So, what will you be drinking on election night?

[uncle tom]

I first voted 31 years ago today, on my 19th birthday; and later that evening settled in to watch the results.

It was the election that sent Mrs Thatcher to No. 10. It was also the first occasion (I think) that I consumed a full bottle of port in a single sitting..

..indeed I 'did a Derek' when Derek was only about 14..!

Every general election night since I have done the same thing, usually turning in at around 4 a.m.

Over the years the quality of my election night bottle has improved, but it has never been vintage..

..a 1985 Burmester Colheita will probably be my victim in the small hours of friday morning, preceded by a decent claret, and, probably, an FBI takeaway..

..what will others be drinking?

Tom

[benread]

I think I will be drinking a selection of Graham's 1966 and 1970 and Sandeman 1966 and 1970, with the same 3 friends I shared a few bottles of port and lumps of red meat 5 years ago. I think 5 years ago one fo the bottles was a Dow 1960.

[KillerB]

1. Happy Birthday Tom;

2. I have just agreed to teach an on-line course on Friday morning, which may have been an error of judgement. I like to stop up as well. However, jet-lag will probably kick in about then and who knows when I'll be able to sleep or just fall asleep unexpectedly?

Will probably gorge something but not a whole bottle

[Portman]

Good luck over there from your American cousins. The British election has actually been receiving considerable media attention here, which is very unusual. Usually foreign affairs never break through the dome of ignorance and apathy that covers 90% of my country.

[DRT]

I have to drive 275 miles to Glasgow on Friday morning so "doing a Tom" isn't a good idea.

However, I will, as always, stay up to watch the vast army of BBC journalists and failed politicians attempt to build up the drama of the occassion with endless meaningless speculation with an elaborate and ever-changing series of red, blue and yellow coloured maps and, no doubt, a digital version of the "Swingometer".

At around 6am the conclusion will be drawn that the position predicted when the polls closed 10 hours earlier is so close to reality that the entire night of speculation was worthless. Don't you just love it?

[DRT]

Good luck over there from your American cousins. The British election has actually been receiving considerable media attention here, which is very unusual. Usually foreign affairs never break through the dome of ignorance and apathy that covers 90% of my country.

Perhaps the unusual interest from US media is in the hope that whoever is elected will bail out BP when Obama hands them the invoice for cleaning up the Gulk of Mexico!!

[Portman]

I can assure you BP is going to get the full on "DC treatment", with hearings, blowhard Congressmen, self righteous media, and plenty of opportunities to make a bad situation even worse.

Send lawyers, guns and money.

[uncle tom]

It has been indicated that while BP holds primary responsibility, they were not directly responsbible for the actions that caused this mishap; and can recover the costs from their contractors, or their contractors' insurers..

Who exactly will ultimately pick up the bill is not clear..

Tom

[Glenn E.]

Who exactly will ultimately pick up the bill is not clear...

Oh, it's very clear. US taxpayers/consumers will ultimately pick up the bill, either through a bailout or due to increased prices. It doesn't matter who writes the check... the end result is always the same.

[DRT]

Who exactly will ultimately pick up the bill is not clear..

Glenn is right, Joe Bloggs will pick up the bill, either through increased insurance premiums or some kind of stealth tax on one, other or both sides of the pond. It is entirely possible that many companies will make huge profits from this disaster at the cost of people like us. But I suppose our thirst for oil puts us in the dock as much as the guy who didn't install the safety valve correctly

[benread]

I can assure you BP is going to get the full on "DC treatment", with hearings, blowhard Congressmen, self righteous media, and plenty of opportunities to make a bad situation even worse.

Send lawyers, guns and money.

In other words, lots of politicians posturing for votes rather than a fair and just outcome?!

It often seems to me that facts become less relevant as politicians (on both sides of the Atlantic) take the stance they think will appeal most to their electorate rather than considering the law.