Yeah, I’ve never heard of it being used to target people with disabilities (although looking it up, I see it can be used that way, TIL) - I’ve only ever thought of it as a judgement on character/behaviour. Like I’d have no issue with anyone describing Trump as a degenerate, because he’s a sick, twisted, vindictive, corrupt prick.

Plus, if you were kneeling down, doing your laundry, a mat would be quite handy 👍

I really must try and see more animé. Other than Akira, I think I’ve only seen Ghost in the Shell (once), a bit of Neon Genesis Evangelion (which I wasn’t in the right head space to stick with for long), and a few Ghibli movies (Spirited Away, Totoro, and one other that I can’t recall).

Far too many to name, so here’s the first 10 that come to mind:

• Ghostbusters
• Star Wars
• Goodfellas
• Aliens
• Clue
• Back to the Future
• Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
• Akira
• His Girl Friday
• Escape to Victory

Ha - well, I think so, anyway. Personal taste of course. I might have loved the show you didn’t, impossible to tell 😁

Oh wow - I’m kind of jealous, even if it was a bad show. I’d love to have seen them in their early days!

R.E.M. (3 times)
Beastie Boys (2 times)
Prodigy (2 times, and going again later this year)
David Byrne (1 time, but seeing him again in July!)
Puressence (2 times)

Ideally doused in salt and vinegar and consumed while walking along a seafront promenade.

Only a few examples of that so far, but I fear there are more coming!

Buying records, and also browsing Discogs adding records to my cart before not actually buying them.

At most they could maybe remove it for Chrome users. But unless Google is going to start editing 3rd party websites, I don’t see how they could remove copy/paste entirely.

More to the point, why would they?

I think this is the exact plot of The Discovery on Netflix. In the film, it leads to a lot of suicide.

This is the one I was going to say - I got it second hand somewhere, on a whim because I had a voucher to spend. Had never even heard of it before, but boy oh boy, what an amazing decision that turned out to be!

I almost picked Pet Sounds myself! Such an incredible album, so much invention and depth ❤️

As far as I know, American planes didn’t even get to take off from any UK bases.

And now they are to be allowed to do that. FFS.

BBC News - UK will allow US to use bases to strike Iranian missile sites, PM says https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqj9g11p1ezo

Ok, but other than just making assumptions, we have no evidence that the UK did even that here.

My main point is that OP seems to think that trying defend troops already stationed in the region (whether they should be there or not) counts as being part of this attack. Which it really doesn’t. As far as I know, American planes didn’t even get to take off from any UK bases.

The UK government/military has done plenty of heinous shit over the years, not least Iraq. I’m not pretending otherwise - but on this one, so far, it doesn’t seem like they’ve really done anything.

They haven’t condemned it either, of course, but from what we know so far, it’s simply factually incorrect to say the UK joined in on this particular attack.

I think defense is part of offense

It certainly can be. But it can also just be defence - if they’re sitting there with Iranian missiles heading at them, it’s hardly surprising or unreasonable for them to try and intercept and prevent.

Those are fair questions - but neither of them make it the case that Britain “joined” this attack.

Rubber Soul - The Beatles
To me this marks a turning point in the Beatles’ output, from fun, rock ‘n’ roll/pop music, to serious artistry, more challenging themes and lyrics and more interesting instrumentation.

Sample track: In My Life

Dubnobasswithmyheadman - Underworld
Hugely important in British dance music, a total departure from their first two albums and the start of a run of classic electronic music. It’s a shame they’re still best known for Born Slippy, because there’s so much more to Underworld than that, and it started here.

Sample track: Dirty Epic

The Velvet Underground and Nico - The Velvet Underground
Famously known as an album that not many people bought, but all of those who did started a band. Hugely influential, full of great songs, some gentle and fragile, others cacophonic and dissonant. A masterpiece.

Sample track: Venus in Furs

How is that joining with what the US and Israel did?

It’s protecting British personnel from any attacks that may come as a response to the US/Israel action.

But the statement explicitly says “The United Kingdom played no role in these strikes.”

Starmer is also catching criticism from the Conservatives and Reform because the UK hasn’t been involved

On the UK 's response to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel told the BBC she found it “absolutely astonishing” Sir Keir had not been more proactive in its support.

And from here

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, wrote on X: “The Prime Minister needs to change his mind on the use of our military bases and back the Americans in this vital fight against Iran!”

Meanwhile Emily Thornberry, a senior Labour MP and often critic of Starmer said:

"I am pleased to see the UK is not involved in these strikes on Iran. They are ill-advised and illegal.

Might make more of a statement to simply remove the US flag and have nothing there.

Replacing it with something else makes it look like you’ve chosen a cause in preference to the USA.

Removing it simply says that you are no longer showing support for the US, with no other message. Also less likely to make you a target.