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Net migration going up - moan. Going down - moan. We could all pick stats that are positive, or negative, but that's daft. Long term NHS waiting times reduced. Millions more NHS appointments given. Record judicial sitting days to cope with delays and volume. Probate grant times halved. Etc. Yep shit loads of negatives too, but this idea that everything is getting worse is bollox.

It'll be the same in various sectors. People spout and support views without playing the tape forwards.

We've just the lowest November borrowing in 4 years. Lower interest rates. Lower inflation. Lower net migration. Don't let those facts impact opinions though.

I'm guessing it'll be a Mayweather/McGregor type of "fight". Tyson's size and style didn't lend itself to a pantomime as he doesn't box at distance. AJ has the reach and can just jab on the back foot and step away. That way he'll avoid having to choose to either back away or finish him. Hopefully I'm wrong and AJ knocks Paul into next Christmas.

Absolutely. Shit boxer + being the smaller man, it shouldn't end well, but he's a brand and a cash cow. Netflix won't want him to get smashed up. I reckon AJ will just pad him away, aim for the body, take a few hits and it'll go to the cards. They're using a slightly bigger ring for some reason as well.

Haye Vs Klitschko was similarly mismatched on paper to be fair, Haye Vs Valuev more so. But yes, embarrassing. Not so much because of the stats as the obvious abilities of them both. If Paul was the proper boxer and Joshua the carthorse, that would be something of a leveller, but when you factor in that the smaller bloke doesn't look good enough to win a regional belt, it becomes utterly ridiculous.

Yep. The US are different though as the strength of the dollar allows them to borrow without reducing the value of their currency. There's a reason why US foreign policy takes fire at countries who threaten the power of the dollar. Libya, Brics.

Heat

There's always a context to discussion mate, but it's rarely the same as the context swimming around in your head.

Yep. It's a proper mismatch. I've got a friend who's a retired pro. He once told me about a bloke he knew who'd fought AJ. The bloke was taller and heavier than AJ and was unbeaten in 20+ fights. Got blown away in less than 2 minutes. Apparently he said he'd never felt such power, and whether linked or not, he had to retire a couple of years later after he failed a brain scan and had his license cancelled. Boxing is bloody dangerous, and the issue always has been that you get big heavyweights and smaller ones. Can't really do much about that, but the smaller guy, if he's decent, can win and stay out of trouble. David Haye for example did well against much bigger men. The difference is that he was a good boxer.

The pun and amandaland are the only good things on that list.

Feck me, the drivel you post. There's a world of difference between appreciating a classic programme from the 70's and liking a shit programme that's still made but is stuck in a time warp.

Yep. It's an embarrassment to boxing. Ditto the press conferences. AJ should blow him away within a round or two, but I have a feeling he won't.

Agreed. Trigonometry isn't much use in life, but money / life skills are essential.

I'm not sure about that. Invest well, and they'll be ok. The issue is doing that as property will take priority and getting started there isn't easy.

I'm very much on the camp of supporting all those in society who need it, pensioner's included. Getting it right won't be easy, but it's doable.

Two kid cap I'm somewhat torn on, but on balance I would have kept it on affordability rather than moral grounds. The whole welfare system needs overhaul - state pension included. What grates with me is people shouting to slash welfare, but never the part of the welfare system they hope to benefit from.

Where did I say that? Triple lock for ALL pensioners is not the same as a means tested supplement for those who need additional income.

You can blame Snicko, but bad form not walking when you know you've hit the ball.

Yep, should have binned the triple lock - an unaffordable welfare spend. Should also have kept the 2 kid cap. Otherwise, they didn't have much to work with.

Seemingly Mauritius had a claim to the islands, hence the deal and lease. Re spy shit, I think it's widely acknowledged that Chagos is vitally important to the US for all sorts military and similar purposes. Some conspiracy theories will tell you that's where that missing plane from a few years back ended up. The whole carry on is odd.

Very literal! The masses are skint.

I'd hazard a guess by next summer. It's a political hot spud, so just get on with it.

On the face of it, giving land to people who never owned the land makes so sense, but equally it doesn't feel right that we retain land that we've stolen.

I'm not sure they'll be that brave, but it's necessary. I spoke with a Showman friend yesterday - business has never been so bad, everyone is skint. 0.5% is a needed boost.