AF

[James Melville 🚜 @JamesMelville]

This one goes out to so many of my followers. You stood against the Covid lockdowns and the vaccine passports. You’ve been standing against many other issues since then.

We all have many different opinions on various issues, but by and large, these are debated on here in good faith. But we also have one driving force that connects us all and that brought us together during Covid - a behind the bike shed mentality of never accepting rules from nefarious governments and authorities that are not in the best interests of a flourishing society. Freedom is hard won. But it’s easily lost. Thank you for all your brilliant contributions.

Back in the Covid era, in the shadow of closed doors and silenced streets, you stood. Not because it was easy, but because it was necessary.

While fear was weaponised and compliance was demanded, you chose the harder path: the path of conscience. You refused to surrender the ordinary freedoms - the right to gather, to worship, to work, to speak, to breathe free air without permission - that generations before you had treated as sacred and non-negotiable.

You endured the accusations. The smearing. The professional consequences. The quiet contempt of those who mistook obedience for virtue. And still you held the line, reminding a frightened world that liberty is not a privilege granted by authorities in times of crisis, but a human right that must be defended precisely when it is most inconvenient.

And you have not stopped. Since the lockdowns ended, you have continued to stand - against the heavy hand of net zero asset grabbing mandates that threaten livelihoods and energy security; against governments that too readily facilitate the power of greedy corporations; and against the quiet advance of technocratic control that seeks to manage every aspect of life through surveillance, digital gates, and unelected authority.

History does not remember the comfortable. It remembers those like you - who, when the pressure was greatest and the majority was silent, insisted that temporary government power must never become permanent control. That emergency and crisis must not become the “new normal” of more government control. That the state exists to secure rights, not to ration them, nor to hand them over to corporate or technocratic interests.

To every one of you who stood against the lockdowns - and who continue to stand against any government, anywhere, that seeks to trade freedom for the illusion of safety or the promise of managed convenience or efficiency - you were and remain the guardians of something older and more precious than any mandate. You kept the flame of human rights alive when others were content to let it dim.

The world is freer because you refused to kneel. Never forget what you protected. Never stop protecting it.

[AF @andyfairch]

@BuffaloFAMbase @BuffaloBills 5am in the UK. Go the freakin’ Bills. 💙🤍❤️

[AF @andyfairch]

@RobbieSavage8 @theposh Your slightly overweight uncle was in the stands Robbie! Never seen you two together? UTP 💙🤍💙🤍

[AF @andyfairch]

Young and exciting squad. High profile, passionate, eloquent and witty manager. Nice. UTP. 💙🤍💙

[Alan Swann @PTAlanSwann]

Initial impressions were v favourable. Obviously did his research, even on me, but spoke very well, very passionately, eloquent and witty. Words are the easy bit mind, especially for a media pro...posting colour comment piece soon which will be ad-lite...#pufc

[AF @andyfairch]

Game Day for this giant of a man. Go Bills. 💙🤍❤️ @BuffaloBills @BuffaloFAMbase

[AF @andyfairch]

@DMAC102 We’re here for one lifetime boss man. UTP. 💙🤍💙🤍

[Danketh745 @Becketh711Dan]

The Tax System Explained in Beer

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

- The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
- The fifth would pay $1.
- The sixth would pay $3.
- The seventh would pay $7.
- The eighth would pay $12.
- The ninth would pay $18.
- The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do.

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve ball.  "Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20".  Drinks for the ten men would now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes, so the first four men were unaffected.  They would still drink for free.  But what about the other six men?  How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his fair share?

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33.  But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer.

So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by a higher percentage the poorer he was, to follow the principle of the tax system they had been using, and he proceeded to work out the amounts he suggested that each should now pay.

And so the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% saving).

The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3... (33% saving).
The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7... (28% saving).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12... (25% saving).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18... (22% saving).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59... (16% saving).

Each of the six was better off than before.  And the first four continued to drink for free.

But, once outside the bar, the men began to compare their savings.

"I only got a dollar out of the $20 saving," declared the sixth man.  He pointed to the tenth man, "but he got $10!"

"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar too.  It's unfair that he received ten times more benefit than me!"

"That's true!" shouted the seventh man.  "Why should he get $10 back, when I got only $2?  The wealthy get all the breaks!"

"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison, "We didn't get anything at all. This new tax system exploits the poor!"

The nine men surrounded the tenth man and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had their beers without him.  But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important.  They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and government ministers, is how our tax system works.  The people who already pay the highest taxes will naturally get the most benefit from a tax reduction.

Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore.  In fact, they might start drinking overseas, where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.

For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

[AF @andyfairch]

@theposh @greenfarmcoffee Pure Unfiltered Frothy Cuban 💙🤍💙

[AF @andyfairch]

Pretty clear why @FIFAcom will never let us win the @FIFAWorldCup 🤷🏼‍♂️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[AF @andyfairch]

Turns out the World Cup is a random knock-out penalty competition. Who knew? @FIFAWorldCup @FIFAcom @WorldCup26HQ @mxnkind_ @threelions_fans

[AF @andyfairch]

Did you see how happy Tuchel was at the end of the game? You ever seen Kane miss such a sitter? They don’t want to win the group. They know. Avoid Mexico in the Azteca and Brazil in the quarters. @EnglandAbroad @England @EnglidsAway

[AF @andyfairch]

When we play Panama there’s an emerging scenario that both teams will play to lose (to be 2nd in the group). The full draw will be known by kick off. Remember where you heard it first! WGermany v Austria 1982 anyone? @EnglidsAway @EnglandAbroad @threelions_fans @FIFAWorldCup

[AF @andyfairch]

Just in case anyone was wondering. It’s our turn. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿@FIFAWorldCup @FIFAcom @England @threelions_fans @EnglidsAway @EnglandAbroad @realDonaldTrump @POTUS @JDVance @VP

[AF @andyfairch]

I think that was the first ever league one level game I’ve seen live with VAR. And I guess I’ve seen many hundreds. We would never see those two decisions given on a normal Saturday. Lots of Bolton fans saying the same!

Isn’t clear. Isn’t obvious. Is ridiculous.

[AF @andyfairch]

@missposhjw @AFCWimbledon Friendly, engaging and fun. Great point. 💙🤍

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

@RealSLokhova The BBC has a complete lack of journalistic integrity. They are just a government propaganda machine.

[Svetlana Lokhova @RealSLokhova]

The BBC put Elon's image first, despite the fact that he has never visited the Epstein island, but conveniently omit King's brother Andrew in the headline.

Andrew is all over the files, having visited the Epstein island a number of times, with some really scary photographs in the files.

Or Peter Mandelson, who visited the Epstein Island AND leaked government documents to Epstein, and is under police investigation.

Note: X, owned by Elon, is the main rival to the BBC News business.

[AF @andyfairch]

Words fail me. This guy is one serious class act. We are blessed. @DMAC102 UTP 💙🤍💙🤍

[Peterborough United @theposh]

Luke Williams gave his reaction to an excellent win on the road, discussing his early second half substitution, the impact from Cian Hayes, a debut for Patryk Sykut and the wonderful work of the Academy.

Post-match interviews brought to you by EMR Renders and Wallcoatings Ltd.

#pufc