Wednesday, 23rd December 2015

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 8:13 am

Good morfternoon.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 8:16 am

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... spare-room" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When I asked people for bedroom tax stories, the response was shocking
Eileen Alexander

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 8:17 am

Morning PF, you're an early bird this morning.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 8:23 am

I disagree with the indiscriminate line,this is fascistic intended targetting and has been found to be purposefully discriminatory repeatedly.Now given permission to ramp up the intended process,only the well off sick/disabled and carers are exempt from their vision.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 8:23 am

oe Public ‏@jpublik 10h10 hours ago
Cameron, Osborne, and Whittingdale at Murdoch party with Rebekah Brooks & Sun/Times editors http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/d ... b-gdnmedia" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

It was 'the invitation of the year' according to a Murdoch lackey.
Priti Patel there too, 'half the Cabinet' according to another report.

This is one for the women....can you imagine having Murdoch courting/pawing you ?
What on earth can Jerry Hall be thinking ?

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 8:31 am

Rob & Toby...don't let he/she push you away from here.

That's what trolls want to achieve, even the ones who try and appear less obvious, or use different usernames to suit.
They want to destroy a place where people of similar minds can get together.

I know no one wants to be draconian, but maybe a ban for posters who diss FTN on social media ?
That would show their true intent.

It does mean someone would have to monitor their utterings on Twitter etc though, not something one would wish on anyone.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 8:35 am

@yahyah Are you outside or have a hole in your roof as it says you are being rained on?

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 8:43 am

HindleA wrote:@yahyah Are you outside or have a hole in your roof as it says you are being rained on?

I thought everyone had to sit at the kitchen table under an umbrella ?

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 8:46 am

Bugger I am under the kitchen table without an umbrella,I always get that wrong.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 9:10 am

"Protect and Survive"

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 9:13 am

yahyah wrote: This is one for the women....can you imagine having Murdoch courting/pawing you ?
What on earth can Jerry Hall be thinking ?

1. Bryan Ferry - net worth $50 Million.
2. Mick Jagger - net worth $305 Million.
3. Old Rupert - net worth $12.4 Billion.

I think I know what she's thinking. It's all about trajectory....

In the immortal words of Mrs.Merton - the sublime Caroline Ahearne - when deigning to grant an interview to the vapid Debbie McGee: "What was it that first attracted you to millionaire Paul Daniels?"

I could be completely wrong about this.
The lovely Ms.Hall may well be entranced by Rupe's matinee-idol looks, his innate charm, his obvious care for those less fortunate than himself, and his misfortune to have spawned a set of robots.
Poor, poor man.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 9:15 am

HindleA wrote:"Protect and Survive"

Whitewash yer windows, A.

That'll work.

I know this because it said so in government leaflets. Then put your head between your knees and kiss your arse goodbye....

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 9:24 am

I thought you whitewashed your arse and put it out the window.There should be at least a bit of training in these vital survival techniques.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 9:52 am

HindleA wrote:I thought you whitewashed your arse and put it out the window.There should be at least a bit of training in these vital survival techniques.

This is why one simply MUST read the leaflets properly.

The whitewash on the windows will deflect the heat blast and protect you from the fireball, obviously; and there is no chance whatsoever that a massive blast will raze your house to the ground. None. You'll be completely safe. Completely.
If you just paint your cheeks and stick 'em out of the window, you will have open windows and you will DIE.

We don't need no training. We've got leaflets.

Example - if you are a scrounger, you will be given the leaflet which explains to you how real people (Sarah and Zac) get a sanction. It will reveal to you how helpful sanctions are, how easy it is to cope while on one. and how to avoid one in the future.
If you just paint your cheeks and refuse to look for work, you will have a sanction and you will DIE.

Honestly, I really shouldn't have to explain all this to you. It's all in the leaflets.

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 10:04 am

yahyah wrote:oe Public ‏@jpublik 10h10 hours ago
Cameron, Osborne, and Whittingdale at Murdoch party with Rebekah Brooks & Sun/Times editors http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/d ... b-gdnmedia" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

It was 'the invitation of the year' according to a Murdoch lackey.
Priti Patel there too, 'half the Cabinet' according to another report.

This is one for the women....can you imagine having Murdoch courting/pawing you ?
What on earth can Jerry Hall be thinking ?

Morning all.
Took the dogs out and came back with arms full of holly,ivy,fir branches etc.This was not an easy thing to do.
YahYah,re Jerry Hall,I know,how COULD she?And after Mick Jagger for gods sake.
Maybe she doctors the viagra so it doesn't work?
Yuk Yuk Yuk

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 10:06 am

Morning all.

Sun PR man doing a bit of whining whataboutery...thus making sure everyone remembers his own paper putting the tiniest correction ever on page 1 after being forced to do so - unlike, presumably given the fact that it was only yesterday, the Indy...

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 10:08 am

UK economic growth weaker than expected. The last two quarters figures revised down. Hmmm. Weaker than who expected?

http://www.theguardian.com/business/liv ... rowth-live" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The UK economy grew less strongly than previously thought in the third quarter, up 0.4% compared to initial estimates of 0.5%...

Weaker growth in the service sector was behind the lower growth figure, according to the Office for National Statistics.

As well as third quarter growth being revised downwards, annual growth was also cut from the previous reading of 2.3% to 2.1%.

The second quarter was also weaker than initially thought. The ONS has revised down growth for April to June from 0.7% to 0.5% in quarterly terms and from 2.4% to 2.3% annually.

The disappointment has so far had little effect on shares, with the FTSE 100 up 84 points or 1.3%.

Not sure I believe that annual growth is going to make 2.1% ....

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 10:10 am

I put some white roses and stuff(not just any old roses,marks and spencer roses))in the bathroom yesterday,seeing as it's freezing in there even in high summer,ready to do today.
Daisy,one of my cats,is eating them.
Why do I live in such a mad house?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 10:11 am

Belated good morning. Today is going to be our only 'fried eggs day' as Mr Riots puts it before Storm Eva hits ... will try and put in a shift outdoors. I've got a target of getting the veg gardens all tucked up - weeded / forked over / composted or manured - and covered where necessary - by the end of the Christmas hols. Then it's on to essential greenhouse washing, clearing and recomposting.

As for the herbaceous borders ... I can't look at the moment. Food has to come first.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 10:23 am

My time as an RAF pilot in Helmand has never left me - and I feel conflicted about the 450 troops returning
The scenery was breathtaking - and the process of repatriating our fallen comrades back to the UK from Camp Bastion and Kandahar was heartbreaking
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/my- ... 83181.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

... Yesterday's announcement of 450 troops being deployed to help in an advisory role is a drop in the ocean compared to the 10,000-strong force in Helmand during the height of the conflict. It is, however, a significant enough statement that all is not well in the ranks of the ANA.

It has the feeling of previous support operations provided to Iraqi forces during the Arab spring and the subsequent rise of Isis - and unfortunately indicates that for all the efforts and toils to provide a stable footing for democracy to flourish, the post-pull-out vacuum rarely succeeds in creating an environment for success...

Another bit of news I've found very depressing (there's been an awful lot of it recently).

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 10:30 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Belated good morning. Today is going to be our only 'fried eggs day' as Mr Riots puts it before Storm Eva hits ... will try and put in a shift outdoors. I've got a target of getting the veg gardens all tucked up - weeded / forked over / composted or manured - and covered where necessary - by the end of the Christmas hols. Then it's on to essential greenhouse washing, clearing and recomposting.

As for the herbaceous borders ... I can't look at the moment. Food has to come first.

Hope you don't get hit too hard by the storm,take care.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 10:35 am

Rebecca wrote:I put some white roses and stuff(not just any old roses,marks and spencer roses))in the bathroom yesterday,seeing as it's freezing in there even in high summer,ready to do today.
Daisy,one of my cats,is eating them.
Why do I live in such a mad house?

Please, please don't eat them, Daisy (to horribly mangle the Doris Day song).

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 10:45 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:UK economic growth weaker than expected. The last two quarters figures revised down. Hmmm. Weaker than who expected?

All the "experts" in the MSM who long ago proclaimed Gidiot a genius?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 10:51 am

Jonathan Reynolds MP Retweeted
PCS Union ‏@pcs_union 27m27 minutes ago
#PCS is campaigning to end 1st past post & for a switch to PR: read @josiahmortimer of @electoralreform blog for us http://bit.ly/josiahERS" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 11:06 am

Poor souls in Cumbria. Flooded again and more heavy rain to come.

I hope they didn't spend their £500 all at once.

I hope everyone here is ok - whether at, or under, the table.

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 11:14 am

: CW579FfWYAQobPq 011.jpg (148.47 KiB) Viewed 9737 times

: CW579FfWYAQobPq 012.jpg (101.77 KiB) Viewed 9737 times

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 11:29 am

PorFavor wrote:Poor souls in Cumbria. Flooded again and more heavy rain to come.

I hope they didn't spend their £500 all at once.

I hope everyone here is ok - whether at, or under, the table.

It isnt as bad as last time, though of course that is little comfort to those who have been affected.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 12:10 pm

yahyah wrote:oe Public ‏@jpublik 10h10 hours ago
Cameron, Osborne, and Whittingdale at Murdoch party with Rebekah Brooks & Sun/Times editors http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/d ... b-gdnmedia" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

It was 'the invitation of the year' according to a Murdoch lackey.
Priti Patel there too, 'half the Cabinet' according to another report.

This is one for the women....can you imagine having Murdoch courting/pawing you ?
What on earth can Jerry Hall be thinking ?

Money, money, money, power, power, money, money, power ... ad infinitum.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 12:16 pm

ephemerid wrote:
yahyah wrote: This is one for the women....can you imagine having Murdoch courting/pawing you ?
What on earth can Jerry Hall be thinking ?
1. Bryan Ferry - net worth $50 Million.
2. Mick Jagger - net worth $305 Million.
3. Old Rupert - net worth $12.4 Billion.

I think I know what she's thinking. It's all about trajectory....

In the immortal words of Mrs.Merton - the sublime Caroline Ahearne - when deigning to grant an interview to the vapid Debbie McGee: "What was it that first attracted you to millionaire Paul Daniels?"

I could be completely wrong about this.
The lovely Ms.Hall may well be entranced by Rupe's matinee-idol looks, his innate charm, his obvious care for those less fortunate than himself, and his misfortune to have spawned a set of robots.
Poor, poor man.

Not wishing to be nasty -

but I saw her on Who Do You Think You Are, a while back.

I had a strong urge to smack her in the gob and that was just onscreen.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 12:25 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:
PorFavor wrote:Poor souls in Cumbria. Flooded again and more heavy rain to come.

I hope they didn't spend their £500 all at once.

I hope everyone here is ok - whether at, or under, the table.
It isnt as bad as last time, though of course that is little comfort to those who have been affected.

Yes but, if it were me, I'm pretty certain I wouldn't be thinking, "Great! Only 2" this time! A couple of weeks ago it was much deeper. Onward and upward for another "very wet few days". If all goes well, we'll not be amongst the "few" who won't be spending Christmas at home. And, as a bonus, Charlie-boy might come to visit again."

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 12:39 pm

PorFavor wrote:Poor souls in Cumbria. Flooded again and more heavy rain to come.

I hope they didn't spend their £500 all at once.

I hope everyone here is ok - whether at, or under, the table.

Bright sunshine and clear blue skies here at the moment...Won't last though.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 12:43 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
PorFavor wrote:Poor souls in Cumbria. Flooded again and more heavy rain to come.

I hope they didn't spend their £500 all at once.

I hope everyone here is ok - whether at, or under, the table.
Bright sunshine and clear blue skies here at the moment...Won't last though.

Same here. It hasn't rained at all today (so far).

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 1:11 pm

Good afternoon all. Not sure if this is serious or not:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... ssage.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Andrew Bridgen, a Conservative MP, said: "This is the new politics - Corbyn cancels Christmas.

"It is just a hint of what the British people would have to look forward to under a Corbyn-led Government."

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 1:21 pm

Oh the irony of Hague warning about the SNP taking Scotland out of the UK if we vote to leave the EU ....

Remember the Tories telling the country that Ed Miliband would be pushed around by the SNP if he was in power?

Who's looking like they're being pushed around now?

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 1:31 pm

danesclose wrote:Good afternoon all. Not sure if this is serious or not:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... ssage.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Andrew Bridgen, a Conservative MP, said: "This is the new politics - Corbyn cancels Christmas.

"It is just a hint of what the British people would have to look forward to under a Corbyn-led Government."

Incredible isn't it. Lots of photos of Corbyn in a Santa hat collecting money for good causes, singing carols etc [and looking dead happy doing it] doing the rounds on Twitter. Not to mention he classes it as the time of year when being a 'socialist' comes into its own. I guess he means helping to make things a bit brighter for others.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 1:43 pm

Fraser Nelson ‏@FraserNelson 5h5 hours ago
Looking for a Christmas dinner starter? Try my crab and Gruyère soufflé says Ed Balls. His @spectator cookery debut:
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/lo ... e-souffle/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 2:13 pm

danesclose wrote:Good afternoon all. Not sure if this is serious or not:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... ssage.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Andrew Bridgen, a Conservative MP, said: "This is the new politics - Corbyn cancels Christmas.

"It is just a hint of what the British people would have to look forward to under a Corbyn-led Government."

I'd say it's completely serious on the grounds that the Tory concerned is a grade-A fuckwit. Just my twopenn'orth.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 2:25 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Fraser Nelson ‏@FraserNelson 5h5 hours ago
Looking for a Christmas dinner starter? Try my crab and Gruyère soufflé says Ed Balls. His @spectator cookery debut:
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2015/12/lo ... e-souffle/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

I wonder if food banks have the right ingredients for that delicious sounding dish? If not why not !!!!

It's a whole other world isn't it...

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 2:32 pm

Jeremy Corbyn's Christmas message:

Christmas is the essence of socialism

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/je ... ar_twitter

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 3:07 pm

"The Conservatives are rewriting the constitution to create a one-party state
British democracy itself is under threat, warns Chris Bryant."

http://linkis.com/www.newstatesman.com/A424f" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 4:04 pm

UK economy in shock slowdown as recovery loses steam
Official figures show UK growth was weaker than thought in the second and third quarters
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/econ ... borne.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm only posting this for the headline really. Just wondering who this slowdown is a 'shock' for?

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 4:20 pm

Bernard Ingham has a Christmas message regarding Corbyn to Labour

I urge Labour’s moderate majority, however daunting the task, to resolve for 2016 to purge itself of this pestilence

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opi ... -1-7639151" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

: ScreenShot01339.jpg (112.81 KiB) Viewed 9448 times

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 4:21 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Jeremy Corbyn's Christmas message:

Christmas is the essence of socialism

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/je ... ar_twitter

Oops! Snap

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 4:41 pm

Oops...

Studio school with 25 pupils to close as sponsor admits ‘lack of demand’

http://schoolsweek.co.uk/studio-school- ... of-demand/

A studio school with just 25 pupils on its roll will close next year after its sponsor admitted a “lack of local demand”.

Bradford Studio School opened in 2012 as the country’s first specialist travel and hospitality training centre and aimed to attract 300 pupils.

But its sponsor Bradford College Education Trust has this week confirmed the school’s pupils and staff will move to another site from January, and the school will officially close in July.

The trust said a decline in pupil numbers, increasing financial challenges and staff capacity issues had forced the “difficult decision” to close, which has now been agreed by government.

Good job we've had plenty of cash to throw around at all of these things eh?

tinybgoat · Post by **tinybgoat** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 4:52 pm

I wrote an Xmas song, sometime around 1989.
Very rarely sung though, partly because it seemed a bit miserable.
Hopefully it's aged OK, though:

Dickens time

He asked for twenty pence,
I smiled and shook my head,
he said "What's so funny, Do you think it's easy?
I get the same response,
from most of the crowd in Oxford Street,
Christmas shopping, They must think I'm crazy.
They've got cash to spare and they hate saying no,
but it scares them that they have to see me.
That's all right, I'll take what I can,
it's just the way of the world"

He'd broken his arm, swore it wasn't a fight,
been working with a brickie for cash in hand.
Now he needed some money to make ends meet,
and pay for presents - he was a family man.
Said "begging is harder than asking for a dance,
and they're more likely to turn you down.
They'd rather phone a telethon, put pennies in a box ,
without being thanked or getting involved".

Chorus/
And I see shadows, from Dickens time
in almost everyone I meet.
The smog's returning to London town
and there's children on the street.
There's a soup kitchen open, an emergency shelter
bringing hope in the festive season.
I can think of excuses for why it's like this
but I just can't find any good reason.

He was one of the lucky ones just down for the week
had family and home to return to.
There's thousands more swallowed by the city
they've got no future, help or friends to turn to
Kids rent their bodies to men who've sold their souls
their bodies may be young but their eyes are old.
They've seen too much of the pain in the shadows of a city that doesn't want to know

We live in a society where everyone is equal,
opportunity for all, or so they say
Down in cardboard city, they're playing their part
recycling the waste from a throwaway world
The nearest they'll get to this consumer paradise
is a castoff box that's shelter for the night.
Hidden from the world out of sight and out of mind
Just statistics to be buried away

Now the church bells ringing on Christmas morning
calling faithful, traditional and hypocritical to prayer
for a token nod to an archaic institution
while the rest of the year, they don't even care that it's there.
The message to the commonwealth from good queen Bess
Says we should think about the family, thank God we've been blessed,
and remember those less fortunate than ourselves,
when fifty one weeks of the year, they can all go to hell.

..Icy shadows.

Merry Xmas, all

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 5:02 pm

: Alan Bennett Diary_After Election 2015.jpg (71.18 KiB) Viewed 9408 times

Love you for that Alan Bennett.

Editing to add the live link to his 2015 diary. http://www.lrb.co.uk/v38/n01/alan-benne ... id-in-2015" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 5:18 pm

@ tinybgoat

"begging is harder than asking for a dance,"

That's a wonderful line.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 5:22 pm

From that Bennett diary:

12 August. I’m not a member of the Labour Party and so can’t vote. If I could, though, I’d vote for Jeremy Corbyn if only out of hope, the hope that the better part of salvation lies not in electoral calculation but in people’s aspirations.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 5:31 pm

From my fanclub who clearly has nothing better to do...

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 23 Dec, 2015 5:32 pm

Now, wrapping up which I hate or popping out for some last minute bits?