Hi TSE -- you should have been here last night -- we were all watching a football match that BT streamed live on Youtube.
A big shout out to Spurs, they were magnificent as were their fans.
Spurs are where we were last year, after losing the Champions League final we went and backed Jurgen Klopp and spent £176 million improving the squad and look at us today.
Daniel Levy needs to get his chequebook out and back Poch.
They’re where Arsenal were in 2005/06. 4th in the league, CL Runners up, new stadium about to restrict spending. Hopefully best players about to leave.
> @JosiasJessop said: > > @Theuniondivvie said: > > George being gorgeous. > > > > https://twitter.com/tonymc39/status/1135212911603924995 > > > > > > Leaving aside Galloway's usual and expected shittiness, I have a perhaps silly question: why does he put an umlaut above the 'e' of 'Israel' ? > > I think I've seen it before somewhere, but it's not common here in the UK. > > Edit: beaten by RobD. But at least I spelt 'Israel' correctly ...
It is correct, obviously, as denoting that Israel is 3 syllables not 2. wiktionary suggests that routinely using it is a Dutch thing. I imagine Galloway thinks it looks German, and is a nod to a lot of people who had the right idea about Israel.
> @JosiasJessop said: > > @Theuniondivvie said: > > George being gorgeous. > > > > https://twitter.com/tonymc39/status/1135212911603924995 > > > > > > Leaving aside Galloway's usual and expected shittiness, I have a perhaps silly question: why does he put an umlaut above the 'e' of 'Israel' ? > > I think I've seen it before somewhere, but it's not common here in the UK. > > Edit: beaten by RobD. But at least I spelt 'Israel' correctly ...
> @matt said: > Bear in mind the Department of Homeland Security will be looking at your vote on this when it considers your visa application. Vote Boris if you want one in the next couple of years, probably ABB if later. > > Only if you apply for a visa, not a visa waiver....l
> Leaving aside Galloway's usual and expected shittiness, I have a perhaps silly question: why does he put an umlaut above the 'e' of 'Israel' ?
>
> I think I've seen it before somewhere, but it's not common here in the UK.
>
> Edit: beaten by RobD. But at least I spelt 'Israel' correctly ...
It is correct, obviously, as denoting that Israel is 3 syllables not 2. wiktionary suggests that routinely using it is a Dutch thing. I imagine Galloway thinks it looks German, and is a nod to a lot of people who had the right idea about Israel.
> @Nigelb said: > > @JosiasJessop said: > > > > @Theuniondivvie said: > > > > George being gorgeous. > > > > > > > > https://twitter.com/tonymc39/status/1135212911603924995 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Leaving aside Galloway's usual and expected shittiness, I have a perhaps silly question: why does he put an umlaut above the 'e' of 'Israel' ? > > > > > > I think I've seen it before somewhere, but it's not common here in the UK. > > > > > > Edit: beaten by RobD. But at least I spelt 'Israel' correctly ... > > > > It is correct, obviously, as denoting that Israel is 3 syllables not 2. wiktionary suggests that routinely using it is a Dutch thing. I imagine Galloway thinks it looks German, and is a nod to a lot of people who had the right idea about Israel. > > > > Good friend of Corbyn, Galloway. > > Perhaps he’s just a fan of Hymns Ancient and Modern ? > https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Come,_O_Come,_Emmanuel
or perhaps you have no idea of what you are talking about
If Conservative MPs adopted the Single Transferable Vote for their leadership election and simply ranked all the candidates, they could arrive at their final two in one round of voting. This would save a lot of dicking about.
> @SquareRoot said: > 13, 113, 213, 313MP's they are all crap. Heap shit on the Tories, the old guard is finished. Even Widdecombe (ex Tory) is a loon now.
She was disgraceful today and left a nasty taste in the mouth. Good she is out of the conservative party and we do not want her back
> @AndyJS said: > "Tories call for rule change as 13th name enters leadership race > List could grow to 20, and non-runner dismisses some hopefuls as ‘vanity candidates’ > > Graham Brady, Penny Mordaunt, Priti Patel, Jesse Norman, Steve Baker, Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, and Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, have not ruled themselves out. Should all of these run, it would take the number of candidates to 20." > > https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jun/02/tories-call-for-rule-change-as-13th-name-enters-leadership-race
There's no need for a rule change. You can have a few quick rounds of voting to eliminate the weak candidates, or many will probably withdraw after the first round. The process works as intended.
I think in the nineteenth century 'Is-RAY-el' was the normal pronunciation anyway. At least, that's the distinct impression I get - Elijah springs to mind as another work where there are always three notes for it (and Mendelssohn was of course Jewish, so he presumably pronounced the word fairly often).
It's probably only since the country was founded that IS-rail has become the norm.
But that doesn't explain why Galloway put an unnecessary umlaut in, unless, as suggested upthread, it was a sly reference to Germany.
I think in the nineteenth century 'Is-RAY-el' was the normal pronunciation anyway. At least, that's the distinct impression I get - Elijah springs to mind as another work where there are always three notes for it (and Mendelssohn was of course Jewish, so he presumably pronounced the word fairly often).
It's probably only since the country was founded that IS-rail has become the norm.
But that doesn't explain why Galloway put an unnecessary umlaut in, unless, as suggested upthread, it was a sly reference to Germany.
I think in the nineteenth century 'Is-RAY-el' was the normal pronunciation anyway. At least, that's the distinct impression I get - Elijah springs to mind as another work where there are always three notes for it (and Mendelssohn was of course Jewish, so he presumably pronounced the word fairly often).
It's probably only since the country was founded that IS-rail has become the norm.
But that doesn't explain why Galloway put an unnecessary umlaut in, unless, as suggested upthread, it was a sly reference to Germany.
> @OblitusSumMe said: > > @AndyJS said: > > "Tories call for rule change as 13th name enters leadership race > > List could grow to 20, and non-runner dismisses some hopefuls as ‘vanity candidates’ > > > > Graham Brady, Penny Mordaunt, Priti Patel, Jesse Norman, Steve Baker, Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, and Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, have not ruled themselves out. Should all of these run, it would take the number of candidates to 20." > > > > https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jun/02/tories-call-for-rule-change-as-13th-name-enters-leadership-race > > There's no need for a rule change. You can have a few quick rounds of voting to eliminate the weak candidates, or many will probably withdraw after the first round. The process works as intended.
I agree and have no problem with around 5% of the MP base standing for leader. The disappointment for me is that the amount of new thinking on Brexit does not match the candidate depth. In that respect, Gyimah is a welcome addition. He won't win, but if he gets half a dozen rounds into the elimination voting, his 3 way referendum stand could gain a little more currency within the party.
However, I stand by my assessment that someone advocating and pushing No Deal as the only politically viable route left, but being clear that every escape route possible will be opened up, would be best placed in the current Tory climate.
> (So far, only Sajid Javid has criticised Boris for Islamophobic language but I expect Dominic Raab will soon be all over it.)
>
> Update: this is Dominic Raab's campaign video:
I found Gove's to be trite self regarding and derivitive. It was like a test reel to see how you perform infront of a camera after you've finished a short course in presentation. Everything about it felt fake. I found it uncomfortable to watch 5/10.
Raab's was much better. More believable and better shot. It looked as though a professional had at least cast an eye over it. The exterior face to camera was interestingly framed in a 16x9 format and he looked relaxed. He focussed on what he planned to do rather than what he'd done. When you think who their electorate is anything else would have been unnecessary 7/10
Though as Michael Gove has been both an actor and a television presenter, you would have expected him to be more natural in front of the camera. All very mysterious. Thanks for the professional insight.
Going back to Galloway's tweet, what is a 'socialist miner' ?
I've heard of coal miners, or even salt miners, but I'd rather thought that socialists were born like the rest of us. It never occurred to me that they were actually dug up out of the ground - which perhaps explains why there are so many socialists too be found in coal mining areas!
> @isam said: > Hi TSE -- you should have been here last night -- we were all watching a football match that BT streamed live on Youtube. > > A big shout out to Spurs, they were magnificent as were their fans. > > Spurs are where we were last year, after losing the Champions League final we went and backed Jurgen Klopp and spent £176 million improving the squad and look at us today. > > Daniel Levy needs to get his chequebook out and back Poch. > > They’re where Arsenal were in 2005/06. 4th in the league, CL Runners up, new stadium about to restrict spending. Hopefully best players about to leave. > > Peak Spurs
But we kept our manager, and probably should have won the league in 2007-08. If Spurs keep hold of Poch they'll do alright.
> @Ishmael_Z said: > Nice to see PBers coöperating on abstruse questions of differential linguistic notation. (Snip)
My son's name has a dotted capital I in it. ( İ ) - something that rather confused the registrar. We do rather wonder if he'll thank us for it in the future ...
> @DecrepitJohnL said: > I think in the nineteenth century 'Is-RAY-el' was the normal pronunciation anyway. At least, that's the distinct impression I get - Elijah springs to mind as another work where there are always three notes for it (and Mendelssohn was of course Jewish, so he presumably pronounced the word fairly often). > > It's probably only since the country was founded that IS-rail has become the norm. > > But that doesn't explain why Galloway put an unnecessary umlaut in, unless, as suggested upthread, it was a sly reference to Germany. > > Or he's thick. > > One of the two. > > It does not look as if German has an umlaut in Israel. For instance: > https://www.spiegel.de/international/topic/israel/
It's not an umlaut bit a diaeresis to indicate that the two vowels are pronounced separately, as in Zoë. He's pronouncing it with three syllables, like in the Siouxsie and the Banshees song.
Going back to Galloway's tweet, what is a 'socialist miner' ?
I've heard of coal miners, or even salt miners, but I'd rather thought that socialists were born like the rest of us. It never occurred to me that they were actually dug up out of the ground - which perhaps explains why there are so many socialists too be found in coal mining areas!
It's not coal. Socialism is mined from granite.
It's red hot to start, then cools off and becomes very hard, so stays in the same shape and looks increasingly worn and covered in birdshit, until finally it gets thrown out because it isn't worth cleaning up.
> @JosiasJessop said: > > @Ishmael_Z said: > > Nice to see PBers coöperating on abstruse questions of differential linguistic notation. (Snip) > > My son's name has a dotted capital I in it. ( İ ) - something that rather confused the registrar. We do rather wonder if he'll thank us for it in the future ...
> Nice to see PBers coöperating on abstruse questions of differential linguistic notation. (Snip)
My son's name has a dotted capital I in it. ( İ ) - something that rather confused the registrar. We do rather wonder if he'll thank us for it in the future ...
> @Big_G_NorthWales said: > > @SquareRoot said: > > 13, 113, 213, 313MP's they are all crap. Heap shit on the Tories, the old guard is finished. Even Widdecombe (ex Tory) is a loon now. > > She was disgraceful today and left a nasty taste in the mouth. Good she is out of the conservative party and we do not want her back
Miss Widdecombe seems to have got her arguments in a pickle, by conflating these as-yet non-existent "gay cures" with gender reassignment for transgender personages.
Gender reassignment is a means for those who feel strongly that they are of one gender but physically manifest as the other to correct that situation. The major reason for transgender people not to transition is fear of the reactions and/or violent reprisals of backward-looking social conservatives and those with medieval religious values.
Non-heterosexual persons (e.g. me,) on the other hand, don't typically want or need to become heterosexual. The major reason for them to wish to do so, or otherwise to masquerade as heterosexual, is fear of the reactions and/or violent reprisals of backward-looking social conservatives and those with medieval religious values.
In short, her arguments are a pile of wank.
HOWEVER - we should recognise that Miss Widdecombe also explicitly does NOT call for gay people to be savagely murdered by being thrown off the tops of tall buildings or strung up from cranes. Unlike Jeremy Corbyn's friends (Hamas) or his ex-employers (the Iranian theocracy.)
Therefore, in my league table of gay-bashing infamy, the Blackpool Canary ranks several divisions below the leader of the nation's largest political mass movement (and, by extension, both the Labour Party as a whole and all those who continue to serve it and to agitate for his election as leader of the country.) Relative to him, she's actually pretty harmless.
> @Ishmael_Z said: > > @JosiasJessop said: > > > @Ishmael_Z said: > > > Nice to see PBers coöperating on abstruse questions of differential linguistic notation. (Snip) > > > > My son's name has a dotted capital I in it. ( İ ) - something that rather confused the registrar. We do rather wonder if he'll thank us for it in the future ... > > I feel for him > > Ishmaël > > Turkish, I imagine?
Yep, İlke . We gave him two English and two Turkish names (the Turkish as middle names). İlke is apparently a unisex name (meaning 'principle') in Turkish, but a girl's name in Greek. Which might also cause him a few comedic moments ...
"Tories call for rule change as 13th name enters leadership race
List could grow to 20, and non-runner dismisses some hopefuls as ‘vanity candidates’
Graham Brady, Penny Mordaunt, Priti Patel, Jesse Norman, Steve Baker, Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, and Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, have not ruled themselves out. Should all of these run, it would take the number of candidates to 20."
Given that some of the candidates want the rules changed to give them more of a chance of getting through to the membership to give themselves a chance when they might have none, it hardly seems unfair that some people with next to no chance are using the rules as is to promote their own interests.
If the number is a problem just have more than 2 votes in a week, and you'll be done by the end of June still, as ObitusSumMe suggests. There is not really a problem with the process - it must have been set to be a low limit to afford rank outsides a chance.
> @Big_G_NorthWales said: > > @SquareRoot said: > > 13, 113, 213, 313MP's they are all crap. Heap shit on the Tories, the old guard is finished. Even Widdecombe (ex Tory) is a loon now. > > She was disgraceful today and left a nasty taste in the mouth. Good she is out of the conservative party and we do not want her back
Let all the poisons that lurk in the mud hatch out.
So the Tory Party rules say the MPs vote and the last placed candidate is knocked out. Anyone know what the rules are if there is a tie? Knock-out ballot of just those two/three/etc? It seems to me not impossible we might have a tie given how many candidates have single-figure endorsements.
So the Tory Party rules say the MPs vote and the last placed candidate is knocked out. Anyone know what the rules are if there is a tie? Knock-out ballot of just those two/three/etc? It seems to me not impossible we might have a tie given how many candidates have single-figure endorsements.
Both are knocked out, unless only three candidates are left in which case I think it's rerun
Galloway can quote Bill Shankly as being a socialist but BS would hate to be mentioned in the same breath (tweet) as a sectarian offensive and obsessive piece of rubbish about Tottenham equals Israel. Only a sad git like Galloway can do that . Its a pity Corbyn and others in the Labour momentum movement do not tell Galloway to F off frankly because they get tainted and no reasonable person , socialist or not would vote for a party associated with this .
> @ydoethur said: > So the Tory Party rules say the MPs vote and the last placed candidate is knocked out. Anyone know what the rules are if there is a tie? Knock-out ballot of just those two/three/etc? It seems to me not impossible we might have a tie given how many candidates have single-figure endorsements. > > Both are knocked out.
Actually, I'm wondering whether poor Ann is being maligned.
<I>"I’ve merely said that if you simply rule out the possibility of it, you are denying people who are confused about their sexuality, or discontented with it, the chances that you do give to people who want to change gender."</I>
71 years old and she's never had sex. Maybe she's just hankering for a technological advance that would let her give lesbianism a try.
Does anyone else have a mental image of a large flashing sign saying 'sore loser' across that tweet? An embarrassing fifth for Labour in the West Country on just 6.5% and not even close to winning a single seat.
@TheScreamingEagles from your earlier post I sort of agree, the signs for this summer look better than last season with a big money bid for de Celso out of the gate, hopefully we can get him and a few other key signings. I don't think we will spend £176m but I could see us breaking £100m net spend. Spurs is a hugely profitable business so let's hope Lewis and Levy make the necessary investment to ensure we stay competitive.
@isam the current era of football isn't the same as 2004/5. Firstly money is extremely cheap iirc the cashflow showed that our debt interest rate was around 2% compared to arsenal paying 6-8% back then. TV money has increased massively, Premier League prize money has as well, we've got a bigger commercial presence than arsenal had back then and we've still got £20m per season to come from naming rights. The stadium is over budget but I don't think it's going to make a difference in our ability to compete like it did for Arsenal. If anything this feels like the beginning of the next chapter for us. I'm happy that we made it as far as the final and I can't wait until the next one. It's a shame that we lost the way we did but I'm definitely more hopeful now than at the end of last season.
Galloway can quote Bill Shankly as being a socialist but BS would hate to be mentioned in the same breath (tweet) as a sectarian offensive and obsessive piece of rubbish about Tottenham equals Israel. Only a sad git like Galloway can do that . Its a pity Corbyn and others in the Labour momentum movement do not tell Galloway to F off frankly because they get tainted and no reasonable person , socialist or not would vote for a party associated with this .
Oooh, I rather like Dominic Raab's campaign video (not seen it before)
It is quite slick, snappy, persuasive. Nice cuts and clever images. Contrast with the nail-on-blackboard awkwardness and 1950s stiffness of Javid's terrible vid (which is a shame as I wanted him to be good).
This may seem trivial but in this day and age it should be a MINIMUM requirement for a PM-to-be that they can master social media, podcasts, Youtube and the like. If a bloody terror Nazi rape cult like ISIS can put together good footage, then surely the aspiring British premier can do the same (the footage, not the Nazi terror rape).
I don't want Raab to win, nor do I expect him to win, but he wins the introductory video game, so far.
> > 13, 113, 213, 313MP's they are all crap. Heap shit on the Tories, the old guard is finished. Even Widdecombe (ex Tory) is a loon now.
>
> She was disgraceful today and left a nasty taste in the mouth. Good she is out of the conservative party and we do not want her back
Miss Widdecombe seems to have got her arguments in a pickle, by conflating these as-yet non-existent "gay cures" with gender reassignment for transgender personages.
Gender reassignment is a means for those who feel strongly that they are of one gender but physically manifest as the other to correct that situation. The major reason for transgender people not to transition is fear of the reactions and/or violent reprisals of backward-looking social conservatives and those with medieval religious values.
Non-heterosexual persons (e.g. me,) on the other hand, don't typically want or need to become heterosexual. The major reason for them to wish to do so, or otherwise to masquerade as heterosexual, is fear of the reactions and/or violent reprisals of backward-looking social conservatives and those with medieval religious values.
In short, her arguments are a pile of wank.
HOWEVER - we should recognise that Miss Widdecombe also explicitly does NOT call for gay people to be savagely murdered by being thrown off the tops of tall buildings or strung up from cranes. Unlike Jeremy Corbyn's friends (Hamas) or his ex-employers (the Iranian theocracy.)
Therefore, in my league table of gay-bashing infamy, the Blackpool Canary ranks several divisions below the leader of the nation's largest political mass movement (and, by extension, both the Labour Party as a whole and all those who continue to serve it and to agitate for his election as leader of the country.) Relative to him, she's actually pretty harmless.
+1. Eccentrics have all sorts of opinions, and we should be loud in their defence. Absurd opinions are one thing and support for violent thugs another. BTW it's a long time since I heard a politician say 'I do not agree with what you say but will fight to the death for your right to say it'. Is that because they don't dare, or they no longer believe it?
The only advantage I can see to the way we operate MEP representation these days is that no-one has to ever contact Widdecombe. There are plenty of other MEPs for that region who can be approached.
She can just be ignored as the bigot she has always been.
I hereby suggest that the phrase "do bears shit in the woods" sh> @state_go_away said: > Galloway can quote Bill Shankly as being a socialist but BS would hate to be mentioned in the same breath (tweet) as a sectarian offensive and obsessive piece of rubbish about Tottenham equals Israel. Only a sad git like Galloway can do that . Its a pity Corbyn and others in the Labour momentum movement do not tell Galloway to F off frankly because they get tainted and no reasonable person , socialist or not would vote for a party associated with this .<
+++++
Labour really are screwed, and - remarkably - it just keeps getting WORSE. Until they scrape Corbyn and his friends off the sole of the collective Labour boot, they will be forever carrying the dog-shit smell of this quasi-Stalinist leadership. Awful. And tragic.
> @algarkirk said: > > @Big_G_NorthWales said: > > > > @SquareRoot said: > > > > 13, 113, 213, 313MP's they are all crap. Heap shit on the Tories, the old guard is finished. Even Widdecombe (ex Tory) is a loon now. > > > > > > She was disgraceful today and left a nasty taste in the mouth. Good she is out of the conservative party and we do not want her back > > > > Miss Widdecombe seems to have got her arguments in a pickle, by conflating these as-yet non-existent "gay cures" with gender reassignment for transgender personages. > > > > Gender reassignment is a means for those who feel strongly that they are of one gender but physically manifest as the other to correct that situation. The major reason for transgender people not to transition is fear of the reactions and/or violent reprisals of backward-looking social conservatives and those with medieval religious values. > > > > Non-heterosexual persons (e.g. me,) on the other hand, don't typically want or need to become heterosexual. The major reason for them to wish to do so, or otherwise to masquerade as heterosexual, is fear of the reactions and/or violent reprisals of backward-looking social conservatives and those with medieval religious values. > > > > In short, her arguments are a pile of wank. > > > > HOWEVER - we should recognise that Miss Widdecombe also explicitly does NOT call for gay people to be savagely murdered by being thrown off the tops of tall buildings or strung up from cranes. Unlike Jeremy Corbyn's friends (Hamas) or his ex-employers (the Iranian theocracy.) > > > > Therefore, in my league table of gay-bashing infamy, the Blackpool Canary ranks several divisions below the leader of the nation's largest political mass movement (and, by extension, both the Labour Party as a whole and all those who continue to serve it and to agitate for his election as leader of the country.) Relative to him, she's actually pretty harmless. > > +1. Eccentrics have all sorts of opinions, and we should be loud in their defence. Absurd opinions are one thing and support for violent thugs another. BTW it's a long time since I heard a politician say 'I do not agree with what you say but will fight to the death for your right to say it'. Is that because they don't dare, or they no longer believe it?
Oh sure, loud in the defence of their right to express eccentric and even offensive opinions.
But we don't have to defend the opinions. Let's be loud in our ridicule of the opinions.
Apropos of the 'up to 20 candidates issue';,it would be nice if Jesse Norman ran because then along with Rory Stewart there would be two decent, sensible, thoughtful, intelligent, statesmanlike candidates to share bottom place in this Eatanswill bearpit of an election.
Apropos of the 'up to 20 candidates issue';,it would be nice if Jesse Norman ran because then along with Rory Stewart there would be two decent, sensible, thoughtful, intelligent, statesmanlike candidates to share bottom place in this Eatanswill bearpit of an election.
> @DecrepitJohnL said: > Galloway can quote Bill Shankly as being a socialist but BS would hate to be mentioned in the same breath (tweet) as a sectarian offensive and obsessive piece of rubbish about Tottenham equals Israel. Only a sad git like Galloway can do that . Its a pity Corbyn and others in the Labour momentum movement do not tell Galloway to F off frankly because they get tainted and no reasonable person , socialist or not would vote for a party associated with this . > > George Galloway was expelled from Labour in 2003.
And congratulated by corbyn on his election as an mp in 2012.
> @geoffw said: > Votes with the "Like" button (and without the "Like" button): > Michael Gove 7, Rory Stewart 7, Esther McVey 1, Jeremy Hunt 1, James Cleverly 1(1), Sajid Javid (1), Mark Harper (1) > Thumbs down: Steve Baker 2, Graham Brady 1.
Thought I'd be funny clicking the Off Topic for Steve Baker, clearly wasn't the only one.
> @algarkirk said: > Apropos of the 'up to 20 candidates issue';,it would be nice if Jesse Norman ran because then along with Rory Stewart there would be two decent, sensible, thoughtful, intelligent, statesmanlike candidates to share bottom place in this Eatanswill bearpit of an election.
> @algarkirk said: > Apropos of the 'up to 20 candidates issue';,it would be nice if Jesse Norman ran because then along with Rory Stewart there would be two decent, sensible, thoughtful, intelligent, statesmanlike candidates to share bottom place in this Eatanswill bearpit of an election.
A doctor of philosophy - in philosophy - in the parliamentary Conservative Party?
I suppose a familiarity with philosophy could be quite useful in getting through the day, if you're a Tory MP.
> Oh sure, loud in the defence of their right to express eccentric and even offensive opinions. > > But we don't have to defend the opinions. Let's be loud in our ridicule of the opinions.<
+++++
Widdecombe is an odd fish, but I think she has been slightly mis-represented here. She's not saying gayness is a disease (I don't think). Her phrasing is nonetheless clumsy. She seems to have been old and silly ever since she entered politics, somehow.
Either way, inadvertently she does touch (obliquely) on an issue which will increasingly confront us. Scientists have cracked the human genome, and are now drilling down into the way genes (very complexly) interact and thereby form human characteristics and behaviourisms. It is highly likely they will decode the genes that imply homosexuality in years to come (ditto cystic fibrosis, palsy, possibly blindness, deafness, maybe even certain kinds of criminality, etc)
Should this information be given to prospective parents? Should they be allowed to abort on this basis?
All very difficult. Personally I think parents should be allowed to abort a fetus destined for certain blindness. Yet campaigners for the blind are furiously against the very idea, and I can see why. And gay people?
Widdecombe is an odd fish, but I think she has been slightly mis-represented here. She's not saying gayness is a disease (I don't think). Her phrasing is nonetheless clumsy. She seems to have been old and silly ever since she entered politics, somehow.
Either way, inadvertently she does touch (obliquely) on an issue which will increasingly confront us. Scientists have cracked the human genome, and are now drilling down into the way genes (very complexly) interact and thereby form human characteristics and behaviourisms. It is highly likely they will decode the genes that imply homosexuality in years to come (ditto cystic fibrosis, palsy, possibly blindness, deafness, maybe even certain kinds of criminality, etc)
Should this information be given to prospective parents? Should they be allowed to abort on this basis?
All very difficult. Personally I think parents should be allowed to abort a fetus destined for certain blindness. Yet campaigners for the blind are furiously against the very idea, and I can see why. And gay people?
A Sunday evening conundrum.
Doctor (in future): I am very sorry to tell you, but your unborn child will grow up to vote Conservative.
@TheScreamingEagles from your earlier post I sort of agree, the signs for this summer look better than last season with a big money bid for de Celso out of the gate, hopefully we can get him and a few other key signings. I don't think we will spend £176m but I could see us breaking £100m net spend. Spurs is a hugely profitable business so let's hope Lewis and Levy make the necessary investment to ensure we stay competitive.
@isam the current era of football isn't the same as 2004/5. Firstly money is extremely cheap iirc the cashflow showed that our debt interest rate was around 2% compared to arsenal paying 6-8% back then. TV money has increased massively, Premier League prize money has as well, we've got a bigger commercial presence than arsenal had back then and we've still got £20m per season to come from naming rights. The stadium is over budget but I don't think it's going to make a difference in our ability to compete like it did for Arsenal. If anything this feels like the beginning of the next chapter for us. I'm happy that we made it as far as the final and I can't wait until the next one. It's a shame that we lost the way we did but I'm definitely more hopeful now than at the end of last season.
Maybe. I think the gulf between the top two and the rest is humongous, and Spurs, who lost 20 matches this season, are as likely to finish 6th as 3rd next season.
Widdecombe is an odd fish, but I think she has been slightly mis-represented here. She's not saying gayness is a disease (I don't think). Her phrasing is nonetheless clumsy. She seems to have been old and silly ever since she entered politics, somehow.
Either way, inadvertently she does touch (obliquely) on an issue which will increasingly confront us. Scientists have cracked the human genome, and are now drilling down into the way genes (very complexly) interact and thereby form human characteristics and behaviourisms. It is highly likely they will decode the genes that imply homosexuality in years to come (ditto cystic fibrosis, palsy, possibly blindness, deafness, maybe even certain kinds of criminality, etc)
Should this information be given to prospective parents? Should they be allowed to abort on this basis?
All very difficult. Personally I think parents should be allowed to abort a fetus destined for certain blindness. Yet campaigners for the blind are furiously against the very idea, and I can see why. And gay people?
A Sunday evening conundrum.
Doctor (in future): I am very sorry to tell you, but your unborn child will grow up to vote Conservative.
That seems unlikely if they continue to self-immolate at the current rate.
> Apropos of the 'up to 20 candidates issue';,it would be nice if Jesse Norman ran because then along with Rory Stewart there would be two decent, sensible, thoughtful, intelligent, statesmanlike candidates to share bottom place in this Eatanswill bearpit of an election.
A doctor of philosophy - in philosophy - in the parliamentary Conservative Party?
I suppose a familiarity with philosophy could be quite useful in getting through the day, if you're a Tory MP.
I think it's time we gave a try to having a PM with intellectual/cultural hinterland. I wonder if we missed a trick by not having Roy Jenkins, Denis Healey, Ken Clarke when we had the chance. A PM who actually read, understood and wrote (beautifully) books about Adam Smith and Burke would be a nice change. Stewart and Norman would still come bottom with the party in its current terminal state.
> @Byronic said: > > @Chris said: > > > Oh sure, loud in the defence of their right to express eccentric and even offensive opinions. > > > > But we don't have to defend the opinions. Let's be loud in our ridicule of the opinions.< > > +++++ > > Widdecombe is an odd fish, but I think she has been slightly mis-represented here. She's not saying gayness is a disease (I don't think). Her phrasing is nonetheless clumsy. She seems to have been old and silly ever since she entered politics, somehow. > > Either way, inadvertently she does touch (obliquely) on an issue which will increasingly confront us. Scientists have cracked the human genome, and are now drilling down into the way genes (very complexly) interact and thereby form human characteristics and behaviourisms. It is highly likely they will decode the genes that imply homosexuality in years to come (ditto cystic fibrosis, palsy, possibly blindness, deafness, maybe even certain kinds of criminality, etc) > > Should this information be given to prospective parents? Should they be allowed to abort on this basis? > > All very difficult. Personally I think parents should be allowed to abort a fetus destined for certain blindness. Yet campaigners for the blind are furiously against the very idea, and I can see why. And gay people? > > A Sunday evening conundrum. > >
Personally I would have been a lot more receptive to this posting if your examples after homosexuality had been intelligence, empathy, athleticism etc instead of all being things we consider defects. Perhaps not a conscious decision by you but certainly at least enlightening about your subconscious attitude to homosexuality
> @Byronic said: > > @Chris said: > > > Oh sure, loud in the defence of their right to express eccentric and even offensive opinions. > > > > But we don't have to defend the opinions. Let's be loud in our ridicule of the opinions.< > > +++++ > > Widdecombe is an odd fish, but I think she has been slightly mis-represented here. She's not saying gayness is a disease (I don't think). Her phrasing is nonetheless clumsy. She seems to have been old and silly ever since she entered politics, somehow. > > Either way, inadvertently she does touch (obliquely) on an issue which will increasingly confront us. Scientists have cracked the human genome, and are now drilling down into the way genes (very complexly) interact and thereby form human characteristics and behaviourisms. It is highly likely they will decode the genes that imply homosexuality in years to come (ditto cystic fibrosis, palsy, possibly blindness, deafness, maybe even certain kinds of criminality, etc) > > Should this information be given to prospective parents? Should they be allowed to abort on this basis? > > All very difficult. Personally I think parents should be allowed to abort a fetus destined for certain blindness. Yet campaigners for the blind are furiously against the very idea, and I can see why. And gay people? > > A Sunday evening conundrum. > >
' A lesbian couple in the US have attracted fierce criticism by deliberately having a deaf baby. In an unexpected twist to the pursuit of "designer" offspring, the couple, who are both deaf, said they had wanted a child that would be like themselves. The four-month old boy is profoundly deaf in his left ear and has only residual hearing in his right.
Sharon Duchesneau and Candy McCullough, both in their 30s, turned to a friend with five generations of deafness in his family after being turned away by a sperm bank which told them that donors with disabilities were screened out.
The man had previously fathered a girl for the couple, who live in Bethesda, Maryland, who is now five and also deaf. However their action in choosing to determine their children's hearing ability has only been revealed with the birth of their son, Gauvin. '
> @oxfordsimon said: > The only advantage I can see to the way we operate MEP representation these days is that no-one has to ever contact Widdecombe. There are plenty of other MEPs for that region who can be approached. > > She can just be ignored as the bigot she has always been.
As others have said, I don't think that's right - she's in my view a decent soul (I'm biased as we were joint patrons of Cats Protection) but blurts out opinions without considering what others might think of them. It's a snag in a politician, but not the worst thing in the world.
> @TheScreamingEagles said: > Can I suggest a PB poll on the Conservative contenders. > > > > It might be fun to compare what we think with what Conservative MPs think. > > I'm voting for Rory. > > He's been endorsed by Ken Clarke and that's good enough for me. > > However I expect he won't make it to the final two so I'd back Gove.
> > > > Personally I would have been a lot more receptive to this posting if your examples after homosexuality had been intelligence, empathy, athleticism etc instead of all being things we consider defects. Perhaps not a conscious decision by you but certainly at least enlightening about your subconscious attitude to homosexuality <
++++
Don't be a TOTAL dick. I do not consider homosexuality a defect. I am pointing out that there are LOTS of people who DO. e.g. most of the Islamic world, many Catholics, certain Jamaican rappers, and so on and so forth.
No one considers high intelligence a defect, or significant athleticism, etc.
This is pb.com at its most tedious. And pedantic. And pointless. Shut up.
> @ydoethur said: > Wrong! Labour polled 14.1% in GB. The 13.6% figure relates to the UK. > > Oh well, that's OK then. Thank goodness they didn't get less than the 15.8% of the SPD...oh.
No , it's not OK at all - but frankly I would expect someone in his position to know the difference and to have checked out the figures before making such a comment.
> @Byronic said: > > @Richard_Tyndall said: > > > > > > > > Personally I would have been a lot more receptive to this posting if your examples after homosexuality had been intelligence, empathy, athleticism etc instead of all being things we consider defects. Perhaps not a conscious decision by you but certainly at least enlightening about your subconscious attitude to homosexuality < > > ++++ > > Don't be a TOTAL dick. I do not consider homosexuality a defect. I am pointing out that there are LOTS of people who DO. e.g. most of the Islamic world, many Catholics, certain Jamaican rappers, and so on and so forth. > > No one considers high intelligence a defect, or significant athleticism, etc. > > This is pb.com at its most tedious. And pedantic. And pointless. Shut up.
Um no. All the examples you gave were of defects. It is perfectly reasonable from the context and content of your posting to assume that you therefore held that view. If you want to avoid such an interpretation I would suggest you consider what you post rather than jump on somebody when they highlight it. In the context I would suggest it is you who are being a total dick - to use your own delightful phrase.
> > Sharon Duchesneau and Candy McCullough, both in their 30s, turned to a friend with five generations of deafness in his family after being turned away by a sperm bank which told them that donors with disabilities were screened out. > > The man had previously fathered a girl for the couple, who live in Bethesda, Maryland, who is now five and also deaf. However their action in choosing to determine their children's hearing ability has only been revealed with the birth of their son, Gauvin. ' > > https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/08/davidteather<;
+++++
Well there we are. I get that they were desperate for a baby and this was a tragic situation. Yet I can't help feeling this is a horrible cruelty, visited upon an innocent child. The baby could have been born with all its senses. They could have asked a friendly able male to simply provide sperm.
> @Byronic said: > > @Chris said: > > > Oh sure, loud in the defence of their right to express eccentric and even offensive opinions. > > > > But we don't have to defend the opinions. Let's be loud in our ridicule of the opinions.< > > +++++ > > Widdecombe is an odd fish, but I think she has been slightly mis-represented here. She's not saying gayness is a disease (I don't think). Her phrasing is nonetheless clumsy. She seems to have been old and silly ever since she entered politics, somehow.
"Wrongful" was apparently the word she used (for "homosexual acts") in a parliamentary debate on civil partnerships in 2004.
Surely there can't be any doubt she thinks gayness is undesirable and people would be better off without it?
No , it's not OK at all - but frankly I would expect someone in his position to know the difference and to have checked out the figures before making such a comment.
Clearly you don't know much about Lord Adonis.
And to be frank, as it was a difference of a mere 0.5% and technically he was comparing the whole of the UK to the whole of Germany, I don't see that it's vital anyway.
> Sharon Duchesneau and Candy McCullough, both in their 30s, turned to a friend with five generations of deafness in his family after being turned away by a sperm bank which told them that donors with disabilities were screened out.
>
> The man had previously fathered a girl for the couple, who live in Bethesda, Maryland, who is now five and also deaf. However their action in choosing to determine their children's hearing ability has only been revealed with the birth of their son, Gauvin. '
Well there we are. I get that they were desperate for a baby and this was a tragic situation. Yet I can't help feeling this is a horrible cruelty, visited upon an innocent child. The baby could have been born with all its senses. They could have asked a friendly able male to simply provide sperm.
To me this is wrong.
Completely horrendous and selfish beyond belief. They should be locked up
> @Byronic said: > > @another_richard said: > > > > > Sharon Duchesneau and Candy McCullough, both in their 30s, turned to a friend with five generations of deafness in his family after being turned away by a sperm bank which told them that donors with disabilities were screened out. > > > > The man had previously fathered a girl for the couple, who live in Bethesda, Maryland, who is now five and also deaf. However their action in choosing to determine their children's hearing ability has only been revealed with the birth of their son, Gauvin. ' > > > > https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/08/davidteather<; > > +++++ > > Well there we are. I get that they were desperate for a baby and this was a tragic situation. Yet I can't help feeling this is a horrible cruelty, visited upon an innocent child. The baby could have been born with all its senses. They could have asked a friendly able male to simply provide sperm. > > To me this is wrong.
IIRC they justified it by saying that deaf culture would otherwise be lost and they thought it was something with value.
Well there we are. I get that they were desperate for a baby and this was a tragic situation. Yet I can't help feeling this is a horrible cruelty, visited upon an innocent child. The baby could have been born with all its senses. They could have asked a friendly able male to simply provide sperm.
To me this is wrong.
Hereditary deafness hasn't prevented me from being a successful singer, pianist, organist and conductor over the last 29 years.
Do not assume that what you would consider to be a curse is a curse to everyone who has it.
(As a teacher, it's also very helpful sometimes to be strategically deaf.)
Comments
Peak Spurs
WTF is the Telford Spirit ?
... google gave me this:
https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2018/12/03/telford-spirit-level-attacker-jailed-for-two-years/
> > @Theuniondivvie said:
> > George being gorgeous.
> >
> > https://twitter.com/tonymc39/status/1135212911603924995
> >
> >
>
> Leaving aside Galloway's usual and expected shittiness, I have a perhaps silly question: why does he put an umlaut above the 'e' of 'Israel' ?
>
> I think I've seen it before somewhere, but it's not common here in the UK.
>
> Edit: beaten by RobD. But at least I spelt 'Israel' correctly ...
It is correct, obviously, as denoting that Israel is 3 syllables not 2. wiktionary suggests that routinely using it is a Dutch thing. I imagine Galloway thinks it looks German, and is a nod to a lot of people who had the right idea about Israel.
Good friend of Corbyn, Galloway.
> Lucy Allan endorses Sajid Javid.
>
>
>
> https://twitter.com/lucyallan/status/1135239661645893632
>
>
>
>
> WTF is the Telford Spirit ?
>
> ... google gave me this:
> https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/crime/2018/12/03/telford-spirit-level-attacker-jailed-for-two-years/
Well, if he means Scots-born Thomas Telford, then my moniker's dad might be a better fit.
> > @Theuniondivvie said:
> > George being gorgeous.
> >
> > https://twitter.com/tonymc39/status/1135212911603924995
> >
> >
>
> Leaving aside Galloway's usual and expected shittiness, I have a perhaps silly question: why does he put an umlaut above the 'e' of 'Israel' ?
>
> I think I've seen it before somewhere, but it's not common here in the UK.
>
> Edit: beaten by RobD. But at least I spelt 'Israel' correctly ...
FFS.
> Bear in mind the Department of Homeland Security will be looking at your vote on this when it considers your visa application. Vote Boris if you want one in the next couple of years, probably ABB if later.
>
> Only if you apply for a visa, not a visa waiver....l
For the time being....!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Come,_O_Come,_Emmanuel
> > @JosiasJessop said:
>
> > > @Theuniondivvie said:
>
> > > George being gorgeous.
>
> > >
>
> > > https://twitter.com/tonymc39/status/1135212911603924995
>
>
>
> > >
>
> > >
>
> >
>
> > Leaving aside Galloway's usual and expected shittiness, I have a perhaps silly question: why does he put an umlaut above the 'e' of 'Israel' ?
>
> >
>
> > I think I've seen it before somewhere, but it's not common here in the UK.
>
> >
>
> > Edit: beaten by RobD. But at least I spelt 'Israel' correctly ...
>
>
>
> It is correct, obviously, as denoting that Israel is 3 syllables not 2. wiktionary suggests that routinely using it is a Dutch thing. I imagine Galloway thinks it looks German, and is a nod to a lot of people who had the right idea about Israel.
>
>
>
> Good friend of Corbyn, Galloway.
>
> Perhaps he’s just a fan of Hymns Ancient and Modern ?
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Come,_O_Come,_Emmanuel
or perhaps you have no idea of what you are talking about
> Perhaps he’s just a fan of Hymns Ancient and Modern ?
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Come,_O_Come,_Emmanuel
?
I'm not seeing any umlauts (or diareses) on that page.
So basically, it's not quite a non-sequitur, just Galloway showing he's a fanatical racist?
Which, in further fairness, is about as surprising as finding that a bear has shat in the woods.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48491731
> 13, 113, 213, 313MP's they are all crap. Heap shit on the Tories, the old guard is finished. Even Widdecombe (ex Tory) is a loon now.
She was disgraceful today and left a nasty taste in the mouth. Good she is out of the conservative party and we do not want her back
You do of course have to sing it as three syllables otherwise the slurring for the diphthong makes it (a) flat and (b) slow.
> "Tories call for rule change as 13th name enters leadership race
> List could grow to 20, and non-runner dismisses some hopefuls as ‘vanity candidates’
>
> Graham Brady, Penny Mordaunt, Priti Patel, Jesse Norman, Steve Baker, Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, and Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, have not ruled themselves out. Should all of these run, it would take the number of candidates to 20."
>
> https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jun/02/tories-call-for-rule-change-as-13th-name-enters-leadership-race
There's no need for a rule change. You can have a few quick rounds of voting to eliminate the weak candidates, or many will probably withdraw after the first round. The process works as intended.
> This is some thread. Are we at a FPTP tipping point:
>
> https://twitter.com/robfordmancs/status/1135146694121840641
I think we might be. And then we have about three years while we wait for the election.
It's probably only since the country was founded that IS-rail has become the norm.
But that doesn't explain why Galloway put an unnecessary umlaut in, unless, as suggested upthread, it was a sly reference to Germany.
Or he's thick.
One of the two.
You have a reply (where I forgot to thank you for the message - sorry)!
https://www.spiegel.de/international/topic/israel/
> > @AndyJS said:
> > "Tories call for rule change as 13th name enters leadership race
> > List could grow to 20, and non-runner dismisses some hopefuls as ‘vanity candidates’
> >
> > Graham Brady, Penny Mordaunt, Priti Patel, Jesse Norman, Steve Baker, Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, and Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, have not ruled themselves out. Should all of these run, it would take the number of candidates to 20."
> >
> > https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jun/02/tories-call-for-rule-change-as-13th-name-enters-leadership-race
>
> There's no need for a rule change. You can have a few quick rounds of voting to eliminate the weak candidates, or many will probably withdraw after the first round. The process works as intended.
I agree and have no problem with around 5% of the MP base standing for leader. The disappointment for me is that the amount of new thinking on Brexit does not match the candidate depth. In that respect, Gyimah is a welcome addition. He won't win, but if he gets half a dozen rounds into the elimination voting, his 3 way referendum stand could gain a little more currency within the party.
However, I stand by my assessment that someone advocating and pushing No Deal as the only politically viable route left, but being clear that every escape route possible will be opened up, would be best placed in the current Tory climate.
On topic, the only certainty is that T May will not be reëlected.
I've heard of coal miners, or even salt miners, but I'd rather thought that socialists were born like the rest of us. It never occurred to me that they were actually dug up out of the ground - which perhaps explains why there are so many socialists too be found in coal mining areas!
> Hi TSE -- you should have been here last night -- we were all watching a football match that BT streamed live on Youtube.
>
> A big shout out to Spurs, they were magnificent as were their fans.
>
> Spurs are where we were last year, after losing the Champions League final we went and backed Jurgen Klopp and spent £176 million improving the squad and look at us today.
>
> Daniel Levy needs to get his chequebook out and back Poch.
>
> They’re where Arsenal were in 2005/06. 4th in the league, CL Runners up, new stadium about to restrict spending. Hopefully best players about to leave.
>
> Peak Spurs
But we kept our manager, and probably should have won the league in 2007-08. If Spurs keep hold of Poch they'll do alright.
https://twitter.com/portraitinflesh/status/989597127092383746?s=21
https://twitter.com/twlldun/status/1029323182984097793?s=21
> Nice to see PBers coöperating on abstruse questions of differential linguistic notation. (Snip)
My son's name has a dotted capital I in it. ( İ ) - something that rather confused the registrar. We do rather wonder if he'll thank us for it in the future ...
> I think in the nineteenth century 'Is-RAY-el' was the normal pronunciation anyway. At least, that's the distinct impression I get - Elijah springs to mind as another work where there are always three notes for it (and Mendelssohn was of course Jewish, so he presumably pronounced the word fairly often).
>
> It's probably only since the country was founded that IS-rail has become the norm.
>
> But that doesn't explain why Galloway put an unnecessary umlaut in, unless, as suggested upthread, it was a sly reference to Germany.
>
> Or he's thick.
>
> One of the two.
>
> It does not look as if German has an umlaut in Israel. For instance:
> https://www.spiegel.de/international/topic/israel/
It's not an umlaut bit a diaeresis to indicate that the two vowels are pronounced separately, as in Zoë. He's pronouncing it with three syllables, like in the Siouxsie and the Banshees song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xQjkZHru7A
It's red hot to start, then cools off and becomes very hard, so stays in the same shape and looks increasingly worn and covered in birdshit, until finally it gets thrown out because it isn't worth cleaning up.
> > @Ishmael_Z said:
> > Nice to see PBers coöperating on abstruse questions of differential linguistic notation. (Snip)
>
> My son's name has a dotted capital I in it. ( İ ) - something that rather confused the registrar. We do rather wonder if he'll thank us for it in the future ...
I feel for him
Ishmaël
Turkish, I imagine?
Who threw that coat?
> > @SquareRoot said:
> > 13, 113, 213, 313MP's they are all crap. Heap shit on the Tories, the old guard is finished. Even Widdecombe (ex Tory) is a loon now.
>
> She was disgraceful today and left a nasty taste in the mouth. Good she is out of the conservative party and we do not want her back
Miss Widdecombe seems to have got her arguments in a pickle, by conflating these as-yet non-existent "gay cures" with gender reassignment for transgender personages.
Gender reassignment is a means for those who feel strongly that they are of one gender but physically manifest as the other to correct that situation. The major reason for transgender people not to transition is fear of the reactions and/or violent reprisals of backward-looking social conservatives and those with medieval religious values.
Non-heterosexual persons (e.g. me,) on the other hand, don't typically want or need to become heterosexual. The major reason for them to wish to do so, or otherwise to masquerade as heterosexual, is fear of the reactions and/or violent reprisals of backward-looking social conservatives and those with medieval religious values.
In short, her arguments are a pile of wank.
HOWEVER - we should recognise that Miss Widdecombe also explicitly does NOT call for gay people to be savagely murdered by being thrown off the tops of tall buildings or strung up from cranes. Unlike Jeremy Corbyn's friends (Hamas) or his ex-employers (the Iranian theocracy.)
Therefore, in my league table of gay-bashing infamy, the Blackpool Canary ranks several divisions below the leader of the nation's largest political mass movement (and, by extension, both the Labour Party as a whole and all those who continue to serve it and to agitate for his election as leader of the country.) Relative to him, she's actually pretty harmless.
> > @JosiasJessop said:
> > > @Ishmael_Z said:
> > > Nice to see PBers coöperating on abstruse questions of differential linguistic notation. (Snip)
> >
> > My son's name has a dotted capital I in it. ( İ ) - something that rather confused the registrar. We do rather wonder if he'll thank us for it in the future ...
>
> I feel for him
>
> Ishmaël
>
> Turkish, I imagine?
Yep, İlke . We gave him two English and two Turkish names (the Turkish as middle names). İlke is apparently a unisex name (meaning 'principle') in Turkish, but a girl's name in Greek. Which might also cause him a few comedic moments ...
If the number is a problem just have more than 2 votes in a week, and you'll be done by the end of June still, as ObitusSumMe suggests. There is not really a problem with the process - it must have been set to be a low limit to afford rank outsides a chance.
> > @SquareRoot said:
> > 13, 113, 213, 313MP's they are all crap. Heap shit on the Tories, the old guard is finished. Even Widdecombe (ex Tory) is a loon now.
>
> She was disgraceful today and left a nasty taste in the mouth. Good she is out of the conservative party and we do not want her back
Let all the poisons that lurk in the mud hatch out.
> So the Tory Party rules say the MPs vote and the last placed candidate is knocked out. Anyone know what the rules are if there is a tie? Knock-out ballot of just those two/three/etc? It seems to me not impossible we might have a tie given how many candidates have single-figure endorsements.
>
> Both are knocked out.
Cheers.
<I>"I’ve merely said that if you simply rule out the possibility of it, you are denying people who are confused about their sexuality, or discontented with it, the chances that you do give to people who want to change gender."</I>
71 years old and she's never had sex. Maybe she's just hankering for a technological advance that would let her give lesbianism a try.
> This morning I thought to myself 'surely no one will make an antisemitic comment on the back of the footy'. I was wrong.
There are no unplumbed depths in the modern labour movement.
@TheScreamingEagles from your earlier post I sort of agree, the signs for this summer look better than last season with a big money bid for de Celso out of the gate, hopefully we can get him and a few other key signings. I don't think we will spend £176m but I could see us breaking £100m net spend. Spurs is a hugely profitable business so let's hope Lewis and Levy make the necessary investment to ensure we stay competitive.
@isam the current era of football isn't the same as 2004/5. Firstly money is extremely cheap iirc the cashflow showed that our debt interest rate was around 2% compared to arsenal paying 6-8% back then. TV money has increased massively, Premier League prize money has as well, we've got a bigger commercial presence than arsenal had back then and we've still got £20m per season to come from naming rights. The stadium is over budget but I don't think it's going to make a difference in our ability to compete like it did for Arsenal. If anything this feels like the beginning of the next chapter for us. I'm happy that we made it as far as the final and I can't wait until the next one. It's a shame that we lost the way we did but I'm definitely more hopeful now than at the end of last season.
It is quite slick, snappy, persuasive. Nice cuts and clever images. Contrast with the nail-on-blackboard awkwardness and 1950s stiffness of Javid's terrible vid (which is a shame as I wanted him to be good).
This may seem trivial but in this day and age it should be a MINIMUM requirement for a PM-to-be that they can master social media, podcasts, Youtube and the like. If a bloody terror Nazi rape cult like ISIS can put together good footage, then surely the aspiring British premier can do the same (the footage, not the Nazi terror rape).
I don't want Raab to win, nor do I expect him to win, but he wins the introductory video game, so far.
Mortality.
She can just be ignored as the bigot she has always been.
+++++
I hereby suggest that the phrase "do bears shit in the woods" sh> @state_go_away said:
> Galloway can quote Bill Shankly as being a socialist but BS would hate to be mentioned in the same breath (tweet) as a sectarian offensive and obsessive piece of rubbish about Tottenham equals Israel. Only a sad git like Galloway can do that . Its a pity Corbyn and others in the Labour momentum movement do not tell Galloway to F off frankly because they get tainted and no reasonable person , socialist or not would vote for a party associated with this .<
+++++
Labour really are screwed, and - remarkably - it just keeps getting WORSE. Until they scrape Corbyn and his friends off the sole of the collective Labour boot, they will be forever carrying the dog-shit smell of this quasi-Stalinist leadership. Awful. And tragic.
> > @Big_G_NorthWales said:
>
> > > @SquareRoot said:
>
> > > 13, 113, 213, 313MP's they are all crap. Heap shit on the Tories, the old guard is finished. Even Widdecombe (ex Tory) is a loon now.
>
> >
>
> > She was disgraceful today and left a nasty taste in the mouth. Good she is out of the conservative party and we do not want her back
>
>
>
> Miss Widdecombe seems to have got her arguments in a pickle, by conflating these as-yet non-existent "gay cures" with gender reassignment for transgender personages.
>
>
>
> Gender reassignment is a means for those who feel strongly that they are of one gender but physically manifest as the other to correct that situation. The major reason for transgender people not to transition is fear of the reactions and/or violent reprisals of backward-looking social conservatives and those with medieval religious values.
>
>
>
> Non-heterosexual persons (e.g. me,) on the other hand, don't typically want or need to become heterosexual. The major reason for them to wish to do so, or otherwise to masquerade as heterosexual, is fear of the reactions and/or violent reprisals of backward-looking social conservatives and those with medieval religious values.
>
>
>
> In short, her arguments are a pile of wank.
>
>
>
> HOWEVER - we should recognise that Miss Widdecombe also explicitly does NOT call for gay people to be savagely murdered by being thrown off the tops of tall buildings or strung up from cranes. Unlike Jeremy Corbyn's friends (Hamas) or his ex-employers (the Iranian theocracy.)
>
>
>
> Therefore, in my league table of gay-bashing infamy, the Blackpool Canary ranks several divisions below the leader of the nation's largest political mass movement (and, by extension, both the Labour Party as a whole and all those who continue to serve it and to agitate for his election as leader of the country.) Relative to him, she's actually pretty harmless.
>
> +1. Eccentrics have all sorts of opinions, and we should be loud in their defence. Absurd opinions are one thing and support for violent thugs another. BTW it's a long time since I heard a politician say 'I do not agree with what you say but will fight to the death for your right to say it'. Is that because they don't dare, or they no longer believe it?
Oh sure, loud in the defence of their right to express eccentric and even offensive opinions.
But we don't have to defend the opinions. Let's be loud in our ridicule of the opinions.
> Galloway can quote Bill Shankly as being a socialist but BS would hate to be mentioned in the same breath (tweet) as a sectarian offensive and obsessive piece of rubbish about Tottenham equals Israel. Only a sad git like Galloway can do that . Its a pity Corbyn and others in the Labour momentum movement do not tell Galloway to F off frankly because they get tainted and no reasonable person , socialist or not would vote for a party associated with this .
>
> George Galloway was expelled from Labour in 2003.
And congratulated by corbyn on his election as an mp in 2012.
> Votes with the "Like" button (and without the "Like" button):
> Michael Gove 7, Rory Stewart 7, Esther McVey 1, Jeremy Hunt 1, James Cleverly 1(1), Sajid Javid (1), Mark Harper (1)
> Thumbs down: Steve Baker 2, Graham Brady 1.
Thought I'd be funny clicking the Off Topic for Steve Baker, clearly wasn't the only one.
> Apropos of the 'up to 20 candidates issue';,it would be nice if Jesse Norman ran because then along with Rory Stewart there would be two decent, sensible, thoughtful, intelligent, statesmanlike candidates to share bottom place in this Eatanswill bearpit of an election.
Etonswill in both their cases.
> Apropos of the 'up to 20 candidates issue';,it would be nice if Jesse Norman ran because then along with Rory Stewart there would be two decent, sensible, thoughtful, intelligent, statesmanlike candidates to share bottom place in this Eatanswill bearpit of an election.
A doctor of philosophy - in philosophy - in the parliamentary Conservative Party?
I suppose a familiarity with philosophy could be quite useful in getting through the day, if you're a Tory MP.
Wot? Oi we speak Inglish on ere.
> Oh sure, loud in the defence of their right to express eccentric and even offensive opinions.
>
> But we don't have to defend the opinions. Let's be loud in our ridicule of the opinions.<
+++++
Widdecombe is an odd fish, but I think she has been slightly mis-represented here. She's not saying gayness is a disease (I don't think). Her phrasing is nonetheless clumsy. She seems to have been old and silly ever since she entered politics, somehow.
Either way, inadvertently she does touch (obliquely) on an issue which will increasingly confront us. Scientists have cracked the human genome, and are now drilling down into the way genes (very complexly) interact and thereby form human characteristics and behaviourisms. It is highly likely they will decode the genes that imply homosexuality in years to come (ditto cystic fibrosis, palsy, possibly blindness, deafness, maybe even certain kinds of criminality, etc)
Should this information be given to prospective parents? Should they be allowed to abort on this basis?
All very difficult. Personally I think parents should be allowed to abort a fetus destined for certain blindness. Yet campaigners for the blind are furiously against the very idea, and I can see why. And gay people?
A Sunday evening conundrum.
Doctor (in future): I am very sorry to tell you, but your unborn child will grow up to vote Conservative.
> https://twitter.com/Andrew_Adonis/status/1135164739221446658
Wrong! Labour polled 14.1% in GB. The 13.6% figure relates to the UK.
Top sides just don’t lose that much
>
>
> A Sunday evening conundrum.
>
>
> Doctor (in future): I am very sorry to tell you, but your unborn child will grow up to vote Conservative.<
+++++
Would Remainer parents abort a Leaver child?
Here in Richmond I fear I have some ultra-Remainer acquaintances that actually WOULD.
Iawn. Ond dim ond os ydych chi'n addo pleidleisio dros TBP.
> > @Chris said:
>
> > Oh sure, loud in the defence of their right to express eccentric and even offensive opinions.
> >
> > But we don't have to defend the opinions. Let's be loud in our ridicule of the opinions.<
>
> +++++
>
> Widdecombe is an odd fish, but I think she has been slightly mis-represented here. She's not saying gayness is a disease (I don't think). Her phrasing is nonetheless clumsy. She seems to have been old and silly ever since she entered politics, somehow.
>
> Either way, inadvertently she does touch (obliquely) on an issue which will increasingly confront us. Scientists have cracked the human genome, and are now drilling down into the way genes (very complexly) interact and thereby form human characteristics and behaviourisms. It is highly likely they will decode the genes that imply homosexuality in years to come (ditto cystic fibrosis, palsy, possibly blindness, deafness, maybe even certain kinds of criminality, etc)
>
> Should this information be given to prospective parents? Should they be allowed to abort on this basis?
>
> All very difficult. Personally I think parents should be allowed to abort a fetus destined for certain blindness. Yet campaigners for the blind are furiously against the very idea, and I can see why. And gay people?
>
> A Sunday evening conundrum.
>
>
Personally I would have been a lot more receptive to this posting if your examples after homosexuality had been intelligence, empathy, athleticism etc instead of all being things we consider defects. Perhaps not a conscious decision by you but certainly at least enlightening about your subconscious attitude to homosexuality
> > @Chris said:
>
> > Oh sure, loud in the defence of their right to express eccentric and even offensive opinions.
> >
> > But we don't have to defend the opinions. Let's be loud in our ridicule of the opinions.<
>
> +++++
>
> Widdecombe is an odd fish, but I think she has been slightly mis-represented here. She's not saying gayness is a disease (I don't think). Her phrasing is nonetheless clumsy. She seems to have been old and silly ever since she entered politics, somehow.
>
> Either way, inadvertently she does touch (obliquely) on an issue which will increasingly confront us. Scientists have cracked the human genome, and are now drilling down into the way genes (very complexly) interact and thereby form human characteristics and behaviourisms. It is highly likely they will decode the genes that imply homosexuality in years to come (ditto cystic fibrosis, palsy, possibly blindness, deafness, maybe even certain kinds of criminality, etc)
>
> Should this information be given to prospective parents? Should they be allowed to abort on this basis?
>
> All very difficult. Personally I think parents should be allowed to abort a fetus destined for certain blindness. Yet campaigners for the blind are furiously against the very idea, and I can see why. And gay people?
>
> A Sunday evening conundrum.
>
>
' A lesbian couple in the US have attracted fierce criticism by deliberately having a deaf baby.
In an unexpected twist to the pursuit of "designer" offspring, the couple, who are both deaf, said they had wanted a child that would be like themselves. The four-month old boy is profoundly deaf in his left ear and has only residual hearing in his right.
Sharon Duchesneau and Candy McCullough, both in their 30s, turned to a friend with five generations of deafness in his family after being turned away by a sperm bank which told them that donors with disabilities were screened out.
The man had previously fathered a girl for the couple, who live in Bethesda, Maryland, who is now five and also deaf. However their action in choosing to determine their children's hearing ability has only been revealed with the birth of their son, Gauvin. '
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/08/davidteather
> The only advantage I can see to the way we operate MEP representation these days is that no-one has to ever contact Widdecombe. There are plenty of other MEPs for that region who can be approached.
>
> She can just be ignored as the bigot she has always been.
As others have said, I don't think that's right - she's in my view a decent soul (I'm biased as we were joint patrons of Cats Protection) but blurts out opinions without considering what others might think of them. It's a snag in a politician, but not the worst thing in the world.
> Can I suggest a PB poll on the Conservative contenders.
>
>
>
> It might be fun to compare what we think with what Conservative MPs think.
>
> I'm voting for Rory.
>
> He's been endorsed by Ken Clarke and that's good enough for me.
>
> However I expect he won't make it to the final two so I'd back Gove.
I think I would go the same way.
Cleverly and Hunt would be acceptable as well.
> >
>
> Personally I would have been a lot more receptive to this posting if your examples after homosexuality had been intelligence, empathy, athleticism etc instead of all being things we consider defects. Perhaps not a conscious decision by you but certainly at least enlightening about your subconscious attitude to homosexuality <
++++
Don't be a TOTAL dick. I do not consider homosexuality a defect. I am pointing out that there are LOTS of people who DO. e.g. most of the Islamic world, many Catholics, certain Jamaican rappers, and so on and so forth.
No one considers high intelligence a defect, or significant athleticism, etc.
This is pb.com at its most tedious. And pedantic. And pointless. Shut up.
> Wrong! Labour polled 14.1% in GB. The 13.6% figure relates to the UK.
>
> Oh well, that's OK then. Thank goodness they didn't get less than the 15.8% of the SPD...oh.
No , it's not OK at all - but frankly I would expect someone in his position to know the difference and to have checked out the figures before making such a comment.
> > @Richard_Tyndall said:
>
> > >
> >
> > Personally I would have been a lot more receptive to this posting if your examples after homosexuality had been intelligence, empathy, athleticism etc instead of all being things we consider defects. Perhaps not a conscious decision by you but certainly at least enlightening about your subconscious attitude to homosexuality <
>
> ++++
>
> Don't be a TOTAL dick. I do not consider homosexuality a defect. I am pointing out that there are LOTS of people who DO. e.g. most of the Islamic world, many Catholics, certain Jamaican rappers, and so on and so forth.
>
> No one considers high intelligence a defect, or significant athleticism, etc.
>
> This is pb.com at its most tedious. And pedantic. And pointless. Shut up.
Um no. All the examples you gave were of defects. It is perfectly reasonable from the context and content of your posting to assume that you therefore held that view. If you want to avoid such an interpretation I would suggest you consider what you post rather than jump on somebody when they highlight it. In the context I would suggest it is you who are being a total dick - to use your own delightful phrase.
Disturbingly I come across it far too often in education.
>
> Sharon Duchesneau and Candy McCullough, both in their 30s, turned to a friend with five generations of deafness in his family after being turned away by a sperm bank which told them that donors with disabilities were screened out.
>
> The man had previously fathered a girl for the couple, who live in Bethesda, Maryland, who is now five and also deaf. However their action in choosing to determine their children's hearing ability has only been revealed with the birth of their son, Gauvin. '
>
> https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/08/davidteather<;
+++++
Well there we are. I get that they were desperate for a baby and this was a tragic situation. Yet I can't help feeling this is a horrible cruelty, visited upon an innocent child. The baby could have been born with all its senses. They could have asked a friendly able male to simply provide sperm.
To me this is wrong.
> > @Chris said:
>
> > Oh sure, loud in the defence of their right to express eccentric and even offensive opinions.
> >
> > But we don't have to defend the opinions. Let's be loud in our ridicule of the opinions.<
>
> +++++
>
> Widdecombe is an odd fish, but I think she has been slightly mis-represented here. She's not saying gayness is a disease (I don't think). Her phrasing is nonetheless clumsy. She seems to have been old and silly ever since she entered politics, somehow.
"Wrongful" was apparently the word she used (for "homosexual acts") in a parliamentary debate on civil partnerships in 2004.
Surely there can't be any doubt she thinks gayness is undesirable and people would be better off without it?
And to be frank, as it was a difference of a mere 0.5% and technically he was comparing the whole of the UK to the whole of Germany, I don't see that it's vital anyway.
> > @another_richard said:
>
> >
> > Sharon Duchesneau and Candy McCullough, both in their 30s, turned to a friend with five generations of deafness in his family after being turned away by a sperm bank which told them that donors with disabilities were screened out.
> >
> > The man had previously fathered a girl for the couple, who live in Bethesda, Maryland, who is now five and also deaf. However their action in choosing to determine their children's hearing ability has only been revealed with the birth of their son, Gauvin. '
> >
> > https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/apr/08/davidteather<;
>
> +++++
>
> Well there we are. I get that they were desperate for a baby and this was a tragic situation. Yet I can't help feeling this is a horrible cruelty, visited upon an innocent child. The baby could have been born with all its senses. They could have asked a friendly able male to simply provide sperm.
>
> To me this is wrong.
IIRC they justified it by saying that deaf culture would otherwise be lost and they thought it was something with value.
Do not assume that what you would consider to be a curse is a curse to everyone who has it.
(As a teacher, it's also very helpful sometimes to be strategically deaf.)