalEphemera »

mbc1955 wrote:A tiny bit of occlusion here in Stockport but the cloud cover has gotten a lot thicker in that section of the sky and there's little to see: everything's generally still light.
Just clearing up here, can quite clearly see the eclipse through my welding glass.
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utopiandreams
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by utopiandreams »

ErnstRemarx wrote:I posted this late on last night; I hope no one minds me reposting.

"Right. Been to the CLP's meeting this evening, and apparently Ed Miliband will be turning up in town in April. I think I'll be there, and AAW, if you're a member, check it out with your CLP.

Of more interest to me is the fact that Rachel Reeves is coming up here fairly soon for a Labour social. If Effie and anyone else in the clutches of/at the mercy of the DWP would like to send me a PM then I'll send you my council email address. I want to nail her on comments she's made passim about Labour and social security and I need lots of ammo. Questions are good; articles you've clipped (not links) or your own findings are better. If you want Labour to be more sympathetic towards those in need of social security, then send me the ammo.

I hope this is classed as a local smellysocks political hack listening to the great unwashed. Go to it."
I may not be in the best position to answer your request, Ernst, there are others who are much more deserving of your attention and shall no doubt proffer suggestions. Nevertheless it is an issue with which I have some familiarity so following is something I largely posted in the other place regarding UC with which Labour does have an in principle agreement...

It could be argued that in principle UC offers greater flexibility for carers in some circumstances. For example, and it is some time ago, but back in the day when I claimed Invalid Carer's Allowance about a year after my late wife's stroke, the maximum you were allowed to earn was £50 p.w., obviously it has gone up since but I'm not familiar with current figures.

Anyway once things had settled down a little I tried to do a nominally full time course (part of my retraining to gain home-based work), but being classed as a full-time student removed my eligibility for ICA as I was supposedly entitled to a student loan. Not in practice however as I'd already received a grant in my youth to attend university, I therefore studied with the Open University.

I was later approached and offered part-time work (nominally about 2hrs. per week) with a salary of £3100. Since I also claimed Income Support because of the three children, the DWP (DHSS) advised I decline the work because it was only my eligibility for ICA that entitled me to it. I still took the work as a gateway to further opportunities whilst still doing the equivalent of a full-time course and was soon presented with a £1200 Council Tax bill.

So I expect that UC could cater for such circumstances the problem then being the job-seeking demands, something that would have been completely untenable in my circumstances. When I say untenable I really mean in the manner in which UC has been designed with its insistence on using the Universal Job Match site. Obviously I sought more work, initially as a part-time lecturer at a local college and as a freelance computing consultant and developer, hardly JobMatch material. I later dropped the college work (too many hours away from the house) as my consultancy and OU duties increased.

The point I'm really trying to make is that whoever designed the system apparently has no idea off the demands made upon a carer regardless of any additional work. How anybody could impose job-seeking demands on them is completely beyond me. Cameron of course should know better having had a disabled son himself but I suppose that having millions behind you makes a world of difference. Of course I have other concerns regarding the WCA, the sick or disabled being classed as fit for work would obviously impact on any carer status. My daughter also has Downs Syndrome.

Edit: typo!
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RogerOThornhill
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by RogerOThornhill »

Monring all.

Can't see a bloody thing here east of London - a full cloud cover means that we can't see the sun. Shame - would have been great for the kids at the school since they could have built a whole science day around it.
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LadyCentauria
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by LadyCentauria »

danesclose wrote:Good morning all.
Today's "No shit, Sherlock" item, hidden away on the BBC website:
Mental health service budgets 'cut by 8%'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-31970871
From that article, Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind says:
"The next government will need to hit the ground running on mental health. We need to see a permanent increase in the NHS mental health budget of at least £1bn if we are to reverse the damage caused by years of neglect and recent cuts."
Even knowing things are bad, the article is pretty shocking and stark. Norman Lamb's comments seem almost lacksadaisical – and dismissive of the deep lack of funding and insufficient staffing levels.
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Willow904
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by Willow904 »

ephemerid wrote:Morning all - Ernst, will send you a PM, thanks.

Seems it's not just the IFS who wants to know where Osborne intends to make his "welfare" cuts. Lots of people asking - even at the G!

For someone who is alleged to be a master political strategist, he's a bit of a div.
Does he seriously expect that not telling people what he will do is acceptable just weeks before a general election?
Like - "We have a plan, but we won't tell you what it is in case you don't vote for us and we'll only tell you when we're in office"

Since when has electing a government been a blind date?
Labour have already been quite specific about cuts such as abolishing elected PCCs and cutting winter fuel allowance, which is only going to add to the pressure on Osborne. Labour's professionalism and attention to detail is starting to pay dividends now we're getting down to the nitty gritty of manifestos.

It's suddenly getting a bit dull and darker here in Somerset. I accidentally saw the eclipse a moment ago when looking out the window. It was right there clearly visible behind a bank of cloud and smog! I only had a glimpse, just in case the cloud cleared, but it was quite fortuitous as it's not going to clear enough here to cast a pinhole shadow.
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utopiandreams
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by utopiandreams »

I haven't got special viewing glasses so cannot watch the eclipse. Albeit sunny it is getting strangely dark. The cats seem able to cope though, they're both sat in the window watching it.

Edit: well I hope they're able to cope. Maybe I should dissuade them.
Last edited by utopiandreams on Fri 20 Mar, 2015 9:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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LadyCentauria
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by LadyCentauria »

RogerOThornhill wrote:Monring all.

Can't see a bloody thing here east of London - a full cloud cover means that we can't see the sun. Shame - would have been great for the kids at the school since they could have built a whole science day around it.
They still could, you know. There's a lot of science going on that involves measuring the cloud cover and how it changes; and measuring temperature and wind-speeds. These measurements are being used to investigate two things. One is the belief (rumour/superstition) that the clouds 'clear' just in time for the greatest area of cover of the sun - or totality, which they're only getting in the area of the Faroes. The second is whether there is a 'solar wind' effect at totality or maximal eclipse. There's also a BBC Stargazing Special on BBC ONE now – amongst teams in various parts of the country, they've got a reporter on a plane between Scotland, the Faroes, and Iceland.

Here in SW London, the sky is darkening in a way that is not necessarily down to thickening cloud as the cloud might not actually be thickening. I'm going to wander away from the computer for a while to investigate...
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pk1
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by pk1 »

Total cloud eclipse here on the South Coast so can't even get a glimpse of the sun, let alone the moon.

Bloody cloud obscured last nights supermoon too.

:( :(
StephenDolan
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

Clouds thinned perfectly to view here, back to thick cloud now. Hope all the schoolkids had a good view. It's awe inspiring as an adult, so for a child...
seeingclearly
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by seeingclearly »

Only a thin covering of cirrus cloud here, so watched the effect as had no viewer. Though the shadows are sharp the sun is still weak, and there's not a bird to be heard or seen.

Have spent the last couple of days catching up, and am incensed by the plans for online CBT for people with mental health problems. My oldest has paranoid schizophrenia and is partially sighted. He just got the results of his PIP assessment, zero points. His ESA was dependent upon his DLA, so goodness knows what will happen. It's all very worrying, and comes after years of struggle to access the right treatment. It's only since then that he improved, but it's medication dependent, and he needs the right kind of support. CPN services in his area have been cut to the bone too.
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LadyCentauria
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by LadyCentauria »

Well, I've only got to either go abroadoverseas to experience this all again – or live for another 75 years...

Here, in leafy SW London, the skies darkened to a dark grey behind the full cover of cloud so I went to sit in the garden (it faces west to the block of flats opposite and south across the tennis courts and golf course) and listened to the silence. As the darkness faded and the clouded sky became lighter, I listened to the silence; and then the birds started some tentative calls, more joined in, I watched a lone gull sail across low in the sky, and the 'dawn' chorus started in earnest.

I came back indoors just in time to see the images from the aeroplane on the BBC and watched the round moon close across the sun, an amazing and ferociously bright Bailey's Beads and 'diamond ring', followed by totality with solar prominences clearly visible as well as the deep crimson cromosphere extending a surprising (to me) distance out from the Sun. I have no shame to admit that, although I was looking at a television screen, I applauded and laughed and I was staring at the screen through tear-filled eyes.

Then the moon rapidly slipped past and the first Bailey's Bead appeared and grew into a spectacular diamond ring – or rather a double setting of a great ruby (the Sun) with a multi-carat diamond partially set into its lower right-hand side, a jeweller's creation of a lifetime – and, all too swiftly, the moon was far enough away across the Sun's disc to clearly show the former's mountains and valleys and craters; so the producers (probably) said "switch" and the Beeb were back to coverage from Jodrell Bank. I went back into the garden to a lighter sky, full birdsong, and the flitting of the 'early' birds.

SvarlsbadSvalsbard* in Norway has just now reached totality. And I am in urgent need of tea...

Edit mispelt Svalsbard....
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StephenDolan
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

LadyCentauria wrote:Well, I've only got to either go abroadoverseas to experience this all again – or live for another 75 years...

Here, in leafy SW London, the skies darkened to a dark grey behind the full cover of cloud so I went to sit in the garden (it faces west to the block of flats opposite and south across the tennis courts and golf course) and listened to the silence. As the darkness faded and the clouded sky became lighter, I listened to the silence; and then the birds started some tentative calls, more joined in, I watched a lone gull sail across low in the sky, and the 'dawn' chorus started in earnest.

I came back indoors just in time to see the images from the aeroplane on the BBC and watched the round moon close across the sun, an amazing and ferociously bright Bailey's Beads and 'diamond ring', followed by totality with solar prominences clearly visible as well as the deep crimson cromosphere extending a surprising (to me) distance out from the Sun. I have no shame to admit that, although I was looking at a television screen, I applauded and laughed and I was staring at the screen through tear-filled eyes.

Then the moon rapidly slipped past and the first Bailey's Bead appeared and grew into a spectacular diamond ring – or rather a double setting of a great ruby (the Sun) with a multi-carat diamond partially set into its lower right-hand side, a jeweller's creation of a lifetime – and, all too swiftly, the moon was far enough away across the Sun's disc to clearly show the former's mountains and valleys and craters; so the producers (probably) said "switch" and the Beeb were back to coverage from Jodrell Bank. I went back into the garden to a lighter sky, full birdsong, and the flitting of the 'early' birds.

SvarlsbadSvalsbard* in Norway has just now reached totality. And I am in urgent need of tea...

Edit mispelt Svalsbard....
Beautiful description there LC.

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ephemerid
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by ephemerid »

seeingclearly wrote:Only a thin covering of cirrus cloud here, so watched the effect as had no viewer. Though the shadows are sharp the sun is still weak, and there's not a bird to be heard or seen.

Have spent the last couple of days catching up, and am incensed by the plans for online CBT for people with mental health problems. My oldest has paranoid schizophrenia and is partially sighted. He just got the results of his PIP assessment, zero points. His ESA was dependent upon his DLA, so goodness knows what will happen. It's all very worrying, and comes after years of struggle to access the right treatment. It's only since then that he improved, but it's medication dependent, and he needs the right kind of support. CPN services in his area have been cut to the bone too.

Re. PIP - he must ask immediately for a copy of the PIP assessor's report, and a full written explanation of the decision, with ALL the Decision Maker's paperwork/justification. Under the regulations, he is entitled to see those things before he asks for a Mandatory Consideration of Review, and DWP must allow him to see that paperwork or they are in breach of their own rules.
He is entitled to know on what evidence the decision is based; and he is also entitled to an assessment done by a MH qualified person due to his health condition, and if he wasn't he has very good grounds for an appeal.
It is often the case that the DM has not used all the evidence, which they are legally obliged to do; even when they do this, they either do not understand what they are reading, or they cherry-pick statements from the PIP report to support a refusal. Of all first claims to DLA, more than half were refused; and of those refusals, more than half were allowed on reconsideration or appeal. For PIP we don't know what the figures are yet; the sample is too small for any meaningful analysis.
Even if you think the chances of him subsequently qualifying are slim, it's worth doing. The purpose of PIP is to cut 20% of the existing DLA caseload, and there is evidence that DMs have a target to disallow 80% of MCRs - but this has the effect of turning claims down very quickly which has a knock-on effect on the speed at which appeals are heard. Nowhere near as many cases have gone to appeal from other benefits due to the rule changes - some appeals are now heard quite quickly.

There is an excellent guide to all this at benefitsandwork

Re. ESA - it is quite common for people to lose ESA on the grounds of a DLA/PIP report. This is, in fact, not lawful. The criteria for claiming ESA are not the same as those for PIP as we know; but that doesn't stop them doing it. (Happened to me)
If this does happen, you complain immediately.
The letter will come with the Benefit Delivery Centre address and you write back to Decision Making and Appeals section, with a name if you have one and "To Manager" if you don't. You should also send an email to the head of District Management for your area.
I can't get the link to work - so google DWP district managers and you should get a list with email addresses.

It took me a few months to get it all sorted out, but there is no question in my mind that complaining works. All my correspondence included the phrase "I have taken advice and..." and I always stated that copies would be sent in due course to my MP and other advisers (never did, but it pisses them off)

The point about your son's ESA is this - to deny his claim (whether it's due to a PIP decision or for any other reason) DWP must have evidence that they have considered Limited Capability for Work Related Activity and that they have complied with Regulations 29 and 35 which state that if a claimant could risk danger to themselves or others by being found capable of work or work-related activity they MUST be allocated to the Support Group irrespective of points or the opinion of the person reporting on the WCA.

There is an excellent guide to this at blacktrianglecampaign.org

It is always worth making an appointment to see your son's GP, CPN, and your/his MP. The more people who know this has happened, the better; and the sooner you do it, the better it will look if you go on to appeal.

I'm sure you know a lot of this already - but you are not alone, and if there's anything I can do to help please let me know.
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AngryAsWell
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by AngryAsWell »

ClaudineLewis ‏@QuietNotStupid · 3m3 minutes ago
I'm about to listen to James O'Brien talk to the gentleman threatened by liar Grant Shapps for calling him a liar. Interesting #LBC
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frightful_oik
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by frightful_oik »

Populus:

Lab 34 (-)
Con 31 (-3)
LD 9 (+1)
UKIP 17 (+2)
Greens 5 (-)
Others 5 (-)

Pinched from UKPR
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you-
Ye are many - they are few."
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

frightful_oik wrote:Populus:

Lab 34 (-)
Con 31 (-3)
LD 9 (+1)
UKIP 17 (+2)
Greens 5 (-)
Others 5 (-)

Pinched from UKPR
Slightly better. Given Scottish polling figures 3% doesn’t seem enough. Having said that, the Tories are buggered on those figures.
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

http://may2015.com/featured/the-scaries ... d-to-know/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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AngryAsWell
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by AngryAsWell »

AngryAsWell wrote:ClaudineLewis ‏@QuietNotStupid · 3m3 minutes ago
I'm about to listen to James O'Brien talk to the gentleman threatened by liar Grant Shapps for calling him a liar. Interesting #LBC
Forgot the link
http://www.lbc.co.uk/listen-live-3578" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

Wh?ch highlights the potential windfall for the taxman.

'Use your pension to buy a Lamborghini & you'll pay enough tax to buy a Porsche'
Last edited by StephenDolan on Fri 20 Mar, 2015 12:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

Today's YouGov reweightings.

Scum/Star 277 to 461
Guardian 205 to 101.
pk1
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by pk1 »

StephenDolan wrote:Today's YouGov reweightings.

Scum/Star 277 to 461
Guardian 205 to 101.
Crikey, that's some reweighting !

Still no confirmation of the TV debates - very strange silence by the broadcasters considering there is supposed to be one taking place next Thursday.....
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by citizenJA »

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
mbc1955 wrote:A tiny bit of occlusion here in Stockport but the cloud cover has gotten a lot thicker in that section of the sky and there's little to see: everything's generally still light.
Just clearing up here, can quite clearly see the eclipse through my welding glass.
My quidditch goggles are invaluable.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by citizenJA »

pk1 wrote:
StephenDolan wrote:Today's YouGov reweightings.

Scum/Star 277 to 461
Guardian 205 to 101.
Crikey, that's some reweighting !

Still no confirmation of the TV debates - very strange silence by the broadcasters considering there is supposed to be one taking place next Thursday.....
So we didn't find out yesterday from the broadcasters? Excuse me for asking, I've been installing a new operating system & haven't looked at the news.
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

Screen-Shot-2015-03-19-at-07.42.57.png
Screen-Shot-2015-03-19-at-07.42.57.png (439.28 KiB) Viewed 10332 times
How do you think public perception of the share of total tax that is income tax would tally?
Last edited by refitman on Fri 20 Mar, 2015 12:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by citizenJA »

StephenDolan wrote:Today's YouGov reweightings.

Scum/Star 277 to 461
Guardian 205 to 101.
1 Labour party vote = 5,000 Tory party votes
Don't put it past the bastards.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by citizenJA »

StephenDolan
Look at Corporate tax next to VAT tax in the second graph - that's a nasty slap in the face of regular people.
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by PorFavor »

Good morfternoon.

Have we had this?
Farage 'deeply shocked' over expenses fraud claim involving Ukip MEP (Guardian)
About the only one who is.

(The MEP in question covers my area here in Portsmouth.)

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... g-ukip-mep


We've got toxic smog here, by the way.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by citizenJA »

AngryAsWell wrote:
AngryAsWell wrote:ClaudineLewis ‏@QuietNotStupid · 3m3 minutes ago
I'm about to listen to James O'Brien talk to the gentleman threatened by liar Grant Shapps for calling him a liar. Interesting #LBC
Forgot the link
http://www.lbc.co.uk/listen-live-3578" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Miraculous - I've have audio.
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

Have we had this?
Farage 'deeply shocked' over expenses fraud claim involving Ukip MEP (Guardian)
About the only one who is.

(The MEP in question covers my area here in Portsmouth.)

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... g-ukip-mep


We've got toxic smog here, by the way.
I was shocked to hear that she'd stood as a Conservative ppc in the past.
ohsocynical
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

Bought Alistair Darlings autobiography of the time he handled the banking crash.

Some insightful things. The following from when they were trying to sort out HBOS, cements my certainty that Osborne, whilst not being able to do his math, is a cunning operator, with absolutely no conscience.

"I said I could be filmed live from my home. I had to fly back to London on Sunday afternoon, but at least this way I would get Saturday nightin my own bed. The producers arranged to interview George Osborne for the Consevatives and Vince Cable for the Liberal Democrats. They were to be together in the studio just before my interview. My intention was to try to reassure people that we were on the case and to prepare the way for a major intervention. The emergency rescue package was close to completion, but I did not want to announce it from my sitting room in Edinburgh.

I listened to the interview with George Osborne with growing incredulity. He referred to a discussion on banking legislation that he'd had with me the previous week and a subsequent meeting that I'd authorized with Treasury civil servants on banking reforms. He then went on to refer to a discussion he'd had with the Governor, and the possibility of recapitalizing banks.
I was dismayed. There was enough there to point people in the right direction. Two thoughts went through my mind. The first was that he had said enough to suggest that he knew of our plans. The second was that if he did know, he must have known he was playing with fire. Clearly his objective, as it had been for the past year, was to claim that he had a cunning plan, so that when we announced ours it would seem as if we were following him. He was letting political advantage over-ride the need not to spook the markets."
Last edited by ohsocynical on Fri 20 Mar, 2015 12:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by citizenJA »

PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

Have we had this?
Farage 'deeply shocked' over expenses fraud claim involving Ukip MEP (Guardian)
About the only one who is.

(The MEP in question covers my area here in Portsmouth.)

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... g-ukip-mep


We've got toxic smog here, by the way.
Stoke-on-Trent Centre AQI: Stoke-on-Trent Centre Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI).
152
Unhealthy
Updated on Friday 10:00
Temp: 5°C

151-200 Unhealthy Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects


http://aqicn.org/city/united-kingdom/st ... nt-centre/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Yep, air quality is crap. I'm glad my partner is in a climate controlled environment on days like today.
ohsocynical
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

Here at Ohso Towers in Bracknell, thick grey cloud, and although it went a bit darker, you wouldn't have known an eclipse was taking place. So that's it. I'll never see another one. :(

And wouldn't you know it. The sun's coming out now!!!!
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by citizenJA »

Good-afternoon, everyone, I hope you're all well.
My headache has subsided.
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LadyCentauria
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by LadyCentauria »

StephenDolan wrote:
Screen-Shot-2015-03-19-at-07.42.57.png
How do you think public perception of the share of total tax that is income tax would tally?
Well, given the number of people who complain about 'my taxes going to skivers and scroungers'* I'd imagine that many, if not most, people think that their personal taxes (income tax and National Insurance) pay for all 'Social Protection', NHS, Overseas Development, Defence, EU payments, – actually, for just about everything. Say, 75% Income tax?

And, thank you for the compliment, earlier :)
Last edited by LadyCentauria on Fri 20 Mar, 2015 12:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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This time, I'm gonna be stronger I'm not giving in...
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adam
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by adam »

I had to invigilate an A Level mock this morning and completely missed even noticing whether it got a bit darker.
I still believe in a town called Hope
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TheGrimSqueaker
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by TheGrimSqueaker »

Interesting post from Mike Smithson of the fight for Thanet South.

http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index. ... -outsider/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oh, and apparently another UKIP PPC has been suspended.
Stephen Howd, the prospective parliamentary candidate for Scunthorpe is being investigated over an alleged incident at his workplace.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-31973284" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
COWER BRIEF MORTALS. HO. HO. HO.
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citizenJA
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by citizenJA »

adam wrote:I had to invigilate an A Level mock this morning and completely missed even noticing whether it got a bit darker.
You're an extraordinary person getting on with making the world fit to live in though it means missing awesome celestial moments. Thank you for the work you do. I'm sorry your attention was necessarily elsewhere.
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adam
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by adam »

citizenJA wrote:
adam wrote:I had to invigilate an A Level mock this morning and completely missed even noticing whether it got a bit darker.
You're an extraordinary person getting on with making the world fit to live in though it means missing awesome celestial moments. Thank you for the work you do. I'm sorry your attention was necessarily elsewhere.
I would say that analysis was both astonishingly generous and excessive to the point of tomfoolery :) (One of the things I was doing whilst invigilating - an aside to this aside, you're not allowed to do anything when you're actually invigilating a real exam other than observe what's going on but this was just a pretend one so it didn't matter - one the things I was doing was reading about artificial intelligence (in this book which I bought because it had the maddest name of almost any book I'd ever seen) which said that one of the stumbling blocks in developing AI is a lack of understanding by the AI that it's possible for the contradictory statements 'There are no such things as Vampires' and 'Dracula is a Vampire' to both be true). (I also worked out a newer, prettier way to plan out part of next year's course, so it wasn't time wasted in a number of ways).
I still believe in a town called Hope
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by StephenDolan »

Friday lunchtime joke.


Clegg: I am more anti-establishment now than when I entered government

http://gu.com/p/46zfb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:rofl:
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TechnicalEphemera
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by TechnicalEphemera »

Hidden away in the Clarkson rant story in the G is this little gem.
At the event to raise money for young people to take part in the arts, Clarkson was persuaded to offer up a lap around the Top Gear track by the charity auction compere Christopher Biggins.

Clarkson said: “I’ll drive somebody around in whatever I can get hold of. I’m sacked so it’s probably an Austin Maestro. So who knows? But anyway it will be my last ever lap of the Top Gear track.”

He added: “There was an 18-year waiting list to be in the audience of Top Gear, but the BBC has fucked themselves. It was a great show and they’ve fucked it up. Tonight’s the night when you have the opportunity.”

Clarkson’s Top Gear lap raised the most money at the Roundhouse event, which was hosted by radio DJ Edith Bowman and featured other lots from Jamie Cullum, who played with his band, and Ronnie Wood, who performed with Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri.
Fortunately I suspect I will soon be able to watch....

"3 old gits doing stupid things with cars" which will shortly appear on Sky under the working Title - Definitely not Top Gear 2" Rumoured to feature the Steeg - a mysterious driver dressed all in black.
Release the Guardvarks.
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Re: Friday 20th March 2015

Post by ohsocynical »

Just seen that fat Tory twat from GuidoFawkes defending Clarkson accompanied by a tank. I could comment on the big gun being penis envy but I won't.
We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. – Aesop
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