What. The. Fuck?????? Boris Johnson is mayor of London????

[Illuminatiprimus]

I think my head just asploded. I'm usually the first person to step up and defend the intelligence of the British people (despite a lot of examples to the contrary) and more so Londoners as the population of one of the greatest cities in the world. But seriously people.

What.

The.

Fuck.

You'd rather have Boris Johnson, a man who compares gay marriage to bestiality, to Ken Livingston, who has been doing the job extremely well for the last eight years. Ken, who has a proven track record on things like housing, maintaining public spaces, encouraging green policies, getting traffic off the road (congestion charge, a scheme cities all over the world are adopting because it's been so successful)... And you've gone for Boris Johnson. Boris FUCKING Johnson.

The man knows nothing about London government, has said he thinks that the financial centre of Britain, the City, needs to be further deregulated (despite the massive amounts of deregulating having helped contribute to the economic crap fest we're currently experiencing), a man whose solution to easing passenger congestion in London would be to build another airport outside of London (an area outside of the mayor's jurisdiction). And apparently affordable housing, a burning issue for people given how expensive London is to live in, doesn't figure on your radar at all.

Why else is Boris Crap?


opposition to the Kyoto protocol on climate change (which every single developed country in the world apart from Bush's USA has now signed up to, indicating that he is more right-wing than any developed country outside America)
opposition to the Minimum Wage
support for rail privatisation
opposition to the congestion charge
opposition to paternity leave
the belief that South Africa under Nelson Mandela represents “the majority tyranny of black rule”


I mean seriously, I could understand people not wanting to vote for a Labour candidate at the moment (and this was reflected resoundingly in the local elections) but there were plenty of other candidates you could have gone for other than BORIS FUCKING JOHNSON!!!!!!!

Now if you'll excuse me I'll be exploring relocation opportunities outside of London.

[Jennyrosity]

Ah, but he's funny, isn't he? Good old Boris, the loveable buffoon.

Except he isn't. He's a narrow-minded racist snob, who understands nothing about this city and the people who live it, and I find it actually humiliating that he's our elected representative, especially during a time (2012 Olympics) when he'll be representing us to the world.

Hit submit too soon.

[Ludovic]

opposition to the Kyoto protocol on climate change (which every single developed country in the world apart from Bush's USA has now signed up to, indicating that he is more right-wing than any developed country outside America)
Even a Hammer finds a nut once in awhile. I don't see America signing up for the next lemming-emulation competition either, I guess we should since everyone else is. The rest of his opinions as per your list I don't agree with, though.

[Rashaverak]

First off: I'm not a Londoner. If I were I probably would have voted for Ken.


But the invective in the the left wing press was scaremongering at its best, as if Boris and his Tory chums would be chasing Muslims through the streets on horseback (an image cheerfully stolen from a Comment Is free poster). John Harris in the Guardian today believes that London's status as a world city is now under threat.

It is articles like this hyperbolic hatchet job (http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/may/01/boris.livingstone) by Zoe Williams on polling day that play straight into Boris's hands.

Patronizing and denigrating voters like the OP oh-so-cleverly does by questioning their mental acuity is precisely why many liberal left leaning people like me and you Illuminatiprimus are disliked, and perhaps why so many Londoners decided to give Ken a bloody nose.

A message to Left wingers everywhere: condescension isn't attractive.

[Gala Matrix Fire]

Wow, you guys just elected your own George Bush. What would possess you to do that?

[tirial]

Which other candidates? We had a very poor selection. Most of them are very much single issue (Abolish the congestion charge, Green party) unprofessional (Brian Paddick lost it with an interviewer), unthinkable (BNP) or unpopular (UKIP, LL, CPA).

Left with Ken and Boris, considering Ken's spent the last few months fighting corruption stories in the papers reminiscent of the GLC and having local councils publish council tax levels spilt into "Local services" and "Ken tax" the month before the elections, its not a shock Boris got it.

If you want to get really upset, why aren't you more concerned that the BNP just got their first seat in the London Assembly?

[CatInASuit]

I mean seriously, I could understand people not wanting to vote for a Labour candidate at the moment (and this was reflected resoundingly in the local elections) but there were plenty of other candidates you could have gone for other than BORIS FUCKING JOHNSON!!!!!!!

Now if you'll excuse me I'll be exploring relocation opportunities outside of London.

Ok, who else other than Boris Johnson was the alternative candidate to Ken Livingstone.

After all, Ken is running a group enjoying cronyism, runs a bloated London Assembly and supports a party who decided to up the tax on the lowest paid people in the country.

Not to mention being anti-semitic and enjoying the company of people who say that suicide bombing and the destruction of sovereign nations is a good thing,

Frankly, I'm looking forward to having Boris in charge. It will be a good test to see if the Conservatives are ready to take charge in 2 years time or if they have not learned any of their lessons. In which case we are stuck with Mr Bean for another 4 years.

OOC: Illuminatiprimus, did you support Ken Livingstone or Frank Dobson in the first election?
I remember when Ken first won and your current diatribe was being spouted by the Labour Party. Who promptly bought him back when he proved them wrong.

Ken was a good mayor for the first four years, but the last four have not been so successful and given his associations it was time for him to go.

Don't worry about it too much, Boris has already asked if Ken would be interested in working with him.

Of course, I guess you would have preferred if everyone had voted Brian Paddick instead. ;)

[jjimm]

Wow, you guys just elected your own George Bush. What would possess you to do that?I promise you, for all his faults, I'd still rather have 1,000 Borises over 1 GWB. Buffoonery aside, he's intelligent, and a bleeding-heart librul (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2007/03/01/do0101.xml) compared to your fuckin' idiot.

As a non-Londoner I am both enjoying mild schadenfreude and wide-eyed curiosity. I have, however, lived in his Henley constituency and it wasn't exactly the jackbooted prison camp Londoners might fear.

That said, the capital's mayoral office seems to have fewer checks and balances on it, as Ken's incumbency has shown. I wonder how much time will be spent reversing Ken's policies (will he chuck out the Congestion Charge?), or how much will be spent on adding brand new lunacies such as privatising the Tube.

Interesting times.

[Liberal]

I promise you, for all his faults, I'd still rather have 1,000 Borises over 1 GWB. Buffoonery aside, he's intelligent, and a bleeding-heart librul (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2007/03/01/do0101.xml) compared to your fuckin' idiot.Over here, in most places, "liberal" means big-government, high taxes, wreckless spending, and such — pretty much the opposite of what you might expect. Ask not what The State can do for you; ask what you can do for The State.

[ticker]

Not to mention being anti-semitic and enjoying the company of people who say that suicide bombing and the destruction of sovereign nations is a good thing,


Are you alluding to the comment he made to a journalist, which was gleefully misinterpreted by the gutter press because it was actually an attack on the same gutter press, rather than a comment on the journalist's being Jewish?

[jjimm]

Over here, in most places, "liberal" means big-government, high taxes, wreckless spending, and such — pretty much the opposite of what you might expect. Ask not what The State can do for you; ask what you can do for The State.But I'm not over there! (Also, by your definition, doesn't "liberal" therefore include fascism?)

[threemae]

Well, London's always going to be a hell hole either way, ;), but it seems to me that Mr. Livigston put aside some of his more extreme liberal views to become a very effective administrator for his city, plus he brought le Tour to London last year.

I thought the congestion charge was misguided at first, but from my visit last summer, it seemed like it worked very well, and I wish that something similar had been applied in New York as well. I mean, most everyone can afford $8 to go into the city during the day if they really have to, but it also prevents people from trying to commute by car.

[Captain Carrot]

Over here, in most places, "liberal" means big-government, high taxes, wreckless spending, and such — pretty much the opposite of what you might expect. Ask not what The State can do for you; ask what you can do for The State.
Well, that's the stereotype, but at this point that describes conservatives far more than liberals, except for the taxes. (Lower taxes and increase the budget? How can I lose?!)

[ivylass]

Wow, you guys just elected your own George Bush. What would possess you to do that?

He's the mayor of London, not prime minister.

[Bricker]

Yes, these voters are such idiots. If only they would realize how dumb they are, and sit back and let the real experts manage their government for them.

The arrogance of this left-wing entitlement belief is absolutely astounding. Every vote is sacred, except when the voters are too foolish to realize the Left is in their best interests.

Shut the fuck up, you trog. Opposition to your pet projects is not a de facto sign of idiocy; reasonable people may reject the Kyoto protocols and minimum wage without being stupid. I'm not a Londoner, of course, but I'll shed no tears to see Ken gone. But I recognize that he was well-intentioned, and a reasonable person whose goals I simply didn't share. I don't need to think him an idiot, or hold myself out as superior... just as someone who disagrees.

Apparently, the Left -- at least the OP's chunk of it -- cannot fathom anything other than slavishly lockstep adherence to its dogma. Which is a shame, because he's in a minority... but a vocal one, one that leaves a much more lasting impression than his reasonable brethern do. And one that gives the similarly situated idiots on the Right (think Ann Coulter et al) ammunition for their equally baseless generalizations about the opposition.

[Osakadelica]

Boris is a wonderful man.

I have every confidence in him.

To describe him as racist because of a few quotes taken out of context is at best stupid, more likely malicious.

And I love to see lefties cry.

[MJinks]

He won because he's a celebrity and because he 'might be a laugh' IMO. I wonder how Paul Merton and Ian Hislop feel about their part in BOJO's victory?

Anyway, seeing as how I don't live in London, I'm going to love following all his gaffs from a safe distance.

[Revenant Threshold]

I'm a Londoner. I don't think Ken did a fantastic job - in fact I would be happy to point out problems under his term. Likewise I don't think Boris is a enormously scary racist; I suspect that the terms he uses are a facet of his upbringing rather than any real wish to offend. I don't know whether or not he harbours racist views, I just don't feel it's that obvious, and i'm surprised at the many people who tend to assume both that he's an incompetent, scatterbrained moron, and a devious, cunning racist who means every word he says.

That said, I didn't vote for the guy. And were he not as famous as he is, I suspect he would not have won. OTOH, I suppose i'd prefer to see whether he'll fuck up the Mayoral job rather than seeing if he'll fuck up the PM job, as he has been hinted at running for in the past.

[CatInASuit]

Are you alluding to the comment he made to a journalist, which was gleefully misinterpreted by the gutter press because it was actually an attack on the same gutter press, rather than a comment on the journalist's being Jewish?
Both sides have had the gutter press in action, only this time the Tories were better at it instead of Labour. Admittedly this time round, the London Evening Standard was as subtle as a sledgehammer, but they were fairly accurate in what they printed and got more attention in the mayoral election than most other newspapers.

However, if you were to believe everything written about Boris and Ken by them, then neither of them should be even in the running for Mayor.

As for the comment, here is the transcript of the conversation between Ken Livingstone and Oliver Finegold, the reporter.
Finegold: Mr Livingstone, Evening Standard. How did tonight go?
Livingstone: How awful for you. Have you thought of having treatment?
Finegold: How did tonight go?
Livingstone: Have you thought of having treatment?
Finegold: Was it a good party? What does it mean for you?
Livingstone: What did you do before? Were you a German war criminal?
Finegold: No, I'm Jewish, I wasn't a German war criminal and I'm actually quite offended by that. So, how did tonight go?
Livingstone: Ah right, well you might be Jewish, but actually you are just like a concentration camp guard, you are just doing it because you are paid to, aren't you?
Finegold: Great, I have you on record for that. So, how was tonight?
Livingstone: It's nothing to do with you because your paper is a load of scumbags and reactionary bigots.
Finegold: I'm a journalist and I'm doing my job. I'm only asking for a comment.
Livingstone: Well, work for a paper that doesn't have a record of supporting fascism.
He finally apologised for the statements nearly two years later after several rounds through the courts.

[Odesio]

opposition to the Kyoto protocol on climate change (which every single developed country in the world apart from Bush's USA has now signed up to, indicating that he is more right-wing than any developed country outside America)


Just so you know it isn't Bush's United States of American it's just the United States of America. Keep in mind that during the Clinton administration the United States still didn't want anything to do with the Kyoto Accords.

Marc

[Osakadelica]

For the record there was nothing wrong with what Ken said either. Just a reporter (probably uncut and a bacon sadwich lover at that) playing the Jewish card to create a bit of controversy.

American viewers, would you like a feeling for this man:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5Xb6U3j_Y0

This says everything.

[Vinyl Turnip]

The arrogance of this left-wing entitlement belief is absolutely astounding. Every vote is sacred, except when the voters are too foolish to realize the Left is in their best interests.
In fairness, if we were as capable as our right-wing brethren at fixing the vote ahead of time, we wouldn't have to whine so much afterward...

[Capt. Ridley's Shooting Party]

Can he really be any more of an embarrassment to the nation than Ken Livingstone was---a guy who took cronyism and befriending racists and bigots (in fact anybody, as long as they criticised Israel) and made it into an art form?

[Alessan]

For the record there was nothing wrong with what Ken said either. Just a reporter (probably uncut and a bacon sadwich lover at that) playing the Jewish card to create a bit of controversy.


I can assure you that he is not "uncut" and whether or not he eats bacon is between him and God and has nothing to do with how Jewish he is.

And based on his "interview" above, Ken comes across as Mel Gibson's idiot brother. Good bye and good riddance.

[Capt. Ridley's Shooting Party]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5Xb6U3j_Y0

This says everything.

:smack:

You could have used a better video to prove your point. The guy comes across pretty well, in that video.

[magellan01]

In fairness, if we were as capable as our right-wing brethren at fixing the vote ahead of time, we wouldn't have to whine so much afterward...

Now why would you type that when "I, Vinyl Turnip, am an idiot" would have been even more to the point and a little more forceful? Tsk, tsk.

[Lobsang]

:smack:

You could have used a better video to prove your point. The guy comes across pretty well, in that video.

Yeah. There's got to be a more Boris-y Boris video out there than that one.

[Ximenean]

I'm sorry, but I just don't think the GLA or the London Mayor are that important. There are already London borough councils and a rather London-centric national government system, so it's not like the mayor runs the city by himself, and the boroughs are a much bigger deal if my Council Tax bill is anything to go by.

[Quartz]

I'm not a Londoner, but expect to become one soon. I think it's far too early to judge Boris. Both he and Ken are characters and as that boded well for Ken, so I'm willing to give Boris the benefit of the doubt. For the moment.

[Bricker]

In fairness, if we were as capable as our right-wing brethren at fixing the vote ahead of time, we wouldn't have to whine so much afterward...

Ah, of course. And this accusation isn't some chicken-shit, bitchy snark, of course. You actually have solid prrof of the vote fixing that occured here, and you're going to be posting it now.

[Lust4Life]

I liked old Ken even though his politics were not my politics,he was an individual who to start off with thought outside the box and his ideas worked as far as I can see.

But time has taken its toll and he was fast becoming just another politician.

As to Boris admittedly he doesn't come across as being very P.C which probably makes him more like the majority of the electorate which ever ethnic group or sexual orientation they come from and hes quite willing to make fun of himself and doesn't agonise over every word that he says to the media which is a refreshing change for a politician.

I dont think that hes a clown but I'm reserving judgement on him until hes put some of his ideas into action,franklyI'm a bit wary of him politically though he seems to be great as a person.

As to the O.P.despairing about the intelligence of the electorate,democracy isn't about intelligence,its about numbers.

[gonzomax]

In America Liberal means more sensitivity to the average man and the downtrodden . It stands for a more balanced budget and control of spending. It stands for the rights of the people against the government and corporations.

[aldiboronti]

The indignation and spluttering incredulity of the left at the result is not the least enjoyable aspect of Johnson's victory. It's reminiscent of the reaction of American liberals to Reagan's election.

And, as the press is reminding us, Boris Johnson was born in New York City and thus would be eligible to run for the US Presidency (a childhood ambition of his, in fact).

Today London, tomorrow the White House! :)

[FriarTed]

The indignation and spluttering incredulity of the left at the result is not the least enjoyable aspect of Johnson's victory. It's reminiscent of the reaction of American liberals to Reagan's election.

And, as the press is reminding us, Boris Johnson was born in New York City and thus would be eligible to run for the US Presidency (a childhood ambition of his, in fact).

Today London, tomorrow the White House! :)

I never heard of Boris Johnson till reading another SDMB thread yesterday. Hell, I'd be tempted to vote for him just because he has the guts to wear his hair that way.

[Tuckerfan]

I never heard of Boris Johnson till reading another SDMB thread yesterday. Hell, I'd be tempted to vote for him just because he has the guts to wear his hair that way.
It'd be James Traficant all over again. (http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/04/11/traficant.trial/index.html) ;)

[FriarTed]

It'd be James Traficant all over again. (http://archives.cnn.com/2002/LAW/04/11/traficant.trial/index.html) ;)

LOL! Beam us up!

[Quartz]

And, as the press is reminding us, Boris Johnson was born in New York City and thus would be eligible to run for the US Presidency (a childhood ambition of his, in fact).

Except he's renounced his US citizenship.

[Cicero]

Because the voters elect someone who you don't like they are intellectually challenged? How strange.

[Illuminatiprimus]

Because the voters elect someone who you don't like they are intellectually challenged? How strange.

Oh shut up. Wipe off the bile and you can see the point I'm making, I was in a very bad mood when I typed that.

[Cicero]

Oh shut up. Wipe off the bile and you can see the point I'm making, I was in a very bad mood when I typed that.

And you are not now? I don't really care who is elected ( I don't get to vote) but your point still eludes me.

[Alessan]

I was in a very bad mood when I typed that.

And yet, the words are still there on the screen.

[Vinyl Turnip]

Ah, of course. And this accusation isn't some chicken-shit, bitchy snark, of course. You actually have solid prrof of the vote fixing that occured here, and you're going to be posting it now.
If I had solid proof, how capable would they be?

Nonetheless, I apologize for interrupting your diatribe against "left-wing entitlement" with my bitchy snark. Feel free to evacuate the remainder of your bowels unmolested.

[Bricker]

If I had solid proof, how capable would they be?

Nonetheless, I apologize for interrupting your diatribe against "left-wing entitlement" with my bitchy snark. Feel free to evacuate the remainder of your bowels unmolested.

I guess that would mean 'no.'

"They did it," says you, "and the proof is that we have no evidence, because they're so devious, n' stuff."

Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.

[Omegaman]

I guess that would mean 'no.'

"They did it," says you, "and the proof is that we have no evidence, because they're so devious, n' stuff."

Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.

You know Bricker, we all know you're a lawyer and to be one you have to have a lot of schooling to get there. I'm thinking perhaps you should kind of scoot-ch your ass around in the saddle up there on your high horse and see If you can get a better perspective of where a lot of the rest of are down here. As I tried to point out in another thread the use of humor around here seems to agitate some, and rightly so as smart comments aren't productive nor well received by everyone here. But as sure as your diploma hangs on the wall, life is hard for every person here (mostly) and on this planet as well, and while others and myself might crack wise occasionally you looking down your nose at people isn't very nice either. Because once you leave your perch, and step onto the ground with the rest of us you might find someone looking down their nose at you. So I'll try to do better with my smart comments and maybe you could put just the tiniest bit of effort into toning down your exhilarating repartee' a shade and we'll see if we can't find some common ground in the middle. And a good day to you sir.

[BrainGlutton]

Ees beeg trouble for Moose and Squirrel!

[Omegaman]

Ees beeg trouble for Moose and Squirrel!

Now that's what I'm talking about! Glad to see not everyone has lost their sense of humor.

[Polerius]

I had never heard of Boris Johnson until today, but this YouTube video shows him to be an utter idiot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02KwDMM1STI&feature=related

London's own GWB indeed.

[casdave]

Hmmph, he has only been voted in for the entertainment of the people.

He is a complete dolt, but since Prince Philip hasn't been making many public gaffes, we need another inbred idiot to deride, and Bojo fits the bill fantastically.

I doubt that there has been anyone at all in public office in the UK that has had such a long, 30 years or more, and vitrioloc press campaign against him and yet he outlasted Thatcher and her corrupt regime.

Ken Livingstone has always benefitted from low turnouts where he could always get his committed electorate to turn out - but this was always a pretty shrill minority.
As soon as Londoners actually got of their butts and voted he was always likely to struggle.

I also think Bojo is still a reflection of a lazy London electorate, instead of actually finding out about the issues, Londoners seem to have gone for nothing more than image.

[put down the sabre]

Hmmph, he has only been voted in for the entertainment of the people.

He is a complete dolt, but since Prince Philip hasn't been making many public gaffes, we need another inbred idiot to deride, and Bojo fits the bill fantastically.

I doubt that there has been anyone at all in public office in the UK that has had such a long, 30 years or more, and vitrioloc press campaign against him and yet he outlasted Thatcher and her corrupt regime.

Ken Livingstone has always benefitted from low turnouts where he could always get his committed electorate to turn out - but this was always a pretty shrill minority.
As soon as Londoners actually got of their butts and voted he was always likely to struggle.

I also think Bojo is still a reflection of a lazy London electorate, instead of actually finding out about the issues, Londoners seem to have gone for nothing more than image.

Having met BJ on 2 occasions, I gotta say I like him, partly for his raw intellect. King's Scholar, President of the Union, First in Classics, MP, Editor of the Spectator ... there's almost certainly noone on this board who comes close to him in intelligence, achievement, and wit.

pdts

[Rayne Man]

Having met BJ on 2 occasions, I gotta say I like him, partly for his raw intellect. King's Scholar, President of the Union, First in Classics, MP, Editor of the Spectator ... there's almost certainly noone on this board who comes close to him in intelligence, achievement, and wit.

pdts

To quote Garius on the NADS board :-

Throw in adultery and absolutely no qualms or regret about conspiring to have a fellow journalist beaten up for knowing too much about the fraudulent actions of one of his old school chums, and you've got a very dodgy character.

Oh, he was also a member of the Bullingdon club at Oxford which (certainly at the time he was a member) was mainly an excuse for rich blokes to go out and trash restaurants then throw money at the owners to ensure they didn't get in trouble for it. What fun!

[CatInASuit]

To quote Garius on the NADS board :-

Throw in adultery and absolutely no qualms or regret about conspiring to have a fellow journalist beaten up for knowing too much about the fraudulent actions of one of his old school chums, and you've got a very dodgy character.

Oh, he was also a member of the Bullingdon club at Oxford which (certainly at the time he was a member) was mainly an excuse for rich blokes to go out and trash restaurants then throw money at the owners to ensure they didn't get in trouble for it. What fun!

The conspiracy referred to was when someone asked Boris for the address of a friend, so that the person asking could arrange for his friend to be assaulted. A transcript was released of the phone call, which is how it came into the public realm. Boris was reprimanded for not informing the police, not for conspiracy as he did not pass any information across.

Adultery, yup he commited adultery. Not actually on Ken's level who managed to get three different women pregnant in a short space of time, but naughty all the same.

Bullingdon club: They did not pay to prevent themselves getting out of trouble. They paid up to cover the full expense of restoring the place to its original condition.

[Rayne Man]

Bullingdon club: They did not pay to prevent themselves getting out of trouble. They paid up to cover the full expense of restoring the place to its original condition.
So it's acceptable behavior to smash up a restaurant as long as you pay to have it repaired afterwards ?

[Capt. Ridley's Shooting Party]

Is there any evidence that Boris actually took part in any restaurant trashing, though?

To quote Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullingdon_Club):


The Club's modus operandi has often been to book a private dining room under an assumed name, as most restaurateurs are wary of the club's reputation for causing considerable drunken damage during the course of the dinners. However, it depends on the character of the membership at the time — which necessarily varies from year to year — whether the famous 'destruction' is an intentional act of wanton vandalism or a side-effect of drinking prodigious quantities over a lengthy period of time, and a handful of episodes over many decades have become anecdotal evidence of the club's behaviour. In recent times the club has held its dinners at private venues, and the emphasis has been far more on the consumption of gourmand feasts — where courses of lobster, pate de foie gras and sucking pig might be served merely as starters — than breaking things. When the club causes damage in restaurants or elsewhere the proprietor is invariably reimbursed.

[casdave]

Having met BJ on 2 occasions, I gotta say I like him, partly for his raw intellect. King's Scholar, President of the Union, First in Classics, MP, Editor of the Spectator ... there's almost certainly noone on this board who comes close to him in intelligence, achievement, and wit.

All those appear to be superb experience, background and qualification for an internationally ranked city which will soon have the eyes of the world on it when it hosts the Olympics.

Just what we need, another hoorah Henry who has read a lot of old books.

Wit? intelligence? when he actually achieves something, perhaps that will be the time to acknowledge it, however, given the intellectual power that resides upon these boards, I'd say he is outranked by................oooooh how many members do we have?

This is either trollish, or sarcasm - not sure which.

[tirial]

Casdave, he's just been elected Mayor of London. However you look at it, he has achieved something.

[Bricker]

You know Bricker, we all know you're a lawyer and to be one you have to have a lot of schooling to get there. I'm thinking perhaps you should kind of scoot-ch your ass around in the saddle up there on your high horse and see If you can get a better perspective of where a lot of the rest of are down here. As I tried to point out in another thread the use of humor around here seems to agitate some, and rightly so as smart comments aren't productive nor well received by everyone here. But as sure as your diploma hangs on the wall, life is hard for every person here (mostly) and on this planet as well, and while others and myself might crack wise occasionally you looking down your nose at people isn't very nice either. Because once you leave your perch, and step onto the ground with the rest of us you might find someone looking down their nose at you. So I'll try to do better with my smart comments and maybe you could put just the tiniest bit of effort into toning down your exhilarating repartee' a shade and we'll see if we can't find some common ground in the middle. And a good day to you sir.

Um...

Whaaa...??

People who advance idiotic arguments will get sneered at. This is not the forum for gentle remonstrations and loving concern over the feelings of idiots, especially self-identifying idiots who launch unfounded attacks.

Your feedback would have not been misplaced if this were MPSIMS. But this is the Pit, and my commentary was comparatively mild.

[put down the sabre]

Having met BJ on 2 occasions, I gotta say I like him, partly for his raw intellect. King's Scholar, President of the Union, First in Classics, MP, Editor of the Spectator ... there's almost certainly noone on this board who comes close to him in intelligence, achievement, and wit.

All those appear to be superb experience, background and qualification for an internationally ranked city which will soon have the eyes of the world on it when it hosts the Olympics.

Just what we need, another hoorah Henry who has read a lot of old books.

Wit? intelligence? when he actually achieves something, perhaps that will be the time to acknowledge it, however, given the intellectual power that resides upon these boards, I'd say he is outranked by................oooooh how many members do we have?

This is either trollish, or sarcasm - not sure which.

I don't think you realise just how hard it is to become a King's Scholar. Oh, and Classics involves new books too. Ohh, and to get a First whilst being President of the Union is a stellar achievement.

I'd bet there's a couple of people on this board who could get into a university like Oxford, let alone completely dominate it like Boris did.

And then to become an MP (of which there are only 650 or so) whilst editing a major national news magazine, and then to become mayor of what is the closest thing the world has to a capital city...

yes he certainly is outranked by a bunch of people (including me) whose intellects are so vast, that they would be wasted on anything but the internet.

pdts

[Sri Theo]

The internet makes me laugh.

You all realise that the left/right wing divide is nowhere near as intense this side of the Atlantic - so all you Brits acting like pricks, stop playing up to the yanks because you feel left out of the party.

And as for the Republicans standing up for their right wing brethren across the sea - You realise the Tories are probably more left wing then the Democrats :S

I personally blame the BBC's have your say.

[Vinyl Turnip]

People who advance idiotic arguments will get sneered at. This is not the forum for gentle remonstrations and loving concern over the feelings of idiots, especially self-identifying idiots who launch unfounded attacks.
Although I admit to the opinion that a foul odor still lingers around many of the events of the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections, my "idiotic argument" was meant mainly in jest—something apparent, I suspect, to Omegaman.

Perhaps showing once again why "conservative humor" is as successful an entertainment genre as "liberal talk radio."

[Omegaman]

Um...

Whaaa...??

People who advance idiotic arguments will get sneered at. This is not the forum for gentle remonstrations and loving concern over the feelings of idiots, especially self-identifying idiots who launch unfounded attacks.

Your feedback would have not been misplaced if this were MPSIMS. But this is the Pit, and my commentary was comparatively mild.

Well I knew we would find common ground that we might share on this glorious world of ours. I don't mind being the idiot as long you don't mind being the prince. Fair hunting to you,Sir, might your prey be felled with a single shot.

[Bricker]

Although I admit to the opinion that a foul odor still lingers around many of the events of the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections, my "idiotic argument" was meant mainly in jest—something apparent, I suspect, to Omegaman.


Oh, a joke. Ha, ha! I get it.

I get jokes.

:rolleyes:

[tirial]

Although I admit to the opinion that a foul odor still lingers around many of the events of the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections, my "idiotic argument" was meant mainly in jest—something apparent, I suspect, to Omegaman.

Perhaps showing once again why "conservative humor" is as successful an entertainment genre as "liberal talk radio."
Unfortunately as several of the main parties in the UK have been found guilty of, or are currently being investigated for, vote rigging (including London boroughs) its not particularly funny.

[Osakadelica]

:smack:

You could have used a better video to prove your point. The guy comes across pretty well, in that video.

I am very pro Boris. So it illustrates my point ;)

[Osakadelica]

I can assure you that he is not "uncut" and whether or not he eats bacon is between him and God and has nothing to do with how Jewish he is.

And based on his "interview" above, Ken comes across as Mel Gibson's idiot brother. Good bye and good riddance.

I can't see the bigotry there at all, honestly.

P.S. Have you inspected the reporter's penis yourself, or are you taking his word for it?

[Alessan]

I can't see the bigotry there at all, honestly.



That's OK - I'm sure Ken could.


P.S. Have you inspected the reporter's penis yourself, or are you taking his word for it?


You really have no idea what you're talking about, do you?

The fact that he called himself Jewish is proof enough.

[tagos]

Wow, you guys just elected your own George Bush. What would possess you to do that?

The electorate tend to treat local elections as referenda on the national government. and currently not even lifelong Labour voters like me can bring themselves to vote for this mendacious and clapped-out administration.

[Osakadelica]

The fact that he called himself Jewish is proof enough.

Not really... I don't trust journalists at all.

The holocaust is probably long enough ago now that we can use caricatures of Nazi guards without it being bigoted. It may be different in Israel?

[Alessan]

Not really... I don't trust journalists at all.



And politicians, you do trust?


The holocaust is probably long enough ago now that we can use caricatures of Nazi guards without it being bigoted. It may be different in Israel?

It's different for Jews, everywhere. As well it should be.

Tell me - would you call a black person a slave trader?

[Capt. Ridley's Shooting Party]

Not really... I don't trust journalists at all.

Isn't Finegold a stereotypical Jewish name, anyway?

Even if the reporter wasn't Jewish, Livingstone kept pressing with his bizarre characterisation after he was informed, by the reporter, that he was Jewish. Even if you don't believe the reporter, you must either believe that in a split second Livingstone decided Finegold was lying, and pressed ahead anyway, or that Livingstone is a moron.

Given his other gaffes, I'm inclined to believe the latter.

The gnashing of teeth over Livingstone's defeat is pretty amusing, to be honest. Livingstone was a man who used his position as mayor of a city to be as impolitic and generally as embarrassing to the nation as he possibly could. If he wasn't courting controversy by cozying up with Muslim fundamentalists, or declaring that Indian-born business men should go "back to Iran", he was engaging in cronyism and corruption.

[Osakadelica]

And politicians, you do trust?


shhh :P


It's different for Jews, everywhere. As well it should be.

Tell me - would you call a black person a slave trader?

If he was acting in a way that could be caricatured as one - although I'm not sure how that would be, frankly!

I might call a rape victim a pervert. That's not a very good example, but it's the only plausible analogy I can think of.

[Omegaman]

Oh, a joke. Ha, ha! I get it.

I get jokes.

:rolleyes:

Well if your so intelligent, how about the one in the prior post? Surely that impressive title that appears under your moniker doesn't reside on a hide next to your law school diploma?

You know, someone I respected once imparted a little gem of wisdom to me.
"Don't start none, and there won't be none"
Please don't think I'm attempting to "start some" but I guess you just didn't get the gist of my initial post. And while you and, well, I don't doubt for a moment, that some others might consider me an idiot, the fact remains that perhaps you might have grown a might large for your dungarees especially when consorting with some of us "regular folks" on this fine internet message board, which I know for a fact, I spent more than yourself for the privilege of gleaning whatever tidbits of knowledge that I might not otherwise happen upon. More importantly to me, and some other "jokesters", if you will the opportunity to enliven ones day with a bit of light comedy, as long as we do so within the boundary's of normal decency. In closing I would like to state that I do, in fact, respect your position as a lawyer and as a member of the board of the Dope, but I do think you are a might "stuffy" for my tastes in the area of run of the mill conversation. I do hope I haven't offended you too much, I believe that you can see even in my capacity as an "idiot" I do attempt to be somewhat polite, just as my beloved mother has taught me to do.

[Tristan]

And politicians, you do trust?



It's different for Jews, everywhere. As well it should be.

Tell me - would you call a black person a slave trader?

Since many blacks were sold into slavery by blacks, I wouldn't see a problem with it, if the context was correct.

I know next to nothing of politics in London. But based on the Transcript given, what I think happened was the gentleman in question, Boris, regards the newpaper the reporter works for as "Nazi-like" in some regards. He viewed the behavior of the reporter, who works for the paper, as being akin to a Prison Camp guard, ie: someone who does the dirty work for the Party.

That being said, it does seem like the reporter played the Jewish card in an attempt to spin it, for whatever reason.

Mods on this very board have been called "Nazi-like", but I don't think the active Jews on the board have gotten super offended by it.

Of course, I could quite possibly be a giant idiot. It has happened before. :D

[Bricker]

Well if your so intelligent, how about the one in the prior post? Surely that impressive title that appears under your moniker doesn't reside on a hide next to your law school diploma?

You know, someone I respected once imparted a little gem of wisdom to me.
"Don't start none, and there won't be none"
Please don't think I'm attempting to "start some" but I guess you just didn't get the gist of my initial post. And while you and, well, I don't doubt for a moment, that some others might consider me an idiot, the fact remains that perhaps you might have grown a might large for your dungarees especially when consorting with some of us "regular folks" on this fine internet message board, which I know for a fact, I spent more than yourself for the privilege of gleaning whatever tidbits of knowledge that I might not otherwise happen upon. More importantly to me, and some other "jokesters", if you will the opportunity to enliven ones day with a bit of light comedy, as long as we do so within the boundary's of normal decency. In closing I would like to state that I do, in fact, respect your position as a lawyer and as a member of the board of the Dope, but I do think you are a might "stuffy" for my tastes in the area of run of the mill conversation. I do hope I haven't offended you too much, I believe that you can see even in my capacity as an "idiot" I do attempt to be somewhat polite, just as my beloved mother has taught me to do.

I certainly appreciate your politeness, even though I would humbly suggest that this is not a forum that is particularly intended for polite discourse -- but, hey, more's the merrier as far as politeness goes.

My comment above ("I get jokes") was meant more in sarcasm, as indicated by the rolleyes smiley that accompanied it. (Another clue was the words themselves are a quote from notable fictional doofus Homer Simpson).

In my view, there's very little about that original post that a neutral reader could use as clues to determine it was a joke, especially a neutral reader aware of the many times that same general accusation of election fraud is made here in seriousness.

[aldiboronti]

But based on the Transcript given, what I think happened was the gentleman in question, Boris, regards the newpaper the reporter works for as "Nazi-like" in some regards. He viewed the behavior of the reporter, who works for the paper, as being akin to a Prison Camp guard, ie: someone who does the dirty work for the Party.



The gentleman in question was actually Ken, who, or so it is reported, was a little tired and emotional (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tired_and_emotional) that evening.

[OtakuLoki]

Although I admit to the opinion that a foul odor still lingers around many of the events of the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections...

Yes, I find it completely disgusting that one political party would have a confirmed policy of disenfranchising voters, based on their jobs and presumed political bias. And no one but a few malcontents seems to give a shit at this late date.







BTW, that party (http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=65000671) was the (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_200012/ai_n8917945) Democratic Pary (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E6DA1F3BF933A15752C1A9669C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1). When the whole legal theory behind the recount, and the whole hanging chad nonsense was to try to count votes for Gore that were improperly filled out, it was, and remains, galling to have these same people insisting on letter perfect compliance with minutia (http://www.hench.net/z112000c.htm), often outside the control of the voters who were being disenfranchised, for military voters. I agree, completely, that it leaves a stink.




This is by no means an endorsement of the Republican Party. I've never stopped voting for Democratic Party candidates when I felt they were the best candidate in a given race. And I'm hoping to have the chance to vote for Obama for president this fall. But, I still have no more trust, nor liking, for the Democratic Party than I do for the Republican Party, and I find the meme that one party, or the other, is automatically on the side of the angels to be annoying in the extreme, and even disgusting.

[jjimm]

And once again a fine shouty UK politics thread degenerates into people wanking on about the US elections...

[Kyla]

And once again a fine shouty UK politics thread degenerates into people wanking on about the US elections...

Hear hear. I was actually pleased to see people arguing about non-American politics for once, and people have somehow managed to make it about the freaking elections anyway. Aren't the eight million other threads about the election enough?

Jesus fucking christ.

ETA: They're both assholes, AFAICT. But does it even matter? I am under the impression that the mayor of London doesn't actually have much power.

[tirial]

Hear hear. I was actually pleased to see people arguing about non-American politics for once, and people have somehow managed to make it about the freaking elections anyway. Aren't the eight million other threads about the election enough? Completely agree.

ETA: They're both assholes, AFAICT. But does it even matter? I am under the impression that the mayor of London doesn't actually have much power.The position has more power than you'd think - see the website (http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/role.jsp). Main areas he can set budget for and influence are police, transport, fire brigade and development (including veto power over council planning).

The government passed an Act in 2007 to give the Mayor and GLA more powers, which took full effect in April 2008. Interestingly two of the amendments the government ruled out in the Act were limiting the Mayor to two terms in office and restricting the Mayor's power. It is ironic that the benefit of the second change is going to be felt by an opposition politician.

[Omegaman]

I certainly appreciate your politeness, even though I would humbly suggest that this is not a forum that is particularly intended for polite discourse -- but, hey, more's the merrier as far as politeness goes.

My comment above ("I get jokes") was meant more in sarcasm, as indicated by the rolleyes smiley that accompanied it. (Another clue was the words themselves are a quote from notable fictional doofus Homer Simpson).

In my view, there's very little about that original post that a neutral reader could use as clues to determine it was a joke, especially a neutral reader aware of the many times that same general accusation of election fraud is made here in seriousness.

Well see, I wasn't joking about the common ground as the quote I referenced to you was gleaned from the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. I wasn't sure if you'd get it as it's pretty obscure, about Sir Gawain, a knight. I know that what you do is more on the educational side of things whereas what I do runs more towards the manual side of things and I totally respect the law and all but I think you and I both know sometimes persons who might be inclined to run afoul of the law, really just need a little more in the way of a "motivational consultation" if you will, by their fellow citizens, to make sure they don't allow themselves to stray over that line. Overmore, I hope you can see I was trying to gain a little comradary with you, even if in a remote sense, with the knight reference. What with you basically insuring that the average citizen doesn't have their rights violated, be it towards one side or the other, on a daily basis. I don't have the honor of having such a noble profession but I do like to think I do my little part in making sure that society doesn't descend into total chaos, however small that part might be. It was a pleasure to speak to you about this and with that I'll end this annoying, small as it may be, hijack.