Johns Hopkins Medical Centre - World Coronavirus infection Map by Country.

[Pigmy Pony]

It's really nothing to do with me being a smoker, it's the principle of the government getting involved in areas of life where it has no business to be involved.

Agreed, although I think the government are just cow towing the the will of the nation's vocal majority of softarses. Just because I drive a 'normal' car, and consider the use of 'performance' cars on the roads unnecessary and their drivers to be at best selfish, and at worst the antiChrist, I support their right to drive 'em And believe me, now that the mardys have got their own way on the smoking, the next target will be the internal combustion engine. Oh wait, it already is. So I suppose the fatties will be next.

[Marco]

Hi Jon,

What are your thoughts on the SNP's hate crime bill?
I can't see it doing much for free speech or expression.

I haven't read it, as with not living in Scotland or voting SNP, its contents are unlikely to impact much upon me. However, I'm fundamentally against anything that stifles or prevents (reasonable, non-racist, non-sexist, non-homophobic, etc) free speech.

Therefore, if it's designed to gag people in that way, then I wouldn't support it. However, that would have zero influence on my support for the SNP or NS, in terms of their goals for achieving Scottish independence, which remains as something I would dearly love to see happen in my lifetime

Marco.

[Marco]

Fair enough, although I remember my father having a similar rant when debit cards and PIN numbers came into more common usage and cheques started to fade out

The result was......absolutely nothing bad happened.

Oh Adam, as intelligent a man as you are, such statements also display your naivety... What's bad that happened was of course it acted as a stepping stone/catalyst towards creating the situation we have now! The impending reality of a cashless society, and all that goes with it (potential loss of freedoms), as previously outlined.

This stuff is always done in 'baby steps', in order to test our level of acceptance/tolerance of the 'new normal', with a view towards achieving an end goal, as outlined.

Therefore, as we all willingly embraced the use of debit cards and PIN numbers, and the introduction of increased forms of electronic monetary transactions (Paypal, etc), they've now taken things several steps further, to the situation that currently exists and the imminent extinction of cash...

And it's the same with this 'track & trace' bollocks now: they're testing our tolerance of being surveilled and accountable for our movements, which the majority of the great British public are only too happy to comply with, under the guise that they're helping control the spread of the virus, so we'll see how much further the 'powers that be' take that concept (and the associated technology) in future!

Remember, baby steps - slowly, slowly catchy monkey.....

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

I must say i agree with this - those with real money and power can pay clever minds to move their money round willy nilly to avoid paying taxes, while us lesser mortals have to take it up the arse. There was nothing wrong with cash as far as I can see, except that it made scrutiny more of a ball ache so it had to go

[Marco]

I always welcome cash, so if you're having problems offloading it just send me a PM and I will provide account details

No one pays by cheque any more, which is fine by me as getting to a bank which hasn't closed down to pay it in is a total PITA. And many folk, particularly older people, can't be doing with bank transfers. So I do get a lot of cash payments. Which at least I can dump at any post office.

Ha - good one... I'll gladly empty the contents of my whisky bottle, full of copper coins, onto your carpet - as I'm considerate that way!

Banks closed down? Not here in Wrexham, where pretty much every major bank still has an active, fully staffed high-street presence, including my own, the Nat West

Observe, muchacho: https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=...fi=hd:;si:;mv:

Marco.

[Pigmy Pony]

Ha - good one... I'll gladly empty the contents of my whisky bottle, full of copper coins, onto your carpet


Marco.

Is this a euphemism? If by 'whisky bottle' you mean 'your willy', and by 'copper coins' you mean spunk, I'll pass. Though it might be a good test for Anita's new Vax (and no that's not a euphemism)

[Marco]

Aye, but it'd have to be a magnum bottle... For the girls, it's all about the girth!

Marco.

[InThe Sticks]

Hi Jon,



I haven't read it, as with not living in Scotland or voting SNP, its contents are unlikely to impact much upon me. However, I'm fundamentally against anything that stifles or prevents (reasonable, non-racist, non-sexist, non-homophobic, etc) free speech.

Therefore, if it's designed to gag people in that way, then I wouldn't support it. However, that would have zero influence on my support for the SNP or NS, in terms of their goals for achieving Scottish independence, which remains as something I would dearly love to see happen in my lifetime

Marco.

Wait, so you wouldn’t support something that is (and it will be used to) to suppress free speech and introduced by SNP, but that would have zero influence on your support for the SNP?
Wut?
Oh, and where independence is concerned, please enlighten me as to what currency will the SNP adopt.
They have no central bank, they can’t set interest rates, they’re high risk (highest deficit in europe ) and they can’t print money, so …

I guess theres always the Barnett formula, oh wait! When thats gone, oh fcuk

And please don’t mention Scottish oil, as thats worth less than tap water at the moment.
This is not a dig at you or the SNP, just my thoughts.

[Marco]

Jon, I'm not turning this discussion into a debate about Scottish independence, sorry. We'll keep that for another day. However, I'll answer this:

Wait, so you wouldn’t support something that is (and it will be used to) to suppress free speech and introduced by SNP, but that would have zero influence on your support for the SNP?
Wut?

When you support a club, and believe in what it fundamentally stands for, you don't always have to agree with every decision that the manager makes!

That's my last word on the matter.

Marco.

[Macca]

Just had a quick look at the hate speech thing. Misogyny will be made illegal, interesting, and blasphemy will be legalised. All really worthwhile stuff.

It's being introduced by Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf who can trace his Scots ancestry all the way back to Robert The Bruce.