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  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,263
    edited August 2017

    Cyclefree said:

    Story telling - even in business - is essential and an art which few leaders know how to do at all, let alone well. And we are all, au fond, telling a story about us, our teams, our work, what is, what should be.

    Storytelling can indeed be moving, persuasive and inspirational.

    But in recognition of that power, my mind seems to revolt against it. If, for example, a story has a nice moral clarity to it, and the moral of the story "conveniently" happens to fit what the the speaker intended to convey, it makes me wonder just how many alternative tales could have been spun with the contrary objective in mind. For that reason alone, I find it hard to justify using a story to reach a conclusion. (I won't deny that stories and anecdotes win out over data for memorability.)

    I associate "storytelling" with the same bag of tricks as "playing emotive music when trying to make me feel sad about something" - it leaves me with a sense I am being manipulated in some way, which is uncomfortable for me.

    I'd rather be faced with a wall of facts. Preferably hard statistics, if relevant (with graphs showing long-run trends, with averages fleshed out by confidence intervals and so on). And I know these can be selectively presented too, but I generally trust my judgment as to whether someone is trying to pull wool over my eyes with them.
    Me too. I'm deeply suspicious of stories intended to persuade, in the same way that I tend to avoid products that I see in flashy advertisements. Give us the facts!

    On that, I remember a striking example of,cultural dissonance when I worked in Switzerland. Hewlett Packard were trying to sell us some kit, and used as an argument that they had the highest profit margins in the industry. We asked if that didn't mean we ought to go to a competitor with a leaner profit margin. They were perplexed - surely big profit always means big efficiency, they felt.
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,263
    3 Labour gains tonight - Margate, Thanet and Worthing.
  • 3 Labour gains tonight - Margate, Thanet and Worthing.

    "Where's the Revolution
    Come on, people, you're letting me down"

    :)
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,771
    nunuone said:

    Even with all the chaos in the WH, I still can't see the Dems regaining the House.

    I mean why would anyone who voted trump vote for Nanci Pelosi as House speaker, she is so tone deaf she makes May look in touch with the people.

    Given how woeful turnout is to House elections, especially when there is no Senatorial or Governor race, it's more a question of whose supporters are less discouraged.

    The latest polling, in the 60-odd genuinely competitive House seats, has the Dems making gains, but not enough to win out. That being said, the first mid-terms following a new President (Clinton, Obama, George HW) have typically shown big swings to the non-Presidential party.

    So, I'd make it a little better than evens for the Republicans to hold the House, and a lot better than evens (say 95+%) for them to hold the Senate. (Losing the Senate requires the Dems to hold on to some incredibly tough seats, while picking up two seats in Arizona and one in Nevada.)
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,274
    edited August 2017
    Familiar story of long time criminal becomes Islamist...not sure what Allah would make of his trip to the sex shop.

    The court heard Primark salesman and IS fanatic Aziz has previous convictions dating back to 1997 and had been jailed for five years for dealing heroin and cocaine. He only became radicalised after the breakdown of his marriage. It was said Aziz had bought a samurai sword from a Hanley sex shop for £20.

    http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/update-cobridge-terrorist-tahir-aziz-bought-20-samurai-sword-from-hanley-sex-shop/story-30468372-detail/story.html
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,232
    Charles said:

    I use a Time Machine, which still has drawbacks, but at least I control the real estate

    I'm just getting used to you as a sentient lizard in a suit. I really don't think I could cope with you as a Time Lord... :)

  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,771
    Tales from the City (of Los Angeles).

    I've been taking Ubers everywhere in LA over the past two days, and for the first time in living memory, people are embarrassed about their President. They're not embarrassed, by and large, by his America first message (although they tend to be sceptical about the wall), but they do find his behaviour unbecoming of a President.

    Now, I'm in LA, not Ohio. But Uber drivers are traditionally a fairly self reliant and Republican leaning bunch. Americans tend also to invest in the office of the President rather more respect than we Brits do with our PM. So, while you shouldn't read too much into this, I do think it noteworthy how willing Americans now are to disparage their President for his behaviour.
  • surbitonsurbiton Posts: 13,549

    3 Labour gains tonight - Margate, Thanet and Worthing.

    Kippers for Labour ! Coming home.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    rcs1000 said:

    Tales from the City (of Los Angeles).

    I've been taking Ubers everywhere in LA over the past two days, and for the first time in living memory, people are embarrassed about their President. They're not embarrassed, by and large, by his America first message (although they tend to be sceptical about the wall), but they do find his behaviour unbecoming of a President.

    Now, I'm in LA, not Ohio. But Uber drivers are traditionally a fairly self reliant and Republican leaning bunch. Americans tend also to invest in the office of the President rather more respect than we Brits do with our PM. So, while you shouldn't read too much into this, I do think it noteworthy how willing Americans now are to disparage their President for his behaviour.

    Trying to get Seth Moulton to swing through London in November. You interested in meeting up if you're around?
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 53,771
    Charles said:

    rcs1000 said:

    Tales from the City (of Los Angeles).

    I've been taking Ubers everywhere in LA over the past two days, and for the first time in living memory, people are embarrassed about their President. They're not embarrassed, by and large, by his America first message (although they tend to be sceptical about the wall), but they do find his behaviour unbecoming of a President.

    Now, I'm in LA, not Ohio. But Uber drivers are traditionally a fairly self reliant and Republican leaning bunch. Americans tend also to invest in the office of the President rather more respect than we Brits do with our PM. So, while you shouldn't read too much into this, I do think it noteworthy how willing Americans now are to disparage their President for his behaviour.

    Trying to get Seth Moulton to swing through London in November. You interested in meeting up if you're around?
    Absolutely.
  • nunuonenunuone Posts: 1,138
    rcs1000 said:

    nunuone said:

    Even with all the chaos in the WH, I still can't see the Dems regaining the House.

    I mean why would anyone who voted trump vote for Nanci Pelosi as House speaker, she is so tone deaf she makes May look in touch with the people.

    Given how woeful turnout is to House elections, especially when there is no Senatorial or Governor race, it's more a question of whose supporters are less discouraged.

    The latest polling, in the 60-odd genuinely competitive House seats, has the Dems making gains, but not enough to win out. That being said, the first mid-terms following a new President (Clinton, Obama, George HW) have typically shown big swings to the non-Presidential party.

    So, I'd make it a little better than evens for the Republicans to hold the House, and a lot better than evens (say 95+%) for them to hold the Senate. (Losing the Senate requires the Dems to hold on to some incredibly tough seats, while picking up two seats in Arizona and one in Nevada.)
    If the GOP really did still hold the Senate & the House that would be devastating for the Dems morale.

    If they can't win after *this* then when can they win? Only after an Iraq, a disaster as big as Hurricane Katrina and scandal? And only then by fielding fairly conservative candidates? Sad, really sad.
  • MTimT said:

    MTimT said:

    MTimT said:



    Be fair, Geoff. If you express interest, you are almost certain to leave having purchased more.

    Mr Meeks, from my time in various souks in the Arab world, the usual haggling sounds like multiple simultaneous murders with ritualistic instruments of torture. If they offer you tea, you know you're about to be screwed.

    18 months ago you were confidently, no aggressively, assuring me that the negotiations were going to be ridiculously straightforward. Forgive me if I take your latest advice with a degree of scepticism.
    And there is still no reason negotiations could not, for any of the end points on the spectrum of what could be the outcome, be straightforward.

    I will admit that I had thought the EU would be more eager for a trade deal than they appear. It would be foolish not to adjust one's stance based on newer and clearer information. But once the EU's stance became clearer, I also argued that, with emotions high, a cool off period after exit and before negotiating the longer term deal, might be required in order for the two sides to be able to concentrate on outcomes for optimal mutual long-term interests (i.e. not to conflate the two events of negotiating the best mutual long-term trading and other relationship, and the EU need to make leaving unattractive).
    Given how aggressively you assailed me when I pointed out how slow EU trade deals were (arguing by authority to boot), I do consider an apology in order.
    If you are prepared to admit how ridiculously hysterical you were post referendum, and how insulting you were to anyone and everyone who disagreed with you, I'd more than happily do that. But to date, you seem unremorseful about your insults.
    So far the post-referendum debacle is working out much as I expected. I note that you accept that you were wrong in your initial, very aggressively-expressed, views, but feel unable to apologise for your behaviour. Oh well.
    LOL

    http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2016/06/29/alistair-meeks-on-the-political-and-economic-crises-of-breathtaking-proportions/

    One highlight:

    ' markets around the world have crashed and recession is beckoning with a dark cloak, a skeletal finger and a voice that speaks in block capitals '
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