Paddy Power pays out on C&N
May 21st, 2008
Are the bookies really taking a hammering?
The Irish bookmaker PaddyPower has followed up its early payout on Boris in the London Mayoral election by repeating the exercise with the Tories in Crewe and Nantwich. In the former the money came after the polls had closed but before the count. With tomorrow’s by-election the polling stations have not even opened yet.
This is good publicity stunt and shows the view of the betting community that a Tory victory tomorrow is close to a certainty.
William Hill has put out a press release suggesting they will be hammered by the result. A spokesman said: “We have taken in total just £45 - one bet of £20 and another of £25 for Labour to win this by-election - and we face a six figure payout if - when - the Tories win. It is the most one-sided by-election ever in betting terms. The Conservatives have gone from 4/5 favourites when the book opened to 1/33 and we have taken bets of up to £40,000 a time for them.”
Oh dear - poor William Hill. We will all be crying into our beer tonight! You can still bet on Betfair - the latest Tory price is 0.04/1.
Assuming the result is as expected my guess is that there will be a lot of activity on the commons seats spread betting markets. This certainly happened after Boris won the mayoralty and I am sure we will see it on Friday. In preparation I have built up what is for me a reasonably large Labour sell position.
Mike Smithson
MessageSpace Advertising
Eek that anecdote is painful!
1 - Agreed, is why spreadbetting seems a bit too risky for me!
“Six figure payout” - well nearly half of that is the £40k bet at 1/10 or whatever it was! Payout ≠ Loss!!!
What happens if you simply can’t pay? Are they allowed to come round and break your legs?
So has Milburn been seen counting his winnings?
“Yesterday I had lunch with someone who bought Labour at £100 a seat …….. and he is facing a loss of about £10,000. Fortunately he was still able to pick up the tab for the meal!”
You know something Mike, you’re all heart you are.
“381 - Financing was not a problem, it could have been done through big soft donations to the state parties.”
And those donations would have come from Democratic donors, who would otherwise be giving to the DNC, who are struggling as it is because of the prolonged primary.
“The rules argument is even weaker. The whole nomination system needs reform and voters matter more than states. What you are saying is that the votes of millions of people should be ignored because of some byzantine rules, designed for another century.”
I agree the rules are bizarre and should be changed, but the time to do this is before the contests starts. If Florida and Michigan got to have two bites of the cherries this time, why wouldn’t they, and several other states, do the same thing next time round?
“The seating is irrelevant. When it happens it won’t correspond to the actual voting, it will be a deal stitched up in a backroom.”
Well, that depends. I think it is still possible they will be seated as they are, as Obama should have a very heavy superdelegate lead by the time of the convention. But we shall see.
In addition, just think where we would be right now if MI and FL were due to vote a few days after Puerto Rico. The Clinton campaign would still be going hell for leather in their attacks on Obama; his campaign would still have to be spending huge sums of money that could be saved for marginal seats in the Fall; and the media narrative would be him losing a big state as he headed towards the convention.
I do genuinely regret the fact that Floridian and Michigan Democrats didn’t get a valid vote this time round, but the fault of that is squarely on the state parties who persisted in this despite repeated warnings from the DNC.
6 PfP. Rumour has it that Mike gave the chap the price of a bus fare …. well three stops at least !!
Clearly everything favours the Tories at the moment, they have the political momentum.
However it is interesting that the figures would be so one-sided. Are Tory supporters more likely to bet? Yes, I know they won’t always back their own side, but it reminds me a little of when English football teams play in Europe - they’re odds are always too tight. Might betting against the Tories be a good long-term option, as they may often be over-priced.
4 - You have to be able to cover the maximum fall, I think.
4. Well if Angus (statto) Loughran is anything to go by, you get made bankrupt.
Surprised your friend never closed at a loss Mike. When did he think it would improve?
“Its Over…”
341 (from previous thread)
Brighton Pavilion!
re 9. In spite of the euphoria amongst Tories the commons spread markets do not reflect the opinion poll leads. The mid points suggest a Tory majority of 45-50 - not the landslide that some polls have suggested.
I think it needs something like a sensational by election to move the betting.
Mike it obviously was’t a cabinet minister or he would have put it on Mr Speaker Martin’s expenses!!
We in Scotland only got to watch the first half of the Newsnight debate in Crewe last night because at 23.00hrs it switches to Newsnight Scotland. Did it continue in the same vein?
Paxo putting to Geoff Hoon and Tamsin Dunwoody that their Tory Toff campaign was at best inept and at worst offensive and untrue was wonderful to watch. He alluded to the fact that TD is in Debretts Peerage unlike the Tory candidate. I assume that’s because her mother was the Hon. G Dunwoody (before she became a Privy Counsellor)daughter of a Peer?
Has anyone been there today and is there any sign of the classic LibDem final 24 hr push? After tomorrow will they reinstate the candidate they dumped and will Labour appoint TD as candidate for another seat they “desperately want to hold”?
387/392 (previous thread) - I think I’d prefer my const. Leeds North West to be termed ‘Skyrack’ instead. Much more dignified, and in keeping with Elmet on the other side of Leeds.
14. I think a majority of around 40-60 would be absolutely perfect for the Tories, to be honest. I’m instinctively wary of landslide majorities as I think a huge majority allows a government to become arrognat and lazy. I wonder if Blair would have achieved more in his first and second terms had he not had the luxery of such big majorities? Certainly his attiude towards the Commons and the country would have had to have been substantially differant.
Mike, What do you call sensational?? what kind of majority are you thinking of?
For the Tories to hold a by-election used to be senstational.
Oregon Update - O-59/C-41 - 94% reporting :
http://edition.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/state/#val=OR
“A spread betting warning. Yesterday I had lunch with someone who bought Labour at £100 a seat in the immediate aftermath of Gordon’s conference speech last September. The level he went in at was 332. It has now dropped by 100 seats and he is facing a loss of about £10,000. ”
Bloody hell.
I’d never do it without a stop-loss. No way.
But, I’m not using SPIN anyway. They’ll take down the market for about 2 weeks following the by-election result tomorrow night, increase the buy/sell spread and then post up crap prices.
Spreadfair, or forget it!
http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Labour–braced-for-byelection.4103120.jp
Asked about what he made of the anti-toff drive, the Prime Minister revealed: “When I was fighting my own constituency campaign I had someone in a kilt playing a bagpipe. These things happen in a by-election.”
When was there a by-election in Kirkcaldy? And what kind of demented campaign would attack the candidate in a Scottish seat for being Scottish? Did any of this really happen?
Labour’s desperate spin on Crewe:
“One Minister who visited the constituency recently reports that it looked “f***ing catastrophic” for Labour.
Another candidly admits that they have already lost before a vote is cast and insists it would be a triumph if they kept the Tory majority down to a couple of thousand – a plausible bit of spin until you remember that Crewe has returned a Labour MP since the Second World War.”
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/openhouse/2008/05/labours-despera.html
22. Hardly the same league is it. The man’s mentally falling apart.
Mississippi SD Wayne Dowdy endorses Obama :
http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=8359743
17. After Blair realised 1997 was a landslide he saw the Commons as a novel sideshow for six years. Only when Labour MPs started getting fidgety about Iraq and Top-up fees did he start to pay them any notice at all!
26. Forgot to mention that the Commons largely *was* a novel sideshow for those years. It was personal rule by Blair, Brown and Campbell, and Parliament was the rubber stamp.
From previous thread’s end -
“394 - A rerun with Clinton backers’ money would not have been acceptable, even polls, when backed by unions (as with unison and the London mayoralty) are seen as tainted. You can multiply that many times for an actual election.
I always make political choices on the nature of campaigns as much on policy, that’s why I consider the labour campaigning in C&N to be vile, why I disliked the 80’s and 90’s tory campaigning and so on.
Clinton made herself anathema to me by her tactics. As someone who will fight that sort of thing with every fibre of my being it was inevitable and based on her (and Carville and co’s) actions not on personality. I dislike politicians because of how they do things, never because of who they are.
I was a Clinton I supporter even to the end of his presidency, he’d gained enough good points to outweigh the later mistakes. Clinton II gambled hers away in next to no time, it wasn’t inevitable but it rapidly became so.
I would have liked reruns myself, the problem is that there was no plausible way of doing so put forwards that would have been affordable and non-partisan. In the circumstances what would have been good wasn’t available as an option.
by ukpaul May 21st, 2008 at 7:35 pm “
7 - Socrates you are wrong about the soft donations. Some Clinton backers were prepared to put in millions, Steve Bing being one IIRC. The maximum donation limit to the BNC is £28,500.
Of course it is not ideal that the rules were not adhered to. I’m not saying it is an ideal situation. But your argument reminds me of free market fundamentalists railing against moral hazard. Yes it is a danger, but it is sometimes necessary to stop greater problems. In this case Obama will probably get away with it. If it had been closer though there would have been an almighty mess. If the exclusion of MI and FL had made a real difference the Obama nomination would have been tainted and it would have been harder in the fall. Regardless, the cycle has shown going first is not always an advantage and that the whole system needs to be reworked. The benefits of this moral hazard outweigh the costs.
You’re right that re-runs would have been politically risky but that is why it would have had so much symbolic value. He would have been putting the voters ahead of his political interests. Clinton has been attacking Obama for months, a few more weeks would have made little difference. And her attacks have been tame compared to the GOP. Also, he would likely have raised more money to pay for the campaigning. He raised most in March when there were most contests and this spending would have helped him in the fall, boosting name recognition and building networks. At the end of the process there would still have very likely been a clear winner in terms of PV and pledged delates and he would have been a stronger nominee.
23 The Crewe and Nantwich seat of today is nothing like as Labour as the pre 1983 Crewe seat . It is instructive to compare the GE result in 2005 with the County Council results on the same day . It is clear from these that around 5,000 of the 7,000 majority was a Dinwoody personal vote .
Now off to play my Team Knock Out Bar Billiard Final match , we are the underdogs but you never know .
9
Give your money to William Hill, then.
30 - do you have a bar (billiard) chart to show that you can win?
28 - I read an interesting article that argued the Clinton lost the nomination because her team didn’t do a thorough job with oppo research. If Rev. Wright had come out on the eve of Iowa Obama would probably have lost.
Fair enough, but I think you overestimate the difference between the two. Obama has taken enough shots at Clinton, comparing her to Anne Oakley and going on about tax returns for weeks. It may not have been as intensive but it wass still there.
I strongly disagree with the idea that a re-run was not possible. I don’t see how a poll would have been tainted. Independent people completely unconnected would be doing it, state officials. The poll analogy doesn’t work. Polls can be manipulated through the way questions are asked. Election can’t, and if they are that is a criminal offence.
I am not in any doubt that if the roles were reversed that Obama would have pushed strongly for a re-run. Just try and think ukpaul what your attitude would have been if the roles had been reversed. If Clinton had been leading and had stopped re-runs I’m sure you would have said it was undemocratic, excluding people from the the process.
This is a case where Obama’s rhetoric and message seem to collide with his actions.
O/T-As a city fan I am hoping for Utd to do the business. The 2 least likable teams in football, but putting a good punt on Utd will help make it more exciting.
Has anyone else here got bets on the match? Curiosity killed the cat.
shame there is no market for the size of the majority. IMO could be as much as 10K.
33 - That was a pretty awful article, basically saying that she needed to be even more in hock to GOP dog whistle tactics.
My attitude is based on what the rules were and are, you can’t change them midstream. I would have accepted the outcome and suggested that the rules needed to be changed the next time.
It’s down to what the rules are, if you don’t stick to them then what’s the point?
I’d much prefer an election using PR and was upset that labour managed to win a majority with 35% of the vote. I never suggested rerunning that election with the rules changed, just that changing the rules before next time would be welcome.
30 Mark Senior in a competition where his team are the underdog - what a shock !!
will you be trying to convince your opponents that if you deduct all the really good shots they made your team would actually have won?
34. I’ve backed Chelsea to win in extra time at 11/1.
37 - Mark is one of the truly neutral posters on this site. And I say that as a committed LD.
38- Henry- a good bet.
36 - Fair enough, and we’ve had this debate before, but I think you are being too dogmatic. A way could have been found to let these voters have a say if the will was there. You talk about the rules but the rules allowed a re-run. It was within the rules for the states to enter new plans to the DNC.
In any event my point was more political than moral. It was in Obama’s long-term political interests to push for re-runs, therefore it was a mistake not to.
Catch you all at the end of the match. Off to betfair now for the next 2 hours or so
william hill do come out with some crap!
39 Is that a sarcastic comment?
34 Tyson. As a Scot it was tricky knowing who to support. In the end I decided on the quality of the seasons diving.
Ronaldo gets 5.7 for technical merit and 6.0 for artistic impression.
Drogba gets 5.9 for technical merit and 5.9 for artistic impression and accordingly just edges it for a Chelsea win !!
39. Yeah and I’m a marxist!
14 - that’s because the spread market represent a weighted average of possible outcomes. With polls so onesided and effectively at the very edge (or even beyond) realistic outcomes you wouldn’t expect the spread markets and polls to coincide so far out from an election. Any discrepancy between the two is only really meaningful when we are close to the election.
39. LOL!
44 - well what do you think?
I respect his loyalty to his party. I am not so loyal.
Mark tirelessly collated each year’s local results and offers up a big spreadsheet of all the results once this is done. That is a great service. Rather more looking forward to seeing the Eastleigh tallies than, say, the Romsey ones.
39
Lol
Poster of the week:-)
FAO Jack W and ukpaul in particular. SUSA California poll with VP candidates. Doesn’t tell us much as the weightings are out again. Interestingly on the baseline poll they have McCain winning Hispanics 49-42.
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=f25df9e5-868d-428e-9395-359684cc7901
29. “But your argument reminds me of free market fundamentalists railing against moral hazard.”
Well, I am more free market than you! I guess it depends on how much harm this single time would take, and how much the moral hazard problem would set in. At the end of the day, this is just the way a private party chooses their nominee, and I don’t think it’s that unfair that people wishing to seek that nomination should have to play by the rules. If Clinton wants to stand as an independent, she is welcome to do it.
51 - Yet again Edwards is by far the best choice here (I presume Webb would be a similar help, although being less well known, not immediately so).
The Betfair Pawlenty VP price is ridiculous looking at these figures.
51. Why on Earth is Pawlenty such a drag? It can’t be just lack of name recognition can it?
45- Jack very clever as usual. The match is boring, and I have drifted onto pbCOM
49. I think it’s more the Tory hatred than the Lib Dem loyalty. He would be greatly missed if he wasn’t here though.
54. I have a theory. Pawlenty is voraciously anti-immigration (he sent the Minnesota national guard troops to police the southern border!) and might be well known in Hispanic circles, causing McCain to lose both Mexican and Cuban votes. Thoughts?
55. Tis a dull game. Did Makelele get booked then. That was my big bet.
I am utterly astonished that only *two* people in the whole country put £20 on Labour to retain what is, lets face it, one of their safest seats.
All those bellicose statements by the Labour MP’s; ministers and campaign managers on the Labour side and none of them actually believed their blulhsit enough to put their money down.
Amazing.
58 Both booked. What happens? Think Makelele got his first.
Could be a big pick up!
Great spot by Aaron!!
58. Yes just before Scholes.
60. Going to have to have a look at Corals rules. I think it was him first judging by the reaction.
61. Yes I owe Aaron a drink if we’ve won.
I nearly backed Labour on betfair for Crewe. Admittedly, I had a bottle of wine and got slightly confused by tis back/ lay business.
Come on Ronaldo
Ave it! Ronaaaaaaaldo!
Paddy Power will be issuing a profits warning tomorrow after that goal.
65. According to BBC Scholes booked on 20;06 and Makele 21;16. Looked other way round to me!
Cracking goal. Beautiful in its simplicity.
51 Kieran. Thanks. Obama only scoring around 80% AA !! 6% AA is correct but no adjusted turnout filter. Ah well they’ll learn.
55 Tyson. The lure of PB !!
Well tipped Aaron (and freethy)
65 - I did back Labour for Crewe, it was only a fiver but a bit too speculative in retrospect.
72 - On betfair that is.
This match is going to the death- Chelski will get back in
United are stitching them up like the Russian Imperial Kipper.
71. We have won that haven’t we shadsy?
59 - Only two people backed them at William Hill. If you’re going to back something for value you might as well get the best odds for it.
59 Marcus. “Blulhsit …” is that a Tory cure for piles ??
Northern Rock Pt 2.
Bradford & Bingley share price 104p
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q?s=BB.L
Looks clear to me Makelele was booke first. Scholes was sparko.
76 woody. “Calm down dear..” Copyright Michael Winner.
76. I would think so, but Corals may have some sneaky rules which might halve our payout.
“Sparko”? Nice word. What mean?
Is John Edwards a vp candidate? Surely he should be looking after his terminally ill wife?
Who was the idiot who said this match was boring?
This is a ROCKING match.
Incredible saves.
81. I’ve bought a new car today Jack. I need the money!!!!
Hell of a save by Cech there.
83 seanT. “sparko” - I think somewhat agitated.
This is a truly abysmal football match. I couldn’t bring myself to back either. I just hope that they all behave after the game and the TVs in Red Sq stay on!
84. Oh, he should be up there, although Attorney General is probably more likely. Enormously popular among Southern rural whites.
83 Spark out, dear boy.
Man U are on fire.
Is Alex Ferguson the best club manager? In the world? Ever? It’s certainly arguable.
What are the odds on the Russians getting a few watercannon out tonight in Red Square?
89 - If this is an abysmal match i’d like to see a good one.
a great game….wow
a great game….wow
92. Brain Clough always teased him that he had 2 and he only had 1 (I think he was talking about European cups).
Both socialists which is a shame.
80. Both on 21 minutes according to Yahoo matchcast. Suppose it depends which source they have in the rules.
Could do with a Chelsea goal but doesn’t really look like one.
Malouda’s looking wooden.
Still confused as to meaning of “sparko”. Will use anyway in conversation.
1 yr ago, Bradford & Bingley were 500p.
Now, 104p.
Here is a nice 1 yr graph
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=BB.L&t=1y
Jesus. Man U should be three or four up.
92. Beckenbauer?
Corals have settled Makelele as 1st booking. Great tipping.
Newcastle are playing a fantastic match. Fantastic!!
(er…?)
lol. GREAT game.
Oh Aaron!! Join the Pantheon Of Great PB Tippers.
1-1 come on chels
Great tipping Aaron. And Lampard has just scored too! I haven’t had a bet so I’m kicking myself. My own thought was to back Ronaldo to score first. So all in all…
LOL I wonder if that will work again. Man Utd could really do with having a player sent off, but it looks unlikely
Looks like Shearer might do it..
C’mon ALAN!!!!
Ugh. Horrible foul. C*** should have been redcarded for that. I want Man U to win now.
But what a match!
Is the football happening now? It must be nearly midnight in Moscow.
Paddy Power are refunding losing bets on the match if ROnaldo scored. Should cost them a fair bit.
113. I’m in a little city in Turkish Thrace. We’re on Moscow Time - it’s only 10.40pm.
BBC reporting another data protection breach.
Tory party worker accidentally sends details of 8000 people to radio station.
You could not make it up!
F**king hell. Gazzer just missed - AGAIN!!
Is Gordon Brown watching or something?
Football matches, like the Eurovision song contest, always start at a time to suit the Brits.
re 101 doesn’t look all that healthy on a linear scale either
101 and here’s a remarkably similar one for Royal Bank of Scotland - the home of a rapidly shrinking share of the Bongo (mis)fortune. B&B look totally up the creek to me and N Rock pt II may well be in the making
href=”http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=RBS.L&t=1y&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=”
is there some sort of association football match on tonight?
re 115 but Moscow is on summer time
116. Aw god. I can feel another law coming on.
115, 118. Actually, scrap that. We’re in the same time zone as Minsk here. I think Moscow is an hour further on.
So yes, it must be nearly midnight in Russia (unless I’m getting confused by BST).
121 - so?
Oopppps … more American Pastor problems …. this time for McCain :
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/21/mccain-backer-hagee-said_n_102892.html
re 120 don’t I know it! I had the request today for even more of my money. They’re offering them at a 42p premium so I suppose it might be worth a punt just to cover the other losses.
Once they get to a certain level B&B will just be taken over. What’s the problem?
124. I just Googled it. Chris is right. It’s nearly midnight in Red Square.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7413826.stm
Probe into Tory email mistake…
“The Information Commissioner is launching an investigation after the Conservatives accidentally sent details of 8,000 people to a radio station.
The e-mail sent contained the names, addresses, telephone numbers and intentions of voters in the Crewe and Nantwich by-election.”
“Once they get to a certain level B&B will just be taken over. What’s the problem?”
The fact that the only obvious likely buyers at the moment for screwed-up banks appear to be people who are paying with taxpayers’ money?
129 - I could make a cheap political point now, but I shall refrain from it.
59 Friend of mine just got back from Crewe today. Labour to lose by 5000 he predicts, and he’s fought elections every year since 1980. So that might explain prudent betting by them.
Moscow matches only start at local time in the early rounds (about 1800 CET).
The money on betfair is staggering for the match. Would be nice just to go an hour in the future for a quick peek on things.
A bargain is a bargain
re 124 but the world clock suggests that Moscow summer time is +4 on GMT so it must be ten to midnight.
134. What kind of sums? I can’t see - betting websites seem to be blocked in Turkey!
116. I wonder what the 8000 names represent?
If its all the Tory pledges, that doesn’t seem a lot, since they got 14,000 votes last time.
137. Just hit 10 million traded
re 136 I notice the server clock seems to be in a time zone of its own as well.
137
20 000 000 CAD$ of Matched money.
138. Hopefully it’s just Nantwich
142 - or crewe
Whatever, it is an almighty balls up. And the Tories can’t blame the civil service.
127 “Once they get to a certain level B&B will just be taken over. What’s the problem?”
Quite.
Thats what we said about Northern Rock. What happened?
50Billion quids later, another one butes the dust…
A bargain might be a bargain, but an entity whose core business consists of having made increasingly unsound loans, secured on assets which are falling in value, using money which is becoming more expensive to get, is probably not a bargain unless it comes free, and probably better than free - with a dowry.
137, 141. Crikey.
Rather puts the £45 waged on Labour to win Nantwich into perspective.
13- seanT- over 10m on the winner. I would guess 50 mill plus just on betfair for this match.
135 “A bargain is a bargain”
Bradford & Bingley is 80% off, you and Roger should buy now. Although you may find you owe billions.
This is 11 years under Labour.
144 Whatever, it is an almighty balls up. And the Tories can’t blame the civil service.
Its not good but its not like losing 25million. I think the 8000 names represent tomorrow’s majority:)
It is true, but when you tell a canvasser how you vote, you don’t expect them to report it to the media. Voting intention is sensitive personal data (like relgion, sexuality, trade union membership). Name and address are not deemed sensitive personal data.
Excellent game. Can’t look away for a minute.
Lampard is playing like a man possessed
Where can we watch the C&N results come through tomorrow night?
Don’t tell me… The BBC have nothing planned.
154 - watch news 24, I guess. Any clue what time?
152. Can you shut up already Sean! I’m exiled out here in the US, and I’ve given up trying to find places to watch football after last time I took a late lunch hour to find a place and they turned over twenty minutes in.
Chelski now favourites on betfair
Obama was a very bad boy
In State Legislature Altercation, Obama ‘Had To Be Physically Restrained.’
151. oh please get over yourself.
re 154 the BBC do have a programme. No doubt Jeremy Vine will be camping it up, perhaps Thomas the Tank Engine given the constituency’s profile.
156. Latino bars are usually a good bet in America, for football. Mexican rather than Cuban.
But I guess it’s a bit late… and you probably know this…
157. So they should be. They’re on top now. Spiffing stuff (sorry Socrates)
152- seanT- one time me and thee are singing from the same hymn sheet.
154 “Where can we watch the C&N results come through tomorrow night?
Don’t tell me… The BBC have nothing planned.”
The BBC have a special on “How the TORIES sent details of 8000 people to a RADIO station!”
Apparently there was a posibility, the RADIO station was going to read the details ON AIR!
Seems to me, the Radio station will do nothing with the accidental data.
Unlike the millions of details lost under Labour - or indeed the details, Labour sells to anyone wishing to buy.
SBS, you are pathetic.
BBC, this will not save Labour. You will be broken up and privatised.
I can’t believe anyone would bet on Gordon after he made that truly awful, turgid, leaden speech at last year’s Labour conference. I’m sorry - but the man deserves to lose money with judgement like that.
164 - “SBS, you are pathetic.”
Love you too, sweetie.
re 154. The BBC programme is being anchored by John Sopel and will not involve Jeremy Vine.
Here is a nice graph of Bradford & Bingley’s share price ove 2 years…notice what happens in september last year.
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=BB.L&t=2y&l=on&z=m&q=l&c=
black Republican commentator Larry Johnson on the Michelle Obama rumour Sean T heard the other night:
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/05/16/will-barack-throw-mama-from-the-train/
164 - but you’d keep Channel four in state hands, then, despite the fact that it clearly is a commercial channel?
I predict Man U will sneak it in the last 5.
This stinks of extra time. Look how little movement there is from midfield from both sides - they’re settling for it already.
167.Mike the comment @ 5.20pm on the previous thread was not posted by me?
169.Test, I can’t get your link to work.
OMFG.
172. Yeah, right, that’s why Drogba just hit the post.
Drogba’s not a midfielder, last I checked
170 Sorry, did you want to talk about something else? ok.
err…yes, good idea. Channel 4’s very excellent Dispatches program justifies License fee money by itself.
With Dispatches, Channel 4 demonstrated a willingness to serve truth and the British people.
The BBC demonstrates that it is at best Labour & Leftie Propaganda and at worse, a puerile waste of money.
Those at the BBC that actually serve the British people, rather than Labour & Political Correctness, shall be retained in a smaller BBC. The rest can find jobs at the Guardian.
176. Actually I’d rather like it to go to extra time. It’s such an enjoyable match.
But I’ve a hunch Man U will edge it beforehand.
Back to politics I am so sorry
More ammunition for the Opposition, I only hope the link works
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3351275215846218544
QUOTE
Feb 7, 2008
TAKING LIBERTIES is a shocking but hilarious polemic documentary that charts the destruction of all your Basic Liberties under 10 Years of New Labour. Released to coincide with Tony Blair’s departure, the film and the book follow the stories of normal people who’s lives have been turned upside down by injustice - from being arrested for holding a placard outside parliament to being tortured in Guantanamo Bay.
More new laws than any other government in history, 1 every day for 10 years.
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/05/16/will-barack-throw-mama-from-the-train/
178: always possible - there isn’t a lot of midfield tracking going on either, so shots from outside the box have more room (and with Scholes/Ballack/Lampard that’s pretty dangerous). Ferdinand is really struggling too, wouldn’t like to see him isolated against Drogba.
It’s insanity paying out before the polls have even opened
I recall a few years ago bookies paid out on Manchester United winning the title only to see them have a late slump and lose out on it
180
Here is a counter-point: The Case For Skepticism on that Michelle Obama Rumor
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NDk3MDM3M2MxMDVlYjZlNGM4MmEyNzQ2YzE0ZDcwNTk=
a great game but its going to extra time
181. I think you are right now though - they are playing for extra time now. The last two Man U attacks have been very timid.
179 3000 new laws…
Illegal to import potatoes from poland…
Then there is that Apple Core problem.
Thank god for that. Stood to lose 300 squidlies if Chelski scored late. Phew…
Will this be down in the records as 21/22 May match?
No matter how many times you write about it being a great game Sean, I can’t agree. Tense, yes, but bad tempered and not high in quality. The pitch is clearly not up to scratch.
Of course, being a Leeds fan its a damn sight better than I’m used to watching
I just hope it isn’t a bobble on the pitch causing the winner (unless it is Drogba or Ronaldo who screw up, that would be amusing).
Je ne le crois pas, Philippe! But I thought it was interesting to see it referred to in print after the discussion the other night.
If such a tape were to exist we’d have seen it by now.
38
Now your bet looks fantastic!
182 - Paddy Power get a hell of a lot of publicity for these pay-outs. Sometime it bites them on the bum (like with the Ronaldo specials today) but it definitely works out for them in the long run with the column inches they gain.
182 - It just comes out of the marketing budget.
180 - It was crap when I posted it last night too. As I said, it’s the political equivalent of a nice Nigerian man offering us lots of money.
179 The Walter Wolfgang was disgraceful.
New Labour. New Danger.
Chuck the facists out.
188. This is just nonsense - because you dislike and envy Man U and Chelsea.
It’s highly skilful (just watch Ronaldo, or Ferdinand in defence); it’s passionate and fast; it’s lusty and virile. There’s been two goals - one of them a pearl. Drogba’s hit the post with an incredible shot; the game has swung from one team dominating to the other; and now it’s so close it’s gone into Extra Time.
And all of this in the Champions League Final. Perhaps you would like Pele to come on age 19 and score a goal from six miles out?
17 GIN. There is an alternative view of a very large majority - it gives the Whips a big choice to work on, for future talent. Reference has been made to governments getting tired in a third term (I hope it comes to that!) -a number of bright and eager back-benchers snapping at their heels will be essential to prevent staleness, as wellas being a source of new ideas.420 MPs seems about right to me!
179 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3351275215846218544
Arrested for wearing a t-shirt saying “Bollocks to Blair”?!?
The policeman ordered her to “Take her Top off”.
Kick Labour out. Get our country back
Test - Also, I’m not sure why you think his race is relevant but I would have hoped his picture on his blog alerted you to his whiteness….
Betfair pays much more quickly on sports than on politics…
198 you’re right I was thinking of Larry Elder. My bad, as they say over there.