In the news

We can but dream

We best get in soon before we become a cold, damp Puerto Rico.

The Phillipines went all in but, despite effectively being a colony for 40 years, didn’t make it.

But we have the special relationship so it’ll all be fine

Puerto Rico may be a mess but it still at least has rhythm.

Current vibes

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the Labour Party are likely to vote positively on adopting a more representational electoral system at their conference. If they do so, and they get in and actually enact that,

Except they won't. If they get elected they suddenly think "oh! FPTP is okay after all"

I had it more the fall of Berlin with Truss “doing a Hitler” and running an imaginary war/economy whilst all around her anyone who can get anything out of the situation is going all out to maximise the last moments. All whilst the normal people are being ruined in the streets.

Bit harsh, 1989 would be more apt.

Uh, because trickledown, obvs

Hundreds of Britain’s environmental laws covering water quality, sewage pollution, clean air, habitat protections and the use of pesticides are lined up for removal from UK law under a government bill.

Environmentalists accused Liz Truss’s government of reneging on a commitment made after Brexit to halt the decline of nature by 2030. They say the revoking of 570 environmental laws that were rolled over from EU law after Brexit amounts to a deregulatory free-for-all leaving the environment unprotected.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/23/uk-environment-laws-under-threat-in-deregulatory-free-for-all

Looks like they can't afford ELMs now either,

The government is to scrap the “Brexit bonus” which would have paid farmers and landowners to enhance nature, in what wildlife groups are calling an “all-out attack” on the environment, the Observer can reveal.

The Environment Land Management Scheme (Elms), devised by the former environment secretary Michael Gove, was constructed to encourage farmers to create space for rare species including wading birds and dormice, as well as absorbing carbon to help England reach its net zero target. Pilot schemes have created rare habitats and brought back species including nightingales, beavers and white stork.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/24/brexit-bonus-farmers-poised-to-scrap

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/biscotti-mini-budget-exposes-gulf-between-liz-truss-and-keir-starmer-and-more-tax-cuts-are-on-the-cards-j2mj5zncs

https://archive.ph/hga8L

Twitter and Reddit pushing China coup attempt tonight
https://www.newsweek.com/li-qiaoming-general-center-china-coup-rumors-social-media-1746041

https://archive.ph/2022.09.25-010545/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/biscotti-mini-budget-exposes-gulf-between-liz-truss-and-keir-starmer-and-more-tax-cuts-are-on-the-cards-j2mj5zncs

Truss and Kwarteng also met a couple of times in the Richard the First pub, on nearby Royal Hill, a fitting location to discuss a “crusade” to transform the way Britain is run.

The Richard the First is my local. Also known as the Tolley, it used to be a great little pub. Has recently been 'developed' and is predictably now shit. That's progress.

The only wrinkle in that plan (apart from the fact that this is too smart a move for those in power) is that the Labour Party are likely to vote positively on adopting a more representational electoral system at their conference. If they do so, and they get in and actually enact that, the Torys will find it incredibly difficult to get back in.

Starmer not on board
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/sep/24/keir-starmer-defies-call-for-changes-to-first-past-the-post-voting-system

France, Sweden and Italy all held their recent elections on a Sunday. Which seems like a sensible idea for trying to maximize turn out.

I can only remember UK elections being on a Thursday. Which seems like an efficient way of reducing turnout. Has there ever been a UK election on a Sunday?

Edit: answering my own question.

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No, and I think it's partly because they utilise so many government employees. Council officers etc. Who would need to be paid overtime on a Sunday, if the unions would even agree to it I guess.

Yes, seems most development of pubs is usually homogenisation these days.

The dreaded 'Craft Beer' - another Tory tax dodge - also has a lot to answer for in terms of the destruction of proper pubs.

‘Proper’ pubs with their mouldy piss water beer deserve to die out tbh.

‘Proper’ pubs with their mouldy piss water beer deserve to die out tbh.

Yeah, what you want is a craft beer made by some twat called Tarquin who used to work in the City, then learned how to brew beer over the course of a weekend - 'cos that's how you learn to do it. Bonus points of he's managed to make it taste 'lemon-y'.

No, you import real beer from monks that have been brewing for a thousand years.

Nah, post Brexit it's English Trappist Ale or you're insulting the memory of are Sir Captain.

^ your.

I used to cycle past there, is it any good?