FlyTheNest

Good morfternoon.



Time for Keir Starmer to make one of his searing "non-political" interventions.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/02/majority-in-england-turned-down-for-self-isolation-support-data-shows

Good morning.





Well quite. What were they expecting exactly?

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If I'm not here, then I'll be in the library. Or the other library.

Yes, I often wonder if they are genuinely that thick or just pretending to be.

Genuinely thick, imo.

Doesn't excuse the tories for exploiting them.

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One world, like it or not - John Martyn

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One world, like it or not - John Martyn

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... ak-reveals



"blamed on"? I like to think "credited to". And when the country comes round to the idea that our country and services need investing in again, as they surely must do at some point before our roads start to look like they should feature in a "world's worst roads" documentary, Labour should be poised to be the first choice to do so. If Labour can't be trusted as the party to put public services before tax cuts, I can only agree with the opening sentiments of the article - what are they for?

They should be for reducing inequality, of course. Which means showing people how reducing inequality improves outcomes for everyone, including the better off. It's the kind of thing Ed Miliband was good at, the bigger picture, but I'm still not seeing that Starmer gets it really.

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"Fall seven times, get up eight" - Japanese proverb

See also Dido Harding -

Well no, because they're not scientists, but all the experts knew and could, and probably did, tell them. Only listening right-wing think tanks that skew the facts to fit pre-determined political and economic biases is an active choice to be a wanker and not the reasonable excuse Dido seems to think it is.

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"Fall seven times, get up eight" - Japanese proverb

I'm not aware of a great deal of original political thinking emanating from the DUP in the last half century, lets just put it that way

Ed Miliband. <sigh>

It's hard not to despair of this 'policy-making by focus group', might as well just listen to a few BBC News vox-pops. Dull as ditchwater, lowest-common-denominator stuff. Tories do it but they only recruit from their base, how do Labour recruit theirs?

Starmer's advisor is apparently Claire Ainsley formerly of JRF, I came across this the other day, read it and weep.

https://politicalquarterly.blog/2019/11 ... democracy/

Could public attitudes led policy making fix our democracy?
No. HTH.

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One world, like it or not - John Martyn

Yes. Hence my comment, the other day, on Kate Bingham. At least she seems to consult and take some notice of the experts at her disposal.

Focus groups are always going to come up with all sorts of rubbish. I genuinely wouldn't worry about it too much at *this* stage.

So why persist with focus groups? To continue using them sort of hints to me that their views are going to be taken into account.

Because political parties have somehow been convinced they have some sort of special insight?

(they happened under Corbyn's leadership as well)

Bingham has a first-class degree in Biochemistry, which puts her at a significant advantage to dozy Dido when knowing what questions to ask and how to interpret the answers.

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One world, like it or not - John Martyn

They could use them to find out the best ways to sell the basic principles to the voters, eg reducing inequality, properly funding public services, and whatever the opposite of xenophobia is.
That assumes they have those basic principles, though.

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One world, like it or not - John Martyn

Just got off the phone with the DWP and because of the Work Capability Assessment backlog due to Covid my ESA award has been extended until 2023. I was supposed to be reassessed this month but now I've got another two years of freedom from the hideous stress and worry of it all. I can't quite believe it. Think I'll open that bottle of fizz tonight that I didn't get round to drinking at New Year.

It's a horrible reason to be given such a break but I'm not going to deny I did a little dance.

These two year extensions are exactly what happened when IDS screwed up the assessment system, but the DWP refused to admit it officially. I wonder if they'll do the same this time. Because there will be thousands of people like me worried sick about what's happening with their benefits who need to know these extensions are being awarded. All it would take would be a simple announcement and all that anxiety could be lifted. Last time they lied and denied it was happening because their idiot boss and ATOS had made a pig's ear of things, this time it's for reasons beyond their control so I can't see anyone blaming them for it.

But it's the DWP and being secretive bastards is in their nature.

And now we have Labour HQ saying "this isn't actually a strategy paper", just something created for discussion.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/03/mps-urge-test-and-trace-chief-to-prove-system-curbs-spread-of-covid



Once again, and I can't stress this enough, silver bullets kill werewolves.

They would be quite useless against a virus.

Much like Dido Harding.

Its nice to hear that news, Sky.

This is pretty funny. As way of an explanation the Dominion voting machine people are suing just about all the Trumpists on the American right for spreading bizarre conspiracy theories and outright lies about their company. The right wing media including Newsmax and Fox were sent cease and desist letters about promoting this on their networks and are clearly shitting themselves about possible litigation. So it probably wasn't the best idea to invite on Mike Lindell owner of the 'My Pillow' company who just happens to be a completely round the bend, far right fruitcake who, amongst other insane things, tried to get Trump to declare martial law and refuse to accept the election result. Mike's already being sued by Dominion for his nonsense and appears not to care, whereas the host of this segment clearly does care. In fact he cares enough to run away.

Quite.

I didn't clap for the simple reason I was in a Zoom Governing Body meeting...

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If I'm not here, then I'll be in the library. Or the other library.

Good lord but I'm sick of this virus.

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LET'S FACE IT I'M JUST 'KIN' SEETHIN'

Am developing a strong desire to go on a several month pub crawl of the UK.

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LET'S FACE IT I'M JUST 'KIN' SEETHIN'

In all honesty I will select the bars WITH beer (etc)

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LET'S FACE IT I'M JUST 'KIN' SEETHIN'

I'd offer to join you but I fear I would lack the requisite stamina to keep up.

Hope that cJA comes back refreshed soon.

At the moment I'm more sick of the weather, here oop north. Enough winter already.

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One world, like it or not - John Martyn

This is ridiculous. I went to sign up for the 'Benefits and work' forum simply to write a post about people being given these award extensions due to Covid. There's nothing there about it and I felt it would help if people knew it was happening. But you have to pay a subscription of nigh on £20 just to post on their forum. Sod that. Asking folks to pay £20 just to post a bit of helpful information is taking the piss.

Am open to suggestions on where the Clanger UK pub crawl should go. But I have a long-standing appnt with PfY in Leeds (Fenton).

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LET'S FACE IT I'M JUST 'KIN' SEETHIN'

Whose forum is it? Who's getting the money from the subscription fees?

Indeed. Whoever came up with the idea of February must have been a right miserable bastard.

(It was me)

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LET'S FACE IT I'M JUST 'KIN' SEETHIN'

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/

I've no idea who runs it. Presumably the money goes to the mods running the forum and those writing the guides. Which is fair enough, I don't begrudge them a penny because it does seem they're able to help people. But it does become a problem when it stops someone like me coming along and dropping off a quick post informing their members of something important.

Of course there's always the possibility my information could be useless if my case is unique and the DWP have singled me out for special treatment because they love me so much. But the chances of that are so vanishingly miniscule that the incredible shrinking man would need a tiny microscope to see them.

Personally, wouldn't mind if there was more actual snow. But right now its just damp and *bloody* cold.

EDIT: and of course I am in Cumbria, where the white stuff is not exactly unknown......

PFY?

I've not been in the Fenton in years, probably since I was a student, it's just outside comfortable range for a Leeds city centre pub crawl, but I remember it being a good proper pub. Not like that barge thing down the road, Dry Dock? That place is bloody awful.

May i enquire where you are approximately located AK?

Paul from Yorkshire.
I think I have walked past the barge thing but it was after my time.

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LET'S FACE IT I'M JUST 'KIN' SEETHIN'

"After your time"? What, you mean after closing time so you kept walking?

There's a pub called The George in Leeds, on a corner next to the hospital. I used to go there for a small weekly 'alternative' music gathering in the basement. This would be maybe mid 2000's. Anyway at the end of the evening every week Chinese people would turn up and ask us to leave quite vociferously. On a couple of occasions I was so drunk I refused and hung around while they did their thing. Their thing being all in Chinese so I had no idea what was going on but it mainly seemed to be an old man lecturing everyone while I tried to impress the nearest woman who was on her own with my drunken charms and sign language. This never worked.

It turned out the owner of the pub had done a deal with a local Chinese gangmaster (the old man) and those poor people were essentially slaves who'd been trafficked into the country and slept in that basement at night while working in restaurants during the day.

Once it was busted nearly every Chinese restaurant in Leeds city centre ended up closing, in fact off the top of my head I can't think of a single one still open. It's all Thai now. So god knows where they're being kept.

But The George survives. With few aware of its dirty secrets.

Apparently it appeared in 1993.
(The Dry Dock)

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LET'S FACE IT I'M JUST 'KIN' SEETHIN'

The Dry Dock is a barge that did once work on the river Aire then was moved to dry land and infested by wankers who have no idea of bar etiquette.

Leeds pub crawl.

Duck and Drake, The Ship, The Angel, The Victoria, then a refreshing walk down to Leeds city tap if you need to get a train and if not cross the river to the Adelphi and end up shifaced having a last pint or two in the North Bar or listening to cheap zazz in the Sellar bar at £3.50 a pint.

People talk about 'London prices' but if you want a drink up North after 11pm it's every bit as bad.

I'm in.

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LET'S FACE IT I'M JUST 'KIN' SEETHIN'

Cheap zazz always gets them.