This is totally NSFW, if you’re a dragonfly. It may also cause depression among male viewers. If you’re absolutely sure you can handle XXX-rated dragonfly action, then click on the pleasant picture below to peek through the leafy window and into the dragonfly boudoir.
(Pics taken this afternoon in the botanical gardens of Victoria Park, Bath, with a Fuji Finepix F70 EXR compact digital camera.)
We're almost done with the politics stuff, viewers. Normal WoSblog service will be resumed shortly, but first I thought I might as well share with you an email I received this morning.
Back on Monday, when uncertainty still ruled as to who'd be forming the next government, the website 38 Degrees invited its users to send emergency emails to Labour MPs, urging them not to block any potential "progressive alliance" by vowing to vote against electoral reform, as many threatened to.
The momentum behind a Lib-Lab coalition seems at the time of writing to be slipping away, as one braindead Labour MP or grandee after another comes out to argue against it in front of an eager media. If Labour's 1983 election manifesto was the longest suicide note in history, today's collected BBC News interviews could be among the shortest.
Because here's what happens if Labour retards like David Blunkett, John Reid, Tom Harris and Wee Dougie Alexander scupper this agreement.
1. That the Tories hadn’t offered the Lib Dems anything on electoral reform. The sudden, desperate and resentful least-possible offer of a referendum on the absolutely useless AV (which does almost nothing for the Lib Dems) was a panic reaction to Brown’s game-changing resignation.
At least, it’s statistically probable that you do. The majority – 53% – of votes cast by the British electorate last Thursday were worthless, because they were cast for candidates who didn’t win, and are therefore simply thrown in the bin by the First Past The Post electoral system.
So if you were one of the thousands of people locked out of polling stations across the country on Thursday night, don’t fret too much. Your vote would probably have been completely ignored anyway.
Because the aim was a hung parliament, and we got just about the hung-est parliament possible. The Tories need the Lib Dems to form a majority, Labour needs nearly everyone to form a majority, and the smallest parties could yet have the crucial say. Wow, that's hung. But what now?
I haven't been to bed yet. I may be cranky. But with over 90% of results in, it's not really possible to draw any conclusions from last night's election other than (a) almost everyone in Britain is a pathetic, brainless cretin, and (b) everything about our "democracy" is a sick black joke at our expense.
With just two days until an election that could mark either one of the greatest days in British political history or one of the blackest, we're all a bit nervous about the future. But one thing that's great for easing tension is free cash, and that's what appears to be on offer from Stan James this week.
The terrifying image above is Ladbrokes' predicted map of the UK come Friday morning. (You can find much more detail on it here.) It makes a few questionable assertions and contradicts itself in a number of places (eg Glasgow East), but where's the money?
So the debates are over. We've heard at great length from three right-wing politicians, offering us three slightly different flavours of right-wing policies. No alternative voices were permitted.
And the really troubling thing about this election is that that means NOBODY is speaking for the majority of the British population. It almost certainly means that nobody is speaking for you. Which, you might think, is a pretty odd way to be running a supposed democracy.
Dan on Off-topic: “Hi Folks, Had a catch-up call earlier with BrianDtt and let him know you were asking after him and sending…” Dec 31, 16:35
James on The Curious Fringes: “Take the hint, Unionist fuckwit.” Dec 31, 16:29
James on The Curious Fringes: “Ok then; “Unionist Prick Troll”. Happy Hogmanay to all when it comes. With the obvious exceptions.” Dec 31, 16:26
Andy Ellis on The Curious Fringes: “@Hatey 3.08 pm Aye, Alf, and as the poll in the next article shows, a solid 3.6% of Scots believe…” Dec 31, 15:37
Hatey McHateface on The Fear Of The Briar: “C’moan Confused. Still 9 hours to go. Save some for the bells.” Dec 31, 15:19
Hatey McHateface on The Curious Fringes: “Aye, Alf, and as the poll in the next article shows, a solid 3.6% of Scots believe we will be…” Dec 31, 15:08
Confused on The Fear Of The Briar: “reform smashing it in these northern constituencies www.youtube.com/shorts/IG7XTz8INtA Has OberGrueppenFuehrer Nigel von Farage made any statement about the Bondo-Caust? -…” Dec 31, 15:00
Hatey McHateface on The Fear Of The Briar: ““Reform are the protest vote against the incumbents” True, but far more importantly, that makes Reform the last throw of…” Dec 31, 14:59
Hatey McHateface on The Curious Fringes: “Your memory is playing you false, James. It’s: “Feck”. “Arse”. “Drink”. “Gurls”. You see, if Father Jack had been uncontrollably…” Dec 31, 14:44
Chris Downie on The Fear Of The Briar: “Another very good article and one which is on point, but I think there is at least one more twist…” Dec 31, 14:41
Hatey McHateface on The Curious Fringes: “Leaving 50% as … mince? Let’s hope so. The alternatives are even worse.” Dec 31, 14:38
Hatey McHateface on The Curious Fringes: “The “BTL” (appears 4 times) refers to Below The Line. Hopefully all is now clear.” Dec 31, 14:35
Alf Baird on The Curious Fringes: “Aye, Scots hiv come a lang wey in the lest few year tae better unnerstaund oor doun-hauden colonial condeetion. An…” Dec 31, 14:30
Aidan on The Fear Of The Briar: “It’s possible the conservatives offer better terms, but equally I can see a world where they see being a junior…” Dec 31, 14:29
Towbar Sullivan on The Fear Of The Briar: “There is nothing to stop the SNP standing for election in England. In fact, I myself am considering standing as…” Dec 31, 14:23
Rob on The Fear Of The Briar: “As usual most folk are missing the point, and the reasons why reform seem to be doing so well and…” Dec 31, 14:22
Alf Baird on The Fear Of The Briar: “Also on the plus side, Reform are the only major party opposed to damaging and oppressive woke policies such as…” Dec 31, 14:17
Rev. Stuart Campbell on The Curious Fringes: “I don’t see any chains holding you down, Hatey. A solid 50% of the beef in these comments seems to…” Dec 31, 13:54
James Cheyne on The Fear Of The Briar: “A curious side question but still related to voting, Can the Snp stand Candidates for election south of the border,…” Dec 31, 13:50
100%Yes on The Fear Of The Briar: “If I had been one of these Westminster MP’s who lost their jobs last year. I certainly wouldn’t be happy…” Dec 31, 13:46
Captain Caveman on The Fear Of The Briar: “Hard to imagine any scenario where the Tories wouldn’t offer the same level of assistance for far less onerous terms,…” Dec 31, 13:40
sarah on The Fear Of The Briar: ““The independence movement needs someone to get behind..”. We need the activists of 2014 embodied as the necessary parliamentary mechanism.…” Dec 31, 13:38
Aidan on The Fear Of The Briar: “@RevStu I was pretty skeptical about your suggestion to make an offer of an independence referendum on terms where the…” Dec 31, 13:24
Mark Beggan on The Fear Of The Briar: “When it comes to Scottish independence I’m drawn to the old Indian story about ten men and an elephant. Another…” Dec 31, 13:03
Cynicus on The Fear Of The Briar: “David Beveridge says: 31 December, 2025 at 11:51 am “Hard to believe that once upon a time the SNP were…” Dec 31, 12:25
Morgatron on The Fear Of The Briar: “I read the headline this morning and thought the very same thing, but less eloquently than you Stu. The independance…” Dec 31, 12:21
Cynicus on The Curious Fringes: “Hatey McHateface says: 31 December, 2025 at 8:40 am “The Scots on the outside looked from WGD BTL to WOS…” Dec 31, 12:03
Heather McLean on The Fear Of The Briar: ““ But while the motivation of those in the independence industry – who need it to never happen in order…” Dec 31, 12:02
David Beveridge on The Fear Of The Briar: “Hard to believe that once upon a time the SNP were a means to an end and it was just…” Dec 31, 11:51
