Aviemore, Strathspey platform back in August 2019:
Good afternoon
My wife and I used the Aviemore to Forres direct service several times before it was closed in 1965 and eventually partly reopened as the Strathspey railway
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
Reading the mad and vindictive tripe spouted by Trump in the post quoted above, I genuinely don't see why Trump gets so many votes. I've lived long enough in the real world to know that this lack of understanding isn't due to a moral failing on my part.
It’s a thing about which I think I might come back and comment further later.
I’ve come to realise that “manners”, politeness, couthness (is that a word?) and diplomacy are virtues that really matter to some people and hardly matter at all to others.
What have I been most offended by since Trump’s second coming? It should probably be the actual policies: the ludicrous tariffs, the betrayal of Ukraine, the undermining of the rule of law. But actually it’s the rudeness. Epitomised by JD’s various soundings off about Britain and Europe and hitting its nadir in that awful Zelenskyy ambush. Just so…obnoxious.
But for others that stuff is water off a duck’s back. What matters is whether there is peace, taxes go down, equities go up etc etc. That’s the utilitarian answer. In the abstract it makes sense.
I think there’s a clear personality type dividing line between those for whom the manners stuff is crucially important and those for whom it’s fluff. Perhaps epitomised by how people reacted to travelling English hooligans in the 1980s and 90s. For some, excruciating shame and embarrassment at the scenes, for others like Alan Clarke the great English martial race at play.
There’s also doubtless a national pattern to this. Countries for which face and appearances and the approval of others are important, others that don’t give a shit what the world thinks of them.
Taking advice from Liz Truss on dealing with the mythic "Blob" is only useful if you do the opposite.
It's a bit like how Labour decided to take advice from John Ashworth on campaigning. A man who lost one of Labour's safest seats during a Labour landslide, and then found his office a bit useless.
She will be advising him to do the opposite. Liz Truss didn't deal with the blob - she sacked one or two key underperformers which resulted in ear splitting squealing in the media (and on PB). NF will be laying waste to the Blob from day 1 and rightly so.
We’ve seen now what an anti-Blob approach is like from Trump and the Republicans: global economic crash, rising government debt, break down of the rule of law, mass corruption. We absolutely do not want that, be it delivered by Farage or Truss.
Classic misrepresentation. The Trump/Musk/DOGE approach is not the same as all “anti-blob approaches”.
As I see it, the Trump/Musk/DOGE approach is "let's salt the earth in the USA so that it will take a century to build a tolerant, civilised society". Their practical guiding value is nihilism, whatever else they call it.
Trump won't care ... before long he'll be in his coffin six feet under, with a urinal installed on his gravestone.
One of the things they have started destroying this week has been the "Americorps", which is the inside-the-USA version of the Peace Corps. For anyone not in the know, that is a national volunteering programme which engages young adults. To quote:
AmeriCorps is an independent agency of the United States government that engages more than five million Americans in service through a variety of stipended volunteer work programs in many sectors. These programs include AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps Seniors, the Volunteer Generation Fund, and other national service initiatives. The agency's mission is "to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering". (Wiki)
The equivalent here would be taking out the National Citizen Service and all the engagement activities of setups such as the National Trust, taking away Community Service Volunteers, and many other parallel programmes.
I am in no way a fan of what they are doing. There is so much good that is being thrown out and utterly destroyed - longitudinal studies for example. There is also a looting of the public sphere and a complete disregard for standards in public life.
On the other hand government doesn’t work in the UK at the moment - it’s sclerotic and borderline corrupt in the intertwining of the third sector with government. Of course government needs to be careful, and it will be slow because of the impact it can have on individuals. But that doesn’t mean all reform is a bad thing.
But @bondegezou was conflating any attempt to reform the public sector with Trump/Musk/DOGE.
THAT is what I was objecting to. Misrepresentation. And then he has the gall to say that supporters of my position need to “clearly differentiate” ourselves. Quick suggestion: how about you don’t lie about your opponents instead?
If you’re talking about Reform, Farage has said quite plainly that the U.K. needs its own DOGE.
While I don’t disagree with you about the principle of public sector reform, I’m not seeing much in the way of serious proposals from opposition parties, as opposed to rhetoric - which is effectively meaningless, as we’ve heard that for decades.
What I am talking about is the attempt to conflate ANY reform with an extreme approach which has not worked. This comment:
We’ve seen now what an anti-Blob approach is like from Trump and the Republicans: global economic crash, rising government debt, break down of the rule of law, mass corruption. We absolutely do not want that,
And I am not satisfied with any political party. I do my own thing.
Fair enough. But you must also understand the scepticism, then, borne of long experience ?
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
Reading the mad and vindictive tripe spouted by Trump in the post quoted above, I genuinely don't see why Trump gets so many votes. I've lived long enough in the real world to know that this lack of understanding isn't due to a moral failing on my part.
He gets votes because he sticks it to people lots of voters despise, and he will continue to do so until they learn why.
Succession to the Crown Act 2013. To be eligible for the throne, a person must:
Be a legitimate descendant of Princess Sophia of Hanover.
Be Protestant and in communion with the Church of England.
Not be a Roman Catholic (though marrying a Catholic no longer disqualifies).
If among the first six in line, have the monarch’s consent to marry
So can the CofE be 'catholic' ?
Catholic =/= Roman Catholic
For example Mel Gibson is, I believe, an Old Catholic. And then you have Marionites who are just confused.
Aren't the Marionites in full communion with the church of Rome?
So, while liturgy etc are very different and they have their own Patriarch, they are still (technically) party of the Roman Catholic Church.
I thought they were Orthodox who accepted the authority of the Pope?
But they may have change since the Anglican priest* who married my parents left the CofE to become the Marionite Archbishop
* Fulham & Gibraltar
Ambitious chap, that priest.
"So, you're looking for a step up? Feel the promotion opportunities in the CoE just aren't there. Well, we've got a couple of openings you might be interested in. The Marionites are looking for a new Archbishop. And the Buddhists need someone to run a retreat in Thailand. Do either of those sound like a fit?"
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
Reading the mad and vindictive tripe spouted by Trump in the post quoted above, I genuinely don't see why Trump gets so many votes. I've lived long enough in the real world to know that this lack of understanding isn't due to a moral failing on my part.
He gets votes because he sticks it to people lots of voters despise, and he will continue to do so until they learn why.
I have discovered a grave lack in the global lexicon
Bishkek is one of those places where in Late April it’s boiling hot in the sun and you want to be in shorts, but as soon as you step into shade it’s cold and you need a thick coat
Why?
It is a result of low humidity + high solar angle + thin mountain air:
• The sun is strong, especially at altitude (Bishkek’s ~800m), so it heats the skin directly
• But the air temperature remains low - so as soon as you’re out of the direct sun, you feel the actual chill
• No ambient heat is held in the air the way it is in more humid or maritime places.
There is no word for this in English. What’s more, there is no word for it in any language that I can find:
In German, they sometimes call this “Schattenkälte” – “shade-cold” – the sudden chill of stepping out of the sun.
In Japanese, there’s hinata-bokko (日向ぼっこ), which refers to the joy of basking in the sun on a cold day
But even these words don’t describe the overall feeling and scenario. To lexical arms, citoyens!
If there is a word in some language I’d be grateful to learn it from any knowledgeable PBer
Apricity, the warmth of the sun in Winter.
The situtation you are describing would seem therefore to be apricious.
Also, as Malcolm noted, Scotland.
Just been for a walk at Ratho. Bright sun. Freezing cold.
Apricity is one of my fave words. But it’s not a word that describes “the situation of being in a place where if you sit in the sun you feel extremely warm and need few clothes but at the same time if you move to the shade you desire a coat as it’s so cold”
Round this way we call it "Not knowing what to wear".
Why is Central Asia so crap at cheese? They have endless grasslands, and billions of cows, goats, sheep and horses, all producing milk. They’ve had 10,000 years to get a grip on it, yet they can’t even make a decent version of Cheddar or Brie
To flip it around, why has cheese been perfected in Western Europe - France, Italy, Spain, Britain, Germany, Switzerland - yet almost nowhere else on earth (excepting European colonies like the USA and Australia, which at least make an effort)?
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It seemed very formulaic.
Starmer reminds me of when a comedian gets a prime acting gig, and then it turns out that actually he can't act.
"Thank you for your contribution" is the sort of formula the chair of a meeting might use when a member of the audience jumps up and says something so outlandish that the speaker(s) are lost for words.
Lizz Truss : {batshit insanity….} Chairman of Meeting : Thank you for your contribution.
Why is Central Asia so crap at cheese? They have endless grasslands, and billions of cows, goats, sheep and horses, all producing milk. They’ve had 10,000 years to get a grip on it, yet they can’t even make a decent version of Cheddar or Brie
To flip it around, why has cheese been perfected in Western Europe - France, Italy, Spain, Britain, Germany, Switzerland - yet almost nowhere else on earth (excepting European colonies like the USA and Australia, which at least make an effort)?
The ratio of shit cheese to good cheese is off the charts in the US. You need you work very hard to stuff worth eating.
Why is Central Asia so crap at cheese? They have endless grasslands, and billions of cows, goats, sheep and horses, all producing milk. They’ve had 10,000 years to get a grip on it, yet they can’t even make a decent version of Cheddar or Brie
To flip it around, why has cheese been perfected in Western Europe - France, Italy, Spain, Britain, Germany, Switzerland - yet almost nowhere else on earth (excepting European colonies like the USA and Australia, which at least make an effort)?
I would hazard a guess at readily available dampness, and conditions for ageing at high humidity but cool temperatures between about 9 and 13C. Without that it’s hard to make complex cheese, and those conditions don’t exist in many places.
I attempted cheese making during lockdown but didn’t have anywhere suitably cool and damp so ended up with rank cheeses that looked the part but tasted like vomit.
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
Reading the mad and vindictive tripe spouted by Trump in the post quoted above, I genuinely don't see why Trump gets so many votes. I've lived long enough in the real world to know that this lack of understanding isn't due to a moral failing on my part.
Have you considered the possibility that you are stupid?
Not particularly. I accept people vote for Trump for reasons that make sense to them, obviously as applies to anything anyone ever does.
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
Reading the mad and vindictive tripe spouted by Trump in the post quoted above, I genuinely don't see why Trump gets so many votes. I've lived long enough in the real world to know that this lack of understanding isn't due to a moral failing on my part.
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
Reading the mad and vindictive tripe spouted by Trump in the post quoted above, I genuinely don't see why Trump gets so many votes. I've lived long enough in the real world to know that this lack of understanding isn't due to a moral failing on my part.
Have you considered the possibility that you are stupid?
Not particularly. I accept people vote for Trump for reasons that make sense to them, obviously as applies to anything anyone ever does.
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It seemed very formulaic.
Starmer reminds me of when a comedian gets a prime acting gig, and then it turns out that actually he can't act.
"Thank you for your contribution" is the sort of formula the chair of a meeting might use when a member of the audience jumps up and says something so outlandish that the speaker(s) are lost for words.
Lizz Truss : {batshit insanity….} Chairman of Meeting : Thank you for your contribution.
Yup, checks out.
Yes, had that severe times.
Usually subsequently been proved right. At least I think so!
An American friend, who writes an extremely popular travel substack - he goes from city to city - has just messaged me his astonished dismay from a city in Italy
He needs your expertise. I went to see where Mussolini’s body was strung up and displayed, almost exactly 80 yrs ago. But no sign of anything. Did I go to the wrong Piazzale Loreto?
Why is Central Asia so crap at cheese? They have endless grasslands, and billions of cows, goats, sheep and horses, all producing milk. They’ve had 10,000 years to get a grip on it, yet they can’t even make a decent version of Cheddar or Brie
To flip it around, why has cheese been perfected in Western Europe - France, Italy, Spain, Britain, Germany, Switzerland - yet almost nowhere else on earth (excepting European colonies like the USA and Australia, which at least make an effort)?
The ratio of shit cheese to good cheese is off the charts in the US. You need you work very hard to stuff worth eating.
Why is Central Asia so crap at cheese? They have endless grasslands, and billions of cows, goats, sheep and horses, all producing milk. They’ve had 10,000 years to get a grip on it, yet they can’t even make a decent version of Cheddar or Brie
To flip it around, why has cheese been perfected in Western Europe - France, Italy, Spain, Britain, Germany, Switzerland - yet almost nowhere else on earth (excepting European colonies like the USA and Australia, which at least make an effort)?
I would hazard a guess at readily available dampness, and conditions for ageing at high humidity but cool temperatures between about 9 and 13C. Without that it’s hard to make complex cheese, and those conditions don’t exist in many places.
I attempted cheese making during lockdown but didn’t have anywhere suitably cool and damp so ended up with rank cheeses that looked the part but tasted like vomit.
An interesting guess, certainly must be part of any answer
The same can be said of much charcuterie - only Europe has really perfected it - and that is, AIUI, a climate thing too
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
Reading the mad and vindictive tripe spouted by Trump in the post quoted above, I genuinely don't see why Trump gets so many votes. I've lived long enough in the real world to know that this lack of understanding isn't due to a moral failing on my part.
Have you considered the possibility that you are stupid?
Not particularly. I accept people vote for Trump for reasons that make sense to them, obviously as applies to anything anyone ever does.
I believe you should reconsider. I’ve read your commentary over many years and long thought - no offence - “ah, @FF43 is quite stupid”. Once you factor that in, as you should, your mystification might be less painful
Loveliest of trees, the cherry now Is hung with bloom along the bough, And stands about the woodland ride Wearing white for Eastertide.
Now, of my threescore years and ten, Twenty will not come again, And take from seventy springs a score, It only leaves me fifty more.
And since to look at things in bloom Fifty springs are little room, About the woodlands I will go To see the cherry hung with snow….
And that’s why I’m in Kyrgyzstan
Alternatively, I could go to Myrekirk Road, which is within walking distance of my house and which, for approximately a fortnight each year, starting last week, is simply magnificent. Vivid pink blossoms in that case.
Can’t be arsed going all the way to Helensburgh (besides I wouldn’t get this drone’s eye view) but this is pretty good. I’d like to think the colour hasn’t been enhanced..
Bellevue Crescent in Ayr, why go to some godforsaken dump like Kyrgyzstan
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It's that we are a Christian country and the massage was phrased as though Christians were, as isam noted, visitors who made a plucky contribution to the country.
We are not a Christian country, we are a diverse one in which Christians are one minority amongst many, with an established Church.
Formally we are a Christian country although of course there are many faiths and people of no faith (bonjour).
Formally we have an established Church. That is all.
We are a diverse country. There is no requirement for citizens of this country to be members of the established Church and never has been.
"At the institutional level, the Anglican Church maintains its status of religion of the state and the King is still Head of the Church: hence by law, England is still a Christian country, which entails some specific privileges for the Church of England that are not extended to other religions."
So you know, legally and all, we are a Christian country.
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
He's not being very Christian there, though, is he? Unless Christianity is all about meanness of spirit. Which isn't my understanding of it.
You don't understand "it" very much at all. And you don't even begin to want to.
Which is precisely the problem.
I do. I like Easter. Lots of people do. Trump is spoiling it for everybody, putting out that sort of snarky shit. Jesus would have given him the finger and rightly so.
AIUI Jesus would have forgiven him his trespasses.
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It's that we are a Christian country and the massage was phrased as though Christians were, as isam noted, visitors who made a plucky contribution to the country.
We are not a Christian country, we are a diverse one in which Christians are one minority amongst many, with an established Church.
Formally we are a Christian country although of course there are many faiths and people of no faith (bonjour).
Formally we have an established Church. That is all.
We are a diverse country. There is no requirement for citizens of this country to be members of the established Church and never has been.
"At the institutional level, the Anglican Church maintains its status of religion of the state and the King is still Head of the Church: hence by law, England is still a Christian country, which entails some specific privileges for the Church of England that are not extended to other religions."
So you know, legally and all, we are a Christian country.
Why is it legal to lend money at interest then?
Christianity does not forbid charging interest, although excessive interest rates (usury) is a sin. Are you thinking of Islam? Could be a programming error.
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It's that we are a Christian country and the massage was phrased as though Christians were, as isam noted, visitors who made a plucky contribution to the country.
We are not a Christian country, we are a diverse one in which Christians are one minority amongst many, with an established Church.
Formally we are a Christian country although of course there are many faiths and people of no faith (bonjour).
Formally we have an established Church. That is all.
We are a diverse country. There is no requirement for citizens of this country to be members of the established Church and never has been.
"At the institutional level, the Anglican Church maintains its status of religion of the state and the King is still Head of the Church: hence by law, England is still a Christian country, which entails some specific privileges for the Church of England that are not extended to other religions."
So you know, legally and all, we are a Christian country.
Why is it legal to lend money at interest then?
Indeed. Sharia compliant accounts strictly don’t pay interest. I’ve had a couple through Raisin.
I know sharia is Islam but assumed similar to Christianity although just seen rcs post saying it’s fine.
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It's that we are a Christian country and the massage was phrased as though Christians were, as isam noted, visitors who made a plucky contribution to the country.
We are not a Christian country, we are a diverse one in which Christians are one minority amongst many, with an established Church.
Formally we are a Christian country although of course there are many faiths and people of no faith (bonjour).
Formally we have an established Church. That is all.
We are a diverse country. There is no requirement for citizens of this country to be members of the established Church and never has been.
"At the institutional level, the Anglican Church maintains its status of religion of the state and the King is still Head of the Church: hence by law, England is still a Christian country, which entails some specific privileges for the Church of England that are not extended to other religions."
So you know, legally and all, we are a Christian country.
Why is it legal to lend money at interest then?
Ummm: because Christianity does not forbid it?
Indeed: the The Institute for the Works of Religion (which is basically the Catholic Church's own bank) has both lent and borrowed money with interest. (Not that the UK is a Roman Catholic country. But still.)
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
Reading the mad and vindictive tripe spouted by Trump in the post quoted above, I genuinely don't see why Trump gets so many votes. I've lived long enough in the real world to know that this lack of understanding isn't due to a moral failing on my part.
It’s a thing about which I think I might come back and comment further later.
I’ve come to realise that “manners”, politeness, couthness (is that a word?) and diplomacy are virtues that really matter to some people and hardly matter at all to others.
What have I been most offended by since Trump’s second coming? It should probably be the actual policies: the ludicrous tariffs, the betrayal of Ukraine, the undermining of the rule of law. But actually it’s the rudeness. Epitomised by JD’s various soundings off about Britain and Europe and hitting its nadir in that awful Zelenskyy ambush. Just so…obnoxious.
But for others that stuff is water off a duck’s back. What matters is whether there is peace, taxes go down, equities go up etc etc. That’s the utilitarian answer. In the abstract it makes sense.
I think there’s a clear personality type dividing line between those for whom the manners stuff is crucially important and those for whom it’s fluff. Perhaps epitomised by how people reacted to travelling English hooligans in the 1980s and 90s. For some, excruciating shame and embarrassment at the scenes, for others like Alan Clarke the great English martial race at play.
There’s also doubtless a national pattern to this. Countries for which face and appearances and the approval of others are important, others that don’t give a shit what the world thinks of them.
Interesting take, and I'm sure that's part of it. I admit I am someone who thinks courtesy is important so I shouldn't expect it in others. Yet I don't think that's the whole explanation. Lots of other people are rude and nobody gives them time of day.
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It's that we are a Christian country and the massage was phrased as though Christians were, as isam noted, visitors who made a plucky contribution to the country.
We are not a Christian country, we are a diverse one in which Christians are one minority amongst many, with an established Church.
Formally we are a Christian country although of course there are many faiths and people of no faith (bonjour).
Formally we have an established Church. That is all.
We are a diverse country. There is no requirement for citizens of this country to be members of the established Church and never has been.
"At the institutional level, the Anglican Church maintains its status of religion of the state and the King is still Head of the Church: hence by law, England is still a Christian country, which entails some specific privileges for the Church of England that are not extended to other religions."
So you know, legally and all, we are a Christian country.
Why is it legal to lend money at interest then?
Ummm: because Christianity does not forbid it?
Indeed: the The Institute for the Works of Religion (which is basically the Catholic Church's own bank) has both lent and borrowed money with interest. (Not that the UK is a Roman Catholic country. But still.)
This is an interesting one I touched upon in my recent degree. There is no direct condemnation of interest-taking in the New Testament; it is even tolerated in the Parable of the Talents. The Old Testament authority - Exodus 22:25, Leviticus 25:35, and Deuteronomy 20:19 - does not constitute a blanket ban on interest-taking, but condemns taking interest from the poor, and within the Jewish community.
In the Catholic Church (which was “the church then) taking of interest was forbidden to clerics from AD 314. It was strictly forbidden for laymen in 1179. The beginning of the end as far as the total ban on interest was concerned came in the sixteenth century. Although Luther and Zwingli still condemned it utterly, Calvin and some progressive Catholic thinkers such as Collet and Antoine argued that interest-taking did not constitute usury, as long as it represented the real difference between the value of present and future sums of money, and was not mere extortion.
The Catholic Church still forbids usury, meaning extortionate charges, providing penalties in c2354 of the Code of Canon Law, but this does not mean that all interest-taking is sinful. As rcs1000 says, the Vatican itself invests in interest-bearing schemes, and requires Church administrators to do likewise.
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
Reading the mad and vindictive tripe spouted by Trump in the post quoted above, I genuinely don't see why Trump gets so many votes. I've lived long enough in the real world to know that this lack of understanding isn't due to a moral failing on my part.
He gets votes because he sticks it to people lots of voters despise, and he will continue to do so until they learn why.
If they learn why, will the despising stop?
Yes, because they will modify their behaviour.
I think you are falling slightly into the trap of basically thinking that it's just one side reacting against the other.
The reality is that both halves of America have a crude caricature of what they think the other half is like (and what the other half thinks of them).
So, if I were to go around Red State America and was to ask "which is more dangerous Texas, or New York City", I think you would get 99 answers out of 100 saying NYC. And the reality is that it isn't even close: NY is much safer. Likewise, if you were to ask what happened to Southern Border crossing during the Obama adminisrtation, they'd say they went through the roof. When reality is that they fell to a 16 year low.
This cuts, both ways, of course. I could mention a dozen things that people on the Left believe about the Right that are simply not true.
Taking advice from Liz Truss on dealing with the mythic "Blob" is only useful if you do the opposite.
It's a bit like how Labour decided to take advice from John Ashworth on campaigning. A man who lost one of Labour's safest seats during a Labour landslide, and then found his office a bit useless.
She will be advising him to do the opposite. Liz Truss didn't deal with the blob - she sacked one or two key underperformers which resulted in ear splitting squealing in the media (and on PB). NF will be laying waste to the Blob from day 1 and rightly so.
We’ve seen now what an anti-Blob approach is like from Trump and the Republicans: global economic crash, rising government debt, break down of the rule of law, mass corruption. We absolutely do not want that, be it delivered by Farage or Truss.
Classic misrepresentation. The Trump/Musk/DOGE approach is not the same as all “anti-blob approaches”.
As I see it, the Trump/Musk/DOGE approach is "let's salt the earth in the USA so that it will take a century to build a tolerant, civilised society". Their practical guiding value is nihilism, whatever else they call it.
Trump won't care ... before long he'll be in his coffin six feet under, with a urinal installed on his gravestone.
One of the things they have started destroying this week has been the "Americorps", which is the inside-the-USA version of the Peace Corps. For anyone not in the know, that is a national volunteering programme which engages young adults. To quote:
AmeriCorps is an independent agency of the United States government that engages more than five million Americans in service through a variety of stipended volunteer work programs in many sectors. These programs include AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps Seniors, the Volunteer Generation Fund, and other national service initiatives. The agency's mission is "to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering". (Wiki)
The equivalent here would be taking out the National Citizen Service and all the engagement activities of setups such as the National Trust, taking away Community Service Volunteers, and many other parallel programmes.
I am in no way a fan of what they are doing. There is so much good that is being thrown out and utterly destroyed - longitudinal studies for example. There is also a looting of the public sphere and a complete disregard for standards in public life.
On the other hand government doesn’t work in the UK at the moment - it’s sclerotic and borderline corrupt in the intertwining of the third sector with government. Of course government needs to be careful, and it will be slow because of the impact it can have on individuals. But that doesn’t mean all reform is a bad thing.
But @bondegezou was conflating any attempt to reform the public sector with Trump/Musk/DOGE.
THAT is what I was objecting to. Misrepresentation. And then he has the gall to say that supporters of my position need to “clearly differentiate” ourselves. Quick suggestion: how about you don’t lie about your opponents instead?
If you’re talking about Reform, Farage has said quite plainly that the U.K. needs its own DOGE.
While I don’t disagree with you about the principle of public sector reform, I’m not seeing much in the way of serious proposals from opposition parties, as opposed to rhetoric - which is effectively meaningless, as we’ve heard that for decades.
What I am talking about is the attempt to conflate ANY reform with an extreme approach which has not worked. This comment:
We’ve seen now what an anti-Blob approach is like from Trump and the Republicans: global economic crash, rising government debt, break down of the rule of law, mass corruption. We absolutely do not want that,
And I am not satisfied with any political party. I do my own thing.
Fair enough. But you must also understand the scepticism, then, borne of long experience ?
As I said, I agree with you about the principle.
It’s not going to be easy.
But what you had was a left leaning public sector employees trying to set the frame. That’s not scepticism.
An American friend, who writes an extremely popular travel substack - he goes from city to city - has just messaged me his astonished dismay from a city in Italy
He needs your expertise. I went to see where Mussolini’s body was strung up and displayed, almost exactly 80 yrs ago. But no sign of anything. Did I go to the wrong Piazzale Loreto?
Kids with cancer being denied treatment thanks to Brexit. Still, sovereignty eh.
That’s not true, though, is it. Kids aren’t being denied treatment thanks is to Brexit. I read the article and it’s very low on fact and high on maybe. If you can find me evidence of a kid with cancer being denied treatment I’d be astonished. And clinical trial access is usually the last throw of the dice, not some guaranteed cure with a new drug.
Brexit has clearly led to complications but the idea that we can no longer attract researchers is nonsense. My department has appointed 5 or 6 in the last few months, including Europeans. And the aspirin story will prove to be like many of the rights immigrants stories when the detail is revealed.
Succession to the Crown Act 2013. To be eligible for the throne, a person must:
Be a legitimate descendant of Princess Sophia of Hanover.
Be Protestant and in communion with the Church of England.
Not be a Roman Catholic (though marrying a Catholic no longer disqualifies).
If among the first six in line, have the monarch’s consent to marry
So can the CofE be 'catholic' ?
Catholic =/= Roman Catholic
For example Mel Gibson is, I believe, an Old Catholic. And then you have Marionites who are just confused.
Aren't the Marionites in full communion with the church of Rome?
So, while liturgy etc are very different and they have their own Patriarch, they are still (technically) party of the Roman Catholic Church.
I thought they were Orthodox who accepted the authority of the Pope?
But they may have change since the Anglican priest* who married my parents left the CofE to become the Marionite Archbishop
* Fulham & Gibraltar
Ambitious chap, that priest.
"So, you're looking for a step up? Feel the promotion opportunities in the CoE just aren't there. Well, we've got a couple of openings you might be interested in. The Marionites are looking for a new Archbishop. And the Buddhists need someone to run a retreat in Thailand. Do either of those sound like a fit?"
Not really. I met him a few times - he was a devout and good man. He only took on the Archbsiophric part time as a retirement gig..
Why is Central Asia so crap at cheese? They have endless grasslands, and billions of cows, goats, sheep and horses, all producing milk. They’ve had 10,000 years to get a grip on it, yet they can’t even make a decent version of Cheddar or Brie
To flip it around, why has cheese been perfected in Western Europe - France, Italy, Spain, Britain, Germany, Switzerland - yet almost nowhere else on earth (excepting European colonies like the USA and Australia, which at least make an effort)?
I would hazard a guess at readily available dampness, and conditions for ageing at high humidity but cool temperatures between about 9 and 13C. Without that it’s hard to make complex cheese, and those conditions don’t exist in many places.
I attempted cheese making during lockdown but didn’t have anywhere suitably cool and damp so ended up with rank cheeses that looked the part but tasted like vomit.
And, so appropriate at this time of year, blessed are the cheese-makers.
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
Reading the mad and vindictive tripe spouted by Trump in the post quoted above, I genuinely don't see why Trump gets so many votes. I've lived long enough in the real world to know that this lack of understanding isn't due to a moral failing on my part.
Have you considered the possibility that you are stupid?
Not particularly. I accept people vote for Trump for reasons that make sense to them, obviously as applies to anything anyone ever does.
I believe you should reconsider. I’ve read your commentary over many years and long thought - no offence - “ah, @FF43 is quite stupid”. Once you factor that in, as you should, your mystification might be less painful
Why would anyone care what you believe about their intelligence? Preposterous. I can in any case cope with the mystification that you haven't bothered to clarify, intelligently or otherwise
Loveliest of trees, the cherry now Is hung with bloom along the bough, And stands about the woodland ride Wearing white for Eastertide.
Now, of my threescore years and ten, Twenty will not come again, And take from seventy springs a score, It only leaves me fifty more.
And since to look at things in bloom Fifty springs are little room, About the woodlands I will go To see the cherry hung with snow….
And that’s why I’m in Kyrgyzstan
Alternatively, I could go to Myrekirk Road, which is within walking distance of my house and which, for approximately a fortnight each year, starting last week, is simply magnificent. Vivid pink blossoms in that case.
Can’t be arsed going all the way to Helensburgh (besides I wouldn’t get this drone’s eye view) but this is pretty good. I’d like to think the colour hasn’t been enhanced..
Bellevue Crescent in Ayr, why go to some godforsaken dump like Kyrgyzstan
Because, at my new “local”, the “boho cafe” in Oak Park, Bishkek (near the Opera) they do a wonderful shakshuka for brunch
Shakshuka? Is there a cream for that? (just kidding!)
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
I cannot believe that an advantage will be present in swimming from wingspan and size but not in running? Long legs, bigger lungs etc will persist after a year of HRT. There should be no trans women in womens sport. Sorry.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
I cannot believe that an advantage will be present in swimming from wingspan and size but not in running? Long legs, bigger lungs etc will persist after a year of HRT. There should be no trans women in womens sport. Sorry.
Obviously I am too kumbaya. I just don't get the logic of longer legs = ban them from playing chess.
I would love to see results like this (from The Times MRP)
In Scotland and Wales nationalist parties make these races even tighter and more fragmented. In Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale there are FOUR parties within less and 1.5 points of each other. https://nitter.poast.org/edhodgsoned/status/1913903464108732686#m
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
I cannot believe that an advantage will be present in swimming from wingspan and size but not in running? Long legs, bigger lungs etc will persist after a year of HRT. There should be no trans women in womens sport. Sorry.
Obviously I am too kumbaya. I just don't get the logic of longer legs = ban them from playing chess.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
Saying that you would like it not to be a war is undermined by caricaturing your opponents as religious fanatics or useful idiots. You're also ignoring the dynamics of how this issue escalated in the first place.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
I cannot believe that an advantage will be present in swimming from wingspan and size but not in running? Long legs, bigger lungs etc will persist after a year of HRT. There should be no trans women in womens sport. Sorry.
Obviously I am too kumbaya. I just don't get the logic of longer legs = ban them from playing chess.
Nobody is proposing banning people from playing chess. There's no restrictions on playing chess.
Leave women's sport to women though. Play chess, if you want to play chess, just don't play women's chess.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
I cannot believe that an advantage will be present in swimming from wingspan and size but not in running? Long legs, bigger lungs etc will persist after a year of HRT. There should be no trans women in womens sport. Sorry.
Obviously I am too kumbaya. I just don't get the logic of longer legs = ban them from playing chess.
Nobody is banned from playing chess. The question is whether it's lawful to have a women's competition that excludes all non-females, including transwomen.
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It's that we are a Christian country and the massage was phrased as though Christians were, as isam noted, visitors who made a plucky contribution to the country.
We are not a Christian country, we are a diverse one in which Christians are one minority amongst many, with an established Church.
Formally we are a Christian country although of course there are many faiths and people of no faith (bonjour).
Formally we have an established Church. That is all.
We are a diverse country. There is no requirement for citizens of this country to be members of the established Church and never has been.
"At the institutional level, the Anglican Church maintains its status of religion of the state and the King is still Head of the Church: hence by law, England is still a Christian country, which entails some specific privileges for the Church of England that are not extended to other religions."
So you know, legally and all, we are a Christian country.
Why is it legal to lend money at interest then?
More to the point - why hasn't the entire population sold all their goods and given the money to the poor?
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
Reading the mad and vindictive tripe spouted by Trump in the post quoted above, I genuinely don't see why Trump gets so many votes. I've lived long enough in the real world to know that this lack of understanding isn't due to a moral failing on my part.
Have you considered the possibility that you are stupid?
Not particularly. I accept people vote for Trump for reasons that make sense to them, obviously as applies to anything anyone ever does.
I believe you should reconsider. I’ve read your commentary over many years and long thought - no offence - “ah, @FF43 is quite stupid”. Once you factor that in, as you should, your mystification might be less painful
Why would anyone care what you believe about their intelligence? Preposterous. I can in any case cope with the mystification that you haven't bothered to clarify, intelligently or otherwise
If it helps (and you probably have to have been born in the mid 70s to get this) but whenever I see Leon’s output I can’t help picture him as the inexplicably disturbing Mr Noseybonk from the early 80s children’s TV show “Jigsaw”.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
Saying that you would like it not to be a war is undermined by caricaturing your opponents as religious fanatics or useful idiots. You're also ignoring the dynamics of how this issue escalated in the first place.
It's not a war because I don't want you to be punished for your views. Whereas your side seems to want to crush the people that oppose you. Look at Sussex University fined £585,000 because they didn't stop their students from expressing their free speech and Harvard being stopped billions for not teaching the way Trump wants.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
Saying that you would like it not to be a war is undermined by caricaturing your opponents as religious fanatics or useful idiots. You're also ignoring the dynamics of how this issue escalated in the first place.
It's not a war because I don't want you to be punished for your views. Whereas your side seems to want to crush the people that oppose you. Look at Sussex University fined £585,000 because they didn't stop their students from expressing their free speech and Harvard being stopped billions for not teaching the way Trump wants.
Oh cut the crap!
Look at the Nurse in Fife, who was not only illegally not supported when she had a legitimate objection to being made to share the women's changing room with someone who is not a woman, but was then harassed and faced disciplinary action and suspended from work.
How quickly do you think the NHS should apologise to that Nurse and how much compensation do you think she should receive for the way she has been abused? Or do you think suspending a woman from her job for not wanting to share a changing room with someone who is not a woman is perfectly acceptable?
Why do female to male trans not want to participate in male sports ?
Of course they’d be at a physical dis-advantage . And the reverse is why male to female trans shouldn’t be allowed to participate in all female sports where strength or speed are important .
It’s not discrimination it’s just being fair . This really shouldn’t be controversial. I’m not anti anyone and class myself as very Liberal but I expect I’d be utterly eviscerated if I made this post on twitter which I’m not on .
The debate has become so black or white that it’s almost impossible to just have an opinion that’s “ grey”.
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It's that we are a Christian country and the massage was phrased as though Christians were, as isam noted, visitors who made a plucky contribution to the country.
We are not a Christian country, we are a diverse one in which Christians are one minority amongst many, with an established Church.
Formally we are a Christian country although of course there are many faiths and people of no faith (bonjour).
Formally we have an established Church. That is all.
We are a diverse country. There is no requirement for citizens of this country to be members of the established Church and never has been.
"At the institutional level, the Anglican Church maintains its status of religion of the state and the King is still Head of the Church: hence by law, England is still a Christian country, which entails some specific privileges for the Church of England that are not extended to other religions."
So you know, legally and all, we are a Christian country.
Why is it legal to lend money at interest then?
Ummm: because Christianity does not forbid it?
Indeed: the The Institute for the Works of Religion (which is basically the Catholic Church's own bank) has both lent and borrowed money with interest. (Not that the UK is a Roman Catholic country. But still.)
I'm shocked. There are hypocrites in the Vatican?
The second Lateral Council (1139) barred usurers from Christian burial.
The third (1179) denied them any sacrament at all if they didn't repent.
The Council of Vienne (1311) declared the belief that usury was okay to be a heresy.
Benedict XIV's Vix Pervenit encyclical (1745) makes clear that usury is a sin and "One cannot condone the sin of usury by arguing that the gain is not great or excessive, but rather moderate or small". As for the definition:
"The nature of the sin called usury has its proper place and origin in a loan contract. This financial contract between consenting parties demands, by its very nature, that one return to another only as much as he has received. The sin rests on the fact that sometimes the creditor desires more than he has given. Therefore he contends some gain is owed him beyond that which he loaned, but any gain which exceeds the amount he gave is illicit and usurious."
I would love to see results like this (from The Times MRP)
In Scotland and Wales nationalist parties make these races even tighter and more fragmented. In Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale there are FOUR parties within less and 1.5 points of each other. https://nitter.poast.org/edhodgsoned/status/1913903464108732686#m
Con 21 Lab 21 SNP 21 Ref 20
Reading MRPs into constituency level analysis is ridiculous. For seats totals they might be useful, with constituency-level variation averaging out over 650 seats, but that's it.
I would love to see results like this (from The Times MRP)
In Scotland and Wales nationalist parties make these races even tighter and more fragmented. In Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale there are FOUR parties within less and 1.5 points of each other. https://nitter.poast.org/edhodgsoned/status/1913903464108732686#m
Con 21 Lab 21 SNP 21 Ref 20
Reading MRPs into constituency level analysis is ridiculous. For seats totals they might be useful, with constituency-level variation averaging out over 650 seats, but that's it.
Oh I agree, even the thread makes clear there are so many seats which are basically tossups on the stated numbers, but it is an amusing possibility how the numbers have worked out.
There was that local government seat prediction a few weeks ago which I am curious to see if it pans out, as with such low turnout, hyperfocused elections I think accurate modelling would be next to impossible, though just by eyeballing my local area I did come up with a similar prediction to theirs.
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It's that we are a Christian country and the massage was phrased as though Christians were, as isam noted, visitors who made a plucky contribution to the country.
We are not a Christian country, we are a diverse one in which Christians are one minority amongst many, with an established Church.
Formally we are a Christian country although of course there are many faiths and people of no faith (bonjour).
Formally we have an established Church. That is all.
We are a diverse country. There is no requirement for citizens of this country to be members of the established Church and never has been.
"At the institutional level, the Anglican Church maintains its status of religion of the state and the King is still Head of the Church: hence by law, England is still a Christian country, which entails some specific privileges for the Church of England that are not extended to other religions."
So you know, legally and all, we are a Christian country.
Why is it legal to lend money at interest then?
Ummm: because Christianity does not forbid it?
Indeed: the The Institute for the Works of Religion (which is basically the Catholic Church's own bank) has both lent and borrowed money with interest. (Not that the UK is a Roman Catholic country. But still.)
I'm shocked. There are hypocrites in the Vatican?
The second Lateral Council (1139) barred usurers from Christian burial.
The third (1179) denied them any sacrament at all if they didn't repent.
The Council of Vienne (1311) declared the belief that usury was okay to be a heresy.
Benedict XIV's Vix Pervenit encyclical (1745) makes clear that usury is a sin and "One cannot condone the sin of usury by arguing that the gain is not great or excessive, but rather moderate or small". As for the definition:
"The nature of the sin called usury has its proper place and origin in a loan contract. This financial contract between consenting parties demands, by its very nature, that one return to another only as much as he has received. The sin rests on the fact that sometimes the creditor desires more than he has given. Therefore he contends some gain is owed him beyond that which he loaned, but any gain which exceeds the amount he gave is illicit and usurious."
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It's that we are a Christian country and the massage was phrased as though Christians were, as isam noted, visitors who made a plucky contribution to the country.
We are not a Christian country, we are a diverse one in which Christians are one minority amongst many, with an established Church.
Formally we are a Christian country although of course there are many faiths and people of no faith (bonjour).
Formally we have an established Church. That is all.
We are a diverse country. There is no requirement for citizens of this country to be members of the established Church and never has been.
"At the institutional level, the Anglican Church maintains its status of religion of the state and the King is still Head of the Church: hence by law, England is still a Christian country, which entails some specific privileges for the Church of England that are not extended to other religions."
So you know, legally and all, we are a Christian country.
Why is it legal to lend money at interest then?
Ummm: because Christianity does not forbid it?
Indeed: the The Institute for the Works of Religion (which is basically the Catholic Church's own bank) has both lent and borrowed money with interest. (Not that the UK is a Roman Catholic country. But still.)
I'm shocked. There are hypocrites in the Vatican?
The second Lateral Council (1139) barred usurers from Christian burial.
The third (1179) denied them any sacrament at all if they didn't repent.
The Council of Vienne (1311) declared the belief that usury was okay to be a heresy.
Benedict XIV's Vix Pervenit encyclical (1745) makes clear that usury is a sin and "One cannot condone the sin of usury by arguing that the gain is not great or excessive, but rather moderate or small". As for the definition:
"The nature of the sin called usury has its proper place and origin in a loan contract. This financial contract between consenting parties demands, by its very nature, that one return to another only as much as he has received. The sin rests on the fact that sometimes the creditor desires more than he has given. Therefore he contends some gain is owed him beyond that which he loaned, but any gain which exceeds the amount he gave is illicit and usurious."
I would love to see results like this (from The Times MRP)
In Scotland and Wales nationalist parties make these races even tighter and more fragmented. In Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale there are FOUR parties within less and 1.5 points of each other. https://nitter.poast.org/edhodgsoned/status/1913903464108732686#m
Con 21 Lab 21 SNP 21 Ref 20
Reading MRPs into constituency level analysis is ridiculous. For seats totals they might be useful, with constituency-level variation averaging out over 650 seats, but that's it.
Not sure I agree. There's been interesting constituencies projected by MRPs which people laughed at as 'common sense' said the result was nonsensical, but the MRP was proposing a clearly ridiculous result.
Like the Tories winning Leigh in 2019, or Labour winning Canterbury in 2017.
The MRP was right and common sense was wrong both times. I still find it hard to believe that the Tories won Leigh.
I would love to see results like this (from The Times MRP)
In Scotland and Wales nationalist parties make these races even tighter and more fragmented. In Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale there are FOUR parties within less and 1.5 points of each other. https://nitter.poast.org/edhodgsoned/status/1913903464108732686#m
Con 21 Lab 21 SNP 21 Ref 20
So that’s four nationalist parties..
Much chortling if the other three nationalist parties taking chunks out of each other resulted in D,C & T having its first SNP mp.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
Saying that you would like it not to be a war is undermined by caricaturing your opponents as religious fanatics or useful idiots. You're also ignoring the dynamics of how this issue escalated in the first place.
It's not a war because I don't want you to be punished for your views. Whereas your side seems to want to crush the people that oppose you. Look at Sussex University fined £585,000 because they didn't stop their students from expressing their free speech and Harvard being stopped billions for not teaching the way Trump wants.
Oh cut the crap!
Look at the Nurse in Fife, who was not only illegally not supported when she had a legitimate objection to being made to share the women's changing room with someone who is not a woman, but was then harassed and faced disciplinary action and suspended from work.
How quickly do you think the NHS should apologise to that Nurse and how much compensation do you think she should receive for the way she has been abused? Or do you think suspending a woman from her job for not wanting to share a changing room with someone who is not a woman is perfectly acceptable?
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It's that we are a Christian country and the massage was phrased as though Christians were, as isam noted, visitors who made a plucky contribution to the country.
We are not a Christian country, we are a diverse one in which Christians are one minority amongst many, with an established Church.
Formally we are a Christian country although of course there are many faiths and people of no faith (bonjour).
Formally we have an established Church. That is all.
We are a diverse country. There is no requirement for citizens of this country to be members of the established Church and never has been.
"At the institutional level, the Anglican Church maintains its status of religion of the state and the King is still Head of the Church: hence by law, England is still a Christian country, which entails some specific privileges for the Church of England that are not extended to other religions."
So you know, legally and all, we are a Christian country.
Why is it legal to lend money at interest then?
Ummm: because Christianity does not forbid it?
Indeed: the The Institute for the Works of Religion (which is basically the Catholic Church's own bank) has both lent and borrowed money with interest. (Not that the UK is a Roman Catholic country. But still.)
I'm shocked. There are hypocrites in the Vatican?
The second Lateral Council (1139) barred usurers from Christian burial.
The third (1179) denied them any sacrament at all if they didn't repent.
The Council of Vienne (1311) declared the belief that usury was okay to be a heresy.
Benedict XIV's Vix Pervenit encyclical (1745) makes clear that usury is a sin and "One cannot condone the sin of usury by arguing that the gain is not great or excessive, but rather moderate or small". As for the definition:
"The nature of the sin called usury has its proper place and origin in a loan contract. This financial contract between consenting parties demands, by its very nature, that one return to another only as much as he has received. The sin rests on the fact that sometimes the creditor desires more than he has given. Therefore he contends some gain is owed him beyond that which he loaned, but any gain which exceeds the amount he gave is illicit and usurious."
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
Saying that you would like it not to be a war is undermined by caricaturing your opponents as religious fanatics or useful idiots. You're also ignoring the dynamics of how this issue escalated in the first place.
It's not a war because I don't want you to be punished for your views. Whereas your side seems to want to crush the people that oppose you. Look at Sussex University fined £585,000 because they didn't stop their students from expressing their free speech and Harvard being stopped billions for not teaching the way Trump wants.
Oh cut the crap!
Look at the Nurse in Fife, who was not only illegally not supported when she had a legitimate objection to being made to share the women's changing room with someone who is not a woman, but was then harassed and faced disciplinary action and suspended from work.
How quickly do you think the NHS should apologise to that Nurse and how much compensation do you think she should receive for the way she has been abused? Or do you think suspending a woman from her job for not wanting to share a changing room with someone who is not a woman is perfectly acceptable?
She compared a work colleague to a rapist.
She was illegally being forced to share a protected space with a man.
Should women be forced to share changing rooms with men who identify as women?
Why is Central Asia so crap at cheese? They have endless grasslands, and billions of cows, goats, sheep and horses, all producing milk. They’ve had 10,000 years to get a grip on it, yet they can’t even make a decent version of Cheddar or Brie
To flip it around, why has cheese been perfected in Western Europe - France, Italy, Spain, Britain, Germany, Switzerland - yet almost nowhere else on earth (excepting European colonies like the USA and Australia, which at least make an effort)?
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
I only used the term as a phrase I’m familiar with to mean they may have won this stage but it’s far from being all over.
I, personally, have no skin in this game. I support GC feminists as an ally. Not actively. It’s their battle. We have plenty of people saying they are men so it’s not their battle and they then go on to mansplain feminism. I won’t do that. I’ll just support cyclefree and carlotta and other women from the sidelines.
I would love to see results like this (from The Times MRP)
In Scotland and Wales nationalist parties make these races even tighter and more fragmented. In Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale there are FOUR parties within less and 1.5 points of each other. https://nitter.poast.org/edhodgsoned/status/1913903464108732686#m
Con 21 Lab 21 SNP 21 Ref 20
Reading MRPs into constituency level analysis is ridiculous. For seats totals they might be useful, with constituency-level variation averaging out over 650 seats, but that's it.
Not sure I agree. There's been interesting constituencies projected by MRPs which people laughed at as 'common sense' said the result was nonsensical, but the MRP was proposing a clearly ridiculous result.
Like the Tories winning Leigh in 2019, or Labour winning Canterbury in 2017.
The MRP was right and common sense was wrong both times. I still find it hard to believe that the Tories won Leigh.
Why ? Do you know the area?
I know you are north west based. Is that your manor ?
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
Saying that you would like it not to be a war is undermined by caricaturing your opponents as religious fanatics or useful idiots. You're also ignoring the dynamics of how this issue escalated in the first place.
It's not a war because I don't want you to be punished for your views. Whereas your side seems to want to crush the people that oppose you. Look at Sussex University fined £585,000 because they didn't stop their students from expressing their free speech and Harvard being stopped billions for not teaching the way Trump wants.
Oh cut the crap!
Look at the Nurse in Fife, who was not only illegally not supported when she had a legitimate objection to being made to share the women's changing room with someone who is not a woman, but was then harassed and faced disciplinary action and suspended from work.
How quickly do you think the NHS should apologise to that Nurse and how much compensation do you think she should receive for the way she has been abused? Or do you think suspending a woman from her job for not wanting to share a changing room with someone who is not a woman is perfectly acceptable?
She compared a work colleague to a rapist.
She was illegally being forced to share a protected space with a man.
Should women be forced to share changing rooms with men who identify as women?
No, if they don't want to then they can change somewhere else.
I would love to see results like this (from The Times MRP)
In Scotland and Wales nationalist parties make these races even tighter and more fragmented. In Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale there are FOUR parties within less and 1.5 points of each other. https://nitter.poast.org/edhodgsoned/status/1913903464108732686#m
Con 21 Lab 21 SNP 21 Ref 20
So that’s four nationalist parties..
Much chortling if the other three nationalist parties taking chunks out of each other resulted in D,C & T having its first SNP mp.
Can't be ruled out, even if something as close as that seems improbable.
I would love to see results like this (from The Times MRP)
In Scotland and Wales nationalist parties make these races even tighter and more fragmented. In Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale there are FOUR parties within less and 1.5 points of each other. https://nitter.poast.org/edhodgsoned/status/1913903464108732686#m
Con 21 Lab 21 SNP 21 Ref 20
Reading MRPs into constituency level analysis is ridiculous. For seats totals they might be useful, with constituency-level variation averaging out over 650 seats, but that's it.
Not sure I agree. There's been interesting constituencies projected by MRPs which people laughed at as 'common sense' said the result was nonsensical, but the MRP was proposing a clearly ridiculous result.
Like the Tories winning Leigh in 2019, or Labour winning Canterbury in 2017.
The MRP was right and common sense was wrong both times. I still find it hard to believe that the Tories won Leigh.
Why ? Do you know the area?
I know you are north west based. Is that your manor ?
Used to be mine. Looked on for a long time. For many reasons.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
Saying that you would like it not to be a war is undermined by caricaturing your opponents as religious fanatics or useful idiots. You're also ignoring the dynamics of how this issue escalated in the first place.
It's not a war because I don't want you to be punished for your views. Whereas your side seems to want to crush the people that oppose you. Look at Sussex University fined £585,000 because they didn't stop their students from expressing their free speech and Harvard being stopped billions for not teaching the way Trump wants.
Oh cut the crap!
Look at the Nurse in Fife, who was not only illegally not supported when she had a legitimate objection to being made to share the women's changing room with someone who is not a woman, but was then harassed and faced disciplinary action and suspended from work.
How quickly do you think the NHS should apologise to that Nurse and how much compensation do you think she should receive for the way she has been abused? Or do you think suspending a woman from her job for not wanting to share a changing room with someone who is not a woman is perfectly acceptable?
She compared a work colleague to a rapist.
She was illegally being forced to share a protected space with a man.
Should women be forced to share changing rooms with men who identify as women?
No, if they don't want to then they can change somewhere else.
Hang on, if, as has apparently now been established(?), a biological female space should only be for biological females, why should someone wanting to keep it that way be forced to go somewhere else?
I don't know the precise details of what she said about the colleague in question, which might well be inappropriate in itself, but would it now be accepted as lawful to have her concerns be responded to, as you've essentially suggested by saying she should have gone elsewhere, by telling her to bugger off and stop moaning about it?
As this is such a culturally fraught issue there are going to be bigots trying to use the recent decision to roll various rights back and that is surely not right, but it also doesn't seem right that a situation that seems to have been improper towards this nurse (even if as you suggest she made unreasonable accusations/statements) be dismissed so flippantly.
I would love to see results like this (from The Times MRP)
In Scotland and Wales nationalist parties make these races even tighter and more fragmented. In Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale there are FOUR parties within less and 1.5 points of each other. https://nitter.poast.org/edhodgsoned/status/1913903464108732686#m
Con 21 Lab 21 SNP 21 Ref 20
Reading MRPs into constituency level analysis is ridiculous. For seats totals they might be useful, with constituency-level variation averaging out over 650 seats, but that's it.
Not sure I agree. There's been interesting constituencies projected by MRPs which people laughed at as 'common sense' said the result was nonsensical, but the MRP was proposing a clearly ridiculous result.
Like the Tories winning Leigh in 2019, or Labour winning Canterbury in 2017.
The MRP was right and common sense was wrong both times. I still find it hard to believe that the Tories won Leigh.
Why ? Do you know the area?
I know you are north west based. Is that your manor ?
I know the area well, its not where I live but I have connections there and know it very well, yes, and the idea of the Tories winning Leigh is . . . bizarre. It is a very Labour area. Andy Burnham had a majority of nearly 50% there in the elections in the 2000s and even in 2015 he had a majority of over 30%.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
Saying that you would like it not to be a war is undermined by caricaturing your opponents as religious fanatics or useful idiots. You're also ignoring the dynamics of how this issue escalated in the first place.
It's not a war because I don't want you to be punished for your views. Whereas your side seems to want to crush the people that oppose you. Look at Sussex University fined £585,000 because they didn't stop their students from expressing their free speech and Harvard being stopped billions for not teaching the way Trump wants.
Oh cut the crap!
Look at the Nurse in Fife, who was not only illegally not supported when she had a legitimate objection to being made to share the women's changing room with someone who is not a woman, but was then harassed and faced disciplinary action and suspended from work.
How quickly do you think the NHS should apologise to that Nurse and how much compensation do you think she should receive for the way she has been abused? Or do you think suspending a woman from her job for not wanting to share a changing room with someone who is not a woman is perfectly acceptable?
She compared a work colleague to a rapist.
She was illegally being forced to share a protected space with a man.
Should women be forced to share changing rooms with men who identify as women?
No, if they don't want to then they can change somewhere else.
How offensive.
Why can't the man change somewhere else and leave the women's changing room for women?
But you come here with remarks that you "don't want a war" while still denying women the right to use their own changing rooms without men in it.
To everyone celebrating today, Michelle and I hope you have a blessed and happy Easter.
Bloody hell, that's almost as provocative and controversial as Starmer's Easter diatribe.
Wait until you see what The Royal Family had to say, they are supposed to be the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, it is so vanilla. #RepublicNow
✝️🐣 He is Risen!
Wishing a peaceful and happy Easter Sunday to all who celebrate.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
I only used the term as a phrase I’m familiar with to mean they may have won this stage but it’s far from being all over.
I, personally, have no skin in this game. I support GC feminists as an ally. Not actively. It’s their battle. We have plenty of people saying they are men so it’s not their battle and they then go on to mansplain feminism. I won’t do that. I’ll just support cyclefree and carlotta and other women from the sidelines.
There are plenty of women who don't support GC feminists, all polls show that men are more hostile to trans rights then women are. For example YouGov December 2024 have 57% of men saying that trans women shouldn't use women's toilets and 53% of women. (interestingly it's very left-right too, 34% of Lib Dem voters say no, 83% of Reform voters say no). Feminists are split, I feel it's about 40/60 but that's just my gut feeling. I do have a reason to speak out because I've got friends who are affected and I want to defend my friends, that's a natural human reaction.
I would love to see results like this (from The Times MRP)
In Scotland and Wales nationalist parties make these races even tighter and more fragmented. In Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale there are FOUR parties within less and 1.5 points of each other. https://nitter.poast.org/edhodgsoned/status/1913903464108732686#m
Con 21 Lab 21 SNP 21 Ref 20
Reading MRPs into constituency level analysis is ridiculous. For seats totals they might be useful, with constituency-level variation averaging out over 650 seats, but that's it.
Not sure I agree. There's been interesting constituencies projected by MRPs which people laughed at as 'common sense' said the result was nonsensical, but the MRP was proposing a clearly ridiculous result.
Like the Tories winning Leigh in 2019, or Labour winning Canterbury in 2017.
The MRP was right and common sense was wrong both times. I still find it hard to believe that the Tories won Leigh.
Why ? Do you know the area?
I know you are north west based. Is that your manor ?
I know the area well, its not where I live but I have connections there and know it very well, yes, and the idea of the Tories winning Leigh is . . . bizarre. It is a very Labour area. Andy Burnham had a majority of nearly 50% there in the elections in the 2000s and even in 2015 he had a majority of over 30%.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
I only used the term as a phrase I’m familiar with to mean they may have won this stage but it’s far from being all over.
I, personally, have no skin in this game. I support GC feminists as an ally. Not actively. It’s their battle. We have plenty of people saying they are men so it’s not their battle and they then go on to mansplain feminism. I won’t do that. I’ll just support cyclefree and carlotta and other women from the sidelines.
There are plenty of women who don't support GC feminists, all polls show that men are more hostile to trans rights then women are. For example YouGov December 2024 have 57% of men saying that trans women shouldn't use women's toilets and 53% of women. (interestingly it's very left-right too, 34% of Lib Dem voters say no, 83% of Reform voters say no). Feminists are split, I feel it's about 40/60 but that's just my gut feeling. I do have a reason to speak out because I've got friends who are affected and I want to defend my friends, that's a natural human reaction.
I don't want any trans people to suffer. They should have changing rooms available to them.
Which you think is entirely acceptable for you to suggest to people like Nurse Peggie as a solution while claiming you "don't want a war". So if you really don't want a war, why don't trans people get changed elsewhere like you suggest, and leave women to get changed in peace in their own changing room?
Commiserations to @Foxy and all other Leicester supporters. Having a soft spot for Ipswich, due to family ties, we will be joining you soon. The difference is that we weren’t expected to be promoted last season, and weren’t ready for the Premiership. At least we’re not Southampton.
To everyone celebrating today, Michelle and I hope you have a blessed and happy Easter.
Bloody hell, that's almost as provocative and controversial as Starmer's Easter diatribe.
Wait until you see what The Royal Family had to say, they are supposed to be the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, it is so vanilla. #RepublicNow
✝️🐣 He is Risen!
Wishing a peaceful and happy Easter Sunday to all who celebrate.
"Live, laugh, love" vibes. I wish their social media delved into the history and mystery of royalty and religion, not this infantile stuff. I'd be fascinated in how an Anglo-Saxon or Pictish King observed Easter, for example.
They are to be disciplined for “misreporting “ the incident.
What sounds to be a prima facie case of murder will fairly likely not be further investigated.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/20/israeli-military-admits-professional-failures-over-gaza-paramedic-killings .. Despite admitting mistakes, the report does not recommend any criminal action to be taken against the military units responsible for the incident and found no violation of the IDF’s code of ethics. The findings of the report will now be passed along to the military advocate general. Israel’s extreme-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, called the army chief’s decision to dismiss the responsible deputy commander “a grave mistake”..
.. The Israeli statement on the findings concluded by saying that Israel’s military “regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians”. Asked if he thought the incident represented a pervasive issue within the Israeli military, Maj Gen Yoav Har-Even, who headed the inquiry, told journalists: “We’re saying it was a mistake, we don’t think it’s a daily mistake..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IDF_Code_of_Ethics ..Integrity: The soldier will present things as they are, completely and accurately, in planning, execution, and reporting, and will act so that his peers and commanders can rely on him in carrying out missions.
Personal Example: The soldier will behave according to what is required of him and will fulfill what he demands of others, recognizing his ability and responsibility, both in and out of the army, to set a worthy example.
Human Life: The soldier will act sensibly and safely in all his actions, recognizing the supreme importance of human life. In combat, he will risk himself and his peers to the extent necessary to accomplish the mission.
Purity of Arms: The soldier will use his weapons and force only for the mission, only to the extent necessary, and will maintain human dignity even in combat. The soldier will not use his weapons and power to harm non-combatants and prisoners, and will do everything in his power to prevent harm to their lives, bodies, honor, and property..
Commiserations to @Foxy and all other Leicester supporters. Having a soft spot for Ipswich, due to family ties, we will be joining you soon. The difference is that we weren’t expected to be promoted last season, and weren’t ready for the Premiership. At least we’re not Southampton.
Many years ago now Swindon had one season in the top flight and got relegated with just 30 points accrued. At the time one of the worst ever told flight returns. But since then there have been sides who make Town look alright. Derby and shortly Saints, for two. I have a soft spot for Saints (family are supporters and have been a number of times) and Leicester (best man from Melton Mowbray). It's a sad season. Saints were one of the traditional top flight sides for so long but now seem destined to be a yo-yo dude at best. And Leicester have gone from a premiership winning team, playing in the Champions League to what they are now.
The ‘debate’ here yesterday was instructive. The people obsessed and commenting/sneering about toilets were predominantly pro trans men. Not those gender critical trying to protect women only spaces.
I’m afraid I think you will end up losing. With all the problems in the world and in this country this clearly will be a big focus for many MPs.
That's the issue, you use the terms battle and war. I don't think it should be a war. In my idea of the world everyone just gets on with their own lives, unhindered by anyone else and not hindering anyone else. That's a world where trans people go to public toilets to use the toilet, where trans people can access the medical and social support that they need. It's not a war, no-one need get harmed.
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
I only used the term as a phrase I’m familiar with to mean they may have won this stage but it’s far from being all over.
I, personally, have no skin in this game. I support GC feminists as an ally. Not actively. It’s their battle. We have plenty of people saying they are men so it’s not their battle and they then go on to mansplain feminism. I won’t do that. I’ll just support cyclefree and carlotta and other women from the sidelines.
There are plenty of women who don't support GC feminists, all polls show that men are more hostile to trans rights then women are. For example YouGov December 2024 have 57% of men saying that trans women shouldn't use women's toilets and 53% of women. (interestingly it's very left-right too, 34% of Lib Dem voters say no, 83% of Reform voters say no). Feminists are split, I feel it's about 40/60 but that's just my gut feeling. I do have a reason to speak out because I've got friends who are affected and I want to defend my friends, that's a natural human reaction.
I don't want any trans people to suffer. They should have changing rooms available to them.
Which you think is entirely acceptable for you to suggest to people like Nurse Peggie as a solution while claiming you "don't want a war". So if you really don't want a war, why don't trans people get changed elsewhere like you suggest, and leave women to get changed in peace in their own changing room?
He doesn't want a war he just wants people to surrender and not fight it
Yeah, I'm with isam and leon here. Weird message by SKS, although that does appear to be the least of his problems rn.
"contribution Christians have made to this country"? Just weird.
What on Earth is weird or wrong about that? Even as an atheist I'd acknowledge that Christian have made contributions to this country and Easter is a polite day to recognise that.
Christians, like Jews, Pagans, atheists, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and more have throughout history made contributions to this country.
The only reason I could see anyone could object is if someone was stupid enough to think Christians haven't contributed, or stupid enough to think they're the only ones who have. Which is it?
It's that we are a Christian country and the massage was phrased as though Christians were, as isam noted, visitors who made a plucky contribution to the country.
We are not a Christian country, we are a diverse one in which Christians are one minority amongst many, with an established Church.
Formally we are a Christian country although of course there are many faiths and people of no faith (bonjour).
Formally we have an established Church. That is all.
We are a diverse country. There is no requirement for citizens of this country to be members of the established Church and never has been.
"At the institutional level, the Anglican Church maintains its status of religion of the state and the King is still Head of the Church: hence by law, England is still a Christian country, which entails some specific privileges for the Church of England that are not extended to other religions."
So you know, legally and all, we are a Christian country.
Why is it legal to lend money at interest then?
Ummm: because Christianity does not forbid it?
Indeed: the The Institute for the Works of Religion (which is basically the Catholic Church's own bank) has both lent and borrowed money with interest. (Not that the UK is a Roman Catholic country. But still.)
Comments
My wife and I used the Aviemore to Forres direct service several times before it was closed in 1965 and eventually partly reopened as the Strathspey railway
I’ve come to realise that “manners”, politeness, couthness (is that a word?) and diplomacy are virtues that really matter to some people and hardly matter at all to others.
What have I been most offended by since Trump’s second coming? It should probably be the actual policies: the ludicrous tariffs, the betrayal of Ukraine, the undermining of the rule of law. But actually it’s the rudeness. Epitomised by JD’s various soundings off about Britain and Europe and hitting its nadir in that awful Zelenskyy ambush. Just so…obnoxious.
But for others that stuff is water off a duck’s back. What matters is whether there is peace, taxes go down, equities go up etc etc. That’s the utilitarian answer. In the abstract it makes sense.
I think there’s a clear personality type dividing line between those for whom the manners stuff is crucially important and those for whom it’s fluff. Perhaps epitomised by how people reacted to travelling English hooligans in the 1980s and 90s. For some, excruciating shame and embarrassment at the scenes, for others like Alan Clarke the great English martial race at play.
There’s also doubtless a national pattern to this. Countries for which face and appearances and the approval of others are important, others that don’t give a shit what the world thinks of them.
But you must also understand the scepticism, then, borne of long experience ?
As I said, I agree with you about the principle.
"So, you're looking for a step up? Feel the promotion opportunities in the CoE just aren't there. Well, we've got a couple of openings you might be interested in. The Marionites are looking for a new Archbishop. And the Buddhists need someone to run a retreat in Thailand. Do either of those sound like a fit?"
To flip it around, why has cheese been perfected in Western Europe - France, Italy, Spain, Britain, Germany, Switzerland - yet almost nowhere else on earth (excepting European colonies like the USA and Australia, which at least make an effort)?
Chairman of Meeting : Thank you for your contribution.
Yup, checks out.
Cruz: Tariffs are a tax on consumers, and I'm not a fan of jacking up taxes on American consumers.
https://x.com/Acyn/status/1907894865037525490
I attempted cheese making during lockdown but didn’t have anywhere suitably cool and damp so ended up with rank cheeses that looked the part but tasted like vomit.
Usually subsequently been proved right. At least I think so!
The same can be said of much charcuterie - only Europe has really perfected it - and that is, AIUI, a climate thing too
Exclusive: Britons found to have ‘lost out’ while rest of Europe benefits from golden age of research and treatments
Brexit has ‘damaged the practical ability’ of doctors to offer NHS patients life-saving new drugs via international trials
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/apr/20/nhs-cancer-patients-denied-life-saving-drugs-due-to-brexit-costs-report-finds
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. Happy Easter also to the WEAK and INEFFECTIVE Judges and Law Enforcement Officials who are allowing this sinister attack on our Nation to continue, an attack so violent that it will never be forgotten! Sleepy Joe Biden purposefully allowed Millions of CRIMINALS to enter our Country, totally unvetted and unchecked, through an Open Borders Policy that will go down in history as the single most calamitous act ever perpetrated upon America. He was, by far, our WORST and most Incompetent President, a man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing -- But to him, and to the person that ran and manipulated the Auto Pen (perhaps our REAL President!), and to all of the people who CHEATED in the 2020 Presidential Election in order to get this highly destructive Moron Elected, I wish you, with great love, sincerity, and affection, a very Happy Easter!!!
Thing is, you get people who sneer at Easter, or play it down, reducing it to one of many in a free market of religions of that - and dismissing the Christian roots of the country - and then you see precisely why Trump gets so many votes.
He's not being very Christian there, though, is he? Unless Christianity is all about meanness of spirit. Which isn't my understanding of it.
You don't understand "it" very much at all. And you don't even begin to want to.
Which is precisely the problem.
I do. I like Easter. Lots of people do. Trump is spoiling it for everybody, putting out that sort of snarky shit. Jesus would have given him the finger and rightly so.
AIUI Jesus would have forgiven him his trespasses.
As he forgives those who trespass against him.
So, maybe, not so much?
Kids with cancer being denied treatment thanks to Brexit. Still, sovereignty eh.
I know sharia is Islam but assumed similar to Christianity although just seen rcs post saying it’s fine.
Indeed: the The Institute for the Works of Religion (which is basically the Catholic Church's own bank) has both lent and borrowed money with interest. (Not that the UK is a Roman Catholic country. But still.)
In the Catholic Church (which was “the church then) taking of interest was forbidden to clerics from AD 314. It was strictly forbidden for laymen in 1179. The beginning of the end as far as the total ban on interest was concerned came in the sixteenth century. Although Luther and Zwingli still condemned it utterly, Calvin and some progressive Catholic thinkers such as Collet and Antoine argued that interest-taking did not constitute usury, as long as it represented the real difference between the value of present and future sums of money, and was not mere extortion.
The Catholic Church still forbids usury, meaning extortionate charges, providing penalties in c2354 of the Code of Canon Law, but this does not mean that all interest-taking is sinful. As rcs1000 says, the Vatican itself invests in interest-bearing schemes, and requires Church administrators to do likewise.
The reality is that both halves of America have a crude caricature of what they think the other half is like (and what the other half thinks of them).
So, if I were to go around Red State America and was to ask "which is more dangerous Texas, or New York City", I think you would get 99 answers out of 100 saying NYC. And the reality is that it isn't even close: NY is much safer. Likewise, if you were to ask what happened to Southern Border crossing during the Obama adminisrtation, they'd say they went through the roof. When reality is that they fell to a 16 year low.
This cuts, both ways, of course. I could mention a dozen things that people on the Left believe about the Right that are simply not true.
But what you had was a left leaning public sector employees trying to set the frame. That’s not scepticism.
Brexit has clearly led to complications but the idea that we can no longer attract researchers is nonsense. My department has appointed 5 or 6 in the last few months, including Europeans. And the aspirin story will prove to be like many of the rights immigrants stories when the detail is revealed.
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/6-june/gazette/obituaries/obituary-the-rt-revd-john-richard-satterthwaite
But a group of evangelical Christians decided to make it into a war, those people wanted to punish transgender people due to a rather stretched reading of Genesis 1:27. They have a lot of money and if they succeed they will be after lesbians and gays next. They are already attacking same-sex marriage in the United States and it's sad to see some LGB people fall for these divide and rule tactics.
I understand some of Cyclefree and Carlotta's points. I understand that there is some TRA overreach. They are both formed of fear of the other side. The Gender Critical people fear that somehow trans women will overwhelm woman, making them a sort of third class gender. Trans Rights Advocates fear any pushback because that might lead to trans people being erased from society. I still think that we can discuss things in a mature fashion.
Puberty Blockers: The Cass Review in its initial report said that the evidence base for the safety of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria. That was in March 2022, NHS England announced there would be a clinical review starting in 2024 which would last for 7 years, it still hasn't started, in fact they haven't even got approval yet and Sex Matters are lobbying for it never to happen. I hope that most people would agree that having clinical evidence about the best ways to help children with gender dysphoria is a good thing.
Sport: I think there are some sports where trans women should be excluded from competitive events and even a couple where they should be excluded entirely. But not all sports. We need to look at each sport differently, ideally with scientific data. The scant information on running shows that trans women who have had 12 months or more of HRT are not advantaged against a cis woman. In swimming the scant evidence shows that transwomen retain an advantage because the lack of muscle mass does not compensate for the heavier frame and importantly in swimming wingspan and hand size. Chess and darts you would have to convince me there's any way trans women would have an advantage against cis women, but if there's any scientific data to support that, it would change my mind.
Maybe I'm too kumbaya over this. But I would like it not to be a war and I don't want anyone to get hurt.
In Scotland and Wales nationalist parties make these races even tighter and more fragmented. In Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale there are FOUR parties within less and 1.5 points of each other.
https://nitter.poast.org/edhodgsoned/status/1913903464108732686#m
Con 21
Lab 21
SNP 21
Ref 20
Leave women's sport to women though. Play chess, if you want to play chess, just don't play women's chess.
Look at the Nurse in Fife, who was not only illegally not supported when she had a legitimate objection to being made to share the women's changing room with someone who is not a woman, but was then harassed and faced disciplinary action and suspended from work.
How quickly do you think the NHS should apologise to that Nurse and how much compensation do you think she should receive for the way she has been abused? Or do you think suspending a woman from her job for not wanting to share a changing room with someone who is not a woman is perfectly acceptable?
Of course they’d be at a physical dis-advantage . And the reverse is why male to female trans shouldn’t be allowed to participate in all female sports where strength or speed are important .
It’s not discrimination it’s just being fair . This really shouldn’t be controversial. I’m not anti anyone and class myself as very Liberal but I expect I’d be utterly eviscerated if I made this post on twitter which I’m not on .
The debate has become so black or white that it’s almost impossible to just have an opinion that’s “ grey”.
The second Lateral Council (1139) barred usurers from Christian burial.
The third (1179) denied them any sacrament at all if they didn't repent.
The Council of Vienne (1311) declared the belief that usury was okay to be a heresy.
Benedict XIV's Vix Pervenit encyclical (1745) makes clear that usury is a sin and "One cannot condone the sin of usury by arguing that the gain is not great or excessive, but rather moderate or small". As for the definition:
"The nature of the sin called usury has its proper place and origin in a loan contract. This financial contract between consenting parties demands, by its very nature, that one return to another only as much as he has received. The sin rests on the fact that sometimes the creditor desires more than he has given. Therefore he contends some gain is owed him beyond that which he loaned, but any gain which exceeds the amount he gave is illicit and usurious."
ANY gain. Not excessive gain.
https://www.papalencyclicals.net/ben14/b14vixpe.htm
There was that local government seat prediction a few weeks ago which I am curious to see if it pans out, as with such low turnout, hyperfocused elections I think accurate modelling would be next to impossible, though just by eyeballing my local area I did come up with a similar prediction to theirs.
So how do you measure gain?
Like the Tories winning Leigh in 2019, or Labour winning Canterbury in 2017.
The MRP was right and common sense was wrong both times. I still find it hard to believe that the Tories won Leigh.
Much chortling if the other three nationalist parties taking chunks out of each other resulted in D,C & T having its first SNP mp.
@BarackObama
To everyone celebrating today, Michelle and I hope you have a blessed and happy Easter.
Should women be forced to share changing rooms with men who identify as women?
I, personally, have no skin in this game. I support GC feminists as an ally. Not actively. It’s their battle. We have plenty of people saying they are men so it’s not their battle and they then go on to mansplain feminism. I won’t do that. I’ll just support cyclefree and carlotta and other women from the sidelines.
@RpsAgainstTrump
When Joe Rogan becomes the voice of reason…
https://x.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/1913984814492921930
I know you are north west based. Is that your manor ?
https://x.com/piersmorgan/status/1913953170616930343?s=61&t=LYVEHh2mqFy1oUJAdCfe-Q
Looked on for a long time. For many reasons.
I don't know the precise details of what she said about the colleague in question, which might well be inappropriate in itself, but would it now be accepted as lawful to have her concerns be responded to, as you've essentially suggested by saying she should have gone elsewhere, by telling her to bugger off and stop moaning about it?
As this is such a culturally fraught issue there are going to be bigots trying to use the recent decision to roll various rights back and that is surely not right, but it also doesn't seem right that a situation that seems to have been improper towards this nurse (even if as you suggest she made unreasonable accusations/statements) be dismissed so flippantly.
Why can't the man change somewhere else and leave the women's changing room for women?
But you come here with remarks that you "don't want a war" while still denying women the right to use their own changing rooms without men in it.
✝️🐣 He is Risen!
Wishing a peaceful and happy Easter Sunday to all who celebrate.
https://x.com/RoyalFamily/status/1913850214303092832
How about Reform ?
Which you think is entirely acceptable for you to suggest to people like Nurse Peggie as a solution while claiming you "don't want a war". So if you really don't want a war, why don't trans people get changed elsewhere like you suggest, and leave women to get changed in peace in their own changing room?
"Live, laugh, love" vibes. I wish their social media delved into the history and mystery of royalty and religion, not this infantile stuff. I'd be fascinated in how an Anglo-Saxon or Pictish King observed Easter, for example.
What sounds to be a prima facie case of murder will fairly likely not be further investigated.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/20/israeli-military-admits-professional-failures-over-gaza-paramedic-killings
.. Despite admitting mistakes, the report does not recommend any criminal action to be taken against the military units responsible for the incident and found no violation of the IDF’s code of ethics. The findings of the report will now be passed along to the military advocate general. Israel’s extreme-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, called the army chief’s decision to dismiss the responsible deputy commander “a grave mistake”..
.. The Israeli statement on the findings concluded by saying that Israel’s military “regrets the harm caused to uninvolved civilians”. Asked if he thought the incident represented a pervasive issue within the Israeli military, Maj Gen Yoav Har-Even, who headed the inquiry, told journalists: “We’re saying it was a mistake, we don’t think it’s a daily mistake..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IDF_Code_of_Ethics
..Integrity: The soldier will present things as they are, completely and accurately, in planning, execution, and reporting, and will act so that his peers and commanders can rely on him in carrying out missions.
Personal Example: The soldier will behave according to what is required of him and will fulfill what he demands of others, recognizing his ability and responsibility, both in and out of the army, to set a worthy example.
Human Life: The soldier will act sensibly and safely in all his actions, recognizing the supreme importance of human life. In combat, he will risk himself and his peers to the extent necessary to accomplish the mission.
Purity of Arms: The soldier will use his weapons and force only for the mission, only to the extent necessary, and will maintain human dignity even in combat. The soldier will not use his weapons and power to harm non-combatants and prisoners, and will do everything in his power to prevent harm to their lives, bodies, honor, and property..
I have a soft spot for Saints (family are supporters and have been a number of times) and Leicester (best man from Melton Mowbray). It's a sad season. Saints were one of the traditional top flight sides for so long but now seem destined to be a yo-yo dude at best. And Leicester have gone from a premiership winning team, playing in the Champions League to what they are now.
It’s a scare story by the guardian
Obama - 10/10
Starmer - 7/10
Trump - minus 10,567,456/10