phil bottle

I haven't got much to add to what I've said already. Strikes are very effective, and that's where you're quite wrong. Just take a look at France. The government decided to make the retirement age higher and the whole country said 'fuck that' and now the retirement age stays the same. I could give you hundreds of examples. Just look at the most successful countries in Europe, they all have the highest rates of union membership, particularly Scandinavian countries. But I'll leave it there, as long-serving forumers will know that as far as I'm concerned how we as a society organise ourselves economically and politically is not fit for purpose and actively creates misery and crime. Also, trying to make a point saying people who blame the government are stupid is not an argument. I don't use Tik Tok but I do have a politics degree👊

The impacts of the strikes The whole point of a strike is that it has an impact, it would be pretty redundant as a tool for leverage otherwise, no? The idea is that if the company is making massive profits and paying its leaders massive salaries it should be sensible and reach an agreement with its employees via the union before any strikes are required. Government hubris and ideology made this impossible because they are dealing with a very well organised union that represents its members very well. Unions taking a lead The Labour party was formed from the union movement to represent the working person's interests. Unions have a function in terms of collective bargaining for their workers, it's a bit of a stretch to expect them to act in any other way. They have their congress and their influence on Labour but that's it. Personally I prefer anarcho-syndicalisnm which is a different type of union, similar to those found in Sweden. What the UK rail employees earn relative to other people The have decent earnings because they have a good union. It doesn't matter what they earn, the industry makes massive profits. Have you checked what the CEOs earn? I don't see you making the case for spreading the profits to the people that do the work. No, let them take the burden and the blame for the economy. That's a cop out our government loves to hear. I find it a weak argument and more of a personal attack to elicit jealousy from the weak minded and selfish. Barristers going on strike I hope the whole country goes on strike because things are fucked up and they are going to get worse, particularly for those at the bottom of the pyramid. We have a lying, corrupt government that feathers it's own nest. Grant Schapps and his multiple alter egos did fuck all for the P&O workers, what happened there? All they want to do is keep changing the law so no-one can do anything. Our rights to protest and demonstrate were recently eroded in law with barely a whimper from any of the free speech brigade. Mick Lynch and how much he earns. Yeah, earning more money than the workforce that employs him I don't personally agree with. There's a lot about the structure of unions I disagree with but here's the thing. So what? What has his wages got to with the strike? Absolutely nothing. It's simply a personal attack which has nothing to do with the strike, and we all know that when people are using personal attacks it's because they don't really have an argument. As a side-note, It's illegal to blacklist people in this country, he was blacklisted from the construction industry for his work as a shop steward and he makes no secret of it. Cash grab / blackmail That's tabloid language right there, the politicians and fat cats love to hear working people speak for them. Did you know that a big chunk of the money the government put into the rail industry during the pandemic ended up in off shore bank accounts? The railway employees worked during the pandemic but they didn't see any of that money. If the nurses don't get fair pay is that the railway workers fault or the government? Essentially it's the government that we have elected that has manufactured this and we should be speaking more about the people in power and holding them to account. Union activity, and there will be more of it, is simply a symptom of a country where too many things are upside down, a country where people in work still have to claim benefits, as they don't get paid enough to live on. Where the rich made a fortune out of the pandemic and the government helped itself and its mates. So, while I could write an essay on my criticisms of unions, it's not them that have created the mess we are in and it's not on them to be responsible for it. I hope some of that makes sense 🤪

Buju is a talented artist no doubt. I do kind of chuckle though when I'm reminded of him as he starting out singing songs about killing batty men before going 'conscious'. Good song 👊

That's aoad of old cobblers James, I'll look at each of your points and reply when I have some free moments 👍

Very true. In this country though it was made illegal for strikers to remain on premises, among a host of curbs brought in, mostly by Thatcher. This country used to have a proud tradition union-wise but she effectively killed them in the 80s. Plus non stop media vilification of unions turned a lot of the country against their own best interests. They called it the 'English disease'. Pure propaganda pitting working against working people while the fat cats at the top rake in the profits.

Never a truer word was spoken😅

Watkins Glen, very enjoyable track. Plus they have added a car collection mechanic to encourage people to buy cars.

Mate, we have a vegan on here, we cover all the bases 🙂 But for bacon sarnies I'd like to think I'd have gone veggie years ago but that would be a lie 😅

A mate of mine still plays a heavily modded 2003 season. Total relationship killer that game 😁

When I say 'due' what I mean is, its now live🙂👍

Update with new track and cars is due, which is always nice.

Ghost of Tsushima is an epic game, deffo worth picking up. I already have most of these games, plus my Xbox gamepass also covers PC games too...so I have no real desire to upgrade.

That's amazing 😁

Incredible😅

Mick has been handing every single media organisation and politician their arses this week. I wonder how they'll retaliate. Not going to talk about the strike, as anyone who's against working class people standing up for themselves is a prick as far as I'm concerned 🙂

Yeah I'm the same, I can manage lamb in a roast with a decent gravy but otherwise I don't like gamey tasting meat.

Started on Commodore 64 although had a few Nintendo Game&Watch single players, of which donkey kong was epic. Missed the NES but picked up a SNES, with my brother owning the Sega Mega Drive. Passed on the Saturn and Dreancast but picked up the PS1, Tomb Raider and Gran Turismo were the first games I had for that. Also had the N64 which still has some of my best gaming memories. Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Ocarina of Time and many more. Next came the Gamecube, for which Resident Evil 4 and Eternal Darkness were my standout titles. PS2 was epic for Black, GTA Vice City and San Andreas. Passed on the PS3 and went with the Xbox 360. My favourite console of all time. I had two standard ones and finished with the slim. MW2 and Black Ops 1, Oblivion, Bioshock 1 and 2, Fallout 3 and New Vegas, GTA4 and more....an almost endless list of great titles. PS4 and Switch aren't retro quite yet, so that'll do 🙂

Chicken shish or chicken gyro. Failing that, I do love a good spare rib...

The new Baldurs Gate plays more similarly to Divinity, slightly more fluid though from what I understand. Plus the system is pretty much D&D 5th edition.

Now the all important punk top 5, although I'm almost swayed by @J4MES OX4D and his epic choices 😅 Conflict - Increase the pressure Cock Sparrer - Shock Troops Cocney Rejects - Greatest Hits Volume 1 (this is how they named their first album😅) Dead Kennedys - Plastic Surgery Disasters Ramones - Rocket to Russia Honourable mentions to Feeding of the 5000 by Crass, the first 3 Clash albums, Never Mind the Bollocks (although Lydon is a narcissistic prick), anything by Blitz, Sham 69, the Business....all who would feature in a top 10....

At the end of the day the state cares more for its corporations than it does for its people, the workers who create everything have been getting shafted since year dot.

Is that what it is? I did wonder...🤨