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[urban.spaceman]

… this from the reprehensible ***** who lost two PRIME MINISTERS in SIX WEEKS. 

 

One had to leave because his entire government resigned in disgust at him lying about knowing the sex offender he’d promoted was indeed a sex offender. 
The other resigned after crashing the economy in an afternoon and is Liz ****ing Truss. 

[Tommy G]

The Sadiq Khan question dodging on grooming gangs is crippling. He almost answers with a smirk on his face, you just want to punch him. 

[Zear0]

52 minutes ago, urban.spaceman said:

What does that make Boris and his 60 odd I wonder? 

[leicsmac]

Evidently Mr Cleverly has learned a lot about both projection and hypocrisy from his counterparts on the other side of the pond.

 

To nowhere near the same degree of course, but the style is recognisable.

[leicsmac]

Ben-Gvir and Tal threatening to resign from the Netanyahu cabinet if the peace deal goes ahead.

 

... exactly how much of a psychopath do you need to be when nearly 50000 lives of the "enemy" aren't enough?

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

Ben-Gvir and Tal threatening to resign from the Netanyahu cabinet if the peace deal goes ahead.

 

... exactly how much of a psychopath do you need to be when nearly 50000 lives of the "enemy" aren't enough?

Away from the moral side of this wretched war, the political aspect is now fascinating- is trump actually trying to bring down netenyahu because it will help him get him his regional wide agreement with Saudi fully involved ??   I have always said that I’m not convinced trump is a fan of BN.  I think he harbours a grudge from when BN congratulated Biden quite early on his victory whilst trump was still arguing the result wasn’t safe. 
there are many different schools of thought on what’s happening behind the scenes on all of this.  Presumably once trump is ensconced in the White House we’ll see how the negs for phase 2 go in a few weeks to get a better indication.  The agreement as it exists will strengthen Hamas financially because the large volumes of aid that will enter from Monday will come under their control and they set the prices in the market.  I cannot see that Hamas are not going to be the controlling entity in Gaza longer term. They may indicate that they could renounce violence as the PLO did in the eighties in order to keep control. this would mean netenyahu’s govt is done. The religious right wing parties will not support anything that doesn’t see the end of Hamas.  they are v unlikely to support the current agreement getting to phase 2.   He could be done within the next few weeks (I think if the bibas children are dead and indications are that this is the case then without trump doing a reverse on where he appears to be atm BN is really struggling).  It’s tough to make too many judgements because trump is so difficult to second guess. 

[Muzzy_no7]

13 hours ago, Tommy G said:

The Sadiq Khan question dodging on grooming gangs is crippling. He almost answers with a smirk on his face, you just want to punch him. 

How that guy is in a position of power in this country says everything you need to know about the state of politics in the UK. 

[davieG]

30 years ago, Carl Sagan predicted what the United States would be like in the future. How accurate is it today?

"I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time — when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness...”

~ Carl Sagan in "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark.

[leicsmac]

16 minutes ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

How that guy is in a position of power in this country says everything you need to know about the state of politics in the UK. 

Tbf, it could be worse.

 

See below.

 

16 minutes ago, davieG said:

30 years ago, Carl Sagan predicted what the United States would be like in the future. How accurate is it today?

"I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time — when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness...”

~ Carl Sagan in "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark.

It has been predicted, accurately, for that long, and still people allowed it to happen.

 

What kind of judgement is that on us?

[Tommy G]

9 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Tbf, it could be worse.

 

See below.

 

It has been predicted, accurately, for that long, and still people allowed it to happen.

 

What kind of judgement is that on us?

Here is the video below - never mind America bashing it has nothing to do with it, he isn't taking a really serious issue and tackling it head on, rather trying to politically point score. He is genuinely a nasty piece of work. 

 

Read some of the transcripts - imagine if that was your daugther or relative or friend, it's abhorrent. 

 

 

[Muzzy_no7]

13 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

Here is the video below - never mind America bashing it has nothing to do with it, he isn't taking a really serious issue and tackling it head on, rather trying to politically point score. He is genuinely a nasty piece of work. 

 

Read some of the transcripts - imagine if that was your daugther or relative or friend, it's abhorrent. 

 

 

You can just tell he wants her to say something so he can then say something back.

 

You know exactly what I mean. 

[leicsmac]

9 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

Here is the video below - never mind America bashing it has nothing to do with it, he isn't taking a really serious issue and tackling it head on, rather trying to politically point score. He is genuinely a nasty piece of work. 

 

Read some of the transcripts - imagine if that was your daugther or relative or friend, it's abhorrent. 

 

 

Personal isn't always the same as important, and I was making the (accurate, I hope) point that even though UK politics are viewed by many to be so messed up that someone like Khan rises to high office, situations in other "developed" nations make it look rather tamer by comparison.

 

With that said, there are many places where it is better, the UK citizenry should demand better, and for what it's worth I do think the issue itself needs to be looked at in more detail. (Will anything be enough for some, however?)

[Tommy G]

1 minute ago, leicsmac said:

Personal isn't always the same as important, and I was making the (accurate, I hope) point that even though UK politics are viewed by many to be so messed up that someone like Khan rises to high office, situations in other "developed" nations make it look rather tamer by comparison.

 

With that said, there are many places where it is better, the UK citizenry should demand better, and for what it's worth I do think the issue itself needs to be looked at in more detail. (Will anything be enough for some, however?)

I know you have a very globalist view on everything but my point here is how can someone who is the mayor of our capital sit there and dismiss and dodge answering questions about child rape - with his Mr ''I am cleverer than you'' attitude. He has two daughters himself. 

 

This is the point - not to then drift off about our political system is bad but it's much worse elsewhere? It's irrelevant.

[Jattdogg]

4 hours ago, leicsmac said:

Ben-Gvir and Tal threatening to resign from the Netanyahu cabinet if the peace deal goes ahead.

 

... exactly how much of a psychopath do you need to be when nearly 50000 lives of the "enemy" aren't enough?

War criminal types. Want death and destruction of a people period. Then a solid land grab.

 

 

 

[leicsmac]

53 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

I know you have a very globalist view on everything but my point here is how can someone who is the mayor of our capital sit there and dismiss and dodge answering questions about child rape - with his Mr ''I am cleverer than you'' attitude. He has two daughters himself. 

 

This is the point - not to then drift off about our political system is bad but it's much worse elsewhere? It's irrelevant.

I think he should have done entirely better and not talked out both sides of his mouth. That there is to be a more detailed inquiry on the matter now is good.

 

I also think that I responded to a post talking about the state of politics in the UK. If folks want to think then referring to other politics in other developed countries being far worse (which is demonstrably true) is a deflection, then so be it, but personally I do think it's relevant to the general topic.

 

This stuff doesn't happen in a vacuum

 

18 minutes ago, Jattdogg said:

War criminal types. Want death and destruction of a people period. Then a solid land grab.

 

 

 

Pretty much, yes.

[Foxdiamond]

15 hours ago, Tommy G said:

The Sadiq Khan question dodging on grooming gangs is crippling. He almost answers with a smirk on his face, you just want to punch him. 

What is he afraid of? Shameful attitude 

[Wymsey]

On 13/01/2025 at 23:38, Wymsey said:

Any missing person case is obviously sad, but it's more so with sisters involved..

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yvp3zrd5yo

 

On 15/01/2025 at 19:15, Parafox said:

 

Again, I know I'm being flippant and I genuinely hope for a good outcome but:

 

Maybe they've gone back to Romania. 

There only seems to be one theory..

 

Especially when they texted their landlord in the early hours of the morning to say that they were leaving where they were staying.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgq015nwgkgo

 

Edited 17 January 2025 by Wymsey

[jgtuk]

52 minutes ago, Jattdogg said:

War criminal types. Want death and destruction of a people period. Then a solid land grab.

 

 

 

It’s what they planned for. Remove everybody by any means, destroy infrastructure making it uninhabitable for anyone wanting to return whilst grabbing as much land as possible. 
Since Christmas there have been more than a hundred deaths, including women and children, and even up to yesterday illegal settlers were in the West Bank driving people out and stealing land. 
I’ve mentioned before, I have family and friends working for aid agencies out there who have witnessed horrendous war crimes that no one will ever be accountable for. 
 

[Daggers]

2 hours ago, davieG said:

30 years ago, Carl Sagan predicted what the United States would be like in the future. How accurate is it today?

"I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time — when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness...”

~ Carl Sagan in "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark.

It's an outstanding book from one of the world's best ever physicists. 

 

In many ways, an explainer for the then tomorrow's Idiocracy - which is now our today's.

[Wymsey]

What's the latest with the Ukraine v Russia situation?

[jgtuk]

3 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

What's the latest with the Ukraine v Russia situation?

Currently 2-2. 
Probably going to penalties 

[leicsmac]

7 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

What's the latest with the Ukraine v Russia situation?

 

2 minutes ago, jgtuk said:

Currently 2-2. 
Probably going to penalties 

However Russia are appealing for a dodgy penalty late on and the man in the VAR box is about to change to one who would give it to them.

Edited 17 January 2025 by leicsmac

[jgtuk]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

 

However Russia are appealing for a dodgy penalty late on and the man in the VAR box is about to change to one who would give it to them.

👏👏👏

[Jon the Hat]

2 hours ago, Daggers said:

It's an outstanding book from one of the world's best ever physicists. 

 

In many ways, an explainer for the then tomorrow's Idiocracy - which is now our today's.

Im convinced the average Joe is better off than ever, more informed than ever, has access to more knowledge than ever in history at his literal finger tip, and they still voted for Donald Trump.  We are in the main as parochial and as easily controlled as we ever were.

[Muzzy_no7]

3 hours ago, Foxdiamond said:

What is he afraid of? Shameful attitude 

It’s political. He’s afraid of alienating his voters.