@Henrysbridge@toot.wales
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

Henrysbridge

@Henrysbridge@toot.wales

Reincarnated immigrant to the Land of Hywel Dda west of Offa's Dyke.

Physicist, rationalist and humanist.

Here just for humour and to learn Welsh. No drama please, especially since I'm far from perfect.

Diolch everybody for making me feel at home.

Jam is still always first!

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

Henrysbridge, to random
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

I dare say some are - they'd probably join the Forces in any case, which is absolutely fine. The key problem is that of "compulsion".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cedd44w3xkqo

A very fundamental point - tories seem to have difficulty with the word "voluntary".

Examples:

Their "National Service" could involve volunteering, but it'd be "mandatory"...

The union of nations of the United Kingdom is "voluntary"!

I'm sure there are other examples.

SuneAuken, to random Danish
@SuneAuken@mastodon.world avatar

Lad os tage en mere. Andetsteds i lille Søborg hænger sloganet "Mere grænsekontrol - mindre EU".

Med en påskrift om at EU forhindrer os i at have en permanent grænsekontrol ved den tyske grænse.

Ok. You're on!

1/

https://mastodon.world/@SuneAuken/112472692385269871

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@SuneAuken

Here's what "More border control no EU" looks like 😠

Forward this as a warning. "Taking Back Control" is, and always was a very poor illusion.

dgar, to random
@dgar@aus.social avatar

When was the last time
you did something
for the first time?

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@dgar
At this exact moment - this is the first time I've responded to this post.

dgar, to random
@dgar@aus.social avatar

The Hunchback of Notre Dame?

Rings a bell...

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@dgar

Ahh! That reminds me of the shaggy dog story of the HBoND and his apprentice who rings the bells by head-butting them. The apprentice falls from the tower and when asked who he was, the HBoND replies:

"I don't know his name, but his face rings a bell"...

I'm here all week, I'm afraid...

fkamiah17, to UKpolitics
@fkamiah17@toot.wales avatar

" ... it seems clear – to me, at least – that both Labour and the Conservatives are in the narrative business, as distinct from the business of good governance"

Another excellent piece from Bylines Cymru

https://bylines.cymru/voices-lleisiau/stop-the-boats-narrative/

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17
Here's the rub - in the final line...

"Where are the empirical, rational, truth-telling politics that stand against such populism to come from?"

Answers on a postcard?

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17

I don't know.
The "classic" stages of grief allude to "acceptance" but I don't think that's "acceptable" in this context.
Any psychologists out there?

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17 That's right - I was hunting round for some similar ideas. The closest I found was some around break ups of and betrayals in relationships (I suppose this has some relevance here if we consider the relationship between citizen and government).

I was hoping to find something like this...

An angry mob of muppets

dgar, to random
@dgar@aus.social avatar

If you have Pet Insurance and your cat has to stay overnight at the vet's, do you get a Courtesy cat?

Asking furry friend.

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@dgar

Considering the "courtesy" "cars" I've had, you'd end up with one of these:

Small dog yapping at a window

llamasoft_ox, to random
@llamasoft_ox@toot.wales avatar

Morning Sheep Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acZJC9ybIRI

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@llamasoft_ox

Look Out! There Are Llamas!

fkamiah17, to UKpolitics
@fkamiah17@toot.wales avatar

I'm beginning to think we should just build a barracks and make them stay there while Parliament is sitting.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/four-tory-mps-who-made-32793408

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@ChrisMayLA6 @fkamiah17
"lottery for a two year term in the upper house,"

This aligns with a thought I had to make part of an Upper House like "jury service" - ie, draft people in as a "Civic Duty". Perhaps not for two years - I was thinking a few months at most so that (1) there is a good turnover so current opinions are represented (2) such members don't "go native" as it were and (3) any "nutjobs" who make it past any (essential) vetting can't do too much damage.

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17 @ChrisMayLA6

No alcohol - I wouldn't wish to be in a bus with a driver who'd had a few at lunchtime. Why should the reverse be true for those supposedly "steering" the country?

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17 @ChrisMayLA6

Would this be superior or inferior to university student accommodation? 🤪

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17 @ChrisMayLA6

That's a fair compromise. Also ban talking politics in the bar. The last thing we need is government by "wot some MP down the pub sed"

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17 @capnthommo

Interesting idea. Emphasising the idea that to be an MP is to serve the constituency and country, not their party or themselves.

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17 @ChrisMayLA6

Indeed!

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17 @ChrisMayLA6

This is a few years old now, but here's some choices as reference points
https://thetab.com/uk/2021/08/05/these-are-the-top-10-unis-with-the-worst-accommodation-according-to-students-218027

There's also this as a model?...

glynmoody, to random
@glynmoody@mastodon.social avatar

UK universities report drop in international students amid visa doubts - https://www.theguardian.com/education/article/2024/may/13/uk-universities-drop-international-students-visa-doubts racist trashing another UK success story

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@glynmoody

It's even worse. With the loss of academic vibrancy and currency why would our graduates wish to carry out further study in the UK?

fkamiah17, to random
@fkamiah17@toot.wales avatar

An NYPD officer took out his mace to spray protesters on the Manhattan bridge yesterday, then sprayed himself accidentally instead 🤣 🤣
via independent journalist Talia Jane on the dark side.
There's a video but it's too blurry to screencap. I've already watched it three times.

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17 That sounds like a Mr Bean sketch!

Nr Bean spraying breath freshener in his mouth. He's using quite a lot...

junesim63, (edited ) to Cats
@junesim63@mstdn.social avatar

Has anyone had experience of a cat with hay fever?
For a week now, Copper has been intermittently sneezing, with red eyes, runny but dry nose, wheezing and lethargic. He's still eating heartily, doesn't have a temperature, and everything else is normal.
He improves overnight when I keep him in, which makes me think it's an external stimulus.
He loves being outdoors so I don't want to deprive him.

Edit: Muting as thread has been hijacked. Thanks to all who offered genuine advice.

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@junesim63

I hope your cat gets better. I sometimes get hayfever and it's really nasty!

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@TomSwirly @junesim63

To be fair here, we need to put this in a UK and European context.
1, Cats are native to European countries (many examples of, sadly rare species eg Scottish Wild Cats)
2, The stress of forcing cats used to free roaming to stay indoors is huge.
3, In the UK context, my experience is that bird "kills" are relatively rare compared to mice etc (see 1). But then, my cats are quite lazy...

For fairness, here's a similar UK article.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/14/cats-kill-birds-wildlife-keep-indoors

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@Wen @TomSwirly @junesim63 @BashStKid

A lucky escape for the terrier!

fkamiah17, to random
@fkamiah17@toot.wales avatar

Chief of NYPD cops clearing campus protesters: "You're dealing with children, or teenagers slash young adults, that aren't at the mental capacity you are at as professional police officers."

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17 " aren't at the mental capacity you are at as professional police officers."
Probably true, but NOT in the direction of mental capacity the chief thinks...

mrundkvist, to Archaeology
@mrundkvist@archaeo.social avatar

By Tom Gauld.

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@drahardja @mrundkvist

That's brilliant. Also see 's "Counting Pines" mentioned in "Reaper Man"

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@veronica @drahardja @mrundkvist

That's the one! Impeccable logic with one small flaw...

fkamiah17, to Life
@fkamiah17@toot.wales avatar

Valleys weather report.

IT HAS STOPPED RAINING

REPEAT

IT HAS STOPPED RAINING

Of course it bloody has, I'm going away for the weekend in about an hour. 😡

Henrysbridge,
@Henrysbridge@toot.wales avatar

@fkamiah17 Still raining here, but slowly brightening.
Have a good weekend (hopefully where it's also not raining?)

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