YoungWillz

Well, I had a thing for Keith Jayne anyway. The assistant who could have been.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! The Awakening was amazing!

Oh, the Scottish Tories' manifesto is "fun". They say they will maintain Winter Fuel Payments for all pensioners. Yep, you heard rightly. To paraphrase, that's a big "fuck you" to rUK! In other news, they want to introduce fracking (idiotic), give a tax cut to wealthier people (really, you'll probably raise National Insurance immediately after the election), and introduce directly elected provosts (mayors) to Scotland (because Scots must be assimilated by shoe-horning an English system involving yet more expensive elections). Given what they've already announced nationally, those 12 seats they were going to pick up - I'd suggest a wipeout. And in that vein:

Frankie Paul, Dancehall artist who featured on Apache Indian's 1995 UK #31 Ragamuffin Girl, has died. https://www.stlucianewsonline.com/caribbean-reggae-singer-frankie-paul-dies/

Last surviving player from the 1954 Yugoslavia team has died aged 87. Also played in 1958. https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Ffudbal.hotsport.rs%2F2017%2F05%2F18%2Fmemoriam-preminuo-todor-toza-veselinovic%2F&edit-text

And Sir Douglas Myers: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/91371689/Beer-baron-Sir-Doug-Myers-dies-after-long-battle-with-cancer

List above updated for Jim McElreath: https://www.racer.com/indycar/item/140576-jim-mcelreath-1928-2017

What were you watching? I've either got Peter Falk Syndrome or I deffo saw Caroline Lucas on the show.

Paul Nuttall did his best Eric Morecambe impression on the Leaders' Debate tonight. Unfortunately, the punchline to every joke was "immigration". Farron started well, then became Tiresome Tim with his parroted people's vote on Brexit. Can't accuse the others of sloganizing now, Timothy! Love the way Nicola said "we've already done that in Scotland" - a lot. I'll bet she gets good ratings again. I can however appreciate how annoying it must be that the problems other parts of the UK agonise over, Scotland has fixed already. Caroline Lucas has probably done more for the yoof vote tonight than anybody. Leeane - well, I'm sorry for her she comes across as SNP light/Labour light. But she still hates UKIP, ignoring Nuttall's hand at the end there! No wonder Theresa didn't turn up, She can't even win a debate in the street with someone with learning difficulties - how is she the best to negotiate a deal with the EU? Jezza will regret his decision not to go - could have made great play of the public paying more regardless of who gets elected, Tories offering little to nothing in return, might as well get our railways back. Much fun.

I'm going to say it now - hung Parliament.

Not that unexpected, someone had him in the DDP and the Guardian comes in: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/may/18/roger-ailes-dead-fox-news-ceo-chairman

Confirmed: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/books/jean-fritz-dead-childrens-book-author.html

Vera?

"I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the Saints"....Billy Joel.

Hey, how about I launch another rant? It's only been a few hours and following LFN's guidelines I'm going to try to be even-handed. After all, there's an election on! Let's start unusually with Labour. Rhodri Morgan dies and it's a case of national tragedy, leading to a respectful suspension of campaigning on the day the Conservatives launch their manifesto. Good one, I'm sure Rhodri would want Labour to stop campaigning when they are in dire need of representing their policies to try and get their numbers up. Someone dies and it's a day off - not good, not good. Also, not turning up for a Leaders' Debate is exactly what Theresa wants Jezza, she wants people to agree with her, not oppose her, so by agreeing with her not to turn up, you've strengthened her position. As for that Len McCluskey, don't try and double bluff the electorate, most of them aren't sophisticated enough to say to themselves "Hey we'd better get out and vote Labour, looks like my vote might matter" if they think a safe seat isn't. I could tear into their policies, but I've done that already and it's Tory day. Except to say, good luck with proposing a higher tax take when supporting leaving the EU - if we have a more disadvantageous system, watch the capital, labour and business fly across the Channel soon as you like. Well, meantime the Tories launch their manifesto and from what I hear, I think the term is "it's a doosy" - but while we Scots will be largely untouched by the changes, it's a different story for you down South. Abolishing free school meals for infants (except for the poorest), abolishing winter fuel payments (except for the poorest) and that will all pay for a revolution in social care. Are you actually buying this? Making the youngest children possibly going hungry or not eating well precisely stores up trouble for education standards and health issues, surely? More and more people seem to be just getting by, take away their early years meals - whit? Meantime, on personal care, you English and Welsh are paying more (thus the State will pay less), due to assessment changes, safe in the knowledge you won't have to sell the house - until you are dead of course when most of it will be stolen to pay for the care you used up during your lifetime. So the Tories, the party of home ownership, give a positive disincentive for you to own your own home. Not that you'll get one anyway, because I've heard nothing on housing other than "we will build more social housing, which we shall sell off in a few years to the tenants". Well good luck with all of that E&W, because it's continued cuts and austerity and you are paying more anyway - for everything. It's all an offset with nothing to tickle productivity, an admission that growth is probably going to slow or end up negative with a rise in inflation and stagnant wages. Same old same old, the rich will get richer and everyone below that can just about manage. Also, are the LibDems proposing the legalisation of cannabis and a second referendum so we can all get high when we vote for no deal rather than any deal? None of them could manage a pee-up in a brewery so far. Now my hands hurt from typing and your eyes probably hurt from reading, so I'm off out for a walk to cool off. Tuppence spent!

Another one for you LFN:

Lol, I really will have to make myself clearer on here!

Not a socialist no, ha ha. I bash the Tories because they are in power. What they do matters. As I've said before, put someone else in power and I'll bash them too. Hard! I actually don't think Corbyn is clueless, but I do think most of his party are careerist politicians who'd drop their constituents for a cushy job at the drop of a hat rather than go down the soup kitchen with their voting base. That's not to say other parties don't have them. Diane Abbott makes her own jokes, I don't need to intervene, lol. I will try harder, but it's the ones in power who do things which affect us all, so they get the big schtick! I thought you might assume I was pro-gay marriage because (a) you assumed I was a socialist, and (b) I am gay. It's an example of parts of my right-wingedness I was highlighting to show I'm not the lefty libertarian my posts in here might suggest.

A. I didn't say it was unfair. I'm just pointing out that the Thatcherite line that May is following obviously isn't working. People are still going on strike despite her best efforts. The Government say they are for the workers - the same Government that yet again made it harder for you to take an employer to a tribunal, and practically impossible in some cases. I'll absolutely agree with you there. B. "Comrade"? Branding people this way is the same way May says you're not patriotic if you don't agree with her. The same as Labour brand "ordinary people". As both parties brand people by class, thus perpetuating the same old struggles which have constipated this country for generations. I'm for the death penalty in certain circumstances. I'm for big business, provided they pay their taxes and don't take their workers for granted, maybe even ethical capitalism. I'm even against gay marriage - that surprised you, didn't it? Everyone is different with differing opinions on certain issues. Don't bunch me in with some homogenous group that doesn't exist.

Children slaying not a crime against humanity? Anyway, happy to see you RA and cool got some real points on the board!

Well it was either impeachment or assassination. Anyway, did the Americans not realise they were voting for a Russian placeman? Land of the free ruled by a dictator?

Ah yes, the Summer there was no Summer...

Report here that Jean Fritz, children's author, has died aged 101. https://twitter.com/PWKidsBookshelf/status/864606579060084737 DDP Pick.

I've predicted UKIP gains too. Must still be on a high after the Portugal win in Eurovish!