£1.05m of OnlyFines

ALISTER: Finally 16 & 17-yos will be allowed to vote. If you pay income tax and National Insurance, then surely you need representation. Scotland and Wales already allowed this for devolved elections. I think we should go further - make it like Australia where voting isn't just a right, it's a civic duty.

MERIDYTH: It’s electoral manipulation disguised as democratic reform. The gov’t knows that young voters tend to lean left. Recent polling found that 18% of 16-17yos would vote, whilst a whopping 49% said they didn't think they or their peers should even be given the chance to vote! You want to give power to people who admit they’re not ready for it?

ALISTER: That's rather patronising, isn't it? Young people's "political ignorance" is hardly unique. Adolescents actually give more thought towards political issues than adults do. The issue isn't capability. It’s that we've excluded them from the conversation and then act shocked when they feel disengaged. If younger voters prefer certain policies, perhaps older politicians should consider why their message isn't resonating.

MERIDYTH: We're living in an era of unprecedented disinformation. How exactly are 16yos, whose prefrontal cortex (decision-making ability) hasn’t fully formed, supposed to make informed political decisions? And btw, Reform UK has 6x more TikTok followers and 14x more engagement than the other parties. So be careful what you wish for!

🤝 UK-German treaty signed. The biggest agreement between the two nations since the end of WW2 has just been inked. Massive new collaborations on migration, trade, and security! Think more Channel crossing surveillance, e-Gate usage at airports, amongst others.

🧑‍🏭 Workers rights. The House of Lords is supporting reducing the current two year test when working before you are protected from “unfair dismissal.” Plus a call for evidence has been requested to help ban unpaid internships!

🚿 Utility woes. Thames Water has warned, if their emergency creditor talks fail then they will need to be nationalised. Whilst Affinity Water has doubled their CEO’s pay, after raising concerns over their finances. It’s no surprise that the water regulator, Ofwat, will be potentially abolished and replaced after years of intense criticism.

GOOD NEWS… for environmentalists as Dutch experts build satellites to spot greenhouse gas emissions, creating a “unique European measuring system.” BAD NEWS… for angry MAGA supporters as Republicans block the release of the Epstein files and whose fury was further flamed when to told to stop being mad about it.

🪖 Afghan data breach. A judge in the UK has lifted a court injunction after a MoD data breach. Almost 7,000 Afghans were being relocated to the UK in a secret scheme. Civilians who were at risk of Taliban revenge attacks were leaked, which was then covered up by the British government.

🇯🇵 ”Japanese First.” A populist party in Japan called Sanseito is in hot water. Reports have emerged of one of their candidates doing interviews with Russian state-owned media. Fears over Russian interference are at an all time high.

🇨🇿 Communist Nazis. The President of Czechia has signed a new law, criminalising communist propaganda. The ban will equate communist ideology with Nazi propaganda. It has shocked the leftist parties who are preparing for October’s elections.

🚬 Nicotine high. After single-use vapes were banned in the UK, a new fad has emerged - addictive nicotine pouches which appeal to children. Parents are urging the govt to speed up the Tobacco & Vapes Bill, which would ban selling these to kids.

🤖 AI advice. Chat bots are pushing people towards mania, psychosis and death, and no one knows how to stop it. Therapy bots are fuelling delusions and giving dangerous advice! Interestingly, there appears to be a social stigma around people, who admit to using AI at work. Careful who you tell! 🤫 

🦜 Feeling chatty? Turns out if you are feeling a bit more extroverted and more agreeable, then you’ve likely learned how to handle daily stress better. With stress becoming the biggest killer, the more we understand it, the better we’ll all be!

📺️ Bad ads. An ad for vegan charity Viva! has been banned. It featured a baby being taken from their mother, which was labelled as irresponsible and distressing. Separately, Trip (a CBD drink) got similar treatment due to their claims it can “help you feel calm,” implying it can reduce stress or anxiety, which it cannot.

🔞 Grok, kiss me. Grok, the AI from X and Elon Musk, rolled out their pornographic anime companion. Days later they won a US Department of Defence contract. We’re unsure if the two are linked… 😉

💣️ It’s just a prank. There is a time and place for jokes. A Royal Navy sailor was arrested over a bomb hoax on a sub. So clearly, the time is not during heightened geo-political tensions and the place is not a UK nuclear submarine.

By Alister

Poetry for Neanderthals, is a fantastic and fast paced team game. One person picks a card, starts the timer, and tries to describe the word written on the card for their team to guess.

The twist? You can only use one syllable words. What happens if you say a word over one syllable or accidently say the word? The other team gets to hit you over the head with an inflatable club.

Good fun for young kids, but also for grown ups, who end up repeating the same words and forgetting every word they’ve ever learned. Silly, laugh out loud fun, and easy to explain to even the most stubborn board game haters.

By Meridyth

It’s been all over social media for the past week, but in case you missed it…

Just when you thought going to a Coldplay concert was safe… The CEO and Chief People Officer of Astronomer (DataOps tech firm) were caught in a warm, romantic embrace. However, it turns out - they’re actually married to other people! 🤯

Would it have gone viral if they hadn’t acted so guilty and hid?

@instaagraace

trouble in paradise?? 👀 #coldplay #boston #coldplayconcert #kisscam #fyp

So what’s happened since? They were both put on leave immediately with Andy Byron resigning over the weekend. Both of their marriages? To be determined…

Whew, you made it!

Good luck to the Lionesses, who play in the semi-finals tomorrow night! Hope you ladies worked on your penalty taking after the Sweden match. Join us next week for more squabbles.

Alister & Meridyth