text:
Health England Healthy And Medical Care Organisation
Government Healthy Start
Green Electricity
Growing Your Own Food!
Top Form with the NHS
England's Leading Health Service and Medical Negligence
England's National Health Service
In 1948 shortly after Britain's victoriously winning the Second World War the government set up a publicly funded health service so that all citizens could receive health care if they needed it. Its main fundamental value was to allow access to those needing medical care regardless of their class and means. In order to receive care you need to be a citizen of the United Kingdom and live here in the UK. There are currently more than 63.2 million citizens in the United Kingdom which is a great responsibility for the Nation Health Service (NHS). The NHS employ more than 1.7 million staffs one of the biggest employers in the world. Funding for such an organisation comes from taxation; people who earn over the required threshold set by the government must pay a certain amount of tax required by the government. The government will then give the designated money received to the Department of Health who will divide the money up and give it to the relevant departments.
The NHS is considered the most efficient and egalitarian health organisations in the world. In 2010 The Commonwealth fund which is a private association working to better all healthcare and providers stated that England NHS service was second most impressive health services compared with 6 other countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand and USA). It was rated first for its care provisions, capability and competence and second again for its fairness and safety. The survey conducted by the commonwealth fund found England NHS system to have fewer medical errors when compared with 11 other high income countries. It was declared that Britain along with Switzerland was seen as best performance after analysis of answers of 18,000 patients with chronic or serious illness. It seems that access to care was vital for all patients and that people in Britain had quick accessible and fastest access to GP's and after hours care. The findings of the survey viewed the performance by the NHS as outstanding excellence.
It seems that over the past few years the NHS have been in the news for all the wrong reasons. There is no denying that England has seen a progressive rise the amount of medical negligence cases which have been reported. If you or someone you know have fallen victim to medical negligence you can get advice for medical negligence claims from MedicalNegligenceAssist. Almost one fifth of the NHS's budget has to be set aside for medical negligence compensation cases, a massive 22.7 billion pounds. England's NHS is now dealing with a compensation budget that is one of the highest in the world. This is a 22per cent increase on the year before and it is said to be due to the fact that more and more patients and care home residents are taking legal action against the health service. Critics argue it is down to our claim or compensation culture. There are many more law firms being set up than in recent years all offering a "no win no fee" agreement which means unless the case is won the client does not have to pay anything at all. A third of the compensation goes to the lawyer and some lawyers charge up to £900 an hour.
While this may be true the recent scandal faced by the NHS show that care has fallen below the standard expected by the health care profession. The main one being the Mid Staffordshire hospital which saw the wrongful deaths of 1200 patients. Robert Francis QC Chairman of the enquiry in to the Mid Staffordshire Trust Foundation scandal made recommendation to the NHS service on how to improve the culture, making it a patient based environment and that the needs of the patient always come first so that they feel safe, secure and are confident that their needs are being met. Such reports allow for the public to feel confident in the health care service that problems are constantly being met and services improved.
All Reception Kids in England to Receive Free Meal from Sept 14th 2014
Last September the deputy prime minister, Mr Nick Clegg publically announced plans from the liberal democrats to offer up free school meals for kids that are studying in reception classes in primary schools in England. Those that are in year one and 2 will get free meals, which will total the amount of £400 per annum. This is of course a great saving for those with kids this age that would normally have to fork out from their own back pocket, to line their child's stomach.
The idea is an attempt from the government to line the stomachs of children, in order to ensure that their brains were well lined too. Kids that attend school and feel hungry and haven't eaten properly will not learn as much. Nick Clegg said that it made sure that schools promoted healthy eating habits from a young age, and made sure that attention levels in class were boosted.
There have been worries that the funding needed to kick start this scheme, is not going to be able to be obtained, but Mr Clegg is adamant that all kids of the reception age will be able to have free food.
It is also a fantastic way to ensure that the huge gap between those that are just cutting the bread line, and those that have extra cash to spare (the long divide between the rich and the poor in English society), is of course, out ruled, and that equality is promoted. When a child eats correctly, and is filled with a nutritionally balanced meal, he or she will not feel the need to eat junk food. It is a great way of spending money on food, and cutting down on health bills for the government in the future.
Also, of course benefits too. In fact it is quite an innovative method that has been dreamed up by the Liberal Dems to ensure that kids get educated to a higher level, and are less likely to drop out of school and pursue a higher level of education, keeping them out of the state's income support system later on in life. Also, of course by not being obese and having correct eating habits implanted from a young age, today's kids will not be the future obese kids that will burden and strain funding on the NHS system.
If the scheme is correctly implemented the benefits of such a scheme will last for decades. The school meals on offer in schools around England have become a recent topic of limelight, ever since TV chef Jamie Oliver highlighted just how poor the meals on offer were. It has been proven that packed lunches are not as healthy and cooked ones are a better option. It has also been noted that those that do not qualify for free school meals already with the states benefit system for low income families are more likely to send their child to school with a packed lunch, to save cash. Only time will tell.
You can also read about if you already qualify for a free school meal for your child www.gov.uk/school-meals-healthy-eating-standards .
© HealthEngland.org


(i). (ço? veya tek) bilgi, malumat, istatistik. data processing (özellikle elektronik makinalarla) bilgi toplay?p lüzumlu yere aktarma i?lemi.
See Datum. a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn; 'statistical data'.
a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn; 'statistical data'.
Facts represented in a readable language on a durable medium Data on its own carries no meaning Empirical data are facts originating in or based on observations or experiences A database is a store of data concerning a particular domain Data in a database may be less structured or have weaker semantics than knowledge in a knowledge base Compare data with information and knowledge.
Programs, files, and other information stored in, communicated, or processed by a computer.
Data can be defined in many ways Information science defines data as unprocessed information Data is converted into information, and information is converted into knowledge For the purposes of Enterprise, data is a small unit of information, i e a learner's name or an exam mark. a term that describes the BITS, BYTES, etc, that a computer stores and manipulates Data processed in a useful way becomes information.
Representation forms of information dealt with by information systems and their users [642 1-G-1].
A representation of facts, concepts, or instructions in a formal manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing by human beings or by computers.
Factual information used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation. 'A formalized representation of facts or concepts suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing by people or automated means ' The term 'data' is often used to refer to the information stored in the computer. 1 Alpha and numeric characters which are processed by a computer 2 Facts or information gathered for a specific purpose.
A re-interpretable representation of information in a formalized manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing Operations can be performed upon data by humans or by automatic means Any representations such as characters or analog quantities to which meaning is or might be assigned A representation of facts or instructions in a form suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing by human or automatic means Data includes constants, variables, arrays, and character strings.
Any information contained in a computer file Normally names and address plus other demographic information.
Digital information that is input to, output from, or processed and stored in a computer.
A formal representation of raw material from which information is constructed via processing or interpretation.
Information that is collected, stored or processed systematically.
Digital information or just information, depending on the context. 1 in the context of remote sensing, a computer file containing numbers which represent a remotely sensed image, and can be processed to display that image 2 a collection of numbers, strings, or facts that require some processing before they are meaningful.
Refers to information in numerical form that can be digitally transmitted or processed.
Social science data are the raw material out of which social and economic statistics are produced Social science data originate from social research methodologies or administrative records, while statistics are produced from data Data are the information collected and stored at the level at which the unit of analysis was observed Summaries of these data are usually statistics Data must be processed to be of practical use This compilation is accomplished with statistical software, which reads the raw data from a computer file. factual information, especially results of an experiment or clinical trial.
Information stored on the computer system, used by applications to accomplish tasks. the information and evidence gathered during the assessment process for use in determining the level of teaching performance See Evidence, Extant Data, Information.
Factual information used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation; a collection of numerical facts.
A gathering of facts, concepts or instructions in a formalized manner, made suitable for communication, interpretation or processing Anything other than voice.
Data is an un-processed collection or representation of raw facts, concepts, or instructions in a manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing by humans or by automatic means.


Jericho was the only person in town who could see a spook, or spirit as Reverend Ledbetter called them.
No one in Titusville, Kentucky, doubted that Jericho had the ability to see, and communicate with the dead. He was always a strange child that defied description.
For starters, no one ever tried to pick on him in school even though he made an easy target. He never bullied anyone. He tended to be a loner, but spoke with other students and teachers when he had to.
There was something powerful that emanated from Jericho. There was a certainty in his eyes that belied his age. He was neither short, nor tall. He wasn't stupid, nor was he the top of the class.
He was every man by the time he graduated from high school. He could disappear in crowds effortlessly. Nothing in his features made him stand out.
If not for his ability to see and talk with spirits, Jericho would have gone through life unnoticed.
Instead of leaving tiny Titusville like most of the other kids did when they graduated, Jericho was content to stay in town and scratch out a living as a handyman and carpenter.
He lived with his elderly parents in the house he was born in. The house was located near the downtown district in a small residential area.
Jericho stopped hammering and turned around to fully face the apparition.
Surprised to be discovered so easily, the alien took on its true form.
When the alien left, he went back to work on the fence and finished it before the sun went down. That night as he ate dinner with his parents, he sensed an underlying tension. Like they wanted to tell him something.
After dinner, they all went to the living room. Instead of picking up a book, like he usually did after the evening meal, Jericho's father said he had a story to tell him.
It started with the fact that he was an orphan. They found him near the wreckage of a small metal capsule in the forest. He was only an infant, so they took him home and raised him.
They agreed that some day they would tell him what they knew – little though it was – when they felt he was ready. One thing that amazed them both was how much he came to resemble a little of each of them in his features.
"This is that day," his mother spoke up.
His parents watched his confusion with sympathy. Their world was turned upside when they first found him. Now it was being turned upside down again because they raised him. Neither, for even a moment, considered asking him not to communicate with restless spirits.
It was an ability they accepted because of their love for him. Both were ready to die for him now.
They both quickly nodded yes.
They drove to the edge of the forest. His mother stayed with the pickup truck while his dad picked out a trail and followed it. After an hour they came upon the partly buried capsule. Vegetation had nearly engulfed it.
When night fell Jericho attempted to do something he'd never done before; summon up a spirit – and not just one – but hundreds! Soon he was surrounded by spirits. He discovered they all weren't just earthly spirits, but spirits from other races in other planets too!
He looked through the canopy of trees and saw stars twinkling brightly in the heavens. It was like they all were waiting for him to speak. With the support of other alien spirits, Jericho put together a team to stop Lord Lucan's evil reign.
When it was done he felt pain in his earthly body. It only lasted for a moment before he died and his free spirit was able to assume his destiny as the star child.
As It Stands, this tale was a twist on the superman story.


The Fine Art Paintings, Prints, Serigraphs, Monotypes, and Collages by Arthur Secunda a fine artist and jazz musician whose career spans over seven decades with studios both in Europe and the United States.
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Offshore wind farm under construction in the Irish Sea, Duddon Sands, Cumbria, UK, 2014. Credit: Chris James/Alamy Stock Photo.
The UK government today awarded contracts worth £176m to 11 low-carbon electricity schemes, with offshore wind the big winner. These projects will generate nearly 3% of UK electricity demand.
The offshore wind schemes are also close to being subsidy-free: the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) expects wholesale power prices to average £53/MWh in the period from 2023 to 2035, covering the bulk of their 15-year contract period.
The auction results shift the conversation, from renewables being expensive, towards how cheap, variable zero-carbon power can be integrated into the grid, while maintaining sufficient supplies of power throughout the year.
Today's auction is the second competitive auction and third award of contracts for difference (CfDs). These are contracts at a fixed "strike price" and most of them last for 15 years. During the contract period, projects are paid the difference between a reference wholesale price and their strike price. If wholesale prices rise above the strike price, the project pays back the difference.
This guaranteed income allows developers to get more favourable terms from investors. This cuts the cost of borrowing, which makes up a large part of the total price tag for low-carbon generation.
In the first round, in 2014, the government awarded 15-year CfDs to five offshore windfarms at £140-150/MWh. These projects are coming online during 2017 and 2018. These awards were criticised by the National Audit Office, which said competitive auctions could have cut costs.
In the first CfD auction, held in 2015, contracts worth £315m were awarded to 27 schemes, with a total capacity of 2.1 gigawatts (GW). The majority of this was offshore wind, at prices of £120/MWh for projects coming online in 2017/18 and £114/MWh for 2018/19. Onshore wind and solar schemes supported in this first auction came in at around £80/MWh.
Today's second CfD auction awarded £176m to 11 schemes totalling 3.3GW, of which three offshore wind projects made up 3.2GW. The 860 megawatt (MW) Triton Knoll windfarm off Lincolnshire is due to come online in 2021/22 at a cost of £74.75/MWh.
The following year, the 950MW Moray Offshore Windfarm (East) and 1,360MW Hornsea 2 scheme will come online at a cost of £57.50. The total 3.2GW will cost an average of £64/MWh.
These offshore wind schemes will be phased, meaning only parts of their capacities will start generating power during the first year. This is expected to allow developers to take advantage of falling technology costs and the hoped-for availability of larger, more cost-effective turbines.
A number of small incinerators and biomass combined-heat-and-power plants were also awarded CfDs today at prices of between £40 and £75/MWh. Their total capacity is 150MW, the maximum allowed under auction rules set by BEIS.
The lower-than-expected prices in today's auction mean BEIS was able to support 3.3GW of capacity despite only allocating £176m out of the £295m total it had available.
Additional bids might have been too high or too large: The remaining money could have supported an extra 3GW of offshore wind at £57.50/MWh, or just 190MW at £70/MWh.
The government had previously promised to run three rounds of auctions, including today's, with up to £760m available. It has yet to confirm if additional auctions will take place.
This illustrates the most striking thing about the CfD auction results so far: wind and solar have consistently delivered far lower prices than expected. Indeed, BEIS had set a price target for offshore wind of £85/MWh in 2026, far higher than the contracts awarded today.
In late 2016, BEIS projections suggested offshore wind projects coming online in 2025 would cost around £100/MWh – far more than new gas and comparable with new nuclear. At the time, BEIS said onshore wind and large solar farms would be the cheapest new power sources.
Levelised costs of electricity generating capacity coming online in 2025. PWR FOAK is first-of-a-kind pressurised water nuclear reactors. CCS is carbon capture and storage. CCGT is combined cycle gas turbine. OCGT is open cycle gas turbine (for peaking). R3 is the third round of offshore wind licences awarded by the Crown Estate. Source: BEIS projections.
Today's auction has destroyed the 2016 BEIS projections, with offshore wind projects again coming in far cheaper than expected.
The chart below shows awarded CfD prices for wind and solar (blue and yellow lines) compared to the Hinkley C new nuclear plant (purple line), which has a 35-year CfD for £92.50/MWh. Also shown are current and expected wholesale power prices (black) and the projected cost of building large new gas-fired combined cycle plants (CCGTs, red).
Costs of UK electricity generation, £/MWh. Wholesale prices are actual (solid black line) and projected, (dashed line). Technology costs reflect awarded contracts and projections, see notes below for more details. Sources: BEIS projections, CfD auction results and Baringa Partners. Chart by Carbon Brief using Highcharts.
The chart shows that offshore wind, along with onshore wind and large solar farms, are all thought to be cheaper than new gas generation (see notes below for more on this comparison, which includes a rising carbon price reaching £49 per tonne by 2030).
By the mid-2020s, renewables will be cheaper than new gas even after accounting for the costs of integrating them into the electricity grid and providing backup to guarantee supplies.
The best available estimates suggest these so-called whole-system costs will add around £10-15/MWh. This includes balancing unexpected short-term fluctuations in output and providing back-up capacity for cold, dark and still days in winter when renewable generation is low.
System costs are expected rise to between £15 and £45/MWh if wind and solar supply half the UK's power, up from 15% in 2016. The top end of this range reflects a very inflexible electricity grid. Costs would be at the lower end, if the government's plans to encourage a flexible grid bear fruit.
The chart above shows renewables are also close to becoming subsidy-free, with prices approaching expected future wholesale costs. (Note this is before accounting for integration costs). For example, today's £57.50/MWh offshore wind contracts are less than £5/MWh above the £53/MWh average wholesale price projected by BEIS for 2023-2035.
However, these contracts fall short of results in Germany, where Dong Energy has won the right to build offshore wind projects without subsidy. This subsidy-free price excludes some of the costs of connecting to the grid, which are included in the UK contracts.
As well as grid connection costs, contracts in Germany and the Netherlands can exclude site scoping and design, with developers competing to build already agreed projects. See this June 2017 Offshore Wind Journal article for more on how the UK system compares.
Today's auction is likely to challenge preconceptions about renewable power. For example, Prof Dieter Helm, who is leading a government review on costs of energy, has said offshore windfarms will "never" be economic.
It might also increase pressure on the government to run auctions for onshore wind and solar, which are likely to be even cheaper. Consultants Baringa Partners say auctions could secure 1GW of onshore wind for £46/MWh, which would be effectively subsidy-free. Meanwhile, Cornwall Energy says some onshore schemes could offer CfD bids as low as £40/MWh.
Securing subsidy-free renewables would help fill the gap in electricity supplies, which is expected to open up in the 2020s as the UK's remaining coal plants close, old nuclear retires and more stringent carbon targets start to bite.
(This gap will be even wider if electric vehicles raise demand, though this is unlikely to be significant during the next decade. It could be shrunk if the UK implements cost-effective energy efficiency policies that could cut household demand by a quarter).
On the other hand, despite rapidly falling prices, the UK must face the challenge of managing the variable output of wind and solar and integrating them into the electricity grid. Here, the government's plans to encourage a more flexible grid will be key to keeping costs to a minimum.
Today's results do not necessarily mean the UK can focus on renewables alone. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) argues for a portfolio of technologies in order to keep options open for meeting long-term carbon targets. All of its pathways for the fifth carbon budget include renewables and at least one of either new nuclear power or carbon capture and storage.
The chart of electricity generation costs amalgamates several different sources of information. As noted below, these are not all strictly comparable. Nevertheless, the chart is indicative of the trends at play in the UK power market.
The wholesale power price is from the ICIS power index for past and current prices, with the 2017 figure a year-to-date average. Future power prices are central BEIS projections, published in 2017, amended for 2022 through 2025 with numbers published as part of today's auction. Note that the latter are references prices, which are not strictly the same as wholesale prices.
The technology costs are shown in 2012 prices and include BEIS projections, awarded contracts and other estimates.
For nuclear, the strike price for Hinkley C is shown. Note that this is a 35-year contract, which spreads the cost over more years and hence depresses the price compared to the 15-year contracts for renewables.
On the other hand, strike prices tend to be inflated relative to the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE), shown for some of the technologies, which spreads the cost over the lifetime of each project.
For offshore wind, the prices shown reflect already awarded contracts for each delivery year, with a straight line drawn in between years. For onshore wind, contract prices are shown for 2017, BEIS LCOE projections for 2018 and 2020, then an estimate from consultants Baringa Partners for 2022.
The solar line includes contracts awarded in the first CfD auction and then BEIS projections, which are likely to be an overestimate of the true costs.
For gas, the line shows BEIS projections. Note that this includes a rising price for wholesale gas and, more importantly, a rising carbon price that reaches £49 per tonne in 2030. It could be argued that this overstates the cost of gas generation. However, this rising price remains below one that would be consistent with meeting the UK's legally-binding carbon budgets. An argument against including any carbon price amounts to an argument against meeting UK climate goals.
The LCOE and strike prices are good for comparing the costs of generating an additional megawatt hour of electricity. However, they are relatively poor metrics for comparing the cost and value of meeting all the needs of the electricity system.
Renewables | August 8. 2012.
Renewables | October 10. 2015.


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Straight Dope Message Board > Main > Politics & Elections > 2019 British General Election (Poll)
View Poll Results: Time to Vote
Labour 18 40.91%
Conservatives 6 13.64%
Liberal-Democrats 15 34.09%
Minor/Regional Parties 5 11.36%
Paul in Qatar
Location: Dammam, Saudi Arabia
2019 British General Election (Poll)
Time to vote.
(Wonderful... there is no way to edit "Labout." Can a Mod help?) 1
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Last edited by Paul in Qatar; 12-10-2019 at 09:27 PM.
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dalej42
Before I vote, is this who I want to win or who I think will win? 2
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Originally Posted by dalej42
Before I vote, is this who I want to win or who I think will win?
People generally vote for the party that has the policies they most like. In the UK, many vote strategically, voting simply to stymie a party they do not like. It is up to you. 3
Voted Lib Dem. I fear it'll be a Tory landslide. Too many Labour supporters on Twitter whining about rigged polls and how Corbyn isn't being treated fairly 4
Oswald Bastable
Location: Late Tudor period
I imagine we UK SDMBers skew liberal (as with the US members, though I understand we have different conceptions about what 'liberal' means) so this poll is going to end up with the LDs showing much more popular than in the actual election.
Anyway, I ticked 'Labout' . I'm not a natural Labour voter, but am voting tactically in this instance. I'm in a safe-ish Conservative constituency.
As above, I'm expecting a Tory majority, but not a landslide. One thing national polls don't fully take into account is where those being polled are located. The Tories having 45% in a poll doesn't mean a thing if a majority of those 45% are in constituencies that already have a Conservative MP.
OB 5
Last edited by Oswald Bastable; 12-11-2019 at 02:32 AM.
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Might be interesting to read in comments which party currently represents your constituency and how safe that seat is.
I'm in a safe-ish Conservative seat in the very middle of middle England. The previous Conservative incumbent won in 2017 with 60% of the vote, although Labour did see a 13% upswing. Our previous MP has stood down this election (one of the many Tory remainers who have). There's also been a lot of new housing developments built in this area over the last 5-10 years (and ongoing) which means the demographic is skewing younger, with many moving in from more urban (generally left-leaning) areas. Be interesting to see how these effect the vote this time.
Location: Bristol, UK
I'm a traditional Labour supporter of a centrist mode (call me a Blairite, I'll take it as a compliment) and a remainer, so while I'm not in love with the current Labour leadership, I will strap myself to a cross to stop a Tory majority. I'm currently in a Labour ward, with a Tory hot on their heals (well, in second place anyway). My vote goes to Labour.
BTW I voted Green in the euros. 7
Last edited by SanVito; 12-11-2019 at 04:31 AM.
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Originally Posted by SanVito
I'm similar, but in a Tory/SNP marginal. So I'm gritting my teeth and voting SNP to keep the Tory out in the full knowledge this will be interpreted as a blue-faced full-throated yell for independence. Luckily I will have subsequent votes I can use to correct that misapprehension. 8
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Originally Posted by Stanislaus
I'm similar, but in a Tory/SNP marginal. So I'm gritting my teeth and voting SNP to keep the Tory out in the full knowledge this will be interpreted as a blue-faced full-throated yell for independence. Luckily I will have subsequent votes I can use to correct that misapprehension.
Ooh yes, tricky. I have Scottish in-laws with a similar predicament. 9
Baron Greenback
This is my situation exactly. It doesn't help that the SNP candidate is a wanker of the first order, but needs must. 10
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Originally Posted by Baron Greenback
This is my situation exactly. It doesn't help that the SNP candidate is a wanker of the first order, but needs must.
It's tough. I went to the hustings last night (a rare move for me) and was pleasantly surprised about how good my SNP candidate was. MEP of 16 years so pretty good on actual policy as opposed to slogans, and came across as a coalition builder rather than a die-hard. He said he knew he'd be getting anti-Tory rather than pro-SNP votes and if elected wouldn't pretend it was a call for independence now. I actually believe him personally, but he's got party colleagues and a party leader who will take a different approach. 11
It's tough. I went to the hustings last night (a rare move for me) and was pleasantly surprised about how good my SNP candidate was.
Our candidate got the name of the constituency wrong at the first hustings he attended. 12
Would be nice to hear from the four board members who have selected Conservative in the poll so far. Are you natural Conservative voters, just want to 'get Brexit done', agree with their manifesto, don't like Corbyn or a combination of the above?
It would appear from the comments that many non-Tory voters are voting from an 'anything but the Tories' viewpoint, rather than from agreeing with their chosen party's ideology. The Conservatives are hoping to pick up plenty of 'anyone as long as Brexit gets done' votes, so would be interesting to see if that's working out.
OB 13
its_the_daddy
LD, like my father before me.
The clue is in the name. Remember the old advert: 'The Co-operative Bank: why would you use one that isn't?'
I'm in a firm Tory constituency, but with LD history. Before the Clegg debacle, we had a popular, long-standing LD MP.
We're doing really well in this poll. But I have a bad feeling about the real one. 14
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Our candidate got the name of the constituency wrong at the first hustings he attended.
But in a way, isn't every constituency East Dunbartonshire? 15
Small Clanger
I'm voting keep Johnson out which pretty much means where I am that "Labout" is the only (maybe) effective option. If it wasn't for first past the post I'd be voting Lib Dem 16
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Dr. Drake
We are being disenfranchised. I don't get a vote, but my British husband should. No ballot has been sent, though he confirmed in October that he was on the rolls and that he would be able to vote from overseas. A lot of back-and-forthing with them has not resulted in a ballot. The constituency is a close one, so the vote matters. 17
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I'm basically in a "2016 Trump, anybody but Killary" position. I have absolutely no respect for the clown who heads the Conservative party, but the next PM is going to be BJ or JC, and I would vote for a piece of dogshit on a stick if it decreased the chance of getting Corbyn into No 10. 18
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Originally Posted by Calavera
I would vote for a piece of dogshit on a stick if it decreased the chance of getting Corbyn into No 10.
Lucky for you one's running.
Mind you, Labour has had years to replace Corbyn with someone effectual. I will never understand why they cling to him. 19
If I were English I'd probably also be strategically voting for Labout while slightly preferring the Lib Dems.
If I were Scottish I would have moved wholeheartedly toward the SNP in the wake of the Brexit vote, whereas before Brexit I might have strategically voted for them against the Tories while sharing the concerns of Stanislaus about it being perceived as being pro-independence, but I probably would be pro-independence in the wake of Brexit. 20
Originally Posted by Dr. Drake
Mind you, Labour has had years to replace Corbyn with someone effectual. I will never understand why they cling to him.
It's Labour's voting system - block voting by unions and idealistic youngsters who love him. There's plenty in the party who think he's unelectable - most Labour MPs I suspect - but they're currently shouted down. 21
Dead Cat
I was curious...
Originally Posted by Oswald Bastable
One thing national polls don't fully take into account is where those being polled are located. The Tories having 45% in a poll doesn't mean a thing if a majority of those 45% are in constituencies that already have a Conservative MP.
I'm among the first to criticise the supposed accuracy of polling, but I'd be amazed if they haven't managed to take this problem into account by now. As you say, it's absolutely key. I assume the ones with decent methodology focus on marginal seats and extrapolate from there.
It's Labour's voting system - block voting by unions and idealistic youngsters who love him. There's plenty in the party who think he's unelectable - most Labour MPs I suspect - but they're currently shouted down.
And this is one of the reasons - well, mainly the unions - why Labour are unlikely to get my vote any time soon.
To explain myself a little further - I'm fairly unusual among my friends and acquaintances in supporting Brexit, and generally leaning a bit more to the right than most of them. So my Facebook feed is generally a massive Lab/Lib/Remain echo chamber, with lots of posts advocating tactically voting for ABT (anyone but the Tories). Now, lately my views on Brexit have softened, inasmuch as while it remains my personal preference, I recognise (and always have) that this is a selfish view, and more importantly, there are bigger concerns that need dealing with. I'd even go so far as to say that while I would feel embarrassed and disappointed if we revoked Article 50, sometimes you just have to move on and accept that what was promised couldn't be delivered. So I've based my voting decision on which local MP, party, and leader (in that order) are most likely to do a good job of running the country, IMHO.
That in itself is a problem, of course. Fundamentally I just can't agree with the ABT philosophy - if you want me to vote for someone to unseat the Tories, they have to present a better alternative. And I really don't think that is the current Labour party. I do actually agree that a lot of things in their manifesto are sensible, such as nationalising utilities and transport (free broadband, not so much). And the costings for these expansive policies in the manifesto seem more realistic than they have managed in the past. However, they rather blew that apart with their subsequent announcement of freezing State Pension increases and compensating the WASPI women, neither of which are a good use of public money in my view and are completely uncosted - they would be funded by extra borrowing. The bottom line is I think there is a high risk of current Labour policy wrecking our economy, which will ultimately leave everyone worse off, from top to bottom (well, not the very top, as they're pretty well insulated from everything). And that's before I've even started on Corbyn's 'leadership' skills.
Equally, I won't be voting Conservative, since they appear to be by far the least honest party in this campaign (and for the last few years, I guess) - I refuse to support their attempts to subvert democracy, even though I personally quite like our incumbent Tory MP and I feel he does a reasonable job for his constituents, which I think is extremely important. And Conservative policies are probably best aligned with me personally, but like I say, it seems to be time for a swing back to the left.
That leaves the Lib Dems, and while they have their flaws, they seem to be less than the other two. The most important reason they are getting my vote is their clear funding plans for the NHS, and that everyone will pay a little bit towards that in tax (currently I'm a long way off being affected by Labour's proposed tax increases).
I should point out that I live in one of the safest Tory constituencies in the country, where the incumbent is unlikely to be unseated even if everyone opposed voted tactically, so I have the 'luxury' of being able to use my vote to send a message about which party's policies I most support. I don't view it as a wasted vote - if the Tory and Labour vote share in this constituency falls, it tells their respective central offices that they are getting things wrong and the Lib Dems are doing something right. Which is definitely worth voting for. 22
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Thing Fish
Location: Chicago (NL)
Not British, but if I were, I'd vote strategically ABT, unless I was in a safe constituency, in which case I'd vote Green or some other lefty third party, maybe SNP if I were in Scotland. My heart belongs to Labour, but I can't support them as long as Corbyn continues to treat anti-Semitism in the Party with kid gloves. 23
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But in a way, isn't every constituency East Dunbartonshire?
Heh, now you know where I live! I reckon you've done miles better with your SNP candidate, if I'm guessing correctly. His farewell speech at the European Parliament was really good, really quite moving to be honest. 24
Last edited by Baron Greenback; 12-11-2019 at 12:50 PM.
gracer
Location: UK & NL
I don't get a vote.
I was disenfranchised when I moved abroad because they lost the record of my right to vote. I'm a British citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the last 15 years, but they can't find my registration. How they lost this, no-one can explain and I've exhausted all options (there were disappointingly few to begin with).
I have no proof that I registered to vote back in 2010, I just sent off a form. And then I voted.
So I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity to vote here! I get a vote! SMDB 1 - UK 0 (Well UK like -3 at this point. Didn't get to vote in the ref, or the election after that.)
Lib Dems it is. Phew. Thanks, feels good. 25
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Originally Posted by Thing Fish
My heart belongs to Labour, but I can't support them as long as Corbyn continues to treat anti-Semitism in the Party with kid gloves.
I think this is the thing about Corbyn I find most baffling - all he had to do was swiftly and publicly denounce prejudice in all its forms, and apologise for any mistakes his party has made in the past (those last three words being key, of course). By failing to do so he has made it way too easy for his detractors. I mean, maybe he didn't personally feel the need to apologise - but apologising on behalf of others is kind of what being a party leader is all about. Personally, I don't believe he is an anti-Semite (though I have very little evidence either way, I think he probably is anti-Israeli policy but I don't think it's fair to equate that with anti-Semitism unless proved otherwise). But it's just one of many examples where he has failed spectacularly to show good leadership.
Then again, I also cannot comprehend why Johnson would grab that phone with the picture of the boy on the floor of the hospital. For all his faults, he is supposed to be quick-witted and intelligent. How hard could it have been to acknowledge the photo, state the obvious (that it looks appalling), and to the obvious follow-up point that it is his party's policies that have essentially caused this, say that it wouldn't be appropriate to comment on individual cases but obviously this is not the sort of thing we want to see, before trotting out some standard li[n]e about 40 new hospitals? It's campaigning 101, surely? 26
Wrenching Spanners
I live in a safe Labour seat. I voted for Cameron and May, and for Boris Johnson for London mayor for that matter, but I don't want to vote for Johnson for PM. The amount and scale of his lying has been much more apparent in the last few years. The Jennifer Arcuri scandal struck me as blatant corruption. And the hypocrisy of Johnson kicking senior Conservative Party members out of the party for voting against his Brexit plan, after he voted against May's plan is shocking. There's no way in Hell I'll ever vote for Jeremy Corbyn and John MacDonnell. Their policies will bring the economy to its knees if they're enacted. If I was in a constituency with a tight race, I'd probably hold my nose and vote Conservative. But since I'm not, I'm voting Liberal Democrat as the least bad choice. 27
Last edited by Wrenching Spanners; 12-11-2019 at 01:30 PM.
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PaulParkhead
Location: South Lanarkshire
My seat was held by the SNP in 2017 by about 300 votes from the Tories. I'll be voting SNP. 28
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Mrs McGinty
Safe Tory seat held by a government minister.
Labour were second last time, but have picked a total non-entity as candidate, whose only stated policy position is on an issue that barely affects the constituency at all, and who the party have not bothered to back with any actual campaigning (literally not seen a single leaflet, poster, or sign - I only know who the candidate is because I looked her up on the net and even then there was virtually no information to be found).
The Lib Dems, who were a distant third last time, have made an effort, and their candidate has published positions on a wide range of issues, so I'll be voting for her. 29
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Reading between the lines, I'm guessing the Corbynite entryists to the local Labour Party have spent a great deal of effort purging the insufficiently sycophantic, only to discover that they've driven out the people who did all the actual campaigning last time. 30
Heh, now you know where I live! I reckon you've done miles better with your SNP candidate, if I'm guessing correctly. His farewell speech at the European Parliament was really good, really quite moving to be honest.
That's the one! Per the classic Chewin' The Fat classification scheme he is Good Guy, not Wank. 31
The Stafford Cripps
He said he knew he'd be getting anti-Tory rather than pro-SNP votes and if elected wouldn't pretend it was a call for independence now. I actually believe him personally, but he's got party colleagues and a party leader who will take a different approach.
Yeah, Scotland not being independent will suit Smith very well if he gets into Westminster. I'm not sure why you think Sturgeon will interpret your vote as being pro-independence; the SNP have won the last 5 elections under her and she continues to act like she doesn't really want independence either. 32
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... a blue-faced full-throated yell for independence.
With a Prime Minister being openly racist in order to appeal to the sort of people who not only watch the queen's speech on Christmas Day but angrily stand to attention for it, I'm not sure why you feel the need to use patronising, othering cliche to characterise the progressive, inclusive, pro-EU independence movement. 33
Originally Posted by Mrs McGinty
Reading between the lines, I'm guessing the Corbynite entryists to the local Labour Party have spent a great deal of effort purging the insufficiently sycophantic
Do you mean the people who supported the Iraq war? 34
Originally Posted by The Stafford Cripps
Yeah, Scotland not being independent will suit Smith very well if he gets into Westminster. I'm not sure why you think Sturgeon will interpret your vote as being pro-independence; the SNP have won the last 5 elections under her and she continues to act like she doesn't really want independence either.
If the SNP do well and pick up 8-10 Tory seats, there's no doubt that Sturgeon will claim this as support for her party's primary reason for existence. Even if only for purely cynical survival reasons, because the "Independence NOW!" faction in her party will need some red meat. Much as I personally would appreciate it, she couldn't respond to that kind of success with a milquetoast "I respect that for many this was an anti-Tory vote and we will continue to work to convince people of the case for independence over the next few years" speech.
If we end up with a hung parliament and a bigger SNP holding some strong cards then she will be practically forced to demand the next IndyRef. A Tory majority alongside a stronger SNP also forces a "Scotland wants one thing, England another, we need Independence" response.
Much as I appreciate the notion that it's all a grift and that calling for independence is far preferable to actually getting it, I don't think it's true. I do think that Sturgeon would rather not hold a referendum until she was sure of getting more than 55%, but I don't think that's a luxury she has. 35
... the "Independence NOW!" faction in her party will need some red meat
Again, why such colourful language? In my opinion, Brexit is going to do actual harm to the people of Scotland, on top of the country being impoverished by years of unnecessary ideologically-driven austerity which came on top of the squandering of Scotland's oil revenues (even if these had been shared with the rest of the UK, we'd be in a much better place now if they'd been invested the way Norway did).
The majority of Scots votes against all of this. There is no reason why Scotland can't be a successful prosperous small member of EFTA or the EU like all of its neighbours, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark or Finland - if you think that the Scottish economy is too fucked for it to be like those countries then you have to questions to answer on UK economic policy.
The longer we endure a situation where people like Rees-Mogg, Johnson, Gove and Cummings have more say on what happens in Scotland than Scottish voters do, the more irreparable damage will be done. So in my opinion, depicting the independence movement as being less rational and pragmatic than any of the alternatives is not justified. 36
With a Prime Minister being openly racist in order to appeal to the sort of people who not only watch the queen's speech on Christmas Day but angrily stand to attention for it, I'm not sure why you feel the need to use patronising, othering cliche to characterise the progressive, inclusive, pro-EU independence movement.
I've already said that I'm going to vote for a party whose fundamental political aims I disagree with just to keep the Tories out. I'd have thought that pegged the number of lectures I need about how fucking awful Johnson and his party are at zero, but apparently not.
Edited to add - if you want a separate thread on Independence, start one and I'll join it. 37
Last edited by Stanislaus; 12-12-2019 at 05:14 AM.
Edited to add - if you want a separate thread on Independence, start one and I'll join it.
If you don't want people with views different from yours to explain those views, don't refer to them using patronising language that verges on xenophobia. 38
If you don't want people with views different from yours to explain those views, don't refer to them using patronising language that verges on xenophobia.
Xenophobia is it? In a minute, when the penny drops, will we move on to "self-hating"?
The SNP is not Scotland. It's membership are not the totality of the people of Scotland. Criticising them is not synonymous with criticising the nation. 39
The SNP is not Scotland. It's membership are not the totality of the people of Scotland. Criticising them is not synonymous with criticising the nation.
I hope you don't get hay fever from those straw men.
Refusing to understand that many people in Scotland do not like being stereotyped with othering Braveheart cliches? Whatever, mate. 40
Refusing to understand that many people in Scotland do not like being stereotyped with othering Braveheart cliches? Whatever, mate.
Sure, many people don't. And others paint their face blue and march (all) under Independence Now banners while yelling support for their cause.
And for the avoidance of doubt - this is all fine. It's great that SNP members want to do this. People should be passionate about their cause. They should paint their face to get a striking picture on a front page. Wave their banners high. What they shouldn't do is get all humpty when people accurately note that this what some SNP supporters actually do. Still less should other people do it on their behalf. 41
I'm pretty sure that there as many unionists at Murrayfield with blue painted faces as there are on an AUOB march, if not more. And do you really think that the SNP comprises the entire independence movement? 42
Jonathan Chance
Domo Arigato Mister Moderato
Location: On the run with Kilroy
The Moderator Speaks
Originally Posted by Paul in Qatar
(Wonderful... there is no way to edit "Labout." Can a Mod help?)
Gotcha covered, Paul. 43
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Treppenwitz
News from the real world: with a heavy heart, but cheered by the thought that there is no prospect at all of an outright win, I voted Labour. Antisemitism, Corbyn and all. I feel dirty.
I'm a left-leaning centrist (or of the centre leaning left, if you prefer). The thing that has so dismayed me over the last few years is that whilst the two major parties have flung themselves to the far right and left, the centrist parties have achieved nothing. It's a sad reflection of society. If I had voted Liberal Democrat in this constituency it would have been a wasted vote. Fingers crossed for a hung parliament as the least bad option.
The weather here is dreadful - which is supposed to keep elderly conservatives at home and far from the polling stations. Yeah, fingers crossed.
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Zakalwe
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Originally Posted by Jonathan Chance
Gotcha covered, Paul.
But what if someone honestly intended to vote for Labout? Isn't changing the title now kind of like changing text in a quote box?
I kid, I kid. In my pretend UK life, I live in a strongly Pro-Remain area, so my vote for the LibDems is not at all a throwaway. I would have, if necessary, voted Laboutr if necessary to prevent a Conservative win. 45
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Originally Posted by Zakalwe
Something like this actually affected a UK general election a while back, 2005 perhaps. One of the many joke candidates, who normally never get into 4 figures, gave their party as "The Literal Democrats". I think their surname meant they appeared at the top of the ballot paper for that constituency. They ended up getting over 10,000 votes. The Liberal Democrat candidate got around 10,000 votes, while the Tory got something like 17,000. It was clear that most people intended to vote Liberal Democrat, but half of them voted for the Literal Democrat by mistake. Incredibly galling for the Lib Dem, but the result stood. 46
Very kind of you.
Off topic: I have been hanging out on other parts of the internet of late. I always return here for the good moderation and good conversation. 47
Well, that's the deed done. I don't think I've ever voted in the pitch-dark before. 48
Well, that's the deed done. I don't think I've ever voted in the pitch-dark before.
Would you like some Cohen with that?
It's written in the scriptures
And it's not some idle claim
You want it darker
We kill the flame
Last edited by gracer; 12-12-2019 at 01:33 PM.
blindboyard
Voted Labour, as usual. Corbyn for life. I don't agree with all of his policies, and I'm very pro-Brexit, but none of that comes close to out-weighing the disastrous record and policies of the Tories.
Lots of Labour people about in these parts, banging on doors and suchlike. Some kid knocked on my door after it got dark to ask if I'd voted yet.You'd think everyone around here was Labour, even though it's a moderately safe Tory seat. The Tory is some junior minister, probably doesn't even know where the constituency is, and the LibDems sent a leaflet.
The Tory lead nationally has been slipping. There have been some recent scandals. The boy on the coats. The fridge incident. So I want to predict a non-Tory victory, resulting in the LibDems teaming up with the Tories once again, given that their leader explicitly ruled out a coalition with Labour. 50
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Announcing: Kill The Minotaur Film in Development!
in Announcements, Movies
As soon as we saw the proofs of KILL THE MINOTAUR #1, we knew it was going to be a huge hit! Christian Cantamessa and Chris Pasetto's take on the greek myth of the Labyrinth came out strong with Lukas Ketner's art driving it home. The first issue sold out within days and was immediately rushed back to print. Today, we're excited to announce that KILL THE MINOTAUR is being developed as a feature film from Skybound Entertainment and Universal Picture! Things are still in the early phases here but you can read the official press release below and check back here for more info soon.
KILL THE MINOTAUR by the awesome team of Christian Cantamessa, Chris Pasetto, Lukas Ketner, Jean-Francois Beaulieu & Clem Robins is currently on issue #4. The first trade volume comes out in January!
SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT AND UNIVERSAL PICTURES ANNOUNCE THE FEATURE ADAPTATION OF SKYBOUND/IMAGE COMIC SERIES KILL THE MINOTAUR
Los Angeles, CA (September 21, 2017) – Skybound Entertainment and Universal Pictures announced today that they will be developing Christian Cantamessa and Chris Pasetto's comic series Kill the Minotaur as a feature.
The comic series was released this past June and features the incredible artwork of Lukas Ketner and Jean-Francois Beaulieu. Kill the Minotaur is a modern and fantastical take on the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Theseus must enter King Minos's bizarre Labyrinth and defeat the Minotaur, a creature which feeds on human sacrifices, before the monster can escape its prison to threaten the world.
Cantamessa and Pasetto, who previously worked with Skybound on the film, AIR, are attached to write the feature adaptation of the comic series.
"Christian and Chris have ingeniously taken one of the most ancient of horror stories and spun it into a vital sci-fi thriller. We're excited to work with them on translating this great comic into the electrifying movie it deserves to be," said Skybound Entertainment CEO David Alpert and co-presidents of TV & film Sean and Bryan Furst in a joint statement.
"When we created the comic we wanted to put our own spin on a classic Greek myth, incorporating strong relatable characters and spectacular scenes so it would read like a blockbuster movie," said Chris Pasetto and Christian Cantamessa. "It's a dream come true that we can now make this story come alive on the big screen."
The feature is part of Skybound Entertainment's first look deal with Universal and will tout Skybound's Robert Kirkman, David Alpert, Bryan Furst, and Sean Furst as producers.
About Skybound Entertainment:
Founded in 2010, Skybound Entertainment is a multiplatform entertainment company that houses projects ranging from television, film, digital content, comics, interactive gaming, and live events.
Skybound Entertainment is responsible for such television hits including The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead and Outcast. Moving into the digital content space, Skybound produced the first-ever narrative VR series, Gone, for Samsung's Milk VR platform and in 2017 will produce VR horror series Lies Within, which is the first project out of Skybound's partnership with interactive theatrical company Delusion. Skybound recently announced the film adaptation of Robert Kirkman's second-longest running comic series Invincible, with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg attached to direct, write, and produce the movie for Universal.
Additional newly announced Skybound projects include Five Year, Mastermind and Robert Kirkman's Secret History of Comics.
Tags: AnnouncementsFeaturedKill the Minotaur
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