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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Is there anything else happening?
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Pyx_e
Quixotic Tilter
# 57
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Posted
Apart from the bloody UK general election?
Because if you watch the BCC news the rest of the world is not relevant, indeed anything in the UK that is not to do with the GE is not relevant.
All that was on for 1/2 an hour of "news" was freaky lying puppets, lying in all flavours hoping their lies will be seductive enough to make me either love them or hate the others.
While the meretricious BCC talking heads wander smugly about voicing even handed unhelpful platitudes.
I know everyone is lying to me all the time but in a "normal" day I like to think given enough diversity the odd grain of real information might fall through the sieve. This perfect storm of BULLSHIT makes any such discernment impossible.
Only 6 more weeks, pass the hemlock.
[ 31. March 2015, 15:27: Message edited by: Doc Tor ]
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It is better to be Kind than right.
Posts: 9778 | From: The Dark Tower | Registered: May 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
Well, it is the official start of the campaign. As though we've not heard it all already. I know which way I'd vote (assuming the electoral officer can get me my ballot paper in time for me to actually be sure of the vote counting).
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Bishops Finger
Shipmate
# 5430
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Posted
What really pisses me off is driving behind local buses plastered with adverts for the bloody Conservative Party. Surely the People's Buses should advertise Labour (or, even better, the only truly socialist party in the UK - which, as enny fule kno, is neither, red, blue or yellow)?
Mind you, it's marginally better than driving behind a bus advertising that well-known comedy band, Mark Reckless And The Kippers......
Ian J.
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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)
Posts: 10151 | From: Behind The Wheel Again! | Registered: Jan 2004
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
Never mind - another six weeks and it'll all be over for another five years ... ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Barefoot Friar
Ship's Shoeless Brother
# 13100
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Posted
There are people laughing about missing letters in thread titles. ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
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Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. -- Desmond Tutu
Posts: 1621 | From: Warrior Mountains | Registered: Oct 2007
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Lamb Chopped
Ship's kebab
# 5528
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Posted
Thing is, if you can redirect the bullshit properly it's a great free way to manure your garden. (Looking forward to the presidential fertilizing coming up soon)
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Er, this is what I've been up to (book).
Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down!
Posts: 20059 | From: off in left field somewhere | Registered: Feb 2004
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Doc Tor
Deepest Red
# 9748
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Barefoot Friar:
There are people laughing about missing letters in thread titles.
I would have deleted the thread if there'd been any missing apostrophes...
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Forward the New Republic
Posts: 9131 | From: Ultima Thule | Registered: Jul 2005
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Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
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Posted
The talk about the US campaign for the November 1916 election has already started here. In six months there will be nothing else and the campaigning in my swing state, Ohio, will have no let-up.
I laugh in your general direction.
Posts: 6817 | Registered: May 2002
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
What really pisses me off is driving behind local buses plastered with adverts for the bloody Conservative Party. Surely the People's Buses should advertise Labour (or, even better, the only truly socialist party in the UK - which, as enny fule kno, is neither, red, blue or yellow)?
Sinn Fein don't put up many candidates in our neck of the woods ...
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
The talk about the US campaign for the November 1916 election has already started here ...
It's a bit late for that ... ![[Devil]](graemlins/devil.gif)
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Albertus
Shipmate
# 13356
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
The talk about the US campaign for the November 1916 election has already started here. ...
I'll stick my neck out and say Wilson will get in again. In fact I'd put money on it.
Posts: 6498 | From: Y Sowth | Registered: Jan 2008
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quetzalcoatl
Shipmate
# 16740
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Posted
I do find it depressing, lie upon lie, personal attacks, Farage's voice braying. Maybe I have died and gone to hell.
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I can't talk to you today; I talked to two people yesterday.
Posts: 9878 | From: UK | Registered: Oct 2011
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
The two items of good news so far are:
i) that UKIPs support is about 13%, with the Conservatives and Labout very close at 33/34%. The knees of my trousers could well wear through in an effort to keep the Beasts down to that level.
ii) for the next five weeks Sir Humphrey & co are in charge, so I reckon the country is in safer hands than usual, but then I'm biased.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by quetzalcoatl:
I do find it depressing, lie upon lie, personal attacks, Farage's voice braying. Maybe I have died and gone to hell.
Sadly you have not experienced that luxury.
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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Schroedinger's cat
Ship's cool cat
# 64
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Posted
The problem is not that there is an election (which, TBH, is a major news item). the problem is that the politicians we get wheeled up are all lying toads who I have no desire to listen to. In fact, Cameron and Milliband make me want to puke.
Just to be clear, they are all lying, and there is nothing they are saying that has any point whatsoever - they will break promises, they are distorting statistics, they are manipulating you if you listen to them.
So yes, they can all fuck off, and I will concentrate on other things, like the weather and The Voice and anything else. I don't watch the news anyway, because it is tedious and depressing. If you are not interested, just switch off.
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Blog
Music for your enjoyment
Lord may all my hard times be healing times
take out this broken heart and renew my mind.
Posts: 18859 | From: At the bottom of a deep dark well. | Registered: May 2001
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Palimpsest
Shipmate
# 16772
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Posted
As Twilight mentioned, the US has interminably long expensive campaigns that are gearing up. I too will be inundated with details about Ohio primaries, which is nowhere near where I live.
The only good thing that can happen is that a web site will emerge that covers what the media slices into handy packets of prebiased misinformation. For example, the Nate Silver 538.com on polling for the last couple of elections. I'm going to miss John Stewart and Stephen Colbert political shows on Comedy Central this time around.
One minor help in the stupidity is to read a magazine published in another country. I read the Economist despite not agreeing with their views. It's a bit easier to see the slants, and conversely their coverage of the United States doesn't lie in the same ways that most of the major domestic media do in unison.
My other consolation which I'm saving for later in the campaign is to go and reread "Scoop".
[ 31. March 2015, 17:46: Message edited by: Palimpsest ]
Posts: 2990 | From: Seattle WA. US | Registered: Nov 2011
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Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:
quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
The talk about the US campaign for the November 1916 election has already started here ...
It's a bit late for that ...
Must you read my posts, Piglet! If only you'd skim past like most people do...
Posts: 6817 | Registered: May 2002
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Pyx_e:
Because if you watch the BBC news the rest of the world is not relevant, indeed anything in the UK that is not to do with the GE is not relevant.
You could try radio news, though the German plane disaster is still pretty much the leading item.
Alternatively the internet news has headlines you can choose to ignore or click on. So far I've escaped most of the election coverage.
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RuthW
liberal "peace first" hankie squeezer
# 13
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Posted
Only six weeks? Posers.
Posts: 24453 | From: La La Land | Registered: Apr 2001
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Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
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Posted
Seriously, why don't we Murkans do some time limitations like the Brits do? It would cut down campaign costs and possibly allow someone who is not a billionaire a chance.
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Brenda Clough
Shipmate
# 18061
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Posted
Thank God if you do not live in a swing state. I do, and life is impossible as the election approaches.
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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page
Posts: 6378 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Mar 2014
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Albertus
Shipmate
# 13356
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
Seriously, why don't we Murkans do some time limitations like the Brits do? It would cut down campaign costs and possibly allow someone who is not a billionaire a chance.
Well, it has been geariong up, in shadow form, for a bit longer. this is the first time that the date of a General Election has been known long in advance: until the Fixed Term Parliaments Act was passed in 2010 (at the beginning of this Parliament) the date was essentially for the Prime Minister to choose, so long as it was within the five years that is the maximum that a Parliament can generally last. Now the elections are five years apart unless there is a vote of no confidence in the Commons and there's a procedure laid down for what happens after that.
Posts: 6498 | From: Y Sowth | Registered: Jan 2008
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Pyx_e
Quixotic Tilter
# 57
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Posted
It is not NEWS, it is all (even the Green Party) Fascist Propaganda.
STOP LYING, no wonder everyone distrusts politicians. The BBC playing this game is NOT helping.
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It is better to be Kind than right.
Posts: 9778 | From: The Dark Tower | Registered: May 2001
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Bishops Finger
Shipmate
# 5430
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Posted
The (not red, yellow, or blue)Party LYING!
Is Outrage!!
![[Ultra confused]](graemlins/confused2.gif)
Ian J.
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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)
Posts: 10151 | From: Behind The Wheel Again! | Registered: Jan 2004
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la vie en rouge
Parisienne
# 10688
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Posted
You know what I would really, really like to see in this election? The SNP getting a bloody nose.
I am very bored already of hearing them crowing about how they are going to play kingmaker and have an influence in Westminster completely disproportionate to the number of people who actually voted for them.
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Rent my holiday home in the South of France
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agingjb
Shipmate
# 16555
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Posted
The only leverage the SNP, or any other minor party or grouping, may have is entirely derived from the inability of the two largest parties to co-operate.
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Refraction Villanelles
Posts: 464 | From: Southern England | Registered: Jul 2011
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
At least we can vote for these. On the other side of the main lobby are the "Vermin in Ermine" who, whether appointed or not, certainly aren't there on a democratic basis. They are little better than the EU Commission.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by agingjb:
The only leverage the SNP, or any other minor party or grouping, may have is entirely derived from the inability of the two largest parties to co-operate.
Hardly surprising; Labour and Tories, despite the degree to which us real lefty pinko commie bastards think they're far too alike, largely each define themselves as "Not the other lot".
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Might as well ask the bloody cat.
Posts: 17938 | From: Chesterfield | Registered: May 2001
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Albertus
Shipmate
# 13356
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
... the "Vermin in Ermine" who, whether appointed or not, certainly aren't there on a democratic basis. .....
Do they need to be, as a revising chamber? Certainly there are academic political scientists who think that they don't need to be, suggesting that there are different types of legitimacy.(e.g. this by a former colleague, who now has a chair in Australia.
Posts: 6498 | From: Y Sowth | Registered: Jan 2008
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Albertus:
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
... the "Vermin in Ermine" who, whether appointed or not, certainly aren't there on a democratic basis. .....
Do they need to be, as a revising chamber? Certainly there are academic political scientists who think that they don't need to be, suggesting that there are different types of legitimacy.(e.g. this by a former colleague, who now has a chair in Australia.
I'd like them to be representative of the people, though not necessarily of geographical constituencies. Way too many are prime ministerial cronies, financial supporters of political parties, former politicians put out to grass, press barons and, for some unaccountable reason, descendants of brewers (eg, Bass, Guinness, Younger).
Let's have some former generals, captains of industry and judges but I'd like more staff sergeants, managers and JPs to leaven the elitism. Plenty are smart enough to review legislation. I'd definitely have term limits too.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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Albertus
Shipmate
# 13356
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Posted
I'd agree with you about the staff sergeants and the JPs. Paradoxically you might have found more of those in the hereditary house (well, maybe not staff sergeants, but there was IIRC Detective Sergeant the Earl Nelson, Hertfordshire Police). But the picture of the Lords that you paint is changing- not necessarily for the better, but since they stopped, to all intents and pruposes, giving peerages as plain honours a few years ago, the idea of the Lords as a 'retirement home' is not really what it was.
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My beard is a testament to my masculinity and virility, and demonstrates that I am a real man. Trouble is, bits of quiche sometimes get caught in it.
Posts: 6498 | From: Y Sowth | Registered: Jan 2008
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Callan
Shipmate
# 525
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by agingjb:
The only leverage the SNP, or any other minor party or grouping, may have is entirely derived from the inability of the two largest parties to co-operate.
Or indeed to win a majority.
Personally, I'm a bit puzzled by the whole 'if there is a hung parliament the SNP will be lords of all they survey' line taken by the SNP and the Tories. There is one recent example of a party with fifty or so MPs holding the balance of power in a UK parliament in recent years. Behold, I give you the mighty power of The Right Honourable Mr Nicholas Clegg M.P. and the Liberal Democratic Party.
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How easy it would be to live in England, if only one did not love her. - G.K. Chesterton
Posts: 9757 | From: Citizen of the World | Registered: Jun 2001
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Callan
Shipmate
# 525
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Pyx_e:
It is not NEWS, it is all (even the Green Party) Fascist Propaganda.
STOP LYING, no wonder everyone distrusts politicians. The BBC playing this game is NOT helping.
Pyx_e, mate, get over it. The BBC is not going to cast you as Rik in a modern day remake of 'The Young Ones', however hard you try.
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How easy it would be to live in England, if only one did not love her. - G.K. Chesterton
Posts: 9757 | From: Citizen of the World | Registered: Jun 2001
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Pyx_e
Quixotic Tilter
# 57
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Posted
I have the denim waistcoat
LATEST: Leaders debate tonight which has not happened yet takes up first 10 minutes of NEWS. It's not even news yet!!!!!1
The gibbering cat-shits-string loons.
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It is better to be Kind than right.
Posts: 9778 | From: The Dark Tower | Registered: May 2001
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Wet Kipper
Circus Runaway
# 1654
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
...... and have an influence in Westminster completely disproportionate to the number of people who actually voted for them.
like the current government whose control matches the proportion of people who actually voted for them ?????
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- insert randomly chosen, potentially Deep and Meaningful™ song lyrics here -
Posts: 9841 | From: further up the Hill | Registered: Nov 2001
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Kelly Alves
Bunny with an axe
# 2522
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
Seriously, why don't we Murkans do some time limitations like the Brits do? It would cut down campaign costs and possibly allow someone who is not a billionaire a chance.
Because it would possibly allow someone who is not a billionare a chance.
God, I'm a pinko.
And Callan, do not cocktease me with visions of a " Young Ones" revival.
[ 02. April 2015, 16:25: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
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I cannot expect people to believe “
Jesus loves me, this I know” of they don’t believe “Kelly loves me, this I know.”
Kelly Alves, somewhere around 2003.
Posts: 35076 | From: Pura Californiana | Registered: Mar 2002
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Callan
Shipmate
# 525
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Posted
For some reason I am reminded of the lads reunion at the Secret Policeman's Ball.
Rik: Where's Vyvian?
Vyvian (VO): I'm backstage shagging Kate Bush! We're using Neil as a contraceptive.
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How easy it would be to live in England, if only one did not love her. - G.K. Chesterton
Posts: 9757 | From: Citizen of the World | Registered: Jun 2001
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The Midge
Shipmate
# 2398
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Palimpsest:
As Twilight mentioned, the US has interminably long expensive campaigns that are gearing up. I too will be inundated with details about Ohio primaries, which is nowhere near where I live.
We know. The political pundits over here will switch to coverage of the US primaries before the dust has settled from the coalition/ cabinet negotiations. As if we could vote!
If Farage gets us out of Europe the UK, or what's left of it, may be the next candidate for becoming the 52nd State.
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Some days you are the fly.
On other days you are the windscreen.
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Teufelchen
Shipmate
# 10158
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Posted
As well as the UK election (now only a month away)...
...there's the announcement of two Republican candidacies for the US presidential election that's 18 months away...
...and an intra-party (indeed, intra-familial) spat in the French Front National, regarding (as far as I can tell) a candidacy for the next legislative election, which is over two years away.
So I think our UK election news is rather timely!
t
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Little devil
Posts: 3894 | From: London area | Registered: Aug 2005
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molopata
The Ship's jack
# 9933
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Pyx_e:
It is not NEWS, it is all (even the Green Party) Fascist Propaganda.
STOP LYING, no wonder everyone distrusts politicians. The BBC playing this game is NOT helping.
Well, I'm with you on that one. And one problem is the lack of investigative journalism. Mostly, British broadsheets (and their gutter press for that matter) are nothing other than propaganda machines for one or the other party. All they do is take the lie of their favourite candidate and give it an extra bit of spin. With those they don't like they get personal, i.e. play the (wo)man and not the ball.
I have no problem with newspapers having a general political slant, but when they are so tribal that they never as much scrutinise the consistency of those standing for office, try to uncover their lies or corroborate facts before piping up (Sturgeon's mythic Frenchgate, anyone?), the our democracy is well and truly on the rocks. There's no point paying for newspapers like that, as I can get my conspiracy theories for free on the internet.
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... The Respectable
Posts: 1718 | From: the abode of my w@ndering mind | Registered: Aug 2005
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
And, internet conspiracy theorists are entertaining.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
And you can freely disseminate your own conspiracy theories online, without going to the trouble and expense of owning a newspaper.
![[Biased]](wink.gif)
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Blessed Gator, pray for us!
--"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon")
--"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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Alan Cresswell
Mad Scientist 先生
# 31
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Posted
Although, you must remember that internet conspiracy theorists are actually all in the employ of Rupert Murdoch. It's a clever ploy to lend credibility to Fox News.
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Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.
Posts: 32413 | From: East Kilbride (Scotland) or 福島 | Registered: May 2001
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Golden Key
Shipmate
# 1468
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Posted
Alan--
Oh, but you missed the secret meeting the other night! Murdoch's finally realized that most people will never trust Fox cable news enough to even believe a conspiracy theory.
Evidently, he's going to turn Fox into a smart phone game: any time a character lies about the news, you throw a rolled up newspaper at the anchor desk, the desk starts spinning around, and an assortment of exorcists arrives to guide them back to the straight and narrow path.
Murdoch's giving the proceeds to charity. He's going to be a hermit in remote wilderness, far away from any media at all. (He's found the via media. Middle way.)
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Blessed Gator, pray for us!
--"Oh bat bladders, do you have to bring common sense into this?" (Dragon, "Jane & the Dragon")
--"Oh, Peace Train, save this country!" (Yusuf/Cat Stevens, "Peace Train")
Posts: 18601 | From: Chilling out in an undisclosed, sincere pumpkin patch. | Registered: Oct 2001
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passer
Indigo
# 13329
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Posted
Well, it seems as though we should be able to accurately predict the outcome by means of a swift board poll on the Ship. Might be possible to make a few bob at the bookies' based on the outcome.
Posts: 1289 | From: Sheffield | Registered: Jan 2008
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luvanddaisies
the'fun'in'fundie'™
# 5761
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Posted
Ship's poll, currently located in the Circus would suggest we're a more lefty lot than that.
I knew there was some reason I like most of the people here
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"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." (Mark Twain)
Posts: 3711 | From: all at sea. | Registered: Apr 2004
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passer
Indigo
# 13329
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Posted
Sorry - I'd missed that. (self-flagellates)
Posts: 1289 | From: Sheffield | Registered: Jan 2008
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