Iz様 🌟

I think the Americans were emboldened by getting away with Venezuela, so they're turning themselves back into a very aggressive world police. I am astounded by the commentariat class on both sides of the Atlantic still hailing this though, have they even thought about how this will play out in the weeks and months ahead? If it ends with the fall of the Islamic Republic and a peaceful and democratic Iran I will be very surprised. Continues the very hostile international environment that Trump has compounded since the start of this term.

Thought this might be significant enough to split into its own topic rather than bouncing between the more general Trump and/or Middle East threads. Fresh attacks are continuing and as much as the Trump and Netanyahu admins will be making the argument that they've achieved a stunning success cutting off the head of the snake, power vacuums are rarely good for countries and this looks to be a pretty nervy time to be in the Middle East with strikes going on across the region and flights cancelled.

can I take 23 pls?

^funny thing to say when strikes have been hitting all across the ME. Khamenei killed on the first day of the war. We're moving into pretty unknown territory now.

I don't have much more reasoned analysis than this is Israel leading the US around into war and it's horrific to watch. They want the upside to be collapsing the Islamic Republic and that would be a laudable outcome except I don't think it's going to do that, I think they've miscalculated and this could get very bloody - or not end up going anywhere but that depends on how much Trump actually does commit.

Okay, so Rooney, I think this is a refusal to look at the mood of the country and voters in general, as it stands. What are Labour standing for right now? They have completely abandoned their base of voters, and pivoting to the left would be the bare minimum aimed at keeping some of those voters onside. The headlines about Mahmood sticking to immigration policy despite by-election defeat look ludicrously stubborn. Reform are coming up against their ceiling, they DON'T have good local candidates and they're stuck at this high 20s/low 30s number where beyond that, people see them beyond the pale. In terms of numbers, we know at least before this that probably enough people still considering voting Labour were open to the Greens enough for the Greens to swap positions with Labour in the polls. This result proves the validity of Greens being able to win anywhere that has a Labour seat, potentially, and as such provides people dissatisfied with Labour but without another left option to vote for, that other left option. That's what I think the long-term of this result will be, a potential break on the former Green ceiling. They now have the confidence to go everywhere and I think really have the focus and enthusiasm to decimate Labour's inner-city seats. Starmer is Hollande, I've said it before, but the parallels here are spooky and he is on his way to destroy the Labour Party in the same manner as PS got destroyed. Labour Together's alleged mission was to ensure that Labour would win, yet they've moved it away from the values of the people who vote for it and consequently are heading it on a path almost certain for destruction.

That was wonderful. Definitely the most I've been impressed by an album of theirs since Plastic Beach, it feels like the highlights never stop, it all feels really cohesive even while retaining Gorillaz' natural eclecticness, the themes of mortality (and the numerous posthumous appearances of former collaborators) really add a lot of weight to it. Honestly wonderful Damon and Jamie are still coming up with ideas like this, even if, as reviews make clear, it was spurred on by their own losses, 25 years after they started this project.

oh my god the opener, what a great scene-setter halfway through but I am very impressed at how much this feels like a cohesive project so far, the last few albums have had a bunch of great songs on them but are a bit disjointed as complete works

I appreciate that Wardy, I will continue with sending songs that are interesting to me and hopefully to many of you but also I do wish to clarify that I am having fun with it, I've just come off a streak of 4 in a row which was preceded by another decent streak, I'm hardly hard done by and I am completely fine with sometimes sitting a month out of the final when my luck with the song I've selected doesn't hold

one point

Florence + the Machine - Howl Atomic Kitten - Walking on the Water Erasure - Sono Luminus The Corrs - Hideaway ABBA - Keep an Eye on Dan Scissor Sisters - Skin Tight HAIM - Days Are Gone Blondie - Shayla The 1975 - Pressure (Artful Remix) The Chicks - Lullaby Atomic Kitten the surprise of the whole round for me, lovely pop track!

David Bowie - Warszawa Eric Saade - It’s Gonna Rain Troye Sivan - IN A DREAM The Weeknd - Nothing Compares Conan Gray - Miss You George Michael - Precious Box Fred again.. - Sabrina (i am a party) Nik Kershaw - You Might Ruel - SITTING IN TRAFFIC Shawn Mendes - Where Were You in the Morning? excellent choices from Bowie and Saade (what a dichotomy)

1. ROSALÍA - Divinize 2. LiSA - TA, I, SE, TSU Pile up (た、い、せ、つ Pile up) 3. Delta Goodrem - Electric Storm 4. Kesha - Cannibal 5. FKA twigs - Kicks 6. Kelly Clarkson - Judas 7. Chappell Roan - Picture You 8. Toni Braxton - Sex & Cigarettes 9. Lily Allen - Tennis 10. Nelly Furtado - Wait For You

Both Reform and Labour acting like complete sore losers today as well, in that famous way of getting people to like you: I mean it's expected of Reform to go delve into standard issue right populist reality-denying claiming that the other side cheated (the 'family voting' thing they've been spreading around the media is the most horrific dogwhistle), but for Labour and Starmer to insist that 'no, it's the voters who are wrong', to not even have the decency to congratulate Spencer on her appointment, and show no signs of contrition or change of tack even as their strategy implodes around them, they're deeply deeply out of touch. Shows very clearly to voters like myself, who would be wavering between Labour and the Greens at the next election in order to best use my vote, that the current Labour leadership is contemptuous of my even daring to pick the other choice.

Oh that's brilliant - the best result all round (minus a tiny hit to my wallet as those Labour odds were too good value to ignore chucking a couple of quid on at one point) Easily coming home for the Greens, I've just woken up but no doubt about the result, Reform were late in the game trying claims about the legitimacy of the election because of course they were, and the Greens now have a clear record of making inroads in Labour safe seats where the might not even have been expected to go before. Makes my (and possibly many many others) chances of giving a vote to a Green candidate that much more likely in the future.

Again, A-Konohagakure's song was really good and I'm sorry to see that out, but I'm pleased that Sovarasma has managed to skirt through this alt-apocalypse, we need some of that in the final

Well, I've had better semi results. Real shame but that's the risk when sending something a bit offbeat, thank you to those of you that did point it and showed support.

Macromia a sad loss, we've lost about half of my top 15 now, Jadakissnia also not great to see out. Good at least that Zanmatony is through because that did not deserve to get left in the semis like so many of my other votes tonight ... but congratulations Wholune in advance xx

Wholune and Zanmatony through, myself and Macromia out I think seems most likely ( pls let me in tho ) Other semi I'd call Eledan and Jadakissnia through

hey wtf all the songs I thought would be easily safe and through from the last set of semi 1 qualifiers are DNQing what on earth ARE these votes from semi 1? in what world is that beautiful cumulonimbia entry out? aahhhh

NOOOO GREENFROZE

Okay we're getting rid of too many of my votes AND I still don't know my fate (and I'm not confident, given who else is left) this ain't going well x

bulletproof should have been a nice easy Q for aelandor what

damn, Bronzil just narrowly missed my points, real shame I didn't think it'd be in danger either!

wow, so already we have had a former winner and a former silver medalist appear in the bottom 3 of their semis this contest. at least people aren't voting on artist name alone huh!