I want to correct a misconception about Mrs Thatcher.
Section 28 was an abomination but it was an outlier in her career as she was generally pro gay.
Voted to decriminalise homosexuality as part of Leo Abse's bill
One of her earliest acts as Prime Minister was to civilise the Scots and Northern Irish by decriminalising homosexuality.
She appointed lots of gayers (though the less said about Peter Morrison the better).
How many times do I have to correct this? How many times do I have to hit this shibboleth around the head before it has the decency to stay dead? She was rabidly homophobic. The person who brought in Section 28 should not be thought of as homophile or even in the same postcode. Her attitude was the same of all the elites, who thought it was OK for their tribe but not for the working class and the common people. I don't care if she recruited ACT-UP to the Defence portfolio or the London chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to do formation flying over the White Cliffs. She was awful, awful, awful.
Some decent Conservatives, only about tens of them but it was enough, stood up when it counted and not when it was fashionable. Edwina Currie, David Mellor, Norman Fowler. It could have killed their careers and they did it anyway (not like bloody Matthew Parris who only came out when it was safe. Even David Starkey didn't do that). Their memories should not be besmirched by saying they did it because Thatcher. They did it despite her.
The IDF are sending XL Bully type mega-dogs down the Hamas tunnels to eat the terrorists. Some have cameras attached
Do they have guns?
The tunnels look pitch black - I guess coz all the power has gone
In my nightmares there aren't many as scary as a XL Bully suddenly coming down a totally darkened tunnel and then commencing to eat my face. In the dark
How does the dog differentiate between a Hamas fighter and a hostage?
Seriously, it's perfectly possible these dogs have been trained to differentiate between captors and captives. Police dogs have been known to arrive at the scene of a crime and pick up the exact scent of the offender, even though dozens of other people have been passing by. It's quite uncanny.
The IDF are sending XL Bully type mega-dogs down the Hamas tunnels to eat the terrorists. Some have cameras attached
Do they have guns?
The tunnels look pitch black - I guess coz all the power has gone
In my nightmares there aren't many as scary as a XL Bully suddenly coming down a totally darkened tunnel and then commencing to eat my face. In the dark
How does the dog differentiate between a Hamas fighter and a hostage?
Seriously, it's perfectly possible these dogs have been trained to differentiate between captors and captives. Police dogs have been known to arrive at the scene of a crime and pick up the exact scent of the offender, even though dozens of other people have been passing by. It's quite uncanny.
I didn’t realise that. Thanks. In spite of that, not sure how happy I’d be if I was the relative of a hostage if such dogs were being used. There are enough risks already!
This has been the most embarrassingly inept performance by an England side since the Battle of Castillon.
This match has been a bit better than some England performances this tournament, it was the tournament as a whole that was a disaster. The 100 replacing ODI matches a big factor in limiting match practice
If ECB get rid of the Hundred as a result of this fiasco then that's a little silver lining. Why play a format that no one else plays??
Apparently it brings in a lot of money. Why I have no idea.
Interesting; why go on with it then? Contracts with sponsors?
I think it’s rather offensive in concept; as someone who was an Essex member until ill-health forced me to give up I feel absolutely no loyalty to some scratch team in North London.
It is deeply offensive on so many levels. Did they bring in some American marketing consultants with zero knowledge of actual cricket to develop it?
This has been the most embarrassingly inept performance by an England side since the Battle of Castillon.
This match has been a bit better than some England performances this tournament, it was the tournament as a whole that was a disaster. The 100 replacing ODI matches a big factor in limiting match practice
If ECB get rid of the Hundred as a result of this fiasco then that's a little silver lining. Why play a format that no one else plays??
Apparently it brings in a lot of money. Why I have no idea.
Interesting; why go on with it then? Contracts with sponsors?
I think it’s rather offensive in concept; as someone who was an Essex member until ill-health forced me to give up I feel absolutely no loyalty to some scratch team in North London.
It is deeply offensive on so many levels. Did they bring in some American marketing consultants with zero knowledge of actual cricket to develop it?
The hilarious stupidity of having junk food manufacturers sponsor it was the icing on the cake (metaphorically speaking).
The IDF are sending XL Bully type mega-dogs down the Hamas tunnels to eat the terrorists. Some have cameras attached
Do they have guns?
The tunnels look pitch black - I guess coz all the power has gone
In my nightmares there aren't many as scary as a XL Bully suddenly coming down a totally darkened tunnel and then commencing to eat my face. In the dark
How does the dog differentiate between a Hamas fighter and a hostage?
Seriously, it's perfectly possible these dogs have been trained to differentiate between captors and captives. Police dogs have been known to arrive at the scene of a crime and pick up the exact scent of the offender, even though dozens of other people have been passing by. It's quite uncanny.
I didn’t realise that. Thanks. In spite of that, not sure how happy I’d be if I was the relative of a hostage if such dogs were being used. There are enough risks already!
Agreed. You can never completely know what any dog is thinking or what it will do in a given situation. 99.9% maybe but never 100%.
This has been the most embarrassingly inept performance by an England side since the Battle of Castillon.
This match has been a bit better than some England performances this tournament, it was the tournament as a whole that was a disaster. The 100 replacing ODI matches a big factor in limiting match practice
If ECB get rid of the Hundred as a result of this fiasco then that's a little silver lining. Why play a format that no one else plays??
Apparently it brings in a lot of money. Why I have no idea.
Interesting; why go on with it then? Contracts with sponsors?
I think it’s rather offensive in concept; as someone who was an Essex member until ill-health forced me to give up I feel absolutely no loyalty to some scratch team in North London.
It is deeply offensive on so many levels. Did they bring in some American marketing consultants with zero knowledge of actual cricket to develop it?
The hilarious stupidity of having junk food manufacturers sponsor it was the icing on the cake (metaphorically speaking).
The same team are apparently working on a new version of Soccerball - they're going to make the goals as wide as the pitch to increase the match scores. It's obvious really - fans want goals.
I want to correct a misconception about Mrs Thatcher.
Section 28 was an abomination but it was an outlier in her career as she was generally pro gay.
Voted to decriminalise homosexuality as part of Leo Abse's bill
One of her earliest acts as Prime Minister was to civilise the Scots and Northern Irish by decriminalising homosexuality.
She appointed lots of gayers (though the less said about Peter Morrison the better).
How many times do I have to correct this? How many times do I have to hit this shibboleth around the head before it has the decency to stay dead? She was rabidly homophobic. The person who brought in Section 28 should not be thought of as homophile or even in the same postcode. Her attitude was the same of all the elites, who thought it was OK for their tribe but not for the working class and the common people. I don't care if she recruited ACT-UP to the Defence portfolio or the London chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to do formation flying over the White Cliffs. She was awful, awful, awful.
Some decent Conservatives, only about tens of them but it was enough, stood up when it counted and not when it was fashionable. Edwina Currie, David Mellor, Norman Fowler. It could have killed their careers and they did it anyway (not like bloody Matthew Parris who only came out when it was safe. Even David Starkey didn't do that). Their memories should not be besmirched by saying they did it because Thatcher. They did it despite her.
I swear to God above, PB has the memory of a mayfly.
Unfortunate that Thatch was burnt rather buried. Now that children do have an inalienable right to be gay, there would have been a decent amount of power generation potential from a grave.
A lot of dance floor potential in the Thatcher grace, too.
Not to mention a bit of the other.
I won't reproduce it, but folk can google Limmy Thatcher grave if they want a snigger or to burst a blood vessel.
The IDF are sending XL Bully type mega-dogs down the Hamas tunnels to eat the terrorists. Some have cameras attached
Do they have guns?
The tunnels look pitch black - I guess coz all the power has gone
In my nightmares there aren't many as scary as a XL Bully suddenly coming down a totally darkened tunnel and then commencing to eat my face. In the dark
How does the dog differentiate between a Hamas fighter and a hostage?
Seriously, it's perfectly possible these dogs have been trained to differentiate between captors and captives. Police dogs have been known to arrive at the scene of a crime and pick up the exact scent of the offender, even though dozens of other people have been passing by. It's quite uncanny.
I didn’t realise that. Thanks. In spite of that, not sure how happy I’d be if I was the relative of a hostage if such dogs were being used. There are enough risks already!
If you are a Hamas terrorist being hunted by dogs in tunnels, don't stand near a window.
The IDF are sending XL Bully type mega-dogs down the Hamas tunnels to eat the terrorists. Some have cameras attached
Do they have guns?
The tunnels look pitch black - I guess coz all the power has gone
In my nightmares there aren't many as scary as a XL Bully suddenly coming down a totally darkened tunnel and then commencing to eat my face. In the dark
How does the dog differentiate between a Hamas fighter and a hostage?
Seriously, it's perfectly possible these dogs have been trained to differentiate between captors and captives. Police dogs have been known to arrive at the scene of a crime and pick up the exact scent of the offender, even though dozens of other people have been passing by. It's quite uncanny.
I didn’t realise that. Thanks. In spite of that, not sure how happy I’d be if I was the relative of a hostage if such dogs were being used. There are enough risks already!
If you are a Hamas terrorist being hunted by dogs in tunnels, don't stand near a window.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
The IDF are sending XL Bully type mega-dogs down the Hamas tunnels to eat the terrorists. Some have cameras attached
Do they have guns?
The tunnels look pitch black - I guess coz all the power has gone
In my nightmares there aren't many as scary as a XL Bully suddenly coming down a totally darkened tunnel and then commencing to eat my face. In the dark
How does the dog differentiate between a Hamas fighter and a hostage?
Seriously, it's perfectly possible these dogs have been trained to differentiate between captors and captives. Police dogs have been known to arrive at the scene of a crime and pick up the exact scent of the offender, even though dozens of other people have been passing by. It's quite uncanny.
I didn’t realise that. Thanks. In spite of that, not sure how happy I’d be if I was the relative of a hostage if such dogs were being used. There are enough risks already!
If you are a Hamas terrorist being hunted by dogs in tunnels, don't stand near a window.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
Definitely looks like a Tory downturn this week. COVID enquiry effect I assume.
UKIP on 2% is an example of why polls are not always reliable. They won't put up anything like enough candidates to get 2% nationally.
It’s really quite remarkable how not only do UKIP get unprompted support at this level, but Reform who have absolutely zero TV and online presence, an uncharismatic leader and invisible activists are regularly polling in the upper single figures.
The Deltapoll quoted isn't new at all - it's nearly a week ago. However, the basics are much the same as other polls.
The much-vaunted recent YouGov has for England Labour 45%, Conservative 25%, LD 10%, Reform 10% and Green 9%. 16.5% Conservative to Labour swing since 2019. 10% swing Conservative to Liberal Democrat.
The numbers for 65+ are Conservative 44%. Labour 24%, Reform 14% . The 2019 numbers were Conservative 64%, Labour 17% so that's a 13.5% swing but Reform are polling strongest in that group.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
LOL at your use of 'culture wars'. If you go on that march, remember that a large number of the people you are with, who you are chanting with, who you are encouraging, want the end of the state of Israel, and worse.
This has been the most embarrassingly inept performance by an England side since the Battle of Castillon.
This match has been a bit better than some England performances this tournament, it was the tournament as a whole that was a disaster. The 100 replacing ODI matches a big factor in limiting match practice
If ECB get rid of the Hundred as a result of this fiasco then that's a little silver lining. Why play a format that no one else plays??
Apparently it brings in a lot of money. Why I have no idea.
Interesting; why go on with it then? Contracts with sponsors?
I think it’s rather offensive in concept; as someone who was an Essex member until ill-health forced me to give up I feel absolutely no loyalty to some scratch team in North London.
It is deeply offensive on so many levels. Did they bring in some American marketing consultants with zero knowledge of actual cricket to develop it?
The hilarious stupidity of having junk food manufacturers sponsor it was the icing on the cake (metaphorically speaking).
The same team are apparently working on a new version of Soccerball - they're going to make the goals as wide as the pitch to increase the match scores. It's obvious really - fans want goals.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
LOL at your use of 'culture wars'. If you go on that march, remember that a large number of the people you are with, who you are chanting with, who you are encouraging, want the end of the state of Israel, and worse.
You are giving them your voice.
Not my cup of tea, and I am working that day anyway, but I do support people having the right to peaceful assembly and protest. There have been very few arrests arising from these protests either during or afterwards, so it seems that few are breaking the law.
In any case free speech and assembly is worth nothing if only protests supporting the government are permitted.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
The local car tint shop (next to the heavily staffed car wash) is running a "BBQ for Gaza" tomorrow afternoon. I'm not sure it's entirely BBQ weather in truth and as I have to be elsewhere I will not be participating.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
LOL at your use of 'culture wars'. If you go on that march, remember that a large number of the people you are with, who you are chanting with, who you are encouraging, want the end of the state of Israel, and worse.
You are giving them your voice.
It would be just as easy to say that anyone supporting Israel is in favour of killing innocent children.
Neither statement really makes any more or any less sense than the other.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
Incidentally is calling party supporters "scum" acceptable language? I recall a lot of pearl clutching when Ms Rayner used the term.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
Incidentally is calling party supporters "scum" acceptable language? I recall a lot of pearl clutching when Ms Rayner used the term.
But how different are they really? Both are authoritarian despots who think that they know better. Both think that they are morally superior to those who don’t adhere to their irrational and bizarre beliefs. Both are indifferent to human suffering if it conflicts with some quasi religious belief in Gaia or similar crap. Both are not as useful as the dog shit I have to scrape from my shoe. Give me a Labour drone any day of the week.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
LOL at your use of 'culture wars'. If you go on that march, remember that a large number of the people you are with, who you are chanting with, who you are encouraging, want the end of the state of Israel, and worse.
You are giving them your voice.
It would be just as easy to say that anyone supporting Israel is in favour of killing innocent children.
Neither statement really makes any more or any less sense than the other.
No, not really. On the march, you will be going with people who support Hamas; who do kill innocent children.
People who chant "from river to sea". People who chant "Jihad". Whilst I know some people try to put innocent explanations/excuses for those phrases, they're bullshit when being chanted in that sort of environment.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
LOL at your use of 'culture wars'. If you go on that march, remember that a large number of the people you are with, who you are chanting with, who you are encouraging, want the end of the state of Israel, and worse.
You are giving them your voice.
Not my cup of tea, and I am working that day anyway, but I do support people having the right to peaceful assembly and protest. There have been very few arrests arising from these protests either during or afterwards, so it seems that few are breaking the law.
In any case free speech and assembly is worth nothing if only protests supporting the government are permitted.
Indeed they are permitted; and probably should be. But don't pretend to be blind to the hate that underlies the march. It's not about peace. It's about hatred of Israel. And, I might add, it seems the US as well.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
What is wrong with the word “scum”? It describes a gathering of pollution or filth that accumulates on polluted water or other materials indicating the presence of that pollutant. I can’t think of a better metaphor.
This has been the most embarrassingly inept performance by an England side since the Battle of Castillon.
This match has been a bit better than some England performances this tournament, it was the tournament as a whole that was a disaster. The 100 replacing ODI matches a big factor in limiting match practice
If ECB get rid of the Hundred as a result of this fiasco then that's a little silver lining. Why play a format that no one else plays??
Apparently it brings in a lot of money. Why I have no idea.
Interesting; why go on with it then? Contracts with sponsors?
I think it’s rather offensive in concept; as someone who was an Essex member until ill-health forced me to give up I feel absolutely no loyalty to some scratch team in North London.
It is deeply offensive on so many levels. Did they bring in some American marketing consultants with zero knowledge of actual cricket to develop it?
The hilarious stupidity of having junk food manufacturers sponsor it was the icing on the cake (metaphorically speaking).
The same team are apparently working on a new version of Soccerball - they're going to make the goals as wide as the pitch to increase the match scores. It's obvious really - fans want goals.
The only rational explanation for The Hundred has always been that the ECB wanted to sell-off the game and needed an excuse. The counties, as members' (except for Hampshire, Durham and Northants) clubs who have to do all the spadework of playing longer formats, development and upkeep. That makes them very difficult to sell, and investors unwilling to buy.
'Franchises' on the other hand, can just play the lucrative short stuff and pay huge wages to players, and are potential global 'brands' that in theory could be worth a lot if the competition truly ever took off. But of course they couldn't *say* that, so came up with ludicrous ways of justifying it. The whole thing is one of the great sporting scams - far worse than the abortive 'European Super League' in football.
I want to correct a misconception about Mrs Thatcher.
Section 28 was an abomination but it was an outlier in her career as she was generally pro gay.
Voted to decriminalise homosexuality as part of Leo Abse's bill
One of her earliest acts as Prime Minister was to civilise the Scots and Northern Irish by decriminalising homosexuality.
She appointed lots of gayers (though the less said about Peter Morrison the better)
Above all else her government saved the lives of so many gay men by tackling the AIDS epidemic. She took on misconceptions and bigotry, the Chief Constable publicly said of AIDS/HIV sufferers that they were '"swirling in a human cesspit of their own making".
Norman (and especially Fiona) Fowler deserves a huge amount of credit for the tombstone campaign.
The civil service advised him he was being “courageous”
I said the other day I consider Norman Fowler (and many others) secular saints for their work and efforts.
He was havering over the decision because of the political risk. Fiona made quite clear to him that “consequences be damned” he should do the right thing.
Er, you mean wavering? Havering = talking bollocks. Not correct, as he got the right result as TSE says.
Your meaning is the Scottish one
The British meaning is “to act in a vacillating or indecisive manner”
The British (!) meaning is plain wrong. But don't let me stop you from persisting. It all adds to linguistic evolution.
The OED has cites for that sense back to 1866, so it's hardly a recent divergence...
This has been the most embarrassingly inept performance by an England side since the Battle of Castillon.
This match has been a bit better than some England performances this tournament, it was the tournament as a whole that was a disaster. The 100 replacing ODI matches a big factor in limiting match practice
If ECB get rid of the Hundred as a result of this fiasco then that's a little silver lining. Why play a format that no one else plays??
Apparently it brings in a lot of money. Why I have no idea.
Interesting; why go on with it then? Contracts with sponsors?
I think it’s rather offensive in concept; as someone who was an Essex member until ill-health forced me to give up I feel absolutely no loyalty to some scratch team in North London.
It is deeply offensive on so many levels. Did they bring in some American marketing consultants with zero knowledge of actual cricket to develop it?
The hilarious stupidity of having junk food manufacturers sponsor it was the icing on the cake (metaphorically speaking).
The same team are apparently working on a new version of Soccerball - they're going to make the goals as wide as the pitch to increase the match scores. It's obvious really - fans want goals.
The only rational explanation for The Hundred has always been that the ECB wanted to sell-off the game and needed an excuse. The counties, as members' (except for Hampshire, Durham and Northants) clubs who have to do all the spadework of playing longer formats, development and upkeep. That makes them very difficult to sell, and investors unwilling to buy.
'Franchises' on the other hand, can just play the lucrative short stuff and pay huge wages to players, and are potential global 'brands' that in theory could be worth a lot if the competition truly ever took off. But of course they couldn't *say* that, so came up with ludicrous ways of justifying it. The whole thing is one of the great sporting scams - far worse than the abortive 'European Super League' in football.
Yes, it was a massive power grab from the ECB at the expense of the counties.
I want to correct a misconception about Mrs Thatcher.
Section 28 was an abomination but it was an outlier in her career as she was generally pro gay.
Voted to decriminalise homosexuality as part of Leo Abse's bill
One of her earliest acts as Prime Minister was to civilise the Scots and Northern Irish by decriminalising homosexuality.
She appointed lots of gayers (though the less said about Peter Morrison the better)
Above all else her government saved the lives of so many gay men by tackling the AIDS epidemic. She took on misconceptions and bigotry, the Chief Constable publicly said of AIDS/HIV sufferers that they were '"swirling in a human cesspit of their own making".
Norman (and especially Fiona) Fowler deserves a huge amount of credit for the tombstone campaign.
The civil service advised him he was being “courageous”
I said the other day I consider Norman Fowler (and many others) secular saints for their work and efforts.
He was havering over the decision because of the political risk. Fiona made quite clear to him that “consequences be damned” he should do the right thing.
Er, you mean wavering? Havering = talking bollocks. Not correct, as he got the right result as TSE says.
Your meaning is the Scottish one
The British meaning is “to act in a vacillating or indecisive manner”
The British (!) meaning is plain wrong. But don't let me stop you from persisting. It all adds to linguistic evolution.
The OED has cites for that sense back to 1866, so it's hardly a recent divergence...
I suppose that simply means it's an easily made mistake!
This has been the most embarrassingly inept performance by an England side since the Battle of Castillon.
This match has been a bit better than some England performances this tournament, it was the tournament as a whole that was a disaster. The 100 replacing ODI matches a big factor in limiting match practice
If ECB get rid of the Hundred as a result of this fiasco then that's a little silver lining. Why play a format that no one else plays??
Apparently it brings in a lot of money. Why I have no idea.
Interesting; why go on with it then? Contracts with sponsors?
I think it’s rather offensive in concept; as someone who was an Essex member until ill-health forced me to give up I feel absolutely no loyalty to some scratch team in North London.
It is deeply offensive on so many levels. Did they bring in some American marketing consultants with zero knowledge of actual cricket to develop it?
The hilarious stupidity of having junk food manufacturers sponsor it was the icing on the cake (metaphorically speaking).
The same team are apparently working on a new version of Soccerball - they're going to make the goals as wide as the pitch to increase the match scores. It's obvious really - fans want goals.
The only rational explanation for The Hundred has always been that the ECB wanted to sell-off the game and needed an excuse. The counties, as members' (except for Hampshire, Durham and Northants) clubs who have to do all the spadework of playing longer formats, development and upkeep. That makes them very difficult to sell, and investors unwilling to buy.
'Franchises' on the other hand, can just play the lucrative short stuff and pay huge wages to players, and are potential global 'brands' that in theory could be worth a lot if the competition truly ever took off. But of course they couldn't *say* that, so came up with ludicrous ways of justifying it. The whole thing is one of the great sporting scams - far worse than the abortive 'European Super League' in football.
There are other explanations. For example, to eliminate clubs (owned by members) and replace them with franchises (owned by the ECB) to allow the ECB control over the game.
Or as a start in reducing the number of first class teams. Which has also always been one of their goals.
But the likeliest explanation is the simplest. That Tom Harrison is a twat who doesn’t know a thoroughly bad idea when he saw it.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
What is wrong with the word “scum”? It describes a gathering of pollution or filth that accumulates on polluted water or other materials indicating the presence of that pollutant. I can’t think of a better metaphor.
My, you're very grumpy today. Must have been an XLB that did the No 2 you stepped in in the Novembrine darkness.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
Labour is Sauron, the Green Party is Morgoth.
Sauron is a despot, but Morgoth is a destroyer, so Sauron is preferable.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
Incidentally is calling party supporters "scum" acceptable language? I recall a lot of pearl clutching when Ms Rayner used the term.
"This bounty hunter is my kind of scum: fearless and inventive!" - Jabba the Hutt (translation).
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
What is wrong with the word “scum”? It describes a gathering of pollution or filth that accumulates on polluted water or other materials indicating the presence of that pollutant. I can’t think of a better metaphor.
You’ll need to have a word with your fellow pious PB Tories who had to change their pants after Rayner’s use of the term (you can lob in hypocritical for the ones who think it’s just dandy for their own invective).
Anyway, great that we're now allowed to describe those other two parties that claim to be separate (Cons & SCons) as scum.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
What is wrong with the word “scum”? It describes a gathering of pollution or filth that accumulates on polluted water or other materials indicating the presence of that pollutant. I can’t think of a better metaphor.
You’ll need to have a word with your fellow pious PB Tories who had to change their pants after Rayner’s use of the term (you can lob in hypocritical for the ones who think it’s just dandy for their own invective).
Anyway, great that we're now allowed to describe those other two parties that claim to be separate (Cons & SCons) as scum.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Greens are polling higher than they got in 2019 at present thanks to voters who voted for Corbyn in 2019 but who are disillusioned with Starmer switching to them
I want to correct a misconception about Mrs Thatcher.
Section 28 was an abomination but it was an outlier in her career as she was generally pro gay.
Voted to decriminalise homosexuality as part of Leo Abse's bill
One of her earliest acts as Prime Minister was to civilise the Scots and Northern Irish by decriminalising homosexuality.
She appointed lots of gayers (though the less said about Peter Morrison the better)
Above all else her government saved the lives of so many gay men by tackling the AIDS epidemic. She took on misconceptions and bigotry, the Chief Constable publicly said of AIDS/HIV sufferers that they were '"swirling in a human cesspit of their own making".
Norman (and especially Fiona) Fowler deserves a huge amount of credit for the tombstone campaign.
The civil service advised him he was being “courageous”
I said the other day I consider Norman Fowler (and many others) secular saints for their work and efforts.
He was havering over the decision because of the political risk. Fiona made quite clear to him that “consequences be damned” he should do the right thing.
Er, you mean wavering? Havering = talking bollocks. Not correct, as he got the right result as TSE says.
Your meaning is the Scottish one
The British meaning is “to act in a vacillating or indecisive manner”
The British (!) meaning is plain wrong. But don't let me stop you from persisting. It all adds to linguistic evolution.
The OED has cites for that sense back to 1866, so it's hardly a recent divergence...
I love the OED. It's one of those things that risks being swamped by change though. Admittedly Encyclopaedia Britannica (which I don't love) seems not to have entirely died as one would have predicted.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
What is wrong with the word “scum”? It describes a gathering of pollution or filth that accumulates on polluted water or other materials indicating the presence of that pollutant. I can’t think of a better metaphor.
You’ll need to have a word with your fellow pious PB Tories who had to change their pants after Rayner’s use of the term (you can lob in hypocritical for the ones who think it’s just dandy for their own invective).
Anyway, great that we're now allowed to describe those other two parties that claim to be separate (Cons & SCons) as scum.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
What is wrong with the word “scum”? It describes a gathering of pollution or filth that accumulates on polluted water or other materials indicating the presence of that pollutant. I can’t think of a better metaphor.
Not sure about using the word "scum" but can understand the sense of frustration behind it.
What I find extraordinary is the utter contrast in sentiment between the speech of Robert Habeck, the German vice-chancellor, who is a Green, and the grotesque utterances of our homegrown Greens here in Scotland and across the UK.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Greens are polling higher than they got in 2019 at present thanks to voters who voted for Corbyn in 2019 but who are disillusioned with Starmer switching to them
And there's me thinking that as the realities of climate change start to bite, voters are becoming more environmentally conscious.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Greens are polling higher than they got in 2019 at present thanks to voters who voted for Corbyn in 2019 but who are disillusioned with Starmer switching to them
Yep. Everyone who chooses to be condescending about Americans who think Trump belongs in the White House rather than in jail should reflect on that.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Greens are polling higher than they got in 2019 at present thanks to voters who voted for Corbyn in 2019 but who are disillusioned with Starmer switching to them
And there's me thinking that as the realities of climate change start to bite, voters are becoming more environmentally conscious.
It's a really interesting market, and it's available on Smarkets - which is second best, but not too bad. (Just an interface full of peril)
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
LOL at your use of 'culture wars'. If you go on that march, remember that a large number of the people you are with, who you are chanting with, who you are encouraging, want the end of the state of Israel, and worse.
You are giving them your voice.
Hmm, this reads very much like the posts attacking @Cyclefree for her carefully considered views on women’s rights and trans rights a few months ago. At the time people criticised her for enabling and supporting far right anti-trans campaigners as she was a ‘fellow-traveler’.
The argument was wrong-headed then just as it is now. Anyone who goes on the march is responsible for their own views, not those around them.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
What is wrong with the word “scum”? It describes a gathering of pollution or filth that accumulates on polluted water or other materials indicating the presence of that pollutant. I can’t think of a better metaphor.
Not sure about using the word "scum" but can understand the sense of frustration behind it.
What I find extraordinary is the utter contrast in sentiment between the speech of Robert Habeck, the German vice-chancellor, who is a Green, and the grotesque utterances of our homegrown Greens here in Scotland and across the UK.
Amazing, must be the great propaganda job that the media does on behalf of the Scottish Greens (second only to their gilding of the Nats) that has fooled people into voting for them.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Greens are polling higher than they got in 2019 at present thanks to voters who voted for Corbyn in 2019 but who are disillusioned with Starmer switching to them
Yep. Everyone who chooses to be condescending about Americans who think Trump belongs in the White House rather than in jail should reflect on that.
This has been the most embarrassingly inept performance by an England side since the Battle of Castillon.
This match has been a bit better than some England performances this tournament, it was the tournament as a whole that was a disaster. The 100 replacing ODI matches a big factor in limiting match practice
If ECB get rid of the Hundred as a result of this fiasco then that's a little silver lining. Why play a format that no one else plays??
Apparently it brings in a lot of money. Why I have no idea.
Interesting; why go on with it then? Contracts with sponsors?
I think it’s rather offensive in concept; as someone who was an Essex member until ill-health forced me to give up I feel absolutely no loyalty to some scratch team in North London.
It is deeply offensive on so many levels. Did they bring in some American marketing consultants with zero knowledge of actual cricket to develop it?
The hilarious stupidity of having junk food manufacturers sponsor it was the icing on the cake (metaphorically speaking).
The same team are apparently working on a new version of Soccerball - they're going to make the goals as wide as the pitch to increase the match scores. It's obvious really - fans want goals.
The only rational explanation for The Hundred has always been that the ECB wanted to sell-off the game and needed an excuse. The counties, as members' (except for Hampshire, Durham and Northants) clubs who have to do all the spadework of playing longer formats, development and upkeep. That makes them very difficult to sell, and investors unwilling to buy.
'Franchises' on the other hand, can just play the lucrative short stuff and pay huge wages to players, and are potential global 'brands' that in theory could be worth a lot if the competition truly ever took off. But of course they couldn't *say* that, so came up with ludicrous ways of justifying it. The whole thing is one of the great sporting scams - far worse than the abortive 'European Super League' in football.
There are other explanations. For example, to eliminate clubs (owned by members) and replace them with franchises (owned by the ECB) to allow the ECB control over the game.
Or as a start in reducing the number of first class teams. Which has also always been one of their goals.
But the likeliest explanation is the simplest. That Tom Harrison is a twat who doesn’t know a thoroughly bad idea when he saw it.
Yes. The first two explanations are kind of included in my answer - the ECB wanted franchises rather than clubs as they could control them first, and then sell them off when they had established them as entities. They wouldn't be wanting to bankroll them forever in order to keep up with other franchise leagues.
Plus it does not exclude the third - Harrison being an idiot - which is why they've made such a hash of it, that they might have to go back to the drawing board.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
Labour is Sauron, the Green Party is Morgoth.
Sauron is a despot, but Morgoth is a destroyer, so Sauron is preferable.
what's that make the tories then Lotho bleeding Sackville-Baggins?
Er, you mean wavering? Havering = talking bollocks. Not correct, as he got the right result as TSE says.
Your meaning is the Scottish one
The British meaning is “to act in a vacillating or indecisive manner”
The British (!) meaning is plain wrong. But don't let me stop you from persisting. It all adds to linguistic evolution.
The OED has cites for that sense back to 1866, so it's hardly a recent divergence...
I love the OED. It's one of those things that risks being swamped by change though. Admittedly Encyclopaedia Britannica (which I don't love) seems not to have entirely died as one would have predicted.
I don't think the language is changing that much faster than it was in the 1950s; if anything, the advent of the internet has made it easier to get citations and pick up early informal new coinages and usages, when previously words often only showed up in print after they'd been circulating in speech for years. And these days it's online (free to access from anywhere if you're a member of your local library, typically) so you don't have to wait for the next paper copy to be published to get the most recent additions and revisions.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
The local car tint shop (next to the heavily staffed car wash) is running a "BBQ for Gaza" tomorrow afternoon. I'm not sure it's entirely BBQ weather in truth and as I have to be elsewhere I will not be participating.
What a coincidence! The IDF is also running a BBQ for Gaza as we speak.
(For the avoidance of doubt, that was a sick joke, and does not reflect what I think of what the IDF is actually doing.)
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
Labour is Sauron, the Green Party is Morgoth.
Sauron is a despot, but Morgoth is a destroyer, so Sauron is preferable.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
Incidentally is calling party supporters "scum" acceptable language? I recall a lot of pearl clutching when Ms Rayner used the term.
But how different are they really? Both are authoritarian despots who think that they know better. Both think that they are morally superior to those who don’t adhere to their irrational and bizarre beliefs. Both are indifferent to human suffering if it conflicts with some quasi religious belief in Gaia or similar crap. Both are not as useful as the dog shit I have to scrape from my shoe. Give me a Labour drone any day of the week.
Can't you see that much the same may might be said about Scottish and English Tories (except for the bit about Gaia)?
PB is unusually free of such language when describing political opponents, it is best to keep it more civil.
Er, you mean wavering? Havering = talking bollocks. Not correct, as he got the right result as TSE says.
Your meaning is the Scottish one
The British meaning is “to act in a vacillating or indecisive manner”
The British (!) meaning is plain wrong. But don't let me stop you from persisting. It all adds to linguistic evolution.
The OED has cites for that sense back to 1866, so it's hardly a recent divergence...
I love the OED. It's one of those things that risks being swamped by change though. Admittedly Encyclopaedia Britannica (which I don't love) seems not to have entirely died as one would have predicted.
I don't think the language is changing that much faster than it was in the 1950s; if anything, the advent of the internet has made it easier to get citations and pick up early informal new coinages and usages, when previously words often only showed up in print after they'd been circulating in speech for years. And these days it's online (free to access from anywhere if you're a member of your local library, typically) so you don't have to wait for the next paper copy to be published to get the most recent additions and revisions.
The Scottish equivalent - DSL - is also great, and completely free to access as well. Both extremely useful resources.
The Conservatives are not going to win Brighton Pavilion. They got 10,000 votes last time, against 46,000 for the combined Labour and Green shares.
Even if the Greens and Labour split their 2019 total equally, AND the Conservatives increased their vote tally by 50%, they would still be 8,000 votes short.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Greens are polling higher than they got in 2019 at present thanks to voters who voted for Corbyn in 2019 but who are disillusioned with Starmer switching to them
And there's me thinking that as the realities of climate change start to bite, voters are becoming more environmentally conscious.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
Labour is Sauron, the Green Party is Morgoth.
Sauron is a despot, but Morgoth is a destroyer, so Sauron is preferable.
I want to correct a misconception about Mrs Thatcher.
Section 28 was an abomination but it was an outlier in her career as she was generally pro gay.
Voted to decriminalise homosexuality as part of Leo Abse's bill
One of her earliest acts as Prime Minister was to civilise the Scots and Northern Irish by decriminalising homosexuality.
She appointed lots of gayers (though the less said about Peter Morrison the better)
Above all else her government saved the lives of so many gay men by tackling the AIDS epidemic. She took on misconceptions and bigotry, the Chief Constable publicly said of AIDS/HIV sufferers that they were '"swirling in a human cesspit of their own making".
Norman (and especially Fiona) Fowler deserves a huge amount of credit for the tombstone campaign.
The civil service advised him he was being “courageous”
I said the other day I consider Norman Fowler (and many others) secular saints for their work and efforts.
He was havering over the decision because of the political risk. Fiona made quite clear to him that “consequences be damned” he should do the right thing.
Er, you mean wavering? Havering = talking bollocks. Not correct, as he got the right result as TSE says.
Your meaning is the Scottish one
The British meaning is “to act in a vacillating or indecisive manner”
The British (!) meaning is plain wrong. But don't let me stop you from persisting. It all adds to linguistic evolution.
Try googling “havering meaning”
It comes up with a “Scottish” definition and a “British” definition.
It’s not wrong. It’s just different.
(I accept that Google dictionary may not give too much thought to the political nuances of their classification)
The IDF are sending XL Bully type mega-dogs down the Hamas tunnels to eat the terrorists. Some have cameras attached
Do they have guns?
The tunnels look pitch black - I guess coz all the power has gone
In my nightmares there aren't many as scary as a XL Bully suddenly coming down a totally darkened tunnel and then commencing to eat my face. In the dark
How does the dog differentiate between a Hamas fighter and a hostage?
Seriously, it's perfectly possible these dogs have been trained to differentiate between captors and captives. Police dogs have been known to arrive at the scene of a crime and pick up the exact scent of the offender, even though dozens of other people have been passing by. It's quite uncanny.
I didn’t realise that. Thanks. In spite of that, not sure how happy I’d be if I was the relative of a hostage if such dogs were being used. There are enough risks already!
Agreed. You can never completely know what any dog is thinking or what it will do in a given situation. 99.9% maybe but never 100%.
I think the relatives of the hostages understand their kinfolk are not in a good place right now so have a different risk tolerance than you might from your comfortable armchair
The Conservatives are not going to win Brighton Pavilion. They got 10,000 votes last time, against 46,000 for the combined Labour and Green shares.
Even if the Greens and Labour split their 2019 total equally, AND the Conservatives increased their vote tally by 50%, they would still be 8,000 votes short.
The Conservative vote share has fallen at every election since Julian Amery got 53.7% in 1979. In 2019 the share was 17.5%.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
Labour is Sauron, the Green Party is Morgoth.
Sauron is a despot, but Morgoth is a destroyer, so Sauron is preferable.
And the LibDems are Tom Bombadil?
Isn't Tom Bombadil a shortish man wearing strangely-fitting clothes and 'great yellow boots'.
I refuse to see Mr Sunak robbed of his chance to play Tom Bombadil yet again!
The IDF are sending XL Bully type mega-dogs down the Hamas tunnels to eat the terrorists. Some have cameras attached
Do they have guns?
The tunnels look pitch black - I guess coz all the power has gone
In my nightmares there aren't many as scary as a XL Bully suddenly coming down a totally darkened tunnel and then commencing to eat my face. In the dark
How does the dog differentiate between a Hamas fighter and a hostage?
Seriously, it's perfectly possible these dogs have been trained to differentiate between captors and captives. Police dogs have been known to arrive at the scene of a crime and pick up the exact scent of the offender, even though dozens of other people have been passing by. It's quite uncanny.
I didn’t realise that. Thanks. In spite of that, not sure how happy I’d be if I was the relative of a hostage if such dogs were being used. There are enough risks already!
Agreed. You can never completely know what any dog is thinking or what it will do in a given situation. 99.9% maybe but never 100%.
I think the relatives of the hostages understand their kinfolk are not in a good place right now so have a different risk tolerance than you might from your comfortable armchair
Well sure, I was making a point about dogs not the hostage situation.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
Labour is Sauron, the Green Party is Morgoth.
Sauron is a despot, but Morgoth is a destroyer, so Sauron is preferable.
And the LibDems are Tom Bombadil?
Isn't Tom Bombadil a shortish man wearing strangely-fitting clothes and 'great yellow boots'.
I refuse to see Mr Sunak robbed of his chance to play Tom Bombadil yet again!
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
What is wrong with the word “scum”? It describes a gathering of pollution or filth that accumulates on polluted water or other materials indicating the presence of that pollutant. I can’t think of a better metaphor.
Not sure about using the word "scum" but can understand the sense of frustration behind it.
What I find extraordinary is the utter contrast in sentiment between the speech of Robert Habeck, the German vice-chancellor, who is a Green, and the grotesque utterances of our homegrown Greens here in Scotland and across the UK.
Amazing, must be the great propaganda job that the media does on behalf of the Scottish Greens (second only to their gilding of the Nats) that has fooled people into voting for them.
Quite simple. Chapman, Greer, Slater et al have appropriated the word "Green" with all is positive connotations and folk have voted for them not quite realising what they are actually voting for. Robin Harper and Andy Wightman of course do realise what they would be voting for, which is why they have abandoned the party despite being easily the Green's most distinguished parliamentarians. What remsins is enough to make you weep.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
Labour is Sauron, the Green Party is Morgoth.
Sauron is a despot, but Morgoth is a destroyer, so Sauron is preferable.
And the LibDems are Tom Bombadil?
Isn't Tom Bombadil a shortish man wearing strangely-fitting clothes and 'great yellow boots'.
I refuse to see Mr Sunak robbed of his chance to play Tom Bombadil yet again!
Great Yellow boots... who on PB might they fit!?
I have never owned yellow footwear.
I think I had a pair of lime green trainers that looked yellow in the right light.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
LOL at your use of 'culture wars'. If you go on that march, remember that a large number of the people you are with, who you are chanting with, who you are encouraging, want the end of the state of Israel, and worse.
You are giving them your voice.
Hmm, this reads very much like the posts attacking @Cyclefree for her carefully considered views on women’s rights and trans rights a few months ago. At the time people criticised her for enabling and supporting far right anti-trans campaigners as she was a ‘fellow-traveler’.
The argument was wrong-headed then just as it is now. Anyone who goes on the march is responsible for their own views, not those around them.
No, it really doesn't. For one thing, Ms Free was not talking about going on a march with people who have those views.
What is this march for? Apparently, to call for a ceasefire and to stop the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza - according to the PSC tweet below. Not about (say) releasing all the hostages back to Israel, stopping rocket attacks on Israel, or indeed for general peace.
And why the US Embassy? Why not (as an example) the Egyptian one, for the Egyptian government also has rather a lot of power over the situation, especially wrt the crossing and aid getting in. It all feeds into Iran's Little and Great Satan rhetoric, doesn't it?
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
What is wrong with the word “scum”? It describes a gathering of pollution or filth that accumulates on polluted water or other materials indicating the presence of that pollutant. I can’t think of a better metaphor.
Not sure about using the word "scum" but can understand the sense of frustration behind it.
What I find extraordinary is the utter contrast in sentiment between the speech of Robert Habeck, the German vice-chancellor, who is a Green, and the grotesque utterances of our homegrown Greens here in Scotland and across the UK.
Amazing, must be the great propaganda job that the media does on behalf of the Scottish Greens (second only to their gilding of the Nats) that has fooled people into voting for them.
Quite simple. Chapman, Greer, Slater et al have appropriated the word "Green" with all is positive connotations and folk have voted for them not quite realising what they are actually voting for. Robin Harper and Andy Wightman of course do realise what they would be voting for, which is why they have abandoned the party despite being easily the Green's most distinguished parliamentarians. What remsins is enough to make you weep.
The leading local Green is an extremely nice chap. Obviously believes in what he’s saying.
I may have to publish my emergency thread which is
'Why the next Scottish independence referendum be conducted under the alternative vote system.'
A binary question on AV?
That would be more pointless than the England cricket team.
A bit more nuanced than that.
The multi option? More powers, independence, status quo or all MSPs to be pelted with turnips?
That would save Malc an awkward dilemma!
There's several options including if Yes loses that settles it for 50 years, and an option to abolish Scotland and go for full Anschluß with the England.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
The route is somewhat provocative though
The logic path would be Trafalgar Square > past the Cenotaph > Parliament Square > Westminster Bridge > Nine Elms
It’s the right compromise to go a different route at a different time, but not sure they have it quite right
You'd say the likely issues won't be with the main march, but with the groups doing stuff like 'occupying' train stations - where there are liable to be people travelling to Remembrance events. There were some ugly scenes too today where some people were shouting at those leaving at McDonald's (due to perceived support for Israel). All it takes is a group of idiots and there are those who are treating matters as more akin to direct action than a march. Anyway, if I were the organisers I'd be toning it down - maybe having a vigil for peace that weekend or something, as it's less likely to attract the kind of fools who do chant vile things, have brought antisemitic banners, and are liable to create the kind of scene that will genuinely cause deep anger that weekend.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
What is wrong with the word “scum”? It describes a gathering of pollution or filth that accumulates on polluted water or other materials indicating the presence of that pollutant. I can’t think of a better metaphor.
Not sure about using the word "scum" but can understand the sense of frustration behind it.
What I find extraordinary is the utter contrast in sentiment between the speech of Robert Habeck, the German vice-chancellor, who is a Green, and the grotesque utterances of our homegrown Greens here in Scotland and across the UK.
Amazing, must be the great propaganda job that the media does on behalf of the Scottish Greens (second only to their gilding of the Nats) that has fooled people into voting for them.
Quite simple. Chapman, Greer, Slater et al have appropriated the word "Green" with all is positive connotations and folk have voted for them not quite realising what they are actually voting for. Robin Harper and Andy Wightman of course do realise what they would be voting for, which is why they have abandoned the party despite being easily the Green's most distinguished parliamentarians. What remsins is enough to make you weep.
The leading local Green is an extremely nice chap. Obviously believes in what he’s saying.
I'm sure he is. What I'm describing is the Holyrood Green contingent which even the more sensible SNP members (Forbes, Ewing) are up in arms about.
Yesterday we were all talking about cheerful stuff - specifically, 1990s music - and I posted a video of The Shamen's Ebeneezer Goode from, 1992.
And I noticed something rather cool: at approximately 21 seconds in, there's a character using what appears to be a Psion Series 3. OGH was a real trailblazer here - he used a Series 3 and then a Series 5, and hooked them up over IR to his phone so as to get email.
Here's to pioneering British tech company Psion, and it's founder David Potter. And what a shame that it never achieved its potential.
... Anyone who goes on the march is responsible for their own views, not those around them.
"present but not involved"?
I vividly remember in my enthusiastic youth attending an anti capitalist demo in London. I was thoroughly surprised to see this very organised group of people, almost all men, flying black and red flags and with faces hidden. I had no idea I had bumbled across the really quite violent black bloc.
Being on the same march as them did not make me an anarchist, nor a criminal when they started smashing in bank windows.
Any big political statement will be broad brush and contain contradictions throughout.
We might as well argue that anyone who stays away from the protest is enabling genocide against Gazan children. It’s transparent nonsense.
... Anyone who goes on the march is responsible for their own views, not those around them.
"present but not involved"?
I vividly remember in my enthusiastic youth attending an anti capitalist demo in London. I was thoroughly surprised to see this very organised group of people, almost all men, flying black and red flags and with faces hidden. I had no idea I had bumbled across the really quite violent black bloc.
Being on the same march as them did not make me an anarchist, nor a criminal when they started smashing in bank windows.
Any big political statement will be broad brush and contain contradictions throughout.
We might as well argue that anyone who stays away from the protest is enabling genocide against Gazan children. It’s transparent nonsense.
In 2009 I accidentally attended an EDL rally in Manchester.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
Ridding us of the scum that accretes around the Green Party will be one of the indisputable benefits of a Labour government. Ask anyone in Scotland how poisonous they can be.
The Scottish Greens are a different party to the English Greens.
I see the word scum is yet again acceptable in certain contexts.
What is wrong with the word “scum”? It describes a gathering of pollution or filth that accumulates on polluted water or other materials indicating the presence of that pollutant. I can’t think of a better metaphor.
Not sure about using the word "scum" but can understand the sense of frustration behind it.
What I find extraordinary is the utter contrast in sentiment between the speech of Robert Habeck, the German vice-chancellor, who is a Green, and the grotesque utterances of our homegrown Greens here in Scotland and across the UK.
Amazing, must be the great propaganda job that the media does on behalf of the Scottish Greens (second only to their gilding of the Nats) that has fooled people into voting for them.
Quite simple. Chapman, Greer, Slater et al have appropriated the word "Green" with all is positive connotations and folk have voted for them not quite realising what they are actually voting for. Robin Harper and Andy Wightman of course do realise what they would be voting for, which is why they have abandoned the party despite being easily the Green's most distinguished parliamentarians. What remsins is enough to make you weep.
The stupid voters that don't possess your wisdom of course had the opportunity to vote for the distinguished Wightman in 2021 but didn't avail themselves of the opportunity.
PB Tories righteously bemoaning the state of parties for which they wouldn't vote in a Month of Thursdays is one of the more entertaining behaviours of PB. Their supplications on behalf of Kate Forbes are a hoot.
Yesterday we were all talking about cheerful stuff - specifically, 1990s music - and I posted a video of The Shamen's Ebeneezer Goode from, 1992.
And I noticed something rather cool: at approximately 21 seconds in, there's a character using what appears to be a Psion Series 3. OGH was a real trailblazer here - he used a Series 3 and then a Series 5, and hooked them up over IR to his phone so as to get email.
Here's to pioneering British tech company Psion, and it's founder David Potter. And what a shame that it never achieved its potential.
I had a Psion 5 back in the late ‘90s, they were great. My father did some work with an Apple Newton, which was a small iPad three decades before we all got small iPads.
I remember Radio 1 doing a big “Drug Awareness Week” campaign, the same week that Ebeneezer Goode went to #1 in the charts - the juxtaposition of the presenters doing their “Just Say No” bits, just before a song which definitely didn’t have the chorus lyric “Es are good, Es are good”, was rather amusing, to this teenager anyway.
Why I am grateful to "scum". With every breath I take: "Cyanobacteria are the first organisms known to have produced oxygen. By producing and releasing oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis, cyanobacteria are thought to have converted the early oxygen-poor, reducing atmosphere into an oxidizing one, causing the Great Oxidation Event and the "rusting of the Earth",[14] which dramatically changed the composition of life forms on Earth." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria
I may have to publish my emergency thread which is
'Why the next Scottish independence referendum be conducted under the alternative vote system.'
A binary question on AV?
That would be more pointless than the England cricket team.
A bit more nuanced than that.
The multi option? More powers, independence, status quo or all MSPs to be pelted with turnips?
That would save Malc an awkward dilemma!
There's several options including if Yes loses that settles it for 50 years, and an option to abolish Scotland and go for full Anschluß with the England.
Would that make England Nazi Germany and PM Braverman Hitler?
Personally, I err on the free speech side. Wonder what the Unherd/RCP Tory crew make of it?
Presumably someone being a republican would fall foul of these regulations.
The Tories commitment to Free Speech is pure bollocks.
It's also doing what this Tory government always does now it's run out of ideas - which is to come up with a new law before actually bothering to use or enforce the ones we already have properly, or amend when necessary. There's already laws on hate speech and supporting terrorism that should be able to catch those who want to do real harm and forfeit their freedom to do so - they just rarely seem to be enforced because the police and politicians are woeful at defining those terms.
Government officials have drawn up deeply controversial proposals to broaden the definition of extremism to include anyone who “undermines” the country’s institutions and its values, according to documents seen by the Observer.
I'm sure that HY will confirm that "underlining the country's institutions and values" can be defined by not voting Conservative. So it will soon become a criminal offence not to vote Tory.
Yesterday we were all talking about cheerful stuff - specifically, 1990s music - and I posted a video of The Shamen's Ebeneezer Goode from, 1992.
And I noticed something rather cool: at approximately 21 seconds in, there's a character using what appears to be a Psion Series 3. OGH was a real trailblazer here - he used a Series 3 and then a Series 5, and hooked them up over IR to his phone so as to get email.
Here's to pioneering British tech company Psion, and it's founder David Potter. And what a shame that it never achieved its potential.
I'm not sure we'd be less censorious of that today, and possibly more so.
It's essentially a (very catchy) 3-minute pop ode to ecstasy.
The Union Flag was taken down from the Cenotaph. Perhaps like the pictures of hostages it's seen as too provocative.
Only because all the flags are taken away this week every year to be cleaned before next week's ceremonies.
Mind you that's because I saw the Metropolitan Police tweet rather than the right wing muppet's post that got 400,000 views compare to the Met Police's 10,000 views.
Are you sure it's true?
Still sad that it's surrounded by fencing.
Yes because I'm not an idiot taken in by false news that happens to match my prejudices..
Is it prejudiced to think public monuments might be defaced? Or just common sense since it happens quite often.
The protesters are planning to avoid the Cenotaph by marching from Trafalgar Square to the US Embassy. They are also deliberately starting in the afternoon so as to not disturb any 1100 silence observances.
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
LOL at your use of 'culture wars'. If you go on that march, remember that a large number of the people you are with, who you are chanting with, who you are encouraging, want the end of the state of Israel, and worse.
You are giving them your voice.
Hmm, this reads very much like the posts attacking @Cyclefree for her carefully considered views on women’s rights and trans rights a few months ago. At the time people criticised her for enabling and supporting far right anti-trans campaigners as she was a ‘fellow-traveler’.
The argument was wrong-headed then just as it is now. Anyone who goes on the march is responsible for their own views, not those around them.
No, it really doesn't. For one thing, Ms Free was not talking about going on a march with people who have those views.
What is this march for? Apparently, to call for a ceasefire and to stop the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza - according to the PSC tweet below. Not about (say) releasing all the hostages back to Israel, stopping rocket attacks on Israel, or indeed for general peace.
And why the US Embassy? Why not (as an example) the Egyptian one, for the Egyptian government also has rather a lot of power over the situation, especially wrt the crossing and aid getting in. It all feeds into Iran's Little and Great Satan rhetoric, doesn't it?
The whole thing stinks.
Well, ultimately if some people are too dim to understand the most basic principles of free speech, that's their problem, not anyone else's.
"Labour are absolutely gunning for the seat, and will have no lack of activists in the area."
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
Brighton has a lot of Labour activists, many of whom may not be able to travel away very often - and the other two Brighton seats are already Labour. It's fairly sensible if those people would otherwise not be out canvassing at all.
I agree with this but I'd also add that even if it wasn't sensible Labour would probably still gun for Brighton Pavilion. As I learned when I briefly worked for the Lib Dems in a Lib/Lab marginal, the narcissism of small differences is real in politics and many Labour activists hate Lib Dems more than the Tories (and that's definitely true in reverse for Lib Dem activists hating Labour). In Brighton it's felt by Labour that the Greens have stolen 'their' seat, and the satisfaction of knocking them back into their box will justify plenty of effort I suspect.
Plus there's just only so far you can tell activists where to campaign. A lot of people will go to their nearest winnable seat and you can't really stop them.
Comments
In spite of that, not sure how happy I’d be if I was the relative of a hostage if such dogs were being used. There are enough risks already!
This would be a very silly thing for Labour to do. These activists should be spending their time in Tory-held seats.
I won't reproduce it, but folk can google Limmy Thatcher grave if they want a snigger or to burst a blood vessel.
Two people seriously injured in suspected XL bully attack in Mansfield
It is believed one woman fell out of the window of the flat where the attack happened, police have said.
https://news.sky.com/story/two-people-seriously-injured-in-suspected-xl-bully-attack-in-mansfield-13000141
https://twitter.com/PSCupdates/status/1720518783951950141?t=B_1JRxLLNn_DYtU6IB3vjQ&s=19
This is not an anti-British protest however much you want it to be for Culture War reasons.
The much-vaunted recent YouGov has for England Labour 45%, Conservative 25%, LD 10%, Reform 10% and Green 9%. 16.5% Conservative to Labour swing since 2019. 10% swing Conservative to Liberal Democrat.
The numbers for 65+ are Conservative 44%. Labour 24%, Reform 14% . The 2019 numbers were Conservative 64%, Labour 17% so that's a 13.5% swing but Reform are polling strongest in that group.
You are giving them your voice.
https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/opinion/who_on_earth_is_the_hundred_for_we_try_to_identify_the_ecb's_mysterious_'new_audience'.html
Or is it...
In any case free speech and assembly is worth nothing if only protests supporting the government are permitted.
Neither statement really makes any more or any less sense than the other.
Incidentally is calling party supporters "scum" acceptable language? I recall a lot of pearl clutching when Ms Rayner used the term.
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2023/10/24/isnt-that-a-balloon-deflating-a-dod-ufo-video/
People who chant "from river to sea". People who chant "Jihad". Whilst I know some people try to put innocent explanations/excuses for those phrases, they're bullshit when being chanted in that sort of environment.
No wonder the hard left love it.
'Franchises' on the other hand, can just play the lucrative short stuff and pay huge wages to players, and are potential global 'brands' that in theory could be worth a lot if the competition truly ever took off. But of course they couldn't *say* that, so came up with ludicrous ways of justifying it. The whole thing is one of the great sporting scams - far worse than the abortive 'European Super League' in football.
Or as a start in reducing the number of first class teams. Which has also always been one of their goals.
But the likeliest explanation is the simplest. That Tom Harrison is a twat who doesn’t know a thoroughly bad idea when he saw it.
Sauron is a despot, but Morgoth is a destroyer, so Sauron is preferable.
Anyway, great that we're now allowed to describe those other two parties that claim to be separate (Cons & SCons) as scum.
What I find extraordinary is the utter contrast in sentiment between the speech of Robert Habeck, the German vice-chancellor, who is a Green, and the grotesque utterances of our homegrown Greens here in Scotland and across the UK.
The argument was wrong-headed then just as it is now. Anyone who goes on the march is responsible for their own views, not those around them.
Plus it does not exclude the third - Harrison being an idiot - which is why they've made such a hash of it, that they might have to go back to the drawing board.
(For the avoidance of doubt, that was a sick joke, and does not reflect what I think of what the IDF is actually doing.)
PB is unusually free of such language when describing political opponents, it is best to keep it more civil.
Even if the Greens and Labour split their 2019 total equally, AND the Conservatives increased their vote tally by 50%, they would still be 8,000 votes short.
The second decision was wrong on two counts.
It comes up with a “Scottish” definition and a “British” definition.
It’s not wrong. It’s just different.
(I accept that Google dictionary may not give too much thought to the political nuances of their classification)
I refuse to see Mr Sunak robbed of his chance to play Tom Bombadil yet again!
The logic path would be Trafalgar Square > past the Cenotaph > Parliament Square > Westminster Bridge > Nine Elms
It’s the right compromise to go a different route at a different time, but not sure they have it quite right
I think I had a pair of lime green trainers that looked yellow in the right light.
Narrator: The excuse did not work.
I may have to publish my emergency thread which is
'Why the next Scottish independence referendum be conducted under the alternative vote system.'
What is this march for? Apparently, to call for a ceasefire and to stop the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza - according to the PSC tweet below. Not about (say) releasing all the hostages back to Israel, stopping rocket attacks on Israel, or indeed for general peace.
And why the US Embassy? Why not (as an example) the Egyptian one, for the Egyptian government also has rather a lot of power over the situation, especially wrt the crossing and aid getting in. It all feeds into Iran's Little and Great Satan rhetoric, doesn't it?
The whole thing stinks.
That would be more pointless than the England cricket team.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/nov/04/plans-to-redefine-extremism-would-include-undermining-uk-values
Personally, I err on the free speech side.
Wonder what the Unherd/RCP Tory crew make of it?
That would save Malc an awkward dilemma!
And I noticed something rather cool: at approximately 21 seconds in, there's a character using what appears to be a Psion Series 3. OGH was a real trailblazer here - he used a Series 3 and then a Series 5, and hooked them up over IR to his phone so as to get email.
Here's to pioneering British tech company Psion, and it's founder David Potter. And what a shame that it never achieved its potential.
Being on the same march as them did not make me an anarchist, nor a criminal when they started smashing in bank windows.
Any big political statement will be broad brush and contain contradictions throughout.
We might as well argue that anyone who stays away from the protest is enabling genocide against Gazan children. It’s transparent nonsense.
The Tories commitment to Free Speech is pure bollocks.
PB Tories righteously bemoaning the state of parties for which they wouldn't vote in a Month of Thursdays is one of the more entertaining behaviours of PB. Their supplications on behalf of Kate Forbes are a hoot.
I remember Radio 1 doing a big “Drug Awareness Week” campaign, the same week that Ebeneezer Goode went to #1 in the charts - the juxtaposition of the presenters doing their “Just Say No” bits, just before a song which definitely didn’t have the chorus lyric “Es are good, Es are good”, was rather amusing, to this teenager anyway.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria
At least Hitler was popular in Österreich..
Government officials have drawn up deeply controversial proposals to broaden the definition of extremism to include anyone who “undermines” the country’s institutions and its values, according to documents seen by the Observer.
I'm sure that HY will confirm that "underlining the country's institutions and values" can be defined by not voting Conservative. So it will soon become a criminal offence not to vote Tory.
It's essentially a (very catchy) 3-minute pop ode to ecstasy.
And an absolutely blatant one.
Plus there's just only so far you can tell activists where to campaign. A lot of people will go to their nearest winnable seat and you can't really stop them.