[mattomac]

Levelling up his path, now we know what it means

[Bones McCoy]

Build back (but only for your) betters.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Theresa May did this. At the time, it was claimed it was good because it made a £186m for the taxpayer. It's made £178m in the last two years for the new owner, not counting the two previous years when I assume it was profitable too.

We don't know what the new owner has spent on it, in fairness, but the fact we're trying to set another one up rather suggests it was a bad idea to sell it.

[Cyclist]

BANG! BANG! Killing things is a healthy and fun outdoor pursuit.

Some wild birds can now be killed in order to protect game birds bred for shooting in England, after the government updated guidelines on its general licences.

General shooting licences give broad permissions to shoot certain species of wild birds to protect livestock, aid conservation, and preserve health and public safety...

https://amp.theguardian.com/environment ... ds-england

Pheasants, partridge, grouse, all are livestock which can be protected by shooting wild birds to keep them safe so they can be... er... shot.

People who derive pleasure from causing violent death really should have the same fate come to them.

[Youngian]

These are very stupid birds bred for very stupid people to shoot on target. Will the punters pay to aim at jackdaws?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

The punters won't, the gamekeepers will. And they don't shoot the birds in flight, they blast an egged nest from underneath with a shotgun, or kill other species (such as mammals that steal from nests) with poison - a chicken egg injected with cyanide is a popular method in France.

[MisterMuncher]

A driven shoot is every bit as bad as the infamous "canned hunts" so popular amongst trophy hunters.

I do occasionally shoot myself, mostly rabbits but the odd bit of wildfowling. There's an ocean between hitting a snipe (that I'll actually eat) on the wing whilst standing in a bog three miles from anywhere and casually mowing down pheasants that were caged up until half an hour before.

[Crabcakes]

It's a power thing, which I'm sure is why (broadly speaking) the sort of hunting where there is very little challenge and simply killing for the sake of showing you can kill appeals to the more right-wing side of society.

[Cyclist]

Well, broadly speaking, those on the political right are generally less intelligent than other people. Not just brain intelligence, but emotional intelligence. They possess a singular lack of empathy, which is why they behave as they do. They are pretty much incapable of seeing the other person's point of view, and don't feel the same connection to others that we do.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

They are also deficient in the theory of mind.

In psychology, theory of mind refers to the capacity to understand other people by ascribing mental states to them. These states may be different from one's own states and include beliefs, desires, intentions and emotions. Possessing a functional theory of mind is considered crucial for success in everyday human social interactions and is used when analyzing, judging, and inferring others' behaviors. Deficits can occur in people with autism spectrum disorders, genetic-based eating disorders, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,[1] cocaine addiction,[2] and brain damage suffered from alcohol's neurotoxicity;[3] deficits associated with opiate addiction are reversed after prolonged abstinence.[4][5] Having a theory of mind is very similar to but not identical with having the capacity for empathy.[6]

[Cyclist]

Interesting that it singles out Colombian marching powder in that article. Not that I'm implying anything at all about various members of our current government.

[Bones McCoy]

First of a series today:

Suella Braverman accused of politically driven meddling over Colston Four

Senior lawyers question motives of attorney general, who says she could refer acquittal to court of appeal.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... lston-four

[Bones McCoy]

Meanwhile down the pork-barrel markets.

Trade department questioned over food and drink bill for Liz Truss Japan trip

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... japan-trip

[Bones McCoy]

Nice work if you can get it - reports the revolving door weekly.

British Gas owner appoints Amber Rudd as a director

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... a-director

[Bones McCoy]

Nice work if you can give it to yourself.

Michelle Mone referred company for PPE contracts five days before it was incorporated

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... corporated

[kreuzberger]

A fat blonde with huge tits - any more to this, one might wonder?

[Cyclist]

Nice work if you can get it - reports the revolving door weekly.

British Gas owner appoints Amber Rudd as a director

https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... a-director

That makes this headline doubly strange

We don’t want a bailout says boss behind British Gas

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.indepe ... html%3famp

Surely she would have argued long and hard for Gritish Bas to ram it's hand deep into the public pocket. Or was she hired by someone hoping she'd change the boss' mind?

[kreuzberger]

It really isn't normal for a man in late middle age to be absolutely apoplectic about the government of a country in which he no longer lives but for which he cares deeply.

This is where I find myself and I apologise if I am using this forum to vent my spleen when I would otherwise be shouting into the void.

[zuriblue]

I know the feeling Kreuzie.

[Bones McCoy]

More party stuff on the news this morning.

Civil servant is investigating any possible ethics breach.
If found it will be referred, for judgement, to the Prime Minister.

What a pathetic system.
A nation that once led the world in science and engineering is now best known for loopholes.