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#1
Off the Record / Re: Routine Shootings at US Sc...
Last post by The Brain - Today at 03:54:08 AMReal-Life Martinus Saves The Day:
#2
Off the Record / Re: Facebook Follies of Friend...
Last post by Norgy - Today at 01:45:43 AMYou still have not reached the European soccer transfer market level. Which is brutal, ugly and so full of money.
#3
Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...
Last post by Norgy - Today at 01:40:37 AMQuote from: Valmy on April 16, 2026, 05:28:36 PMI am getting pretty tired of the United States and its bullshit...which is unfortunate since I live here.
I get that.
And I really sympathise with you and other American posters. I wonder how much this will damage the already frail relationship between the elected and the electorate.
I noticed Hegseth was lambasting the media for being unpatriotic again. That means he does not want media, just propaganda.
#4
Off the Record / Re: Iran War
Last post by crazy canuck - April 16, 2026, 11:18:04 PMQuote from: grumbler on April 16, 2026, 10:10:55 PMQuote from: crazy canuck on April 16, 2026, 12:26:08 PMIt's foolish to pretend that anything coming from the Russians should be taken at face value by third parties or anyone else. This is not the first time Sheilbh has taken misinformation and treated analyzed it as if it were more valid than it is. It is foolish not to call these things out when them happen.
It is foolish to refuse to look at information because you don't like what it says. No one is taking it at face value, but that doesn't mean that it has zero value. Virtue signalling is always a bad look.
You're right. Baron please open the gates to all the Russian troll bots some can become more enlightened
#5
Off the Record / Re: Facebook Follies of Friend...
Last post by grumbler - April 16, 2026, 10:12:06 PMQuote from: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on April 16, 2026, 05:42:36 PMLulz. Basically what I think every time I hear someone pining for the "good old days" 5+ years ago in college sports. I mean, I hate seeing my school's basketball team poached from as much as anyone, but I don't want to force the kinds to stay there either.
Money ruins everything.
#6
Off the Record / Re: Iran War
Last post by grumbler - April 16, 2026, 10:10:55 PMQuote from: crazy canuck on April 16, 2026, 12:26:08 PMIt's foolish to pretend that anything coming from the Russians should be taken at face value by third parties or anyone else. This is not the first time Sheilbh has taken misinformation and treated analyzed it as if it were more valid than it is. It is foolish not to call these things out when them happen.
It is foolish to refuse to look at information because you don't like what it says. No one is taking it at face value, but that doesn't mean that it has zero value. Virtue signalling is always a bad look.
#7
Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...
Last post by Grey Fox - April 16, 2026, 09:45:43 PMYou should fight then.
#8
Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...
Last post by Valmy - April 16, 2026, 08:22:40 PMQuote from: Grey Fox on April 16, 2026, 06:24:21 PMYou don't have to.
MAGA should leave. They are the ones who suck.
#9
Off the Record / Re: What does a TRUMP presiden...
Last post by Grey Fox - April 16, 2026, 06:24:21 PMYou don't have to.
#10
Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...
Last post by Sheilbh - April 16, 2026, 06:20:17 PMOn his third Cabinet Secretary, third Chief of Staff, I think fifth Comms Director and now cycling through Permanent Secretaries too. Amazingly the FCDO Permanent Secretary who has been fired is the only person (in the documents released so far) who challenged the decision of appointing Mandelson.
The case for it is presumably that the only civil servant who raised a red flag about Mandelson and whose department oversaw vetting then decided to override the vetting report without informing any ministers...
We're now at the stage of anonymous ministers and SpAds briefing that Starmer needs to go (if only they were in some sort of position to influence the course of events
).
Private Eye putting together clips from an interview with Starmer in 2020 about how he never turns on his staff and being a leader is about carrying the can
Edit: The real irony of all this is that Mandelson's predecessor, Dame Karen Pierce was actually really well regarded. She'd been credited with really reviving the British Embassy in DC after a couple of decades of complacency (and the French stealing a march) - particularly on building ties with Congress - but she'd also worked very well with both Trump and Biden administrations, because by all accounts she's a fantastic diplomat. She was one of several competent respected non-political people fired by Starmer when he came in because Labour didn't really want that type of continuity (see also John Bew) - and it created space for New Labour grandees to return. On the Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy ending of this we end up with Starmer stepping down and Karen Pierce sailing into Whitehall as the new Cabinet Secretary
Edit: Sorry he'll also be moving onto his third Permanent Secretary at the FCDO as well - Starmer specifically recruited Robins from the private sector in January 2025 (Robins held various civil service posts before moving to the private sector - he was May's Brexit negotiator and Europe advisor for her and Cameron, DG of the Civil Service before that etc).
The case for it is presumably that the only civil servant who raised a red flag about Mandelson and whose department oversaw vetting then decided to override the vetting report without informing any ministers...
We're now at the stage of anonymous ministers and SpAds briefing that Starmer needs to go (if only they were in some sort of position to influence the course of events
).Private Eye putting together clips from an interview with Starmer in 2020 about how he never turns on his staff and being a leader is about carrying the can
Edit: The real irony of all this is that Mandelson's predecessor, Dame Karen Pierce was actually really well regarded. She'd been credited with really reviving the British Embassy in DC after a couple of decades of complacency (and the French stealing a march) - particularly on building ties with Congress - but she'd also worked very well with both Trump and Biden administrations, because by all accounts she's a fantastic diplomat. She was one of several competent respected non-political people fired by Starmer when he came in because Labour didn't really want that type of continuity (see also John Bew) - and it created space for New Labour grandees to return. On the Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy ending of this we end up with Starmer stepping down and Karen Pierce sailing into Whitehall as the new Cabinet Secretary
Edit: Sorry he'll also be moving onto his third Permanent Secretary at the FCDO as well - Starmer specifically recruited Robins from the private sector in January 2025 (Robins held various civil service posts before moving to the private sector - he was May's Brexit negotiator and Europe advisor for her and Cameron, DG of the Civil Service before that etc).