Seemingly trivial things that intrigue you

Longshot

rolf_f said:

Is the formation of the universe really a trivial thing to be intrigued by? I dunno, the standard of this forum is slipping badly.....

Anyway, Priti Patel; does she have any known positive personality traits or is she awful in every respect? This intrigues me. I'd like to think that behind that truly terrible, hate filled, vindictive façade there is some long buried scrap of charm and decency just trying to get out.

I heard she had it surgically removed and incinerated.

elbowloh

One of my in-laws works at a fairly senior level at the Home Office. She is currently off work with stress, a lot of it down to workplace bullying.

Now, i'm not saying that PP is directly responsible, but I gather that under her "leadership" a culture of bullying, blame and fear seems to have been established.

She does seem to be a bit of a Datsun Cherry - no redeeming features.

ballysmate

elbowloh said:

One of my in-laws works at a fairly senior level at the Home Office. She is currently off work with stress, a lot of it down to workplace bullying.

Now, i'm not saying that PP is directly responsible, but I gather that under her "leadership" a culture of bullying, blame and fear seems to have been established.

She does seem to be a bit of a Datsun Cherry - no redeeming features.

Not true. Lefties hate her.

elbowloh

ballysmate said:

elbowloh said:

One of my in-laws works at a fairly senior level at the Home Office. She is currently off work with stress, a lot of it down to workplace bullying.

Now, i'm not saying that PP is directly responsible, but I gather that under her "leadership" a culture of bullying, blame and fear seems to have been established.

She does seem to be a bit of a Datsun Cherry - no redeeming features.

Not true. Lefties hate her.

I suspect there are a few in her own party who hate her too.

rick_chasey

Always worth reminding people how MPs lost their previous roles.

ballysmate

rick_chasey said:

Always worth reminding people how MPs lost their previous roles.

You not gonna suggest that any criticism of her is tinged with/based on racism?

elbowloh

rick_chasey said:

Always worth reminding people how MPs lost their previous roles.

Case in Point - Grant Shapps.

How the fudge is that guy in Government / an MP.

He is another proven liar. Lied about having a second income, Lied about running a separate business. Lied about having a second identify. Lied about running said business under that pseudonym.

Lied about the above repeatedly.

Don;t know why i'm picking on Shapps, could just as easily talked about BoJo.

rick_chasey

ballysmate said:

rick_chasey said:

Always worth reminding people how MPs lost their previous roles.

You not gonna suggest that any criticism of her is tinged with/based on racism?

Got any examples of any criticism that is aligned with tropes associated with racism?

I haven't seen any but I don't read as much news as I used to.

TheBigBean

rick_chasey said:

ballysmate said:

rick_chasey said:

Always worth reminding people how MPs lost their previous roles.

You not gonna suggest that any criticism of her is tinged with/based on racism?

Got any examples of any criticism that is aligned with tropes associated with racism?

I haven't seen any but I don't read as much news as I used to.

The Guardian keeps going on about how her parents would have been affected by the immigration policy. Sajid Javid's parents too. It's pretty poor journalism, but also racist depending on your point of view. Plus, her parents would have been refugees any way.

ballysmate

I don't see or assume any criticism to be racist based.
I do recall however, that when the most gaffe prone polician of our times, Ms Abbott was receiving criticism, you suggested it was partly due to racism.

rick_chasey

ballysmate said:

I don't see or assume any criticism to be racist based.
I do recall however, that when the most gaffe prone polician of our times, Ms Abbott was receiving criticism, you suggested it was partly due to racism.

Yeah i've got to be honest, I've not seen Patel appear in far-right type memes that you see Abbott or Lammy appear in but YMMV. I tend to avoid those things.

Big Bean - I guess it depends how factual the reporting is, but if it's not, I see your point.

I don't think the whole "smirking bully who plays by her own rules" vibe which is being reported on is in line with racist tropes but feel free to prove me otherwise.

TheBigBean

rick_chasey said:

I don't think the whole "smirking bully who plays by her own rules" vibe which is being reported on is in line with racist tropes but feel free to prove me otherwise.

The Guardian has also accused her of having a perma-smirk which I think is a bit much. They wouldn't go with any other form of body shaming, and her face is not exactly her choice. The moral of all this is just how dire the Guardian is.

elbowloh

ballysmate said:

I don't see or assume any criticism to be racist based.
I do recall however, that when the most gaffe prone polician of our times, Ms Abbott was receiving criticism, you suggested it was partly due to racism.

More than Boris stuck on a zip wire garden bridge rugby tackle a japanese kid Johnson himself?

Or when it comes to actual major feck-ups, Chris Grayling?

At least Diane's gaffs are in opposition where she can do no real harm!

rick_chasey

TheBigBean said:

rick_chasey said:

I don't think the whole "smirking bully who plays by her own rules" vibe which is being reported on is in line with racist tropes but feel free to prove me otherwise.

The Guardian has also accused her of having a perma-smirk which I think is a bit much. They wouldn't go with any other form of body shaming, and her face is not exactly her choice. The moral of all this is just how dire the Guardian is.

She pretty much does have a perma-smirk doesn't she? It's an awkward tic for a politician but I genuinely haven't seen an interview or photo where she isn't smirking.

I've stopped reading the guardian so can't comment on that.

rjsterry

TBB, a smirk is a facial expression. A form of non-verbal communication. Trying to frame the phrase "perma-smirk" - a comment that has also been applied to Johnson in the Standard https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/feeble-exchange-united-the-country-in-disdain-for-its-wouldbe-leaders-a4291856.html - as some form of body-shaming really is clutching at straws.

rick_chasey

Also has a super annoying habit of referring to terrorism as "counterterrorism" which makes no sense and she does it OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NL-zN63BBQ

TheBigBean

rjsterry said:

TBB, a smirk is a facial expression. A form of non-verbal communication. Trying to frame the phrase "perm-smirk" as some form of body-shaming really is clutching at straws.

It's hardly deliberate is it? It's what her face looks like when she is not smiling. I believe it is known as a resting [female dog] face by some.

It's all a bit like BoJo - there is so much material that could be used to criticise her, why the need for cheap shots and questions about her parents?

rick_chasey

TheBigBean said:

rjsterry said:

TBB, a smirk is a facial expression. A form of non-verbal communication. Trying to frame the phrase "perm-smirk" as some form of body-shaming really is clutching at straws.

It's hardly deliberate is it? It's what her face looks like when she is not smiling. I believe it is known as a resting [female dog] face by some.

It's all a bit like BoJo - there is so much material that could be used to criticise her, why the need for cheap shots and questions about her parents?

"pulling the ladder up" is a well known phenomenon and is fairly hypocritical - presumably that's the angle they're going at, no?

And the smirks are awkward when she's saying things that are fairly serious, which you typically have to do as home secretary.

rick_chasey

For example: https://www.politico.eu/article/immigrants-who-voted-for-brexit-luton-migration/

TheBigBean

rick_chasey said:

TheBigBean said:

rjsterry said:

TBB, a smirk is a facial expression. A form of non-verbal communication. Trying to frame the phrase "perm-smirk" as some form of body-shaming really is clutching at straws.

It's hardly deliberate is it? It's what her face looks like when she is not smiling. I believe it is known as a resting [female dog] face by some.

It's all a bit like BoJo - there is so much material that could be used to criticise her, why the need for cheap shots and questions about her parents?

"pulling the ladder up" is a well known phenomenon and is fairly hypocritical - presumably that's the angle they're going at, no?

And the smirks are awkward when she's saying things that are fairly serious, which you typically have to do as home secretary.

She is not an immigrant. If she had chosen to immigrate to the UK, and then made it harder I could understand, but she didn't. She is being asked about her parents' choice, and my hypothesis is that this happening because of her race. Sajid Javid is thrown into the mix, but none of the other members of the cabinet with foreign ancestors and white skin are in the firing line.

What is particularly odd is that they have just made non-EU immigration easier, so the "pulling the ladder up" bit doesn't make sense. It makes even less sense when the asylum rules haven't changed at all.

rjsterry

TheBigBean said:

rjsterry said:

TBB, a smirk is a facial expression. A form of non-verbal communication. Trying to frame the phrase "perm-smirk" as some form of body-shaming really is clutching at straws.

It's hardly deliberate is it? It's what her face looks like when she is not smiling. I believe it is known as a resting [female dog] face by some.

It's all a bit like BoJo - there is so much material that could be used to criticise her, why the need for cheap shots and questions about her parents?

Perma-smirk wasn't invented exclusively for Patel. But she does seem to take an unnatural glee in kicking people out of the country on questionable grounds.

rick_chasey

TheBigBean said:

rick_chasey said:

TheBigBean said:

rjsterry said:

TBB, a smirk is a facial expression. A form of non-verbal communication. Trying to frame the phrase "perm-smirk" as some form of body-shaming really is clutching at straws.

It's hardly deliberate is it? It's what her face looks like when she is not smiling. I believe it is known as a resting [female dog] face by some.

It's all a bit like BoJo - there is so much material that could be used to criticise her, why the need for cheap shots and questions about her parents?

"pulling the ladder up" is a well known phenomenon and is fairly hypocritical - presumably that's the angle they're going at, no?

And the smirks are awkward when she's saying things that are fairly serious, which you typically have to do as home secretary.

She is not an immigrant. If she had chosen to immigrate to the UK, and then made it harder I could understand, but she didn't. She is being asked about her parents' choice, and my hypothesis is that this happening because of her race. Sajid Javid is thrown into the mix, but none of the other members of the cabinet with foreign ancestors and white skin are in the firing line.

What is particularly odd is that they have just made non-EU immigration easier, so the "pulling the ladder up" bit doesn't make sense. It makes even less sense when the asylum rules haven't changed at all.

Like I said I don't really know the accusation and I'm working on the assumption that the claim that her parents wouldn't get in on the new rules is true - if not then yes, the whole thing is nonsense and probably driven by her background.

pinno

elbowloh said:

She does seem to be a bit of a Datsun Cherry - no redeeming features.

shortfall

Did Pritti Patel ever appear in the inexplicable crushes thread? I've got the major hots for her.

ballysmate

Not inexplicable at all.

pinno

I like Babita Sharma (BBC Newsday).

surrey_commuter

ballysmate said:

Not inexplicable at all.

I thought I was alone. Can we form a support group?

Longshot

rick_chasey said:

TheBigBean said:

rick_chasey said:

TheBigBean said:

rjsterry said:

TBB, a smirk is a facial expression. A form of non-verbal communication. Trying to frame the phrase "perm-smirk" as some form of body-shaming really is clutching at straws.

It's hardly deliberate is it? It's what her face looks like when she is not smiling. I believe it is known as a resting [female dog] face by some.

It's all a bit like BoJo - there is so much material that could be used to criticise her, why the need for cheap shots and questions about her parents?

"pulling the ladder up" is a well known phenomenon and is fairly hypocritical - presumably that's the angle they're going at, no?

And the smirks are awkward when she's saying things that are fairly serious, which you typically have to do as home secretary.

She is not an immigrant. If she had chosen to immigrate to the UK, and then made it harder I could understand, but she didn't. She is being asked about her parents' choice, and my hypothesis is that this happening because of her race. Sajid Javid is thrown into the mix, but none of the other members of the cabinet with foreign ancestors and white skin are in the firing line.

What is particularly odd is that they have just made non-EU immigration easier, so the "pulling the ladder up" bit doesn't make sense. It makes even less sense when the asylum rules haven't changed at all.

Like I said I don't really know the accusation and I'm working on the assumption that the claim that her parents wouldn't get in on the new rules is true - if not then yes, the whole thing is nonsense and probably driven by her background.

You know what Rick? It is possible, however unlikely, that non White, non Christian, non Male, non Straight people can be asshats. Sometimes you need to look for the simple answer.

rick_chasey

Longshot said:

rick_chasey said:

TheBigBean said:

rick_chasey said:

TheBigBean said:

rjsterry said:

TBB, a smirk is a facial expression. A form of non-verbal communication. Trying to frame the phrase "perm-smirk" as some form of body-shaming really is clutching at straws.

It's hardly deliberate is it? It's what her face looks like when she is not smiling. I believe it is known as a resting [female dog] face by some.

It's all a bit like BoJo - there is so much material that could be used to criticise her, why the need for cheap shots and questions about her parents?

"pulling the ladder up" is a well known phenomenon and is fairly hypocritical - presumably that's the angle they're going at, no?

And the smirks are awkward when she's saying things that are fairly serious, which you typically have to do as home secretary.

She is not an immigrant. If she had chosen to immigrate to the UK, and then made it harder I could understand, but she didn't. She is being asked about her parents' choice, and my hypothesis is that this happening because of her race. Sajid Javid is thrown into the mix, but none of the other members of the cabinet with foreign ancestors and white skin are in the firing line.

What is particularly odd is that they have just made non-EU immigration easier, so the "pulling the ladder up" bit doesn't make sense. It makes even less sense when the asylum rules haven't changed at all.

Like I said I don't really know the accusation and I'm working on the assumption that the claim that her parents wouldn't get in on the new rules is true - if not then yes, the whole thing is nonsense and probably driven by her background.

You know what Rick? It is possible, however unlikely, that non White, non Christian, non Male, non Straight people can be asshats. Sometimes you need to look for the simple answer.

That's basically what I'm arguing?

rjsterry

Blimey, what did RC do?