Alex Rhind 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Why vote for the fake when you can have The Real Deal?

Glasgow? More fun, more down to earth?

Down to earth not being my immediate descriptor for a cluster of TV execs.

Won't go Reform - Norwich South takes in the UEA, so likely Green.

Pack of seeds for greenfingered friend sent on! Thank you!

So more performative crap.

About the first thing she's said on this I wholeheartedly agree with.

Just wish he would sod off.

Folk around here are far too politically engaged for their own good. I'm an [SNP] activist, so a further step up on the weirdness scale.

This is about high emotion, low engagement voters.

Most peeps are casually engaged, and/or get news from dubious sources: at least the Graun fact checks.

He's very pink and of a certain age, isn't he.

So much for stereotypes.

With the budget and immigration policy under such intense criticism from Labour MPs before either is even officially happened and questions over Starmer’s leadership you do have to wonder if this is a dead government walking.

I shudder to imagine what she'll think of next.

Outdoing Priti and Suella is a shameful look. I grow more and more ashamed of the UK's face on the public stage.

I hope so, but can't help feeling the sense of lack of control and ability to make ends meet for many could have a way to go.

It's even worse for areas outwith London where 'good' pay rates are significantly less than the capital.

Ooft.

Stay classy.

It's shameful.

Invalid and invalid.

I'm not certain the different pronunciation even means something.

Yep when the Primus stove came out of the cupboard to cook tea it was just exciting rather than dire.

Similarly a friend asked me what a visit to Pompeii was like. As I remember, a row of outdoor group toilets and very naughty statuary.

I was 12 at the time. It shows.

Old Git.

So 'Old Labour - meet Nigel'!

By not being far enough to the right? With TIB being a No 10 fever dream?

Is he channelling his inner Jesus with that shepherd's crook or something?

Don't get it as a Gov call.

It doesn't make them look as though they are 'listening' - it just makes them look indecisive and out of their depth.

More useless than tuned in to voters.

YouTube video by Bennett Brook Railway Crash test - Old Dalby test track - Nuclear flask test, 1984

Ooo British Rail nuclear flask test much more dramatic.

Enjoy the clipped BBC tones and a note at the beginning that reassures viewers a driver wasn't press ganged into this one!

youtu.be/Zv8xnmOHeCE?...

The trashing of the Newsnight team when it was in full flight was cowardly and brazen.

It's sad to see hugely respected and excellent journos leaving the UK reporting side of the BBC.

The International reporting seems so far to be excluded from the rout.

Cartoon by Stephen Collins for The Guardian. Script as follows: [scene is Winston Churchill in a bbc studio, giving his 'finest hour' speech] 1 CHURCHILL: The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. 2 CHURCHILL: Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. 3 CHURCHILL: If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sun- BBC PRESENTER: Thank you prime minister 4 BBC PRESENTER: Mr hitler, your response? 5 HITLER [in the studio]: Vell zis is hysterical woke nonsense as usual from mr Churchill 6 HITLER: What we are proposing - CHURCHILL: Hang on 7 HITLER: Let me finish - what we are proposing eez a simple power-sharing arrangement - 8 CHURCHILL: What's he doing here BBC PRESENTER: It's important we hear both sides of the debate 9 CHURCHILL: This isn't a debate You don't debate fascists 10 HITLER: Oh here we go with ze Godwins law! 11 HITLER: Why must you people always compare ze things you don't like to 'fascists, Nazis, Hitler'... CHURCHILL: Because you are a fascist Nazi Hit- 12 HITLER [standing up, saluting]: RAUSS! BBC PRESENTER: *Please* Mr Churchill let him speak [ends]

The headgear's pretty cool, too.

That's one helluva whelk.

Some Brits eat them pickled, and there's the vague insult 'couldn't run a whelk stall'.

Think this one's a bit big and likely chewy. (Actually however gargantuan they're all chewy.)

Black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis).

Critically endangered, native to East and Southern Africa, known for its hooked upper lip used for browsing on leaves and branches.
1,800-3,000 lbs (800-1,400 kg).
Killed for crooks pushing "traditional" (vile, bullshit) medicine & ornamental carvings. Sick

Combining a couple of thoughts from this, perhaps a good way to do electoral reform (and what LDs should have demanded in 2010) is an (Irish-style) two-stage process where an independent Citizens' Assembly ponders the best system and then their choice is put to the rest of the public in a referendum

3hrs 15mins? Oh my.

So much potential for DIY time listening!!

(Waxing doors and doing a bit of priming and filling 'oles)