[Maark Abbott]

worry, on 17 January 2023 - 08:09 AM, said:

It'd be rad if that finally broke up the band.

The thing is, it;s not impossible. The bill in question is being blocked on the grounds that it oversteps Scotland's bounds on equality matters, but having had a brief glance through it, it doesn't, it mainly brings stuff in line for the group in question with the rest of Scotland (i.e. marriage age, voting age, etc).

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

worry, on 17 January 2023 - 08:09 AM, said:

It'd be rad if that finally broke up the band.

'There is no precedent, as the UK government has never before used its power to block Scottish legislation in this way.

[...]

The SNP is pushing for a new independence vote but the UK government has said it will not agree to one.

Britain's Supreme Court ruled in November that the Scottish government cannot unilaterally hold a second independence referendum.'

UK government blocks Scotland's new gender recognition law

Wonder what happens if they go ahead and do it anyway, and decide to leave 'illegally'....

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 17 January 2023 - 02:16 PM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

It's not just this bill, but the precedent it would set for the future:

'Scotland’s first minister has said her government was likely to mount a legal challenge [...] saying [it] would create a “very, very slippery slope indeed” and would embolden the UK government to do the same in other areas.

[...] “[...] If this Westminster veto succeeds, it will be first of many.”'

Rishi Sunak blocks Scotland’s gender recognition legislation | Gender | The Guardian

[Maark Abbott]

The Tories hate any form of devolution as it takes power away from them - so I wouldn't be surprised if they start blocking other stuff for the Scots either. They've made it very clear that they don't give a damn for anywhere in the UK that isn't Southern England.

[Macros]

Are you trying to suggest that Sunak awarding a load of "levelling up" (we'll not get into that particular bullshit) money to the wealthy Southern counties is totally wealthy bullshittery?

[Mezla PigDog]

We're at Defcon 1 prep levels for the teachers strikes. Every parent I speak to with a kid in my sons school instantly asks if I want to pool childcare to get through it. The school hasn't even confirmed it is closing yet. Although I reckon it will.

The country feels close to be broken beyond repair.

[Maark Abbott]

"Don't vote for labour, the cost of everything will be sky high and there'll be strikes constantly and everything will be terrible" - Bodger

Despite all evidence though, Tory voters will continue voting blue. The state of how things have been under their direction is in no small part responsible for my wife's breakdown in December.

[Maark Abbott]

Has anyone else noticed that almost half of news articles popping up lately are Tories railing against 'wokism'?

I understand that conservatism is about conserving the social order of richer and poorer, but their screeching aversion to any sort of social change / progress is borderline hilarious.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

They think stoking a culture war will help them cling to power. I'm fairly sure it's the only reason Braverman has a job, because she's absolutely rabid on that front.

The massive number of people who read hateful rags like the Daily Mail would suggest it isn't an entirely baseless assumption.

I genuinely partially dread visting my dad at the moment, because I know he's going to get on to "kids don't know what gender they are" or whatever else the Mail has been spouting that week, and it's all I can do to not explode.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 23 January 2023 - 08:43 AM

[Maark Abbott]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 23 January 2023 - 08:40 AM, said:

They think stoking a culture war will help them cling to power. I'm fairly sure it's the only reason Braverman has a job, because she's absolutely rabid on that front.

The massive number of people who read hateful rags like the Daily Mail would suggest it isn't an entirely baseless assumption.

I genuinely partially dread visting my dad at the moment, because I know he's going to get on to "kids don't know what gender they are" or whatever else the Mail has been spouting that week, and it's all I can do to not explode.

It's sad really, but I can't disagree with any of those points.

What really grates is folk who say 'my grandpap didn't die in the war for this' and then proceed to vote Tory anyway, enabling exactly the sort of thing their grandpap died fighting against.

The other very irksome point is that folk that mired into those viewpoints, from my experience at least, can't be reasoned with at all. The world is black and white and any shade of grey terrifies them.

[Macros]

Shades of grey is what them weirdo qbtzxtoaster kids are inot, can't be having that!


I would love to see journalistic accountability be a thing

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Nail on head for what I was describing with my dad. You could present him with absolutely concrete evidence that what he's parroting is rubbish and he just avoids it "Well, I don't know about that" etc. Any attempt to suggest that there might be middle ground or another point of view to consider and you might as well have slapped him.

I really do try and be open to different viewpoints, and I think there's merit in trying to understand what exactly it is people fear in unknowns that allows them to be easily manipulated by the likes of the DM, but it's very difficult to look at your parent and wonder when they became such a hateful and angry person, when the things they're hateful and angry about either don't exist or have zero impact on their life.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 23 January 2023 - 09:53 AM

[Primateus]

Maark Abbott, on 23 January 2023 - 08:46 AM, said:

What really grates is folk who say 'my grandpap didn't die in the war for this' and then proceed to vote Tory anyway, enabling exactly the sort of thing their grandpap died fighting against.

The other very irksome point is that folk that mired into those viewpoints, from my experience at least, can't be reasoned with at all. The world is black and white and any shade of grey terrifies them.

You have to remember, it's only bad when it's the other guys doing it. When we do it, it's perfectly fine and there's nothing at all wrong with it and no, we're totally not being hypocritical. The very idea is offensive, we're doing it for the children, so there!

[Maark Abbott]

Primateus, on 23 January 2023 - 10:12 AM, said:

Maark Abbott, on 23 January 2023 - 08:46 AM, said:

What really grates is folk who say 'my grandpap didn't die in the war for this' and then proceed to vote Tory anyway, enabling exactly the sort of thing their grandpap died fighting against.

The other very irksome point is that folk that mired into those viewpoints, from my experience at least, can't be reasoned with at all. The world is black and white and any shade of grey terrifies them.

You have to remember, it's only bad when it's the other guys doing it. When we do it, it's perfectly fine and there's nothing at all wrong with it and no, we're totally not being hypocritical. The very idea is offensive, we're doing it for the children, so there!

Quiet, you, before I take your British treasures for our museu- wait.

[Gorefest]

Macros, on 23 January 2023 - 09:18 AM, said:

I would love to see journalistic accountability be a thing

We as a society have created modern day journalism, so it is a self full-filling prophecy. In the 'olden days', newspapers used to get their money through subscriptions. Everyone and their dog would have one or more newspaper subscriptions and paper rounds would actually still be a thing that you could make a decent bit of cash with as a youngster. 'Journalist' was still a respected profession. I think it is (was?) even one of the highest grossing jobs on the Game of Life game board. These days however, people can get their news 'free' (or so they think) through websites and social media. So hardly anyone still has a physical or online subscription to a newspaper. Those outlets now have to make their money by advertisements and clicks, so the focus has shifted from in-depth and considerate journalism to sensationalist headlines and superficial, quick content. Blaming the newspapers is actually rather hypocritical; we as a society have caused this, because we don't want to pay for 'free' stuff anymore. And even knowing this, i am still as guilty of it as the next person.

[Macros]

I don't subscribe but I fire in a voluntary payment to the guardian every once in a while then break my arm trying to pat myself on the back

[Gorefest]

Macros, on 23 January 2023 - 07:41 PM, said:

I don't subscribe but I fire in a voluntary payment to the guardian every once in a while then break my arm trying to pat myself on the back

Yeah, same here. As if my 10 pounds per annum compensates for an annual subscription. I know it isn't enough but I also know that my meagre contribution is not going to fix this anymore. Modern day society and social media requires a fundamental rethink to ensure independent and quality journalism. The only thing I can think of is have it government sponsored through taxpayer money, but then you have the issue that news gets government led and per definition isn't independent anymore. I guess we are just screwed as a society. It is what they tried with the BBC, but it has only taken a few inept Tory governments to make the BBC untruetworthy as well.

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 23 January 2023 - 08:43 PM

[Maark Abbott]

Gorefest, on 23 January 2023 - 08:41 PM, said:

Macros, on 23 January 2023 - 07:41 PM, said:

I don't subscribe but I fire in a voluntary payment to the guardian every once in a while then break my arm trying to pat myself on the back

The only thing I can think of is have it government sponsored through taxpayer money, but then you have the issue that news gets government led and per definition isn't independent anymore. I guess we are just screwed as a society.

That's just the BBC and Laura Kuennsberg kappa

[worry]

[Lady Bliss]

worry, on 21 November 2023 - 01:02 PM, said:

That’s dangerous talk. While someone that is disabled but is capable to work with workplace accomplishments seems reasonable, I think it could be a slippery slope that could deny care for all of the disabled.