In the news

why these architecture firms, engineering, construction and consulting firms, all very likely listed in London, NY, Frankfurt etc are all being let off the hook.

Not wanting to let the off the hook, but there is a fundamental difference between companies carrying on their normal business in countries with shitty regimes and sports tournaments.

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever for tournaments to grace these places with their presence. They could host them in hundreds of other countries. The same doesn't apply for an engineering company, they are businesses trying to make profit in a competitive market.

That is why sportswashing is so particularly shitty.

Nah I totally disagree with that, you can't just absolve capitalism of having a responsibility.

Yep I agree with this, there's zero difference between a sports event and an engineering company, in terms of choosing to take a contract in a country with dubious ethics.

Text book Richard Murphy twitter thread explaining the headlines that Sunak has wasted £11bn and suggestions on how Sunak could resolve it but probably won't and will leave us all out of pocket
https://twitter.com/RichardJMurphy/status/1535161961067036672

they are businesses trying to make profit in a competitive market

Bit naive to think sports bodies and companies are any different in that regard. Have you heard of FIFA?

No. What is it?

My point is that there is a different moral starting point for a sports governing body.

Just because FIFA is run by a bunch of crooked white guys who've spent their life taking back handers doesn't magically move the purpose of FIFA from a non-profit sports governing body to a for-profit company providing services.

It raked in £1bn in non-profit last year

It's more a cartel than a not for profit governing body tbh.

I think the point is (even if both are just chasing the cash) sports events can be located anywhere with infrastructure- unlike big business that has to build and equip premises (excepting financial services et al, there are exceptions of course)

Much simpler for sports to react with good intention than for industry.

Aside from the salary is there any difference in someone that works for let’s say Harrods which is Qatari owned vs Phil Mickelson?

They’re both employed by government entities that are considered oppressive and guilty of human rights abuses.

I think sports washing has an additional element, which is laundering the reputation of the country. You can bet some of these LIV events will be held on courses in Saudi.

Also qualitatively, there is a difference between getting paid service industry wages to work on a counter in Harrods, versus being stinking rich already, but wanting to be a little bit richer. I guess Mickelson has gambling debts to settle though.

I haven't really been following this golf thing much but one thing I did wonder was why was it launched in St Albans?

I did wonder was why was it launched in St Albans

(Tongue in cheek answer)

St Alban's is located in a tax haven with good private jet links.

Found myself going down a bit of a rabbit hole there. Was wondering whether Qatar own Luton airport (they own the largest private jet operator there I think) but it turns out that Luton Airport is owned by Luton council...how cool is that?!

Probably why it is such a godawful shithole.

Unlike Stansted Airport which is owned by Rochdale.

Manchester Airport Holdings owns Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands and is owned by the 10 Manchester metropolitan boroughs.

I had no idea. I had wrongly assumed they were all at least part owned by companies owned by Canadian Teachers Pension Funds and Qatar. I had no idea some airports were in public hands still.

One in 500 men carry extra sex chromosome, research suggests

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jun/10/men-extra-sex-chromosome-research-uk-health-issues

Doesn't make sense though, must be raking it in from the airport and yet the town is shite. WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING?

Can't come soon enough

One advocate predicts a four-day week could be available to the majority in Britain within five years, and Stephen Fry this week gave his voice to an increasingly confident four-day week campaign, which argues shorter hours boosts productivity, cuts carbon emissions and improves family life – all without cutting pay.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jun/10/unstoppable-four-day-week-could-be-within-reach-for-british-workers

"blocked blood vessels"

Do tell?

"higher body fat, cognitive problems and personality disorders"

Getting warmer...

I can sort of see how that works for 'knowledge economy' jobs but it feels like the more basic driving a truck/flipping burgers workers are going to loose out even more.

In theory, if you're salaried on contracted hours, whether it's Mon-Fri or shift work, it should work out. You work a total of 4/5 of your original contracted hours and more people are hired to cover the drop in hours worked.

It's zero hour contract people that will lose out unless rates are increased to allow them to work less.

Most of the trials I have seen aren't 4/5 contracted hours, they have been somewhere around a 34 hour week over 4 days, so four longer days for the clock punchers but not sure what they are doing on this new trial