RoverAndOut

Massive news in F1 today as Adrian Newey chooses Aston Martin. Could make 2026 very interesting. Would love to see Alonso win again and maybe get an unexpected third title. Would be less delighted if it gives daddy's boy Lance a chance of success. But would be incredible if Newey could win a championship with a 4th different team (and we're not talking rebranded teams, totally separate teams - Williams, McLaren, Red Bull evolved from Jaguar and Stewart, Aston Martin is the eventual successor to Jordan). When you consider he also came very close to winning a grand prix with the Leyton House March in 1990, his record is astonishing.

Knew I had him in here. Quoth the raven: Nevermore.

What a loss. Superb actor and that voice will live on forever. (Not least because Disney own his voice for Darth Vader purposes). RIP James.

Love it!!! She was supposed to be consensus candidate! There was clearly a consensus - that she not be leader!

2/9/24 35 Madness - Baggy Trousers 30 Ultravox - Dancing With Tears In My Eyes 29 Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time 28 Aztec Camera — Somewhere In My Heart 28 The Bangles - Walk Like an Egyptian 27 The Damned - Eloise 27 Tears for Fears - Mad World +4 26 Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill 24 Roy Orbison - You Got It 22 Eurythmics - Who's That Girl 22 The Vapors - Turning Japanese 21 Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy 19 Tina Turner - We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) 19 Queen - A Kind of Magic 18 Queen - I Want It All 17 Heart - Alone  17 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye -6 11 New Order - Blue Monday 88  08 Yazoo - Don’t Go

1/9/24 27 Madness - Baggy Trousers 24 The Bangles - Walk Like an Egyptian 24 Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time 24 Aztec Camera — Somewhere In My Heart 24 The Damned - Eloise 24 Ultravox - Dancing with Tears in My Eyes +4 23 Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy 22 Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill 22 Tina Turner - We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) 21 Eurythmics - Who's That Girl 21 The Vapors - Turning Japanese 21 Yazoo - Don’t Go 21 Queen - A Kind of Magic 21 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye -3 20 New Order - Blue Monday 88 20 Tears for Fears - Mad World 20 Heart - Alone  20 Roy Orbison - You Got It -3 18 Queen - I Want It All 14 Michael Jackson - Bad 12 Earth, Wind & Fire - Let’s Groove  11 Jona Lewie — Stop The Cavalry  10 Womack & Womack - Teardrops  4 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Souvenir Just me, voting up something I didn't even know when we started this game...

This tickled me...

31/8/24 25 Madness - Baggy Trousers 24 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye 24 Aztec Camera — Somewhere In My Heart 24 The Damned - Eloise 23 Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy 22 Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill 22 Tina Turner - We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) +2 21 Eurythmics - Who's That Girl 21 The Vapors - Turning Japanese 21 Roy Orbison - You Got It 21 Yazoo - Don’t Go 21 Queen - I Want It All 20 Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time 20 New Order - Blue Monday 88 20 Tears for Fears - Mad World 20 The Bangles - Walk Like an Egyptian 20 Ultravox - Dancing with Tears in My Eyes 20 Heart - Alone +2 18 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Souvenir 18 Queen - A Kind of Magic 14 Jona Lewie — Stop The Cavalry 13 Michael Jackson - Bad 11 Earth, Wind & Fire - Let’s Groove  11 Womack & Womack - Teardrops 06 The J. Geils Band - Centerfold -6 Blimey, is this better than the other 80s finals?! Surely not. But this is a great selection. Going to be tough to whittle down.

31/8/24 75 Roy Orbison - You Got It  75 New Order - Blue Monday 88  75 Queen - I Want It All 55 Aztec Camera — Somewhere In My Heart 29 Womack & Womack - Teardrops +4 19 Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don’t Care -6 Not happening. Come on gang, nearly there...

30/8/24 75 Roy Orbison - You Got It  75 New Order - Blue Monday 88 75 Queen - I Want It All 61 Aztec Camera — Somewhere In My Heart 26 Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don’t Care -6 24 Womack & Womack - Teardrops +4 I didn't vote after midnight because after Old Lady got rid of You Came I thought we were done for some reason. Anyway, happy to help the cause...

Today in "Nigel Farage says something he'll definitely do the opposite of..."

I'm not prepared to categorically say she's guilty, beyond the fact that several judges, juries and courts have found her guilty of multiple offences, but I am leaning that way because that's what I'm supposed to think. I have to have faith in the legal system, despite miscarriages of justice existing. I do wonder if she has a few more supporters because she's a beautiful, young, blonde woman. It's incredibly hard seeing that picture of her in her uniform holding a newborn's knitted cardigan and imagine her indiscriminately killing babies. Would there be quite the same outrage if the accused was called Ibrahima Mahmood? You've got to ask. And Bamber's is another case that looks like it has legs but the only logical verdict based on the evidence is that he did it, whatever he claims. All very unsettling.

The suggestion made in the BBC overview I posted was that the only reason they wouldn't have used expert witnesses is because their evidence wouldn't have helped her out very much...which perhaps further suggests the weight of evidence against her. I don't know...

For those interested in a broad overview, the BBC have given a very good account of the reasons she was convicted and the arguments for and against conviction. I still trust the process, one thing that is emphasised is that a case is built on a body of evidence and one questionable piece doesn't undermine all the rest of the case. Two interesting things stood out on first reading: the defence called no expert witnesses during the trial, which is odd. And the expert witness who analysed the deaths in the Countess of Chester during this period did eliminate certain deaths and incidents from the investigation because he did not consider the cases to be suspicious given the circumstances and the medical notes (which are never mentioned during the 'inaccurate chart' row). It was only once that work was completed that it was cross-referenced and realised that Letby was on duty for all the questionable incidents, which is what's shown in the supposedly dodgy chart. Most currently suggesting there's questions about the safety of the conviction, rather than that Letby is innocent. I do suspect that even with her supporters, it will be very difficult to reach the high bar to challenge the verdict and get a re-trial, or get her conviction quashed. Here's the BBC'S unbiased overview: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c39k44n8j1mo

29/8/24 69 New Order - Blue Monday 88 69 Queen - I Want It All 65 Roy Orbison - You Got It  63 Aztec Camera — Somewhere In My Heart 52 Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don’t Care -6 23 Billy Ocean - Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car 21 Kim Wilde - You Came 18 Womack & Womack - Teardrops +4 04 Jeff Wayne - The Eve Of The War (Ben Liebrand Remix) 04 Donna Summer - This Time I Know It’s For Real  Admitting defeat on Donna Summer, mainly because I can't believe I need to save Womack & Womack! What's wrong with you people?!

Israel uses an extreme form of PR which makes forming coalitions incredibly difficult as so many parties are represented. With the increasing fracturisation of Western democracies, it could become a bigger issue here too, like in the Netherlands, but Germany has had coalitions for years and they even have names for different combinations (traffic light, Jamaica, etc.). I voted against AV in 2011 as when I studied electoral systems I was led to believe that FPTP at least produced effective and decisive government. Given the increasing polarisation of parties and the utter chaos of the past 10 years, I realise that that's no longer true or accurate. I also voted against AV as its the most measly and pointless form of PR there is, I'd rather have STV instead. Coalition is inevitable. And if we use it properly, very effective.

Ok, hate to mention it again (still haven't seen the doc) but, for completeness, 24 neonatal experts have asked for the Inquiry into the deaths at Countess of Chester to either be delayed or modified as there is a concern that by focusing solely on Letby as a serial killer, other mistakes and negligent behaviour may be missed. Specific reference made to this chart showing she was on duty for each of the deaths she's accused of, mentioning a further 6 babies died during this period that was not mentioned at the trial. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgdxq2l7kvo On we go...

28/8/24  63 Roy Orbison - You Got It 63 New Order - Blue Monday 88 62 Queen - I Want It All 58 Aztec Camera — Somewhere In My Heart 44 Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don’t Care -6 30 Billy Ocean - Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car 25 Womack & Womack - Teardrops 23 Donna Summer - This Time I Know It’s For Real +4 21 Kim Wilde - You Came 18 Jeff Wayne - The Eve Of The War (Ben Liebrand Remix) 11 Madonna - Cherish

27/08/24 62 Roy Orbison - You Got It 58 New Order - Blue Monday 88 55 Queen - I Want It All 52 Aztec Camera — Somewhere In My Heart 45 Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don’t Care -6 30 Womack & Womack - Teardrops 29 Billy Ocean - Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car 27 Donna Summer - This Time I Know It’s For Real +4 27 Madonna - Cherish 26 Jeff Wayne - The Eve Of The War (Ben Liebrand Remix) 21 Kim Wilde - You Came 12 Sydney Youngblood — If Only I Could

26/08/24 61 Roy Orbison - You Got It 55 New Order - Blue Monday 88 52 Queen - I Want It All 47 Aztec Camera — Somewhere In My Heart 45 Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don’t Care -6 36 Womack & Womack - Teardrops  28 Billy Ocean - Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car 27 Donna Summer - This Time I Know It’s For Real +4 23 Jeff Wayne - The Eve Of The War (Ben Liebrand Remix) 23 Madonna - Cherish 21 Kim Wilde - You Came 19 Vanessa Paradis - Joe Le Taxi 16 Sydney Youngblood — If Only I Could 09 Paula Abdul - Straight Up 06 Soul II Soul - Get a Life Missed a few more days of this. I've been trying to work out what I wanted to go through and have only just had time to listen to them all again. I don't hate much on the list, and I'm fairly satisfied with the way things are going, but I'd like to make a few adjustments. Can you guess which?

There have been extensive studies on these things, and I think someone has spent 2 years in space in one period if I remember rightly, specifically measuring these sorts of things. It would undoubtedly be a shock, but they have prepared for life in space, even over a short period, and I assume there is some training about exactly such a scenario, where something goes wrong and they end up in space for a longer period than planned while a 'fix' is found. There are things that are regularly done on the ISS to maintain the body (like there's a treadmill you can be strapped to, to help maintain muscle mass for example), and 8 months is a long but not excessive length of time to spend in space. The mental stress must be pretty high though, even if they are fairly balanced individuals: missing Christmas, families, trapped unexpectedly must be stressful and there is literally no escape without putting your life, or others, in mortal danger. But, as I say, things do go wrong and they are prepared for it and to remain calm and rational in that situation. And it's been a possibility they'd be staying for months for weeks now, they've had time to come to terms with that, and presumably speak to their loved ones and discuss it with them too. This is just confirmation of that fact.

I know you're trolling, but it's important to engage with even the thickest of society in the forlorn hope that this leads to a realisation that there's a better path forward. 1. You give some very detailed explanations of the reasons why the space program is entirely fictitious (as of the mid-20th century) due to the inability to pass through the Van Allen radiation belt (I've never heard of radiation being a solid barrier, but there we go, you live and learn). Could you give me details of where you did your PhD in Astrophysics and who your instructor was that gave you this detailed inside knowledge? 2. We'd discover that we don't live on a globe circling through space? So something that between them Galileo and Copernicus not only proved to be the case, but also that we can observe, without technology beyond optics, with our own eyes - unless Earth is the only body in the solar system that is not spheroid in shape. 3. Our space program is hi-tech movie production, and presumably has been since the 1960s when we discovered we couldn't pass through the Van Allen Belt. Odd then that their production values still vastly outstrip the conventional movie industry from which they emerged. And that the vast production team required in this fake space movie industry have all kept their mouths shut for the past 60 years. I mean, not a single person has broken the secret! 4. Speaking of which, it is a historical fact that for the majority of the second half of the 20th century, there was a battle for supremacy between the capitalist West, led by the United States and the communist East, led by the Soviet Union, both of whom conducted the so-called 'Space Race' which saw the Soviets achieve most "firsts" (undisputed by the Americans) and the Americans land a man on the moon first (undisputed by the Soviets). How did this work? Did both sides fictionalise the entire geopolitical tension of the late 20th century or did they just agree to fake the Space Race? Because if either side believed the other had not achieved what they claimed to have, do you not think they would have publicised this fact? 5. Finally, we no longer "possess technology from 20th century's rocket program anymore because it was all abandoned". You do realise the rocketry knowledge we used to power those "failed" rocket attempts came from the Nazis use of said technology during World War 2 (Werner von Braun, V2s, etc.)? And that, even if we go along with your ridiculous notion that the entire space program is made-up, then without said rocketry knowledge there would be no cruise missiles, of the sort that are fired all over the world all the time (by Hezbollah into Israel overnight in fact!). I look forward to your reasoned and detailed answers to my points.

Blimey, you lot don't hang about! Didn't vote in the first round as I hadn't listened to them all and didn't know enough. Know more on this round and you're doing a good job. Will need to listen to make sure I'm downvoting the right ones as I don't think there's 7 I want through at present.

23/08/24  43 New Order - Blue Monday 88 40 Roy Orbison - You Got It 38 Queen - I Want It All 35 Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don’t Care 35 Aztec Camera — Somewhere In My Heart 33 Vanessa Paradis - Joe Le Taxi 27 Womack & Womack - Teardrops 25 Madonna - Cherish 25 Billy Ocean - Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car +4 24 Paula Abdul - Straight Up 23 Donna Summer - This Time I Know It’s For Real 23 Danny Wilson - Mary’s Prayer 22 Jeff Wayne - The Eve Of The War (Ben Liebrand Remix) 21 Everything But The Girl - I Don’t Want to Talk About It 21 Kim Wilde - You Came 21 Sabrina - Boys (Summertime Love) 20 Sydney Youngblood - If Only I Could 20 Soul II Soul - Get a Life 16 Chris de Burgh - Missing You  15 Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance -6 14 Lynne Hamilton - On The Inside 06 Bananarama & Lananeeneenoonoo - Help! 03 B.V.S.M.P — I Need You I've tried before and again for this round, but I'm just not cool enough to understand Buffalo Stance's appeal. Does virtually nothing for me...

22/8/24 43 New Order - Blue Monday 88 40 Roy Orbison - You Got It 38 Queen - I Want It All 35 Transvision Vamp - Baby I Don’t Care 35 Aztec Camera — Somewhere In My Heart 29 Madonna - Cherish 27 Vanessa Paradis - Joe Le Taxi 25 Womack & Womack - Teardrops 24 Paula Abdul - Straight Up 23 Donna Summer - This Time I Know It’s For Real 23 Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance 23 Danny Wilson - Mary’s Prayer +4 22 Jeff Wayne - The Eve Of The War (Ben Liebrand Remix) 21 Everything But The Girl - I Don’t Want to Talk About It 21 Billy Ocean - Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car 21 Kim Wilde - You Came 21 Sabrina - Boys (Summertime Love) 20 Sydney Youngblood - If Only I Could 20 Soul II Soul - Get a Life 16 Chris de Burgh - Missing You -2 14 Lynne Hamilton - On The Inside -2 09 B.V.S.M.P. - I Need You -2 06 Bananarama & Lananeeneenoonoo - Help!