VILLAMARV

I do. Potentially spurious anecdotal evidence warning for sure, but I don't know any Tory voters who won't agree with him or stand up for him saying it. Partly through the ingrained tribalism, but mostly because they share the fear and hatred of the transgender community. I'm obviously of a mind to abhore labels like 'typical tory voter' because they are ultimately changeable and undefinable, but if my limited cross section of the elderly and white van man in the building trade isn't an example of their core base then I'd be interested in finding out who is.

I love moments like this when we get to peek behind the curtain. Perhaps it's not so much that the politicians have forgotten to pretend to not mock the proles, just that we're seeing unfiltered how much they really care.

I think he's referencing Starmer saying 99.9% of women don't have a penis.

Acquaintance of mine - friend of a friend who gave us some boxing training pointers a while ago - is fighting this weekend in Brentwood. I think I've mentioned him in here before when I went to see him in the amateurs. He made his pro debut last year in Cardiff (a 4 round pts draw) and is stepping down from Heavyweight to fight at Cruiserweight this weekend. Opponent is 4-0-0 to his 0-0-1, with a pts win against the same oponent Tobie drew against on his record. Some of you may have read about him in the papers a couple of years ago when he decided to chane his sedantry lifestyle. I think he was on a C4 programme too as well as his transformative story being in the press and he's amassed a fairly sizeable social media following. Here's a then and now. He is such a genuine guy. I wish him well. His story is truly inspiring. He's acheived his goal of becoming a pro boxer within 3 years. A walking, talking monument to determination and hard work. He's a pretty humble guy. I hope the next time I see him I can still remind him he's an unbeaten pro as I did when he was downplaying his draw on debut. So 6 rounds at Cruiserweight on Saturday and the other guy has 2tko's in his 4-0-0. although a points win against the same opponent Tobie's draw was against last time out. Either way it looks a tough matchup on paper. Someone I know suggested it might be streamed or televised in some way but I haven't found out where or if that's true yet but if anyone knows a heads up would be appreciated. Anyway fanboy moment over.

Obviously, I'd like to think predictably, I'm opening with it's just Likert Scale ambiguous nonsense drivel. Also, just as predictably I'm one of the first against the wall down the bottom left there Economic Left/Right: -8.38 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -8.46 I don't know how to react to the poll questions if I'm honest. It was a bit like an election where none of the options really float my boat (of any size). Left wing and Right wing are from the same bird and all that.

Guitar wise I'd probably claim Tom Morello, Clapton, Gilmour, Knopfler, Nuno Bettencourt and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

I did the same and my septuagenarian mum had them off us and tries them out when she fancies something different

I used to do a similar thing when I lived in Cardiff. Only for a few days a week and the thought was to wean us off of having takeaways when it was really just we couldn't be arsed with deciding what to have and make it. Having a few meals a week that are ready in 20-30mins and pretty easy to do meant we'd be eating before we'd have decided on where and what and phoned the order in. More expensive than bulk buying at a supermarket but cheaper than the curry house etc. and loads healthier. The other unintended upside was making a few dishes using techniques or recipes not in my repetoir so it was stealth learning stuff too.

On the car parking thing (which is obviously emotive and it's not as a counterpoint to anyone's anecdotal stories), it just reminded me of a rather memorable moment from my now deceased friend's existance from a few years ago in our small town. So fairly well known as a mechanic and it's obviously a small pond here in rural Wales but everyone knew at the time this young man was able bodied. He was once seen using a disabled parking badge and quickly he was receiving dogs abuse from someone in the street for parking on a double yellow and using a disabled badge. Before he got the chance to reply much his new girlfriend appeared from the shops with her lovely daughter, who happened to have down syndrome, in tow and started to get in the car. Someone learned a humbling lesson that day about not jumping to conclusions or acting on false assumptions.

Currently reading Why I Write by George Orwell - a collection (4) of short essays. Currently on the second one The Lion and the Unicorn, written in 1940 with the obvious backdrop of the second world war. Fascinating and I don't know why I haven't read any Orwell before last year (or the year before I can't remember when I finally got round to reading 1984). I suppose the quote on the cover sums it up well

great timing for sunday afternoon whimsy @rjw63

Way to go Ruge. If we're proud of you your family must be even more so.

Not that it bothers me either way, but the little plus sign in a box to the left of the quote button @TRO, hit it on each quote you want to quote and it will put them all in one reply and you should be able to comment in between each one. Just for the record. Carry on.

The research by Cardiff Uni into bias (which has been quoted numerous times in this thread) in the BBC suggested it's quantifiable and not at all bad actors cherrypicking quotes from here and there to misrepresent what's really happening. In fact it also suggested that that is exactly what the BBC are guilty of when they start quoting 'balance' as a defense, sorry not defense, misdirection, when their coverage is questioned.

Solid 3rd for me behind TNG and Voyager, but it's massively underrated really despite the flaws. Garak, Gul Dukat, Quark and Martok are particularly great characters.

Massive chance for him.

If he's got the ball retention Dendonker lacks Emery might fancy a project. Unless it goes horribly wrong it can only increase his profile/sell on potential. Archer netted us £20m odd with a handful of appearances. If him and/or Bogarde can make the step up it would save us a lot of pennies.

Worf and the Defiant rocking up makes it loads more hardcore than the first few series. And there's so much of the universe in there - Cardassians, Ferengis, Bajorans, Dominion, Jem Hadar etc But it's one of the series MrsVM has no interest in or connection to. The doctors all over the place as a character, O'brien keeps getting the family written in and out, Klingons at war and then back in the fold, Jake is a weak character. Odo and the changelings just drags on and on. I kinda get why people don't love it.

It's the national sport this side of the magic line that's for sure. Public school boys like Eddie Butler and Alun Wyn Jones still exist of course they do. Llandovery, Monmouth and Christ College Brecon churn out some players, but it's mostly just a bunch of farmers kids and people from all the shitholes in the valleys comprehensive schools n that still playing rugby for Wales.

Been re-watching DS9. It's just absolutely all over the place really isn't it. Up to series 6.

bring me the horizon. Bit screamo-ey for me maybe but the teenage nephew actually is into a band. What's the VT lowdown?

She must have starred in that high budget 90's character film Pirates then.

When I went to see him in the Glee club in Cardiff a few years ago I got put directly under a speaker which was so loud I had ringing in my ears for 2 days afterwards. I considered leaving but as Id not bought earplugs I sat and watched him with my fingers in my ears. I know he saw me. I often wonder what he made of it.