It's like the General Belgrano all over again.

𝘏𝘦𝘨𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘞𝘦𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘜𝘚 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘯 𝘐𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 "𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴".

bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0e55g…

US sub sinks Iranian warship in Indian Ocean, Hegseth says

Sri Lanka's navy says around 140 people are feared missing after a military vessel went down off its southern coast.

^{Yogita Limaye (BBC News)}

Hey, look, I'm a dumbass, what would I know? But I find it interesting that all the news outlets, and especially the BBC, are ramming it down our throats that while Donald Trump spoke for two hours, TWO HOURS! According to them, he said nothing of value? I even read a BBC fact-checker that debunked much of what he said about fuel prices, etc.

The thing is, I watched a lot of it LIVE, and I watched both sides of the Senate stand and applaud him and not just once either! So that tells this dumbass that a lot of what he said struck a chord with senators across the political spectrum and not just his party faithful.

We need to be careful what the press, TV and social media tell us. Remember, folks, they, too, have their own agenda, and we've seen numerous court cases where it turns out that maybe journalists and editors are not your guardians with your best interests at heart after all.

𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗜 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗣

Mr Speaker. The highest position in the land, before his majesty, the king, is Prime Minister. The holder of that position is entrusted by his majesty to not only serve the people but also to guide and ensure their well-being while shielding them from harm. The office of the Prime Minister carries significant responsibility and power. It is the Prime Minister's responsibility to ensure that the people are represented by honourable and competent individuals. The ultimate responsibility for prestigious appointments rests with the Prime Minister, who is accountable not only to this House but also to the British public. The buck stops here!

Mr Speaker, sadly, I call upon the House to censure the Prime Minister and call for a vote of "No Confidence" to be invoked.

That was jolly nice of Sweeney to take the bullet for Kier Starmer, wasn't it?

Ask yourself, who made the ultimate decision? I think it was the man that has "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲!" on his desk.
politico.eu/article/top-starme…

Top Starmer aide Morgan McSweeney resigns over Peter Mandelson scandal

The British prime minister has been under pressure since revelations about Mandelson’s relationship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

^{Mason Boycott-Owen (POLITICO)}

How on earth can ANY of Epstein's victims gain justice? What, money? Is that the answer? Give people a few quid, and that's justice? Justice is tracking down everyone who participated in or facilitated his activities, and I mean everyone, even those who offered up their friends or other girls to him and his fellow pedos, because that, in my opinion, is the worst betrayal.

It was a mistake to let him die because now he will never suffer, unlike his victims.
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y5dq…

Newspaper headlines: 'Mandelson under fire' and 'Bring justice for Epstein victims'

Lord Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor facing fresh accusations amid latest Epstein files release leads Monday's papers.

^{BBC News}

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀!
Customer sends me a requirement email and yet still phones "for a chat". Mulling over the request, he adds a monitor to his original request. I go ahead and order his stuff, including the monitor. This morning I opened his PO, and there's no monitor. I email him, and he rings:

𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿: "Ah, I wanted to try the monitor we have."
𝗠𝗲: "I know, you said that, but you also said you still needed a monitor."
𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿: "Yeah, I was thinking I might need another PC, so I would need a monitor."
𝗠𝗲: "You never mentioned a PC?"
𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿: "Yeah."
𝗠𝗲: "I've ordered it now."
𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿: "Hmm? OK."

𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗽!

Once or twice, I've told the story of a fairly well-known customer of ours, in which the Director, walking through the factory, stopped at one of the workers' machines and said, "You know about computers, don't you?" The worker responded, "Yeah, I build 'em on the weekend." The director promptly made him head of IT for a multi-million-pound company.

The other day, I mentioned a PA at another big customer was either pushed or jumped. She was the main point of contact for a group of about 15 companies, submitting support tickets to us and approving or resolving any requests for work requiring payment. This morning, there is an email in my inbox introducing the new point of contact and asking for our help and understanding as they take on this new (secondary to their own) role. This person works in the design department. 🤦‍♂️

I see there are still people struggling to understand the Fediverse (Mastodon to all those who don't know the real name).

Unlike 𝕏 or Facebook, where their algorithm spoon-feeds stories that align with your opinions or nudge you towards only those users who are likely to think and say the same as you, on the Fediverse, you are the master of your own destiny and, like real life, will have to find out for yourself if you want to interact or follow anyone here.

Of course, if you only want like-minded users, we have those too, but what a boring day that would be. 🙂

I take it I'm the only one in the UK who is annoyed and a little depressed that #Labour seems able to U-Turn on every announcement they have made since coming to power, and nobody says a word against them. If that had been the Tories, Social Media would have gone into meltdown by down screaming that they were not fit to govern, seeing as they can't see anything through.

A recent aggregated list identifies 13 major U-turns — including reversals on pubs business rates, inheritance tax for farmers, workers’ rights protection, welfare cut rollbacks, winter fuel payments, academy freedom limits and, most recently, making digital IDs optional rather than compulsory for workers.

bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3385z…

Government drops plans for mandatory digital ID to work in UK

There will still be digital checks on those starting a new job, but people will not need to hold a digital ID.

^{Kate Whannel (BBC News)}

Just be careful what you believe! Remember how they misled us over weapons of mass destruction. There are lots of people who would love to see a regime change, not for the good of the Iranian people but for their own agenda. Some would like their throne back, some would like their oil back, some would like to break their friendship with China, and some would like to see the tension between Iran and their country ended.

Given that all the world's media is banned from Iran, it's impossible to verify anything coming out of there.

#JustSaying 🤷‍♂️

bbc.co.uk/news/live/cj691w2e84…

Iran: Trump says he's considering 'very strong options' in Iran as hundreds of protesters killed

The US president says Iran "wants to negotiate", adding: "I think they're tired of being beat up by the United States."

^{BBC News}

I am against ANY form of hunting tbh. Most of us do not need to hunt for food anymore, although I do understand there are still parts of the world where this is necessary. Having said that, I also feel that it's a shame to lose a tradition ingrained in British rural society.

Surely there's a way to train hounds to chase something else? A drone releasing a scent, maybe?
bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy95wx…

New Forest Bloodhounds relieved to escape trail hunting ban

A bloodhounds masters says he is relieved his group would be excluded from plans to tighten the law.

^{Tristan Pascoe (BBC News)}

This is what happens when you try to associate yourself with someone or an event without actually knowing anything about the person or the event.

What an absolute berk Kier Starmer is, but hey, you wanted him, you got him. #LeSigh

bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg5mr0…

Starmer criticised for welcoming return of Egyptian activist

Alaa Abdel Fattah flew to the UK on Friday after a travel ban imposed by Cairo was lifted.

^{Nick Eardley (BBC News)}

@Karen Again, I cannot respond to comments on the thread, so I'm sending this as a direct response.

I stand corrected and apologise. However, that is a grudging apology.
Personally, I think it's morally wrong for an able-bodied person to benefit from something designed to aid a disabled person. I'm happy to concede "Nipping to the shops", but taking a 150-mile trip, surely you'll concede it's taking the P?

See, this is why tantrum blocking is silly; further dialogue is the way to resolve things.

Thanks for correcting me.

@Erin I would love to respond to your comment, but I'm blocked from the thread. I presume you meant me with the "unfulfilled" statement? I've had more than enough fill of people complaining about being caught doing something wrong.

I also don't see why my tax and national insurance payments should be abused. The "Wife" didn't get the mobility allowance. The allowance is not a family award; it is an award to the disabled person. I'm actually stunned that there's no shame in allowing a partner to drive 150 miles in a vehicle funded by the taxpayer. If someone can show me where it says "Anyone in your family may use this vehicle for personal reasons." I will be more than happy to write an apology.

And another tantrum block because the individual is not getting their own way.

Why on earth would you bother replying, only to immediately block the person? Well, obviously, I know why, but it's so childish.

Oh, and by the way. Just because you're disabled doesn't mean you get a 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗝𝗔𝗜𝗟 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 card when you're wrong, or you don't like what's being said. 🤦‍♂️

I used to get annoyed at people who said: "What's the point of voting. It never makes any difference." I would argue that if you didn't vote, you had no right to complain. It would seem that we are witnessing the stealthy, underhanded methods of the 'losers' chipping away at the democratic result of the winners. While I'm fully behind any academic enhancement on offer, there's really no valid reason to rejoin Erasmus. We already have the Turin scheme, which gives students far more scope than Erasmus does. What's really going on here is Europhiles steadily repairing severed ties that on the surface appear almost unimportant but are in fact laying the foundations of a return to the EU. The next time someone tells me voting makes no difference, I'll probably respond: "You may have a point." #Brexit

news.sky.com/story/uk-to-rejoi…

UK to rejoin EU's Erasmus student exchange scheme - reports

The popular programme, which allowed Britons to spend a year studying at European universities as part of their degree without paying extra fees and vice versa for their European counterparts, ended for British students after Brexit on 1 January 2021…

^{Sky News}

𝗜'𝗺 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁?
Every morning, just after 9 am, I get a call.

02046391219
01146972693
01146975128
01135197728
01146972995
01135194292
01135194630

Hysterical! A customer sent this to all their staff.

This is a reminder that 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀. Under no circumstances should anyone let themselves in, even if the door is on the latch. Please wait for a member of the store's team or contact F... or A... for access.

This procedure is in place because stock and items continue to go missing, and we must strictly control the number of people entering the stores.

If you are unsure what item you need, you may enter 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻, who will assist you in locating the correct part.

Please also note that 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 are permitted to sign out items from the Electrical Shelf.

The following individuals are the designated staff members authorised to access the stores:

It then lists sixteen people who don't need a chaperone and can therefore be trusted.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁?

Because the question is, were we misled so that the voting public accepted higher taxes (Something Labour said they wouldn't do.) and VAT increases to reduce this potentially now mythical black hole or at the very least a black hole that's not as bad as we were first led to believe.

bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cewjkv…

Chris Mason: Why, in my judgement, Reeves was misleading on one specific point

The Chancellor chose not to share some information on tax receipts in an unusual press conference, given before the Budget.

^{Chris Mason (BBC News)}

𝙄 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙩?

So the other day, a customer refused to pay after we set up a new user on a laptop because he'd already paid a few months earlier for it to be set up for someone else, who, unfortunately, died.

Another customer's hard drive has failed. I asked them to drop it off, but he refused, saying he just wanted a price before deciding. I pointed out that I didn't (at that point) know the drive's size, so it was impossible to quote. He sent me a picture. Luckily, the image shows it's a 2TB SSD. I give him a price to replace said drive, and he says, "I'll get another refurb off you instead." The thing is, he'll still needs to buy a 2TB SSD! 🤯

I'm so confused. How the hell do some people's minds work?