Vladimir Putin and Russia

[Renton 21970]

I'm guessing the strategy is to hold on to/take as much land as possible to strengthen Ukraine's hand in the inevitable enforced negotiations. 

But Putin is still quite an unpredictable dickhead so who knows the outcome. 

[ohhh_yeah 2991]

 

 Alexey Davydov this time.

 

https://www.twitter.com/novayagazeta_en/status/1866832038873141330

 

[PaddockLad 17635]

Looks like The Observer has been gifted to some mates of Putin…wonder what they’ll do with it? 😏

 

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1870087536846221812.html

[Alex 35566]

That’s a real fucking shame. Honestly, I’ve had enough of giving a shit about this sort of shit. It’s hopeless 

[Gemmill 45984]

Same. Not worth the energy of worrying about it. Seems like we've passed a tipping point and we might be terminally fucked. I'm just gonna play with my Digitakt and let the world burn. 

[Alex 35566]

5 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

Same. Not worth the energy of worrying about it. Seems like we've passed a tipping point and we might be terminally fucked. I'm just gonna play with my Digitakt and let the world burn. 

I mean, what the fuck are you gonna do about it? I know what I’m going to do, being honest with myself, fuck all. I’m one of the lucky ones, relatively-speaking in society. If a load of fucking idiots want to vote against their interests because they’ve allowed themselves to be manipulated be Elon Musk, then that’s their problem. I do care about any poor fuckers caught in the crossfire but I’m sick of worrying about shite I’ve got zero influence over 

[PaddockLad 17635]

Agreed. I’m a bemused by stander nowadays. For me though people like Cadwalladr are at the front line in this shit and deserve attention for their efforts. You’ll find her work on the data grab by Meta/Cambridge Anylitica in the run up to the Brexit referendum still on the the Observer website…but not for much longer…. 

[Alex 35566]

Aye. She’s got balls of steel that one. 

[Gemmill 45984]

Aye exactly. We've all spent years hand wringing and worrying over Brexit. I used to watch every debate and fret on the results of votes, and here we are 8 years on and the chief cunt behind it all is leading the fastest growing party in the UK. 

 

I'm not wasting any more time worrying about it. They can all fuck themselves. 

[Rayvin 5290]

I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment too and said as much some months back, but at the same time I feel it has to be pointed out that if we do that en masse, they really have won.

[Gemmill 45984]

It's not in our control man. There's absolutely nothing we can do to counter it. 

[Alex 35566]

Tell you what, though. This Jamaican rum is really taking the edge off it. 

[strawb 4377]

Welcome to the ennui of modern life lads.
 

Going to preface this by saying I know I’m burying my head in the sand.

 

I’ve been volunteering locally with people in my area that need help, deleted all social media (except this for the pedants). Don’t listen to/watch the news. Spending more time with family and friends doing things we enjoy.

 

We are heading for something awful and I would rather spend my time on the above than doom scrolling Twitter and getting worked up about it, I’m probably going to die early anyway no need to heart attack myself there.

[Monkeys Fist 43039]

It’s a fucking sad state of affairs, but I’m pretty much in the same position too- I can’t do owt to change it, so let it burn. 
 

The dumbing down of the general public’s political awareness and interests has been played out on social media and through something I personally despise (reality tv) for quite some time now, and it’s winning tbh. 
 

When the BBC is quoting tweets from random members of the public on its news  broadcasts, you know the game is up. 
 

I had it brought home to me not long ago when an old friend from my days abroad died very unexpectedly of a heart attack, whilst out walking with his son. 
I was chatting to a lad who was loading my truck and it came up naturally in conversation- you’d expect him to say some kind of standard “Sorry to hear that mate…” shit, and then move the conversation on. 
 

Nope- his instant reaction, on hearing it was an unexpected heart attack, was to ask if I was on Telegram and start on about Covidiot theories. 
 

I shut the cunt down straight away, but as I thought about it afterwards it really stunned me tbh- no hesitation, no sympathy , utterly devoid of realising people might not think the same as him. 
He genuinely thought the right thing to do was talk about anti vax idiocy. 
Bloke was in his late 30s-40s. 
 

The place is fucked. 
 

 

 

 

But… there always hope, isn’t there? 
 

My kids, absolute products of the social media age, are both dyed-in-the-wool lefties, as are most of their peers. 

 

They’re furious that Trump, Musk, Farage, et al are driving an anti-ecological agenda when they won’t be around to live with the consequences. 
 

Social media and messaging has made it so much easier to mobilise rebellion and revolution, as has been demonstrated several times recently, so…

 

…There’s always hope, isn’t there? 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* not Jamaican Rum, but French Red. 

[RobinRobin 11536]

[Howmanheyman 33803]

13 hours ago, Monkeys Fist said:

It’s a fucking sad state of affairs, but I’m pretty much in the same position too- I can’t do owt to change it, so let it burn. 
 

The dumbing down of the general public’s political awareness and interests has been played out on social media and through something I personally despise (reality tv) for quite some time now, and it’s winning tbh. 
 

When the BBC is quoting tweets from random members of the public on its news  broadcasts, you know the game is up. 
 

I had it brought home to me not long ago when an old friend from my days abroad died very unexpectedly of a heart attack, whilst out walking with his son. 
I was chatting to a lad who was loading my truck and it came up naturally in conversation- you’d expect him to say some kind of standard “Sorry to hear that mate…” shit, and then move the conversation on. 
 

Nope- his instant reaction, on hearing it was an unexpected heart attack, was to ask if I was on Telegram and start on about Covidiot theories. 
 

I shut the cunt down straight away, but as I thought about it afterwards it really stunned me tbh- no hesitation, no sympathy , utterly devoid of realising people might not think the same as him. 
He genuinely thought the right thing to do was talk about anti vax idiocy. 
Bloke was in his late 30s-40s. 
 

The place is fucked. 
 

 

 

 

But… there always hope, isn’t there? 
 

My kids, absolute products of the social media age, are both dyed-in-the-wool lefties, as are most of their peers. 

 

They’re furious that Trump, Musk, Farage, et al are driving an anti-ecological agenda when they won’t be around to live with the consequences. 
 

Social media and messaging has made it so much easier to mobilise rebellion and revolution, as has been demonstrated several times recently, so…

 

…There’s always hope, isn’t there? 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* not Jamaican Rum, but French Red. 

 

I've got two good'uns as well, most of their mates seem ok, let's hope they don't turn into sheep as they get older.

 

On a personal note life looks like it could be getting a bit easier as the wife has been awarded a monthly payment after six months of waiting which now means I can go part time which is a massive relief and boon for both of us and the girls. (I just have to persuade the new job to let me do reduced hours and I also have an interview for a PT job on my doorstep so hopefully one of those options bear fruit). As far the rest of the world/UK, hard to ignore the shit but I'll try not let it affect my life.

 

 

[Gemmill 45984]

That's mint news, especially after the year you've had with work. Nice one. 

[Howmanheyman 33803]

9 minutes ago, Gemmill said:

That's mint news, especially after the year you've had with work. Nice one. 

 

We could've had this at my old (proper) job if we'd known about it but things sometimes happen for a reason and I wouldn't have got as big a lumper so it is what it is. 

[Alex 35566]

Really pleased for you, HMHM. 

[Christmas Tree 4815]

31 minutes ago, Howmanheyman said:

 

I've got two good'uns as well, most of their mates seem ok, let's hope they don't turn into sheep as they get older.

 

On a personal note life looks like it could be getting a bit easier as the wife has been awarded a monthly payment after six months of waiting which now means I can go part time which is a massive relief and boon for both of us and the girls. (I just have to persuade the new job to let me do reduced hours and I also have an interview for a PT job on my doorstep so hopefully one of those options bear fruit). As far the rest of the world/UK, hard to ignore the shit but I'll try not let it affect my life.

 

 

Excellent news.

[Toonpack 9903]

Great news HMHM, For part time I would hope that means reduced days/hours June to end August but full time September to May - yes ??