Welcome to what’s become our nightly open thread – an ides created by PB’s cartoonist, Marf, who produced the picture above. I am told that prints will soon be available to buy – I’ll let you know when that happens. Have a good night – for many it’s back to work in the morning after the long bank holiday weekend. @MikeSmithsonPB
Will either petition get to 100,000 by February? The chart features today’s update in the race between the two petitions on capital punishment – one sponsored by Paul Staines (aka Guido) calling for its restoration for specific categories of murder. The other petition, which was started on the same day is calling for the ban on capitial punishment to be retained. This afternoon’s totals were 17,875 for the restoration of capital punishment and 25,665 for those who want the ban…
Does it increase the risk of the changes being voted down? The big UK story in the Financial Times this morning is something what we’ve touched on several times here on PB already – the possibility that the planned new boundaries for the next election get voted down when they come before the commons in two years time. Jim Packard reports that “that significant numbers of Liberal Democrat and Tory MPs” look set to join Labour in opposing the detailed…
This is the regular open thread on PB. Have a good evening. @MikeSmithsonPB
This is PB’s overnight open thread slot. Talk about anything particularly what’s in the Sunday papers as they start to appear. We’ve also the dramatic developments with Hurricane Irene off the east coast of the US. I’ve got a special interest here – my son Robert, his wife Lucille and their two young children are on holiday in Long Island. Robert, it should be noted, played a key part in the creation of PB and continues to manage the technical…
On the evening that Sally B has been evicted.. The big political news as we open the PB Night Hawk Cafe is, of course, that Sally Bercow has been evicted from the Big Brother house. A nation mourns just as it does when Manchester United win. Meanwhile there’s an interesting post on the Archbishop Cramner blog in which he tries to create a cabinet consisting solely of bloggers. Greg Callus, Morus as we know him, and myself are both in…
Welcome to the third of PB’s experimental over night open threads under the banner of Marf’s wonderful cartoon. The idea is to have a less formal discussion into the early hours that everybody feels able to be part of. We can talk about anything. Last night there was a discussion on one of the things that really infuriates me – the high prices that you are often charged by swanky hotels simply to use WiFi. Have you got similar beefs….
Last night’s little experiment with the PB Night Hawks cafe seemed to work well and the intention is that this should continue except when there’s a big story breaking. This is an open thread without a central them. Can I particularly welcome those who’ve never posted on here before. Please join the discussion if you feel inclined. Have a good evening. @MikeSmithsonPB