Quote from: Scrumpy on December 01, 2025, 12:27:30 PMSaw a dead Father Christmas laying face down in a garden today..
  Not an ambulance in sight...

The one on the bay window in my pic looked like he'd been on the mince pies and Baileys a few days before that one was taken but he seems to have sobered up OK.

Spot on. It's the huge benefits bill and no government's willingness to tackle it that taxes have gone through the roof. People got the taste of not having to go to work during lockdown. I would certainly have problems finding the time for such nonsense now. 

The reason the right to bear arms is written into their constitution is to enable them is, should it become necessary, to enable the  citizens to defend themselves against a corrupt government. Doesn't seem to work too well at that either though...

Quote from: Alex on December 01, 2025, 11:47:45 AMHope your trip to the sea went ok Raven 
Lots of Christmas deccies up here too, people seem to put them up earlier each year.   

It was great thanks Alex, was only away for a couple of hours but it breathed new life into me.

They have a reindeer on the roof
With a big red nose , and galloping hooves
Too garish for me
But for children much glee

Saw a dead Father Christmas laying face down in a garden today..
  Not an ambulance in sight...

Not sure if this has spread to the UK, although London has had its share and has renamed one as a Winter Market.

Brussels :  https://x.com/i/status/1994838105128669415

Vienna: https://x.com/i/status/1995381781089116585

Quote from: klondike on December 01, 2025, 10:57:30 AMYou do realise that is entertainment and not a documentary I suppose? They'll pick "cases" that wind people up.

I am fully aware that it is for entertainment only..
I am also aware that there are many cases that involve (cheating) the system..

The truth is.. there are MANY people claiming benefits when they obviously do not need it..

The right to bear arms has been there ever since the Wild West.  Because it has been a right for so very long, no-one seems to consider banning it now, and I have read articles which state that most Americans now possess firearms of some sort.
If the country is concerned about attacks by a foreign country, perhaps I could see some common sense in it, but the Yanks have large and efficient armed forces.  I believe that their police are all armed as well, and assuming that they are sufficient in number and readily available, I can see no real need for people to arm themselves.  The only possible exceptions might be some who live in the middle of nowhere and never see any police from day to day.
Come to think of it, that's rather like Britain today!