YoungWillz

I should maybe add that the key point in that doorstepping I got was when I asked the jobcentre lass the following: "Would you work 70 hours a week for one pound an hour, including weekends?" There are thousands of stories in the UK. Mine and Rover's stories are merely two of them. (To misquote some television series I can't bring to mind at this hour!).

Not sure I mentioned it before but anyway. As some of you know, my late brother was severely head injured by a drunk driver in Spain. Usual - years and years spent fundraising, hospital care, my parents decided to care for him at home and fought for an extension to the house. He was incapable of walking, speaking or feeding himself. Anyhow, cut to years later, mother on carers' allowance (which got cut down the minute she received she received her miserly NHS pension) and disability allowance, they brought in PIP (this turned out to be in my brother's last year of life). They did three assessments for a man in a hospital bed with no function. Three. Think on that. We finally got notification of his eligibility shortly after he had already died - some 9 months after the assessments. Then for some reason, they insisted on repayment of some of the benefits he had already received. Cut back to a couple of years earlier, my mother died so I gave up my very well paid job and moved home to receive 70 quid a week carers' allowance. We did have help from the Local Authority, but I was still doing around 70 hours a week feeding and observation - one pound sterling an hour remuneration. So I well recall the day there was a knock at the door and lo and behold there was a representative from the local jobcentre. Who asked if there was any way I could take up a wee job. After explaining the situation and the measly amount I was receiving, she still pressed the matter, saying that they could look into respite care. So I asked what kind of respite I would be getting if I was being sent out to work during that time. I wasn't visited again. This is the pressure that many people on benefits already get. In many cases it isn't a lifestyle choice, it is a real public service that some of us do to actually save the NHS from crumbling into the sea and we are rewarded with all the shit Sunak & Co (and his predecessors) can dole out. The tax system in contrast is full of loopholes and exemptions, etched to suit the Government of the day and their cronies. And nobody talks about it.

Motsoko Pheko now being deaded: https://www.ewn.co.za/2024/04/20/former-pac-leader-and-anti-apartheid-lawyer-motsoko-pheko-dies

Oh you have some countries where it ends up being the next birthday anniversary. Fairly common, we are the strange ones imo. He was in his 94th year so that's not my problem with it really.

Kikue Taira reportedly dead: https://longeviquest.com/2024/04/kikue-taira-younger-sister-of-the-worlds-oldest-ever-pair-of-siblings-dies-at-113/ Centenarians DP pick @chilean way

Motsoko Pheko being reported dead, but aged 94? Hmm, odd, I'd have expected a proper news report by now so needing confirmation.

Seems to have posted on the XMusk within the last hour.

Death notice for Gordon Watts, BBC producer and editor probably best known for The Russell Harty Show and in particular That's Life: https://vancouversunandprovince.remembering.ca/obituary/gordon-watts-1089496963 Someone should let Esther Rantzen know...

Y'all discussed this in June 2023 on the Detective thread. Probably inconsequentially there as well.

Astonished he wasn't picked for the DDP this year.

And I did so.

I am sure I posted Lilias Walker's death. Bruce Bould off the radar is a surprise.

Well, well, well - dropped from your 2022 team. Not picked this year so List of the Missed.

I think in the great scheme of things, the UK couldn't bat off an attack on our own soil today. There's a reason why we don't send jets out to fight in other conflicts around the world, no matter the possibility of advantage to the other superpowers. It's naive and unrealistic to suggest we could fight those powers alone. I care naught here for the US and their participation, that's their issue. Netanyahu has got Israel into this mess. He won't stop here. Our support of him and his regime could likely draw us into a wider conflict in the region. What's the problem with remaining neutral? Israel has been around for too long not to be able to fight its own battles. If it cannot fight those battles alone, then it should concentrate on defence, not attack other sovereign states' soil. I've said before I have no issue with the existence of Israel. However, its current leaders have chosen a bellicose course which is their decision. We shall agree to disagree on this, I personally see no problem with us leaving it to the US, and staying out while we shore up our woeful defences.

Your coked up friend has a machine gun. However, he insists on grabbing you and throwing you in front of him, while he shoots the innocent passers-by behind him (including your friends who were handing out burgers to the homeless), claiming they are all out to get him. As I said before, the actual withdrawal of support or the threat thereof might do the trick. If not, let their wonderful Iron Dome protect them. What the hell are we doing failing to provide air cover to defend Ukraine, but sending our aircraft into battle in Israel?

Crandell Addington reportedly dead: https://www.casino.org/news/poker-legend-crandell-addington-dies-age-85/ List of the Missed @Death Impends, seemingly last picked in 2015: https://www.derbydeadpool.co.uk/deadpool2015/celebs_A.html#addinc

Rodney Gould, TT motorcyclist and Grand Prix rider, later Yamaha's European racing manager, reportedly dead:

Well, you are kind of agreeing with me if I'm reading that right. Netanyahu will not care a jot what the UK says. Sunak should realise that, and concentrate on building up our own defence forces so easily and smugly dismissed for years under this Government. Remember what we were told? We didn't need conventional forces, all new threats would be cyber, yada yada. Our enemies will be gloating at the draining of money and weaponry in proxy wars we need not be part of, although I agree with our involvement in Ukraine. This leaves us, an already weakened force both diplomatically and in arms, exposed, no matter how many expensive and non-usable nuclear weaponry we hold. We should concentrate on aid in Gaza alone imo. Netanyahu will not stop at Lebanon, Syria and Iran. He's lost it and there's no talking sense into him or his group of fanatics. Israel should be able to fight the missiles and drones itself. If it cannot, then the withdrawal of support at least from the UK, might have an effect. If Netanyahu wants to turn his country to dust, that's his issue, not ours.

Stan Lane, brother of the late Ronnie Lane of The Small Faces, reportedly dead: Early recordings of The Outcasts (the predecessor band) were discovered in Stan's barn a number of years ago.

Sunak giving a speech on welfare. (Quelle surprise, those dirty benefits recipients). He has, give him his due, outlined the complete failure of this Government to tackle underlying issues of people ending up on benefits. Let me give him a clue or two. Many people who are working are still on benefits. And using food banks. The rights of workers have been stripped away. Employers are struggling with the downturn in growth and Brexit consequences. People are unable to access GP appointments and healthcare quickly. The lack of investment in mental health support has caused issues. Your sanctions regime caused the death of hundreds. There hasn't been job security in this country since the mid-1980s. Childcare support is already out of reach or unavailable to many. He has the audacity to talk about benefit fraud being treated like tax fraud. Maybe if tax fraud was cracked down upon like benefit fraud already is, things would be different. The man is so out of touch with how people are actually struggling to get by day to day under this pathetic bunch of multi-millionaires.

If Sven-Goran and His Majesty could drop at the same time, we could just do the double state funeral. In Liverpool.

Her book has broken Cabinet Office Rules. She might not make it to the election.

Peter Murrell charged with embezzlement. https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/scottish-news/24263653.peter-murrell-charged-connection-embezzlement-snp-funds/ What a lovely bunch.

To lose one wife may be a misfortune, to lose two may be regarded as carelessness. Second wife Julia dead: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/hans-rausing-wife-death-tetra-pak-cancer-b2531008.html

Raman Subba Row bowled for 92: https://www.kiaoval.com/raman-subba-row-obituary/ Edit: DDP pick. Had to look under S!