Another thread goes down the shitter.

The members who post prolifically to political (and other) threads are sometimes referred to as ‘big hitters’ and, typically, add nothing to any subject.

In my business experience, a big hitter is someone who delivers – usually in adverse circumstances; somewhat different to STW’s ‘big hitters’.

In reality, on STW, they are individuals like needy kids in a classroom who always want to have the last word and their contributions, despite their invariable length, add nothing to the debate.

Quoting chunks of others original works is naked plagiarism.

Time to cancel my (print & digital) membership; I’m sure one of the many voluble free loaders will now become a full member to maintain STW’s revenue stream.

Ha!

Fetterman’s health problems are still not resolved and would be a consideration.

Andy Beshear, Kentucky governor, is tipped by many to be Harris’s VP pick and was interviewed on CNN last night. He pointed out JD Vance’s ‘evolving’ views about trump – a vocal critic previously, now a MAGA fanatic – and said ‘…Vance doesn’t have any convictions but his running mate has 34 of them’.

It’s clear that trump’s criminality is a drum which the Democrats will bang long and loud.

The polling differences between trump and Harris are within the margin of error so I wouldn’t read anything into them.

@stevenmenmuir – trump’s team are far more organised, structured, disciplined and focussed than 2019/20 so I don’t agree with your comment about giving them too much credit.

They will rapidly pivot away from age and attempt to tie Harris to what they perceive to be Biden’s failings – they started doing it within minutes of Biden’s announcement.

100 days to find out which of us is right.

Harris was my prediction when the 2020 campaign started.

Her initial promise rapidly faded and she dropped out before the primaries.

I hope she and her team have worked hard to strengthen her weaknesses; you can bet your last dime that trump’s team have dissected her 2019/20 performances to develop attack lines.

A Harris – trump debate would be *interesting* but I doubt trump would agree to it as the potential downsides would be a big risk; also the use of muted mics and no audience  would severely limit him when faced with a lucid and competent adversary.

Her support base is broad but there are questions about how deep it is; trump’s support base is (relatively) narrow but it is deep.

 TBH I don’t care if they vote in Trump or not, it’s likely not really going to effect anyone outside the US. Trump on the world stage or needing to make decisions about that are probably not going to happen, and he’ll turn inward in a new McCarthyism.

Are you serious?

trump is totally transactional and will do a deal with anyone, anywhere if there is a benefit to him; he will pull support from Ukraine – which is outside the US; he will do nothing to stop China from moving against Taiwan. He has no allegiance to NATO. Palestinians in Gaza? A protectionist economy will damage both the US and it’s trading partners. His behaviours will encourage other authoritarian leaders outside the US to adopt more extreme positions.

A second trump presidency will be damaging for democracy on the world stage.

New McCarthyism – yep, that’s highly likely given his comments and those of acolytes about revenge.

Too little and much too late.

Do any of the IT bods have a ‘plain english’ translation thing we can use to understand what you’re wittering on about.

Also, using acronyms is only ever a way to present an ‘aura of mystique’ and exclude those who don’t believe in communicating by using acronym soup. It’s unnecessary bollocks.

Be clear, concise and, most importantly, intelligible – please.

Buy quill pens, parchment and make your own ink using soot and water.

The US – about to fall into the abyss.

I can’t see how they could recover from another trump presidency.

Why would Starmer say anything about an incident in Leeds other than…violence against police is unacceptable?

Any improvement in relationship between UK and EU will be much welcomed by me.

The bigger and more wide-ranging the improvement, the better it will be.

the generalist – I take it that your ‘informed comment’ is based on personal experience.

No? Didn’t think so.

My personal experience of and dealings with tax accountants and financial planners has been positive. You don’t pick up what they know from a bit of reading up and google searching.

Why not call the council and ask them to clarify?

I doubt very much ‘It’s all covered in this thread’.

The sensible approach, in my view, is to get prices for professional advice and then decide whether or not to pay the fees.

An individual who is not a financial planner or tax accountant is unlikely to structure their financial affairs as efficiently as possible – nor are they likely to fully understand the tax implications of how they utilise their inheritance.

The value of the shares inheritance is a/the key consideration.

CGT tax-free allowance is £3k for 2024/25.

Have you taken any advice from a tax accountant? That would have been my start point.

He needs to be pointed to the exit door – and quickly. Whether or not his missus wants him to be discharged and returned home is an irrelevance and they both should be made fully aware of that.

tomhoward has it – time to bring back one of the old masters; in addition to Allardyce, other contenders are Hodgson and McClaren.

More pips required on TJ’s epaulettes; no, that’s not code for anything – unless you really want it to be…

It’s often been observed that STW members comprise a huge range of experience and specialisms but I didn’t know that extended to professional marksmen and close/personal security experts.

Impressed…

There we have it – not good enough…again.

Stealth ad on STW?

Biden is the only chance the Dems have of beating trump.

Possible replacements would be Harris, Newsom, Whitmore or Landrieu.

If Biden wins he should then stand down and bow out while he still has something going for him.

None of the possible replacements have the organisation/structure/team, backers, donors or money.

If trump wins that will allow both Thomas and Alito to stand down from the Supreme Court and be replaced by much younger versions of themselves which will embed right wing bias for decades to come.

A further consideration  – if trump wins, it’s likely the senate will flip.

An authoritarian, vindictive, egotistical bully as president with both houses and the Supreme Court behind him – that’s what american voters should be focussed on and very scared of.

Saw that. It won’t change his behavioiur or that of his acolytes/facilitators.

Are any of the contributors to this thread economists – with something beyond a first degree – or financiers?

That background would provide a degree of credibility to the various posts.

Without that academic rigour, the posts are all…meh

If you won’t drink it, don’t cook with it. Hic…

That answers the avocado question which came up so often on the doorstep!

Definitely a man of the people.

Capitalism is only part of it; to date, Ofwat have been a thoroughly inept regulator.

Additionally, multiple governments have been unconcerned about utilities being owned by foreign companies – Macquarie and Thames Water being a prime example; maximise and extract the profits then sell-on when problems are becoming apparent but before they become significant.

Governmental failure to retain a ‘golden share’ when privatisation occurred.

It was well known at privatisation that there had been huge under-investment for decades but there was no attempt by government to ensure that investment would be prioritised way beyond off-loading future liabilities.

A textbook example of how to get it wrong.

Now that I’ve stopped laughing at grimep’s ridiculous post, how about some facts regarding UK oil and gas production.

Most of the oil produced in the UK is sold on International markets so stopping any new licences will do nothing to change oil security in the UK – nor will it have any impact on pricing. As an aside, the UK does not have refining capacity for most of it’s North Sea production.

As for gas, it’s a little different in that production enters the UK network but, thanks to interconnecters, gas can be imported/exported as required.

Producers have been reducing their reliance on fossil fuels by expanding into the green energy sector for many years.

In summary, the claims that a ban on new North Sea licences will…wreck the industry, increase reliance on imports, increase prices, increase fuel insecurity are demonstrably false.

As always, the 4Fs apply here – First Find the F’in Facts.

Yawn.

@binners – always rely on Geordies for tactical and political analysis.

How long would it take – and at what cost – to send a cold flannel to Edinburgh to cool a fevered brow?

Everyone just relax – STW won’t make any material change to the UK unless…there are some cabinet members hiding behind some of the user names; Kier, are you there?

VAT not applicable in this case.

Field Cycles have closed, I think; Ricky Feather works with steel inc stainless but not Ti as far as I know.

Whatever next?

How about England playing a fluent, assertive, passing game tomorrow and leaving the Netherlands chasing shadows?

Time for this thread to be closed and, possibly, a new one – Labour Government 2024 onwards or similar – to be opened.

Displaying the high levels of competency for which they’ve become renowned, the tories managed to cock–up the election of a new leader of the 1922 committee. The notification sent out by the whips showed the wrong times with the actual cut-off earlier than that notified which meant that hunt, françois and others turned up too late to vote; the general was most unhappy.

If the HoC bars are closed or their use is in some way curtailed that will remove one of the reasons why farage stood to become an MP.

I didn’t know that Chris Philp had retained his seat in Croydon South when the polls gave him a 1% chance of doing so.

Any informed comments from the London Massif?

Just looking at scotroutes quoting ernie from miles up there^^^, does that mean Ernesto is getting off the thread??

Parents both dead. Haven’t seen my brother for 30 years and haven’t talked with him for 20 years; there have been occasional exchanges of emails/texts.

Do I miss him? Yes.

I miss my parents so much more.

As others ^^^ have said…you can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family.

Alpin – what do your family think of you?