TheCat

okay....let me indulge you....please explain this 'hypocrisy' you're accusing me of? As it stands.....I start a thread about the Guardian, and post comments about the Guardian. You have come on to the thread and said that by not mocking other publications im being hypocritical...have a i got that right? To clarify...by NOT saying something im being hypocritical in your book. this from a person who hasn't started a thread in living memory, and just chips at other peoples thoughts. You want to discuss something else?...start a thread of your own....the button is right there.....

now this is what the lounge is for....f~ck brexit....im not joking.....i want to know the answer....nice work KK

Yep...we're getting post once every 10 days to 2 weeks the last few months. Ordered a moonpig card for overnight delivery about a week before ouranniversary...was reached by mooning next day...it arrived with us about 10 days after the anniversary... Useful.

Blah Blah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I think Uncle calling TheCat a lefty (and welcome > to the club btw Cat lol) is a perfect example of > how anyone who does not agree with Herr Uncle is a > lefty. > Thanks...I can suddenly feel my hatred of poor people and immigrants leaving me, and replaced with a wonderful feeling of self-righteous moral superiority..... (Before anyone gets wound up..ITS A JOKE!...and ive mocked both right and left stereotypes in equal measure)

uncleglen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > How predictable. I expect most of this BS was cut > and pasted from some lefty rags. > Have you all forgotten we are in the midst of an > unprecedented pandemic which , had China and the > WHO been honest and pragmatic in the first place, > would not have affected the whole WORLD > (remember?- I thought you were all globalists!) > and brought about this political fodder which has > given you all carte blanche to knock Boris, the > ELECTED PM and his ELECTED government. Serioulsy? "How predictable"? From that well known 'lefty rag'...The Spectator. Furthermore, I dont think anyone on this focum would call me (who started this thread) a bleeding heart left winger.... In anycase, I would think both supporters and critics of this government can all agree that some of their decision making has been found wanting (irrespective of whether circumstances or personnel are the reason)...so any efforts to improve it should surely be welcomed... ?

Blah Blah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You are making a very good point TheCat, but the > problem is that when a party is in the control of > a more ideological faction, it becomes difficult > to reign that in. You could argue the same about > the Labour Party under Corbyn of course. There is > a lack of practical realism with these kinds of > leadership. Sad but true i think.

It started off as an interesting take on the specific news of the worst case scenario planning, but it only took a handful of posts for this thread to turn into yet another EDF thread where the usual suspects bang on about how stupid, ignorant and deluded leave voters are/were...with the same tired old tropes and anecdotes..... If at all possible, can we make some sort tp attempt to rise above that a little! The views of most of us on the other side are well documented in these pages already!

Agreed...but can mounting evidence, and a back catalogue of public misteps eventually give even these guys cause for self-reflection....? I share your pessimism - but one wonders how long supposedly smart people can flail around in the dark without reaching for the available light switch...

Give it a rest DR. You're now starting to look quite petty with constant personal snipes.

Nice article in The Spectator yesterday suggesting that Johnson needs a senior head (not from his inner circle) in close promximity to call bullsh!t on some of the more obvious/stupider moves that this government might make... Article uses the example of Thatcher benefiting greatly from the presence of William Whitelaw - who I'm not familiar with myself given I didnt live in this country in the 80's - but was apparently not from her 'stable', but was able to temper her more extreme tendencies.... Given the amount of U-turns and missteps so far this year, this would seem like a hugely sensible move from any self-effacing leader....but on evidence thus far, it seems a the cabal of yes men and churchillian nodding dogs (OOHHH...YESS!) seems to be the preferred path of this leadership.... https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/boris-needs-a-minister-for-banana-skins

https://www.spiked-online.com/2020/08/24/a-revolt-against-road-closures/

I guess the answer very much depends on a few things - namely, the likelihood of that scenario occurring, and the effectiveness of whatever other mitigation measures are being put in place, and the risk tolerance of the people making the decisions. Also....I know the 30 June deadline has obviously now passed for extension of transition period. But I still believe that the UK is contuning to stick to the 'no extension' line as a negotiating tactic which may force a deal from the EU. But if they get to the 11th hour (not sure when that might be) and there really is no deal, they'll find a way to extend....optimistic thinking? Yes probably. A risky tactic if true....definitely. But looking for silver lining, Im pleased to see the govt assessing the worst case and (assuming) discussing what it means and how they can mitigate the worst risks. It would be significantly MORE worrying if they weren't even assessing worst cases at all....

I don't understand your questions here. Amongst a long list of legitimate complaints we can have about govt actions this year. How is assessing a potential worst case scenario a bad thing for them to do? Standard risk management protocol to assess a range of scenarios is it not?

Sephiroth Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Purlease > > Don't sound so surprised. It's at least 80% of > your intention with these threads. I'm partly > surprised I held off this long but here you still > are giggling away at your ripples again I'll respond to you purlease with a comeonnnnn..... Do you have a source for your 80 percent figure? But seriously, neither should you act so surprised on my uniformity of thought comments about this forum. You can call it stirring, but I stand by all my comments on this forum, and I am genuinely interested to understand and know what people who likely disagree with me on those issues have to say in response. I genuinely believe I learn something that way - while also robustly defending my own view (perhaps not on the peak guardian thread, as it's really NOT THAT IMPORTANT..(and I don't k now how's it's got so blown out of proportion)..which is something we can all agree on) > I don't think I'm commenting because we disagree > The Guardian is frequently silly. I think we agree > on that front Great. So feel free to mock the guardian in this thread, which is sort of what it's for. If you want to start a thread titled 'Isn't TheCat a tosser' then we can address the rest of your points on there. > > I'm commenting because I don't see how it passes > the "so what" test. Picking away at silly > newspaper articles seems perfectly legit reason > for a topic - but to pick on the lowest > circulation print publication, one that is most > obviously against the current government (and > against Corbyn era Labour) seems a bit.. > unnecessary? Fish in a barrel? It's not exactly > holding power to account. And I know you say you > comment across a wide range of topics but really - > on the big topics of the day? I dont see much. > Endless government U turns and fiascos and people > dying with a no deal end of transition brexit > months away - and at best you only really try and > tweak the noses of critics of the government. You don't see much? Fair enough, that's your opinion. But it's a matter of fact that Ive started, (and been very active) a thread about racism and the BLM narrative recently, not shy about expressing views that the majority of the crowd didn't like..that seems like sort of a big issue, no? Also been very active on the Brexit threads at different times (as you well know)..also sort of a big issue. U-turns?...I made a comment earlier this week mocking Gavin Williamson and comparing his ineptitude to Chris Grayling...is that not enough of an issue for you? Do you value my opinion so much that I need to start threads on every big issue? In anycase, what I comment on is surely no one's business but my own. Don't like what I say?...then argue against it. If not, don't comment and start your own threads on issues you'd like to discuss....if I have something to say on that issue, I'll say it there....

Sephiroth Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Putting aside the ?uniformity of thought? on this > forum and the ego required to decide you?re the > one to take it on... > > Given The State of Things in August 2020, with an > 80 majority tory govt in ?charge? of said > shitshow, why is it you don?t apply such critical > thinking to the bigger issues Catty? Like > seriously, the ridiculous articles and columnists > the guardian seemingly pump out at will (not to > mention sales) are inconsequential in the bigger > scheme of things > > Whatever ills require fixing in this country, > tackling anything guardian related is merely and > indulgence. Of course it is Sephiroth. As you well know ,I've commented extensively on a broad range of 'bigger' issues...both agreeing an disagreeing with 'the crowd' and low and behold, it seems people only claim I'm a 'troll' when I'm disagreeing....funny that.... In anycase, as I said earlier on the thread, there are all sorts of things covered by threads on this Lounge, and suggesting this one thread should encapsulate my entire thought process on all social and political issues seems a little OTT....Shall we have a go at Spartacus next for starting a thread about boring movie titles? I mean, how pointless in these troubled times in which we live! However, given both you and dr have brought this fairly low profile/seemingly innoffensive thread around to challenging how I conduct myself and suggesting what I should direct my thoughts towards instead.....,I must really get up your collective noses....duly noted...:)

Perhaps the balance I am striving for is against the overwhelming uniformity of thought on this forum from the most active members.... Your behaviour in this thread suggests that I must be the first person ever to mock the Guardian or accuse them of being unbalanced in their own coverage.....I'll give you a little hint...I'm really not...and if suggesting so makes you this irate and verging on personal attacks in your responses, then everything in your life must appear like 'trolling' to you....

Exclusive: Councils reverse street closures after backlash to 'green' scheme The Government's ?250m plan to close roads to cars has increased congestion and hurt businesses, say residents By Izzy Lyons and Dominic Penna 22 August 2020 ? 5:02pm Councils have been forced to perform a humiliating U-turn on Grant Shapps? green roads policy, after residents across the country revolted against the street closures. The Transport Secretary unveiled a ?250 million scheme this summer which gave local authorities extra powers to close roads to cars and expand cycle lanes without running consultations. But ?furious? residents from Brighton to Edinburgh protested against the ?stupid? changes, saying it has led to increased congestion, impacted local businesses, and created problems for emergency service vehicles. The growing backlash has this week led to numerous councils reversing the road closures, including Harrow in north west London, which abandoned proposals for four low-traffic neighbourhoods. One councillor said the plans amounted to ?using a sledgehammer to crack a nut? and that there were fears the lanes would cause ?absolute chaos? when schools reopen in September. Cllr Paul Osborn, the leader of Harrow Conservatives, said the suggestions ?had not been particularly well thought through? and pointed to an online consultation that attracted 1,192 comments from concerned residents. ?There?s no real demand from residents. Lots are, in fact, against the schemes. So they just end up being taken away anyway, and wasting a lot of money in the meantime,? he said. Welwyn high Street Grant Shapps was forced to contact a council in his own constituency to complain that the one-way system and barriers were 'not suited to the old layout of Welwyn' CREDIT: Geoff Pugh Elsewhere, Sheffield City Council confirmed on Thursday that the city?s A61 inner ring-road will return to a two-lane capacity in each direction after a reduced traffic measure was implemented without consultation in July. Cllr Bob Johnson said that it was ?time to end the trial? as the summer holidays came to a close. In Herefordshire, feedback from businesses and the public has led to the council postponing plans to reduce two city centre streets to one lane. In Brighton and Hove, a petition of no confidence in the Green Party-run council - which has been signed by more than 2,700 residents - said proposals for more cycle lanes were ?stupid ideas? that will ?inevitably destroy local businesses and the town in general.? Residents in Edinburgh are ?furious? at plans to expand the number of cycle lanes, according to Liberal Democrat councillor Robert Aldridge. ?People are absolutely livid, I?ve had 400 emails from individuals and there?s been a petition of about 1,500 people,? he said. ?It?s a really quiet neighbourhood and it?s highly unusual for people to be this exercised, but they are furious. They feel patronised and insulted.? People living in the south London suburb of Bromley, which is next to Croydon, this week received a letter from Conservative councillor Colin Smith informing them that he has begun legal proceedings seeking to force Croydon Council to remove various planters and barriers blocking roads. ?I can confirm that Bromley has this week initiated the first tentative legal steps to try and have the barriers removed by order if commonsense isn?t deployed and their street paraphernalia removed swiftly ? as we would clearly far prefer,? he wrote. A Croydon Council spokesman said: ?This temporary scheme, welcomed by many local residents, is already encouraging more walking and cycling for all people in the area, and addressing the issue of reduced capacity on public transport resulting from Covid social distancing measures. ?We are confident in our use of the emergency powers. Feedback is very important to us; we have already made improvements based on local input, and we remain keen to work closely with Bromley to resolve any concerns.? Harrow?s deputy leader Cllr Keith Ferry said: ?Making changes can be scary. However, we need to make sure it is safe and possible for people to travel around the borough - especially as car journeys are now back to pre-Covid levels with more people going back to work.?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/22/exclusive-councils-forced-humiliating-u-turn-grant-shapps-disastrous/

Does the forum collectively think Gavin Williamson's rank incompetence over this whole fiasco actually makes Chris Grayling not the worst cabinet member in recent history? It's a tough ask...but I think he may have done it....

diable rouge Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > TheCat Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > More 'balance' from our friends at the > Graun.... > > Perhaps you should start a thread trolling > Telegraph readers, you know, for balance... Honestly...'trolling'?....get a grip DR..... The Lounge has got threads on anything and everything, from the serious to the downright bizarre....if you have no interest in a topic...or feel that you are being 'trolled' becuase somebody says something you don't like....just don't read it, and certainly don't respond.... I actively read the Guardian to the extent I would classify myself a 'Guardian reader'..am I also trolling myself?.....

snowy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > TheCat Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Of course they're different. Didn't intend to > > start a in-depth discussion on the why's and > > wherefore's of the differences in > > context/polling/constitutions, or my opinions > on > > who's right or wrong to delay elections. > > > > More wryly amusing that the Graun can publish > one > > blanket statement headline with no reference to > > context (they could have use any number of > > healines for the trump article...but that's > what > > they chose)...then contradict themselves within > > weeks in a different context because it suits > > their narrative.... > I can hear the sound of moving goalposts... ...or....you can acknowledge the fact that I posted it in a thread specifically about the Guardian...not a thread about Trump or a thread about Jacinda Arden....

Of course they're different. Didn't intend to start a in-depth discussion on the why's and wherefore's of the differences in context/polling/constitutions, or my opinions on who's right or wrong to delay elections. More wryly amusing that the Graun can publish one blanket statement headline with no reference to context (they could have use any number of healines for the trump article...but that's what they chose)...then contradict themselves within weeks in a different context because it suits their narrative....

More 'balance' from our friends at the Graun.... So, the Guardian on 31 July: ?The Guardian view on delaying elections: it?s what autocrats do.? This was in response to a suggestion from the US President that the elections might need to be delayed on account of Covid. And then on 17 August: ?By delaying the New Zealand election, Jacinda Ardern appears magnanimous and conciliatory.? This was in response to the New Zealand Prime Minister postponing the elections on account of Covid.

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I'd prefer to be howard.