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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Local By-Election Preview: August 22nd 2013

SystemSystem Posts: 11,005
edited August 2013 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Local By-Election Preview: August 22nd 2013

2010: Con 1,502 (27%), Lab 2,756 (49%), Eng Dems 1,415 (25%)
2011: Con 831 (21%), Lab 2,205 (55%), Ind 416 (10%), Eng Dems 574 (14%)
2012: Con 954 (30%), Lab 2,269 (70%)

Read the full story here


Comments

  • Options
    IOSIOS Posts: 1,450
    Harry is a brilliant PB poster. These articles are always class.
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    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362

    The great sporting news just keeps on coming ;-)

    Great Britain showjumpers win European Championship gold,first time in 24 years

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/equestrian/23804968

    and latest

    HOCKEY England women reach EuroHockey final with 3-2 penalty shootout victory over the Netherlands after their match finished 1-1

    England women in final for first time since early 1990's.
  • Options
    Sorry Harry I am confused about Bracebridge. It is listed as a Conservative defence and you talk about the Conservatives trying to hold it but the figures from the 2012 election seem to show it is a Labour seat?
  • Options
    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    @Tykejohnno

    Shame about those swimmers, eh? ;)
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    GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 20,793
    edited August 2013
    Just been reading Sean Thomas's blog - Very funny and in full PB rantathon mode.

    Has generated over 2000 comments so safe to say he's stirring things up, LOL;

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/seanthomas/100231060/are-atheists-mentally-ill/

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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    @Richard_Tyndall

    It's elected by 3rds. The seat up now was won by a Tory but the last time the ward was contested Labour won it.
  • Options
    Off topic.

    My sources tell me that overnight it will be announced that Luis Suarez has signed a new four year contract with Liverpool.

    But, but the big news, it has a release clause allowing him to leave if a champions league club makes a bid of 60m
  • Options
    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362
    Neil said:

    @Tykejohnno

    Shame about those swimmers, eh? ;)

    lol

    Neil yes ;-)

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/swimming/23592744

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    Neil said:

    @Richard_Tyndall

    It's elected by 3rds. The seat up now was won by a Tory but the last time the ward was contested Labour won it.

    Ah thanks Neil. Hadn't realised that.
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    Sorry Harry I am confused about Bracebridge. It is listed as a Conservative defence and you talk about the Conservatives trying to hold it but the figures from the 2012 election seem to show it is a Labour seat?

    Richard, I maybe wrong, but I think it is a multi member ward.

    So the seat up for re-election was the Tory elected in 2010, but in 2012, a Labour councillor was elected in the same ward.
  • Options
    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362

    Off topic.

    My sources tell me that overnight it will be announced that Luis Suarez has signed a new four year contract with Liverpool.

    But, but the big news, it has a release clause allowing him to leave if a champions league club makes a bid of 60m

    So he could be gone by January then ;-)
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    Oh and Spurs fan, the traitorous Willian, who turned down Liverpool is now having a medical at Chelsea
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    Stark_DawningStark_Dawning Posts: 9,287
    Has tim seen this picture of Dave a) with his shirt off b) holding a pint of Tetley?

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/10260698/David-Cameron-goes-topless-on-Polzeath-beach-in-Cornwall.html
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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,280
    edited August 2013

    Off topic.

    My sources tell me that overnight it will be announced that Luis Suarez has signed a new four year contract with Liverpool.

    But, but the big news, it has a release clause allowing him to leave if a champions league club makes a bid of 60m

    So he could be gone by January then ;-)
    He could be gone by the weekend.
  • Options
    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    @Tykejohnno

    You're a hard man. I maintain that GB has a swim team to be proud of.
  • Options
    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362

    Off topic.

    My sources tell me that overnight it will be announced that Luis Suarez has signed a new four year contract with Liverpool.

    But, but the big news, it has a release clause allowing him to leave if a champions league club makes a bid of 60m

    So he could be gone by January then ;-)
    He could be gone by the weekend.
    Not if this is true -

    My sources tell me that overnight it will be announced that Luis Suarez has signed a new four year contract with Liverpool.


  • Options
    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    @Stark_Dawning

    Oh sweet lord you've done it now.
  • Options
    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362
  • Options

    Off topic.

    My sources tell me that overnight it will be announced that Luis Suarez has signed a new four year contract with Liverpool.

    But, but the big news, it has a release clause allowing him to leave if a champions league club makes a bid of 60m

    So he could be gone by January then ;-)
    He could be gone by the weekend.
    Not if this is true -

    My sources tell me that overnight it will be announced that Luis Suarez has signed a new four year contract with Liverpool.


    A new contract with a 60m release clause
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    IOSIOS Posts: 1,450
    David Cameron must have drunk many a beer in his time. Why the hell does he look so unnatural with a pint all the time then?
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    Ok now my source is messing with me

    it's either

    1) Suarez has handed in a transfer request

    2) Madrid have offered 30m and Benzema
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    Sorry Harry I am confused about Bracebridge. It is listed as a Conservative defence and you talk about the Conservatives trying to hold it but the figures from the 2012 election seem to show it is a Labour seat?

    Richard, I maybe wrong, but I think it is a multi member ward.

    So the seat up for re-election was the Tory elected in 2010, but in 2012, a Labour councillor was elected in the same ward.

    At least it shows I read the articles :-)
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    Has tim seen this picture of Dave a) with his shirt off b) holding a pint of Tetley?

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/10260698/David-Cameron-goes-topless-on-Polzeath-beach-in-Cornwall.html

    Is he trying to out-Farage Farage (and Putin judging by the topless photo!)?
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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    I hope tim doesnt overdose on the Telegraph's pictures. And the comparison with Steven Seagal.
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    CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805

    Has tim seen this picture of Dave a) with his shirt off b) holding a pint of Tetley?

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/10260698/David-Cameron-goes-topless-on-Polzeath-beach-in-Cornwall.html

    Blimey.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Correction. It is a pint of Tribute, from the St Austell brewery. A nice pint as I recall.

    very refreshing after a hard day pointing at squid.

    Has tim seen this picture of Dave a) with his shirt off b) holding a pint of Tetley?

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/10260698/David-Cameron-goes-topless-on-Polzeath-beach-in-Cornwall.html

    Is he trying to out-Farage Farage (and Putin judging by the topless photo!)?
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    MrJonesMrJones Posts: 3,523
    From Putin to Pooter.
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    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362
    Neil said:

    I hope tim doesnt overdose on the Telegraph's pictures. And the comparison with Steven Seagal.

    Where's tim,the tension for his first post is killing me ;-)

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    Mick_PorkMick_Pork Posts: 6,530
    Carola said:

    Has tim seen this picture of Dave a) with his shirt off b) holding a pint of Tetley?

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/10260698/David-Cameron-goes-topless-on-Polzeath-beach-in-Cornwall.html

    Blimey.
    LOL

    Foptastic.

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    Stark_DawningStark_Dawning Posts: 9,287

    Correction. It is a pint of Tribute, from the St Austell brewery. A nice pint as I recall.


    Yes, of course! In fact a friend of mine lives near St Austell and would be mortified if he learnt I'd mistaken his local ale for whippet p*ss.
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    I am convinced that is all part of Dave's diabolical plan to give tim a stroke.

    Don't rise to it, Tim, he only does it to wind you up.

    Neil said:

    I hope tim doesnt overdose on the Telegraph's pictures. And the comparison with Steven Seagal.

    Where's tim,the tension for his first post is killing me ;-)

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    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362
    Labour's property firm paid no tax for eight years

    A property company run by the Labour Party has paid no tax in eight years, despite earning millions of pounds in rental revenues, the Daily Telegraph can reveal.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/10260728/Labours-property-firm-paid-no-tax-for-eight-years.html
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    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    On the plus side, it's healthy for David Cameron not to worry about societal expectations about body shapes. On the minus side: MAN THE HARPOONS.
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    sladeslade Posts: 1,929
    The wonders of the web! I learn that there is a campaign to honour Cuthbert Ottaway, the first man to captain an English football team. He also represented Cambridge University at football, cricket, athletics, real tennis and racquets. Unfortunately he died in his twenties after dancing outdoors. That led me on to Charles Clegg who was the main man in football in Sheffield at the end of the 19th century and went on to be chairman of the Football Assocation. Is Nick related do you think?
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    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362
    edited August 2013
    Bloody Tories banging on about Europe and immigration again ;-)

    Last week,we had labour on immigration

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2390992/Chris-Bryant-MP-admits-Labour-Party-let-immigrants-ditching-worker-controls.html?amp;ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

    and now Europe -

    Front of the FT - Miliband urged to ‘lance the EU boil’ by committing to referendum

    http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/83749/the_financial_times_friday_23rd_august_2013.html

    Where tories go,labour follow ;-)

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    Boo, no Vicky Pryce in Celebrity Big Brother, but Screech from Saved By The Bell is

    http://www.itv.com/news/2013-08-22/big-ron-enters-the-celebrity-big-brother-house/
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    It does seem as if the Labour party couldn't sell squid to a Prime Minister on a date night.

    Or make money in a property boom.

    Floater said:
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    Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 30,918
    edited August 2013
    On topic, interesting background to the Bracebridge By-election

    http://thelincolnite.co.uk/2013/07/by-election-confirmed-after-lincoln-councillor-leaves-office/

    The councillor who was a former Tory leader of the City Council was kicked out after failing to show up for any meetings for six months. He had been a councillor for Bracebridge for 8 years.

    Edit: five candidates for the by-election. Tory, Labour, Lib Dem, UKIP and Trade Union Socialist Coalition.
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    Alistair Darling has made a major u-turn in a Times piece

    I can no longer back high-speed rail. There are better ways to spend £50bn than on one line
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    CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805

    Boo, no Vicky Pryce in Celebrity Big Brother, but Screech from Saved By The Bell is

    http://www.itv.com/news/2013-08-22/big-ron-enters-the-celebrity-big-brother-house/

    Have you seen this?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23797072
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    TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 114,280
    edited August 2013
    Carola said:

    Boo, no Vicky Pryce in Celebrity Big Brother, but Screech from Saved By The Bell is

    http://www.itv.com/news/2013-08-22/big-ron-enters-the-celebrity-big-brother-house/

    Have you seen this?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23797072
    I have thanks.

    Edit: I'm not trying to get excited about this show.

    Success = Performance minus anticipation and all that jazz
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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    @TSE

    Yes, Mandelson himself had already revealed that Labour backed it in the first place for political reasons with no idea whether it was going to be worth it or not.
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    Turnout in Bracebridge was 25.7%.
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,445
    IOS said:

    Harry is a brilliant PB poster. These articles are always class.

    I ought to thank Harry for providing me with some of the election night footage which has gone on YouTube.
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    TykejohnnoTykejohnno Posts: 7,362
    Jim Pickard @PickardJE

    Will Ed Miliband use party conference to execute U-turn over EU referendum?

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    JonathanDJonathanD Posts: 2,400

    It does seem as if the Labour party couldn't sell squid to a Prime Minister on a date night.

    Or make money in a property boom.



    Floater said:

    "A Labour Party spokesman declined to say why it did not cut its administrative costs.
    He said: “The Labour Party is a not for profit organisation,"


    The not for profit party who ran the country in the same way.
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    Neil said:

    @TSE

    Yes, Mandelson himself had already revealed that Labour backed it in the first place for political reasons with no idea whether it was going to be worth it or not.

    There's so quotes from Darling in 2010 when he was a enthusiastic supporter of HS2
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    SMukeshSMukesh Posts: 1,650
    Glad I had my dinner
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,445
    I haven't given up on England winning the Oval Test match yet. If they bat all day tomorrow they might be able to draw level with the Aussies.

    There could be 100 overs tomorrow to make up for today's truncated proceedings.
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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    @TSE

    Yes and we now know that support was total nonsense and the whole thing was a prop for their electioneering.
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,920
    Tykejonno and others: the Ipsos-Mori issues poll is not good news for UKIP
    tim and others: the Ipsos-Mori issues poll is not good news for Labour
    Mark Senior and others: the Ipsos-Mori issues poll is not good news for Liberal Democrats

    "It's the economy, stupid."

    If people are happy with the economy, they will not be keen on a change of government. (Or at least, not wish to see the Conservatives defeated.) Saying you are worried about immigration in the abstract is one thing, worrying about your personal economic position is another. If people feel more confident about their circumstances, they may wish for greater controls on immigration, but they will vote for the party they think delivered it. Which, in this case, in the Conservatives.
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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Apart from Doncaster , very difficult by elections to forecast the result . The vote-2012 competition has
    Lincoln 5 Con hold 5 Lab gain
    Scarb Newby 5 Con gain 4 Ind hold 1 UKIP gain
    Scarb Ramshill 5 Con hold 2 Lab gain 2 LD gain 1 UKIP gain
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,920
    re EU referendum

    I think we should enshrine in law a once-a-decade (with fixed dates) vote on:

    "Are you happy for the United Kingdom to remain a member of the European Union."

    In this way, no one can 'game the date'. And British governments gain enormous negotiating power, especially as the referendum date nears - "Oh, I'm sorry M. Hollande, with the upcoming referendum, I daren't vote for this. What can you give me, that might make the British people like the EU more?"
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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    George Elsom UKIP councillor on South Tyneside council has left UKIP and gone back to Independent whence he came 3 months ago .
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    Neil said:

    @TSE

    Yes and we now know that support was total nonsense and the whole thing was a prop for their electioneering.

    I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.
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    NeilNeil Posts: 7,983
    edited August 2013
    @TSE

    I'm shocked Mandelson dared to admit it!
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    Would you also have a referendum each decade to rejoin if we do leave?

    My dad has gone Kipper, but would vote to stay in in a referendum! I suppose it is the parallel of those ScotNats who would vote to stay in.

    Nowt queerer than folk!
    rcs1000 said:

    re EU referendum

    I think we should enshrine in law a once-a-decade (with fixed dates) vote on:

    "Are you happy for the United Kingdom to remain a member of the European Union."

    In this way, no one can 'game the date'. And British governments gain enormous negotiating power, especially as the referendum date nears - "Oh, I'm sorry M. Hollande, with the upcoming referendum, I daren't vote for this. What can you give me, that might make the British people like the EU more?"

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    Labour win Bracebridge on Lincoln City with 577 votes.
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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Lab 577 Con 480 UKIP 345 LD 75 TUSC 14
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    SMukesh said:

    Glad I had my dinner

    Fat Boy nervously entered the doctor's surgery. But one thing worried him - where was the doctor? The doctor's chair behind the desk at the far end of the room had its back facing him, so Fat Boy gingerly edged forward to investigate. However, he was barely halfway across the room when the chair swivelled round, and there, to his infinite horror, was the dread Lipo-Suction Monster!

    The monster's mouth narrowed into a malicious grin, and he began to speak in his heavy Transylvanian accent.

    "Ah, my boy! I see you still haven't slimmed down yet! Why?" he asked, and he leaned across the desk menacingly.

    "I tried, Lipo! Honest, I tried!" Fat Boy replied, quivering with fear!

    "Trying is not good enough!" roared the monster, and quick as a flash he leapt out from his chair, grabbing Fat Boy in the process, and using his immense strength, flinging him onto the nearby couch! The Lipo-Suction Monster then leapt back behind the desk, opened a drawer and produced a massive hacksaw!

    "No, please!" whimpered Fat Boy pathetically. "Please, don't!"

    But the monster was adamant to teach him a lesson! He leapt back towards the couch and proceeded to hack off Fat Boy's pseudo-feminine man-boobs! Mutilated and bleeding, Fat Boy begged for mercy. But the Lipo-Suction Monster next did something that even Fat Boy swore was just a myth: he extended his twelve-inch long proboscis, and used it to puncture the poor lad's blubbery abdominal region! And then to suck hard!

    "Nooooooooo!" Fat Boy screamed, as he felt the monster guzzle up his precious life-fat, and within moments he was just a sack of skin and bones, fat-less it has to be admitted, but unfortunately life-less too. Letting out a satisfied belch and a soft, low growl of contentment once he had drained every last drop of his victim's, er, "load", the Lipo-Suction Monster then left the doctor's surgery.

    Disclaimer: I wrote the original draft of this as a teenager (some twenty-odd years ago) in a school rough-book :)
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,920
    edited August 2013
    @foxinsox - no.

    If being outside the EU turned out to be a mistake, then I suspect we'd see a referendum again. Plus - of course - the world's most embarrassing and one-sided re-entry negotiations. (Most likely, if the Eurozone was a huge success and we were outside it, we would simply be very integrated members of the EEA.)
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    rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,920
    @foxinsox - is he a fan of Europe, but a man who thinks women shouldn't be allowed to fill the car up with petrol?
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    Full Bracebridge result

    Labour 577 (38.6%)
    Conservative 480 (32.2%)
    UKIP 345 (23.1%)
    Lib Dem 75 (5%)
    TUSC 14 (0.9%)
    2 spoilt votes
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    foxinsoxukfoxinsoxuk Posts: 23,548
    He is a bit homophobic, but not particularly so for his age (78).

    He wants a better deal on Europe, but wanTs to stay in.

    It is not terribly logical, but that is voters for you!
    rcs1000 said:

    @foxinsox - is he a fan of Europe, but a man who thinks women shouldn't be allowed to fill the car up with petrol?

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    Sean_FSean_F Posts: 35,789

    SMukesh said:

    Glad I had my dinner

    Fat Boy nervously entered the doctor's surgery. But one thing worried him - where was the doctor? The doctor's chair behind the desk at the far end of the room had its back facing him, so Fat Boy gingerly edged forward to investigate. However, he was barely halfway across the room when the chair swivelled round, and there, to his infinite horror, was the dread Lipo-Suction Monster!

    The monster's mouth narrowed into a malicious grin, and he began to speak in his heavy Transylvanian accent.

    "Ah, my boy! I see you still haven't slimmed down yet! Why?" he asked, and he leaned across the desk menacingly.

    "I tried, Lipo! Honest, I tried!" Fat Boy replied, quivering with fear!

    "Trying is not good enough!" roared the monster, and quick as a flash he leapt out from his chair, grabbing Fat Boy in the process, and using his immense strength, flinging him onto the nearby couch! The Lipo-Suction Monster then leapt back behind the desk, opened a drawer and produced a massive hacksaw!

    "No, please!" whimpered Fat Boy pathetically. "Please, don't!"

    But the monster was adamant to teach him a lesson! He leapt back towards the couch and proceeded to hack off Fat Boy's pseudo-feminine man-boobs! Mutilated and bleeding, Fat Boy begged for mercy. But the Lipo-Suction Monster next did something that even Fat Boy swore was just a myth: he extended his twelve-inch long proboscis, and used it to puncture the poor lad's blubbery abdominal region! And then to suck hard!

    "Nooooooooo!" Fat Boy screamed, as he felt the monster guzzle up his precious life-fat, and within moments he was just a sack of skin and bones, fat-less it has to be admitted, but unfortunately life-less too. Letting out a satisfied belch and a soft, low growl of contentment once he had drained every last drop of his victim's, er, "load", the Lipo-Suction Monster then left the doctor's surgery.

    Disclaimer: I wrote the original draft of this as a teenager (some twenty-odd years ago) in a school rough-book :)
    Was it intended to be the start of a horror novel?
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    SMukeshSMukesh Posts: 1,650
    tim said:

    SMukesh said:

    Glad I had my dinner


    "It wasn't a fop
    It was a fop lobster"
    More like a whale.
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    Sean_F said:

    SMukesh said:

    Glad I had my dinner

    Fat Boy nervously entered the doctor's surgery. But one thing worried him - where was the doctor? The doctor's chair behind the desk at the far end of the room had its back facing him, so Fat Boy gingerly edged forward to investigate. However, he was barely halfway across the room when the chair swivelled round, and there, to his infinite horror, was the dread Lipo-Suction Monster!

    The monster's mouth narrowed into a malicious grin, and he began to speak in his heavy Transylvanian accent.

    "Ah, my boy! I see you still haven't slimmed down yet! Why?" he asked, and he leaned across the desk menacingly.

    "I tried, Lipo! Honest, I tried!" Fat Boy replied, quivering with fear!

    "Trying is not good enough!" roared the monster, and quick as a flash he leapt out from his chair, grabbing Fat Boy in the process, and using his immense strength, flinging him onto the nearby couch! The Lipo-Suction Monster then leapt back behind the desk, opened a drawer and produced a massive hacksaw!

    "No, please!" whimpered Fat Boy pathetically. "Please, don't!"

    But the monster was adamant to teach him a lesson! He leapt back towards the couch and proceeded to hack off Fat Boy's pseudo-feminine man-boobs! Mutilated and bleeding, Fat Boy begged for mercy. But the Lipo-Suction Monster next did something that even Fat Boy swore was just a myth: he extended his twelve-inch long proboscis, and used it to puncture the poor lad's blubbery abdominal region! And then to suck hard!

    "Nooooooooo!" Fat Boy screamed, as he felt the monster guzzle up his precious life-fat, and within moments he was just a sack of skin and bones, fat-less it has to be admitted, but unfortunately life-less too. Letting out a satisfied belch and a soft, low growl of contentment once he had drained every last drop of his victim's, er, "load", the Lipo-Suction Monster then left the doctor's surgery.

    Disclaimer: I wrote the original draft of this as a teenager (some twenty-odd years ago) in a school rough-book :)
    Was it intended to be the start of a horror novel?
    In fact it was intended to be a stand-alone so-called "Mini-Epic" :)
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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Doncaster Labour hold with Lib Dems a surprise 2nd

    Lab 1165 LD 261 UKIP 231 Con 225 Ind 106 Eng Dem 98 TUSC 72
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,445
    YouGov's Peter Kellner will be one of those reviewing the papers on the BBC News Channel shortly.
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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Re Lincoln Bracebridge , The Conservatives won this ward in the CC elections in May ( same boundaries )
    Full result then was Con 651 Lab 613 UKIP 425 LD 67 Ind 47
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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Scarborough Ramshill reported as Labour gain from Conservative
    A terr-rrible night for the blues .
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,445

    Scarborough Ramshill reported as Labour gain from Conservative
    A terr-rrible night for the blues .

    Doesn't match up with the Tories' 34% showing with YouGov today.
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    Y0kelY0kel Posts: 2,307
    Syria: Occam's Razor: The whys of the alleged chemical weapons attack.

    The more I look at this alleged attack the more it militarily at least makes sense. In Damascus insurgents have, since late July, have been very busy in the areas where the chemical attacks (multiple) have been reported as occurring. Regime forces have been unable to boot them out and in fact the insurgent have made it a hot zone. With Assad;s forces stretched he is not able to truly attack on the ground in more than a couple of areas at once so a convenient way of reversing things in the Eastern Damascus suburb is to clear it by range firepower or a whiff of gas.

    The chemical attack did have all the signs of a classic Warsaw Pact move, as it was followed up by heavy conventional shelling and air strikes though not quite so much ground activity.

    Assad's forces have worked a scorched earth policy plenty in this war as a way of emptying the civilian population they see as supporting insurgents as well as the insurgents themselves so on that score its likely to have a measure of partial success that may allow ground troops to get in there and hold the space without actually shooting it out or just leave it a no mans land. To that the end the international community doesn't have the balls anyway is the calculation.

    Here's the question that many still ask, did these attacks happen?

    Who would know until soil and body samples etc get taken? Chances are the Israelis and US do as both have very large ears on Syria and that scale of weapons strike wouldn't be random. Assad's forces keep the special weapons fairly tightly within the control of particular units who are extensively monitored in their communications. Heavy rocket launches, though the methodology of these alleged attacks may not have involved such delivery tools, are completely monitorable from the moment these things heat up in their launch stands.

    Thus there is every chance that the two nations above will already know from intelligence what went down.



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    MarkSeniorMarkSenior Posts: 4,699
    Andy_JS said:

    Scarborough Ramshill reported as Labour gain from Conservative
    A terr-rrible night for the blues .

    Doesn't match up with the Tories' 34% showing with YouGov today.
    I expect today's Yougov is not as good , it hasn't been published early as yesterday's was .
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    RedRag1RedRag1 Posts: 527
    edited August 2013
    Mark - Last nights early release of todays figure was a balls up by Yougov. Some idiot put the wrong release date (yesterdays) on the result which meant it come out early by accident.

    Can someone just say "Ed is crap" and make these local election results go away for the PB Hodges?
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,937
    With less than 3 weeks until Australia goes to the polls, the main headline in Australia this morning is that Bank of America Merrill Lynch's chief economist has produced an independent analysis that the Coalition has a $30 billion shortfall in its budget, expect the ALP to pounce on this as to where the cuts/tax rises will come from?
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,445
    Thanks for the Syria report, Y0kel.
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    Re Lincoln Bracebridge , The Conservatives won this ward in the CC elections in May ( same boundaries )
    Full result then was Con 651 Lab 613 UKIP 425 LD 67 Ind 47

    LibDems a poor 4th then as now?
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,445
    The two latest Australian polls are good for the Coalition, putting them on 52% and 54%:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_Australian_federal_election,_2013
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,445
    edited August 2013
    Mustn't forget about the Norwegian election which is taking place on 9th September:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_parliamentary_election,_2013
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,937
    edited August 2013
    Andy JS - Essential Research has it 50-50. However, this Coalition budget shortfall story will now be the talking point of the campaign for the next day or two and ALP ads on coalition spending cuts may be beginning to bite. Bear in mind too that Paul Keating went into the 1993 election down 48-52 in the final Newspoll and won!
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,445
    "Darling strikes body blow against ‘foolish’ HS2":

    http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article3850574.ece
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    HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 116,937
    Andy JS - Norway looks like a convincing lead for the opposition
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    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,445
    A veritable smorgasbord of elections are coming up in the next few weeks:

    Australia: 7th September
    Norway: 9th September
    Germany: 22nd September
    Austria: 29th September
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    Y0kelY0kel Posts: 2,307
    http://uk.news.yahoo.com/britain-secret-middle-east-surveillance-report-203951383.html#idQLBf4

    Makes ya proud don't it...not surprising some in Middle East still put the British down as being sly dogs that you have to watch...It wouldn't take a genius to work out where the British would have best physical access to fibre trunk cables, which ones would be most useful and also easiest to agree with the carriers to utilise the Glimerglass technology upon.

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    NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,319
    HYUFD said:

    Andy JS - Norway looks like a convincing lead for the opposition

    Yes, still interesting though. There seems a good chance of a right-right government, with an absolute majority for the Conservatives and anti-immigration Progress Party. However, norwegian Labour has recovered to be the largest party in the latest poll, leaving the right-right alliance on 80 to 61 for Labour plus the left-wing SV (who are struggling not to be wiped out). IT currently looks as though various small centrist parties will hold the balance of power (currently on 26 seats, of which 17 lean right and 9 lean left): they won't be comfortable with Progress, so we may see a centre-right government with grudging Progress support, as has happened before. The Conservatives have just attacked Progress as "unreasonable" on immigration, but they're nervous of leaving Progress outside.
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    viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,618
    edited August 2013
    I like PB and the conversations are rarely less than interesting (although frequently less than sane). But its focus is usually on UK politics and hence, absent a by-election, long-term. But as we have two elections in the next two weeks (Oz on Sept 7, Norway on Sept 9) I thought I'd summarise.

    Australia: 7th September
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_federal_election,_2013
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_Australian_federal_election,_2013
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_(Australia)
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Labor_Party
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_system_of_Australia

    Australia uses the Westminster system to form governments and instant-runoff voting (AV, basically) for elections to its federal parliament. Consequently parties have coalesced into the Australian Labor Party and a coalition of Liberal parties, with Greens, etc making up the field.

    Although the involuntary replacement of Labor leader (and PM) Julia Gillard by previous PM Kevin Rudd closed the gap, the opposition coalition of Liberal parties still retain a small lead. Should that lead be reflected at the election then Liberal leader Tony Abbott will lead the next Australian federal government. Too close to call, shading Liberal.

    Norway: 9th September
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_parliamentary_election,_2013
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Norway
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_Norway

    Norway uses the Westminster system to form governments and party-list PR to elect its unicameral parliament (Storting). Predictably Norwegian politics is fragmented, with many parties of various red, green and blue hue. The two biggest are the Labour party (Arbeiderpartiet) and Conservative party (Høyre), with Labour leader Jens Stoltenberg as the incumbent prime minister, but neither are big enough to gain a majority and coalitions are the norm.

    Current polling would give parties of the right enough seats for a majority in the Storting and form a government, but the parties of the left are nowhere near this. So although the makeup of the final coalition is not known, and barring an unlikely red-blue grand coalition, it seems certain that Erna Solberg, the Conservative leader, will be the Prime Minister after the election in her capacity of leader of the largest right-wing party. Con win, albeit shared.

    There y'go. Now, where are the betting sites that'll let me slap £5 on Solberg?
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    FinancierFinancier Posts: 3,916
    Up and down and up again:
    Latest YouGov / The Sun results 22nd August - Con 32%, Lab 39%, LD 11%, UKIP 10%; APP -29
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