Drone_Fragger posted:

decided im gonna vote changeuk this election, I mean. someone has to. otherwise they won't stand next election and won't be able to waste their money anymore by losing their deposits :< :< :<

CGI Stardust posted:

please don't be mean. how could you be mean to this face

Miftan posted:

lol don't worry he won't.

Jollity Farm posted:

I will still vote for him though, as the next most likely to get in is the Conservative candidate, and they're probably much worse. I don't want him to get a cabinet position though

RockyB posted:

E: I feel like I need to remind people: If you catch a grey squirrel you are legally obliged to kill it rather than release it.

RockyB posted:

Look at the goddamn state of that, it's essentially the squirrel form of the clown makeup meme.



I've gone on record before in this thread about my Jo; like hatred of grey squirrels (apple scrumping, tree killing, poor wee birdie slaughtering arseholes that they are). But this makes me doubt my faith in a just and loving god.

E: I feel like I need to remind people: If you catch a grey squirrel you are legally obliged to kill it rather than release it.
EE: Fair point

Meridian Rizing posted:

Long time lurker ing for almost the first time.

Went out canvassing around Middlesbrough South for the first time was suprisingly straightforward once I found the group. Was a generally even mix of responses.
Was pretty quick as well was done in just over an hour, if anyone was wondering how long it takes and you can drop in and out as you need to.

It was a good walk gonna do it again tomorrow gonna smash this election grab all the marginals.

Also amazing and worrying thought that so much of my politcal knowledge comes from this forum. Effortposts the best form of agitprop.

Ugh I post so little I forgot I had this garbage avatar. Need to correct that.
<<<

GlyphGryph posted:

Aw man, those squirrels are adorable.

And yeah I think any sort of direct brain trauma is generally considered the most humane way to kill something.

RockyB posted:

Look at the goddamn state of that, it's essentially the squirrel form of the clown makeup meme.



I've gone on record before in this thread about my Jo; like hatred of grey squirrels (apple scrumping, tree killing, poor wee birdie slaughtering arseholes that they are). But this makes me doubt my faith in a just and loving god.

E: I feel like I need to remind people: If you catch a grey squirrel you are legally obliged to kill it rather than release it.
EE: Fair point

quote:

Hugh Grant has said he considered formally entering politics before the general election, but instead decided to campaign for people to vote tactically to prevent a Conservative majority to stop Brexit.

Speaking before he canvassed in Westminster with Chuka Umunna, who is standing there for the Liberal Democrats, the actor said he had decided his best role in the election was “banging the drum for tactical voting”.

Debbie Does Dagon posted:

How many grey squirrels would you have to actually kill before the red squirrels recovered their numbers? Isn't it more realistic to just accept that we have grey squirrels now, and move on

Debbie Does Dagon posted:

How many grey squirrels would you have to actually kill before the red squirrels recovered their numbers? Isn't it more realistic to just accept that we have grey squirrels now, and move on

quote:

According to some animal rights groups the grey squirrel is a victim of circumstance. They say it has been made a scapegoat for regional red squirrel population extinctions and claim that loss of the reds is caused entirely coincidentally by habitat change. They suggest the true facts are being hidden and scientific research being intentionally misinterpreted.

If so, then this conspiracy must extend to British legal provisions and EU directives both listing the grey squirrel as an invader to be controlled, right?

Well, no – put this argument to the test and you’ll see that the facts actually do stack up against the grey squirrel. The reality is that, while the grey squirrel is an important part of North American forest ecosystems, since being brought to Europe by the Victorians in 1876, the animal has had severe ecological and economic impacts on British woodlands.

Acrobatic and entertaining they may be, but the charge sheet against the grey squirrel is based on hundreds of peer-reviewed research papers. There really is no defence for it.

Greys vs red in Europe
Today there are approximately 2.5m grey squirrels in Britain, but less than 140,000 reds. Grey squirrels out-compete native reds for food and space. They also dig up and consume seed that red squirrels have buried as a winter store. This behaviour reduces red squirrel skeletal growth rates and adult size, and greatly depresses juvenile survival rates too.

In addition, greys harbour infections – including squirrel pox, which can devastate red squirrel populations. They elevate local viral and nematode infection rates, and bring in new parasites, such as Strongyloides robustus, which are picked up by red squirrels.

Occasionally a healthy red squirrel is found with squirrel pox antibodies – some researchers have suggested that this is evidence of them evolving resistance to the pox. Unfortunately, 63% of red squirrels dying from pox have also been found to have this antibody response present and there is no evidence that these antibodies confer immunity. Even if they did, research has also shown that antibodies are gone within 18 months and, irrespective of any resistance, red populations would be replaced by grey via competition anyway.

Woodland damage
Grey squirrels also damage and kill forest trees making it impossible for foresters to grow high-grade hardwood. This means such material is imported instead, bringing with it the risk of new tree pests and pathogens.

Tree damage is most frequently seen on the branches and trunks of oak, beech and maple; bark is stripped by squirrels eager to consume the the sap underneath. Tree stems break or die following stripping, which in turn leads to changes in the structure and species composition of high canopy in amenity woodlands.

Even songbirds are affected by grey squirrels. A recent study gave evidence of negative association between woodland songbird fledging rates and presence of grey squirrels – though it must be noted that this was not observed annually and only seen on some of the sites studied. Earlier studies didn’t find evidence to indicate greys affect bird population, but also didn’t exclude the possibility – even for bird species whose population is increasing overall.

Other animals may be affected by greys too: there has been some suggestion that squirrels compete with dormice for hazel nuts, though more research is needed to confirm the true impact.

Controlling greys
The Wildlife Trust has recently started to recruit 5,000 volunteers to monitor and control grey squirrel populations. However, a look beyond the headlines will reveal thousands of people are already legally trapping and shooting greys across the country to control their numbers. Volunteer groups cull 6,000 grey squirrels per year in the north of England, for example. Even in areas where reds are absent, locals control grey squirrels to protect woodlands or prevent damage to property. This is not some dramatic new approach by the Wildlife Trust, but is simply reinforcing an established national movement.

The eradication of greys from the Welsh isle of Anglesey saw red squirrel numbers increase from 40 to 700 and there are other examples of grey control halting or reversing red squirrel decline. Research has also demonstrated that red squirrels do not prefer conifer to broadleaved habitat and are just as happy in either.

Future control may involve giving the squirrels contraception, but will almost certainly not rely solely on this because of logistical barriers. The pine marten may assist in some landscapes too: one Irish study found a strong negative correlation between pine martens and greys in the woodlands studied. However, the use of trapping and shooting will inevitably continue as part of an integrated national approach.

And so the grey squirrel stands guilty as charged. Their presence has decimated the British countryside since they were introduced from North America, and if we do not continue to control the species, the future for red squirrels and woodland ecosystems will be bleak.

CGI Stardust posted:

Tesseraction posted:

Ugh, that reminds me that #TrollingTheGuardian is trending on twitter and it is, despite what I'd hoped, entirely full of nazi cunts making jokes about Diane Abbott and Owen Jones

Xaintrailles posted:

Hi UKMT, I made a "game" - Election Night Bingo 2019

https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/743265

Featuring thread-favourite jokes and a load of tossers to celebrate getting voted out. Hope you have fun playing along on Jezza's Big Day!

I lurk but this thread moves too fast for me so if something's broken or whatever sa.xaintrailles@gmail.com

Gorn Myson posted:

I wouldn't worry about it. Just look at this effort, and then look at the responses.

https://twitter.com/OldRoberts953/status/1201602924922753024?s=20

The right doesn't have a sense of humour. They don't even know how to shitpost.

Gorn Myson posted:

I wouldn't worry about it. Just look at this effort, and then look at the responses.

https://twitter.com/OldRoberts953/status/1201602924922753024?s=20

The right doesn't have a sense of humour. They don't even know how to shitpost.

mila kunis posted:

I don't get it. Why is a photoshop of a column trolling the guardian?

Gorn Myson posted:

The right doesn't have a sense of humour. They don't even know how to shitpost.

quote:

ving more than one pint with his mates. Oh, and in case you haven’t realised by now … he was also devilishly handsome.

But Jack was also angry, frustrated, selfless, stubborn. He was angry because he saw our society failing those most in need. He was frustrated because the political elite have forgotten why it is important to be fair. He was selfless in his dedication to make things right in every second of his life. Jack devoted his energy to the purpose of Learning Together: a pioneering programme to bring students from university and prisons together to share their unique perspectives on justice. Unlike many of us, Jack did not just go to work. He lived and breathed fire in his pursuit of a better world for all humanity, particularly those most in need.

If Jack could comment on his death – and the tragic incident on Friday 29 November – he would be livid. We would see him ticking it over in his mind before a word was uttered between us. Jack would understand the political timing with visceral clarity.

He would be seething at his death, and his life, being used to perpetuate an agenda of hate that he gave his everything fighting against. We should never forget that. What Jack would want from this is for all of us to walk through the door he has booted down, in his black Doc Martens.

That door opens up a world where we do not lock up and throw away the key. Where we do not give indeterminate sentences, or convict people on joint enterprise. Where we do not slash prison budgets, and where we focus on rehabilitation not revenge. Where we do not consistently undermine our public services, the lifeline of our nation. Jack believed in the inherent goodness of humanity, and felt a deep social responsibility to protect that. Through us all, Jack marches on.

Borrow his intelligence, share his drive, feel his passion, burn with his anger, and extinguish hatred with his kindness. Never give up his fight.

To Jack Merritt. Now, and forever.

Braggart posted:

I don't know if this is necessary, but I'd like to say something just in case it is. If he is berating you about these things then that can have a significant effect on your self-esteem and motivation. I speak as someone who was badly, badly hurt by my parents in this way. It's incredibly counter-productive, even if it's just an unspoken sense hanging over your relationship. I don't think it's your fault that you haven't held a consistent job any more than it is mine. You strike me as a creative, passionate person who has developed impressive skills* and is continuing to work hard at doing so. Just because no one is paying you for it doesn't mean that it's not worthwhile. In any case, art is criminally underpaid for all but the lucky few.

I've rambled on before about how I think a person's passions are far more important then whatever mundane bollocks people want them to do for a living. The current economy is spectacularly awful for finding a job that doesn't grind you into dust, and having mental health issues as you have mentioned makes it even harder. Please don't be too hard on yourself. I think you're a very impressive person. Your art is important.

* I was very impressed by your double-decker bus sketch. It was very simple, but it absolutely captured the idea of what a double-decker bus looks like, and your use of perspective was excellent. You have a serious talent, especially for composition. Don't let yourself forget that

Xaintrailles posted:

Hi UKMT, I made a "game" - Election Night Bingo 2019

https://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/743265

Featuring thread-favourite jokes and a load of tossers to celebrate getting voted out. Hope you have fun playing along on Jezza's Big Day!

I lurk but this thread moves too fast for me so if something's broken or whatever sa.xaintrailles@gmail.com

Gorn Myson posted:

I wouldn't worry about it. Just look at this effort, and then look at the responses.

https://twitter.com/OldRoberts953/status/1201602924922753024?s=20

The right doesn't have a sense of humour. They don't even know how to shitpost.

Azza Bamboo posted:

Seeing as I haven't held a consistent job in my life and have spent more of my adult life on benefits than in work and have lived in his house the whole time, I can see how I'm frustrating to him.

XMNN posted:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/dec/02/jack-merritt-london-bridge-attack-dave-merritt

Gorn Myson posted:

The right doesn't have a sense of humour. They don't even know how to shitpost.

Azza Bamboo posted:

I wouldn't say I work hard at art, my linework is incredibly sloppy, but it's good to know that it's left an impression on someone. I don't make a lot of political comics at the moment because I can't predict when inspiration will strike and sometimes I just have nothing.

For some reason inspiration has struck on one of the Fallout 3 LPs so I draw a lot there now.