In the news

To be fair to the Guardian, they first wrote about it in May.

At least in the context of a resignation.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/may/30/national-trust-rejects-claim-that-chief-quit-because-of-campaign-against-wokeness

Sounds like some folks thought they were becoming members of the National Front

It's a logic extension of the argument about statues, but this has long been a culture war battleground. All the way back to Thatcher's National Heritage Act, if not earlier.

Government and the Times firing off the starting pistol for Christmas panic buying

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/christmas-shortages-dont-panic-buy-presents-parents-urged-nx572qtf2

I mean at this point it really looks deliberate doesn't it?

(Note they've changed the article title - previously it was the same as the link.)

I noticed that Tesco have lots of "stock up early for Christmas" signs up in stores at the moment...

At least it is (supposedly) an unpaid role.
I wonder what the 'legitimate' expenses include?

It's almost comical now.

5 live talking about it too. Shop keepers rubbing their hands at stock being cleared in Nov.

Tangentially National Trust article I enjoyed reading a while back:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/08/23/britains-idyllic-country-houses-reveal-a-darker-history

I've never had any interest in visiting National Trust properties, I'm very happy those buildings are being preserved but it's all fucking bollocks... Let's go walk around the house and gardens of an 18th century slaver/arms dealer/murderer... I'm obvs not middle class enough to be able to enjoy these things...

There are plenty of National Trust properties that aren't houses. They own vast chunks of land and I'm happy to pay something towards access and maintenance.

Stonehenge for example is English Heritage but most of the surrounding landscape is NT. Large chunks of the South West Coast Path and the Lake District are NT owned.

Generally when hiking over NT land I feel less like a nuisance compared to a typical farm. Better maintained fence/wall crossings for example.

And then there are things like this, but nothing is perfect
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/environment/2016/aug/31/teenage-farmer-national-trust-lake-district-land-george-purcell-thorneythwaite

I'm a fan of less sheep farming and more rewinding.

Online Christmas shopping started about 3 weeks ago, couriers taking a third more packets/small parcels than this time last year. Mrs Y is also boasting having sorted my Christmas present and started on the kids. I'm not a last minute kinda guy, but November at the earliest please.
Oh well, if it all sells out there are always tattoos...

Idealistically so am I, but neither option is going to lead to that. As I understand it NT are going to rent out the farm.
Edit. Just reread the article and I’m wrong.
I wonder how the rewinding is going

The article is 5 yrs old and full of cunts. The Good Life hobby farmers going ‘We’re all so worried about what’s going to happen to the sheep’ - fuck you, like you weren’t going to slaughter them anyway.

rewinding.

Audio cassettes or VHS tapes?
This message brought to you by the Pedants' Society.

Be Kild, Rewild

You do understand rewilding often requires a herbivore as part of the ecosystem? There are quite a few benefits from pulse grazing etc.

I think there should be fewer sheep on the Lake District hills so probably fewer farmers.

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/men-from-manchester-holding-dogging-21863620

They've even got the advertising on message.

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With a name like Big Baps I'd expect some multi gender dogging but apparently not. One for the ASA?

I thought 'dogging' was hetero, as opposed to 'cruising'. 'Cottaging' is surely indoors. But my experience is limited to tactical re-routing when on night bike rides. Where is Stan Collymore when you need him?

I think dogging requires an audience whereas cruising doesn't?