Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
As usual, well off the pace but this morning's public finance data was just plain bad and the flash PMI numbers weren't brilliant either.
At least Hunt can safely ignore the siren calls for tax cuts from those who believe it's the only way for the Conservatives to win re-election. It would be good if, as Ken Clarke in the mid-90s, he put the overall health of the economy and public finances before pre-election gimmicks.
The priority now should be to reduce the deficit which won't be easy if £200 billion every year is going on debt interest payments. Spending cuts? Perhaps but where? Defence ? Hardly seems politically acceptable. Welfare? Ditto. NHS? Hardly.
Tax rises? We are told those who pay most of the tax are already paying too much and they'll be on the first plane to (fill in the gap) if we try to take any more from them.
Obviously, we can kick the can down the road - growth will help when more favourable conditions return and as tax revenues recover (and we can perhaps look at raising taxes when growth is back), we can get the deficit down which will mean we're back to living somewhere within our means but for now, it looks very bad.
Maybe when Scotland becomes independent Jersey could apply to become a Scottish Crown Colony under Good Queen Nicola?
I hadn’t realised that your repetitive predictions of Sturgeon going off to another job involved a throne. I like the ‘when’ instead of ‘if’, mind.
Touch of irony. It's really not gonna happen is it?
BTW - not sure I have been making "repetitive" predictions. Am resigned to her not going any time soon. Politicians usually need to be pushed and no sign of that despite mumblings in the ranks.
I find someone who retreats from crap Scotpol predictions saying ‘It's really not gonna happen is it’ re. Indy strangely comforting.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
The whole care system is rife with abuse.
The prize winning blogger, Winston Smith, who worked in the system, revealed a good deal of how the system creates a converter belt of vulnerable children ready for the predators.
It’s like police corruption. After how many “bad apples” do you start to think something is up with the barrel, or maybe the whole fucking orchard?
Can I ask PB Brains Trust a question please. I moved over Christmas, to a new build, where town is expanding into what used to be a rural area. The only problem I've had is my mobile phone signal is utterly awful, when I am on the phone its often crackly and quite a few calls simply get missed and go straight to voicemail which I can't be having.
I'm with Sky Mobile which I believe uses O2. Think I might need to switch though. My wife is with Vodafone and her signal is better, but still not great. Had visitors on Three, their signal was poor as well. Don't know about EE.
I've tried looking at Ofcom's signal checker service to see what networks work here, the postcode isn't recognised with it being new, but scrolling the map it seems to show no signal for 3, limited signal for O2 and both Vodafone and EE claiming to have good 4G signal. No 5G for any network at this location.
Without getting a new Sim card on a different network is there any way to test what the various networks signals would be like at my location so I can decide which network to switch to?
Let me repeat what I said earlier: I do not think Trump is a "prohibitive favorite" to win the Republican nomination.
And here is some more data, supporting that conclusion, from another column by Aaron Blake, this one from last December: "Another pollster to weigh in after the election is Marist College. It asked Republican-leaning voters who has a better shot of winning in 2024: Trump or a hypothetical “someone else.” In October 2021, Trump led on that measure 50-35. Today, “someone else” leads 54-35. . . . But it’s not just that Republicans finally see a plausible alternative and worry about Trump’s prospects; there are signs that they have soured a bit on what he has wrought for the party. Before the 2022 election, the Quinnipiac poll showed Republicans said Trump has had “mainly a positive” impact on the party by a 76-point margin, 85-9. Today, it’s a much smaller 46-point margin: 70-24." source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/05/trump-2024-polls/
The trends are not his friends.
I’ve been laying Trump as nominee for a while. Just the worry that crediting the US republicans with some sense might land me in the same hole as did thinking that the Tories would surely never put a lying clown into number ten.
Can I ask PB Brains Trust a question please. I moved over Christmas, to a new build, where town is expanding into what used to be a rural area. The only problem I've had is my mobile phone signal is utterly awful, when I am on the phone its often crackly and quite a few calls simply get missed and go straight to voicemail which I can't be having.
I'm with Sky Mobile which I believe uses O2. Think I might need to switch though. My wife is with Vodafone and her signal is better, but still not great. Had visitors on Three, their signal was poor as well. Don't know about EE.
I've tried looking at Ofcom's signal checker service to see what networks work here, the postcode isn't recognised with it being new, but scrolling the map it seems to show no signal for 3, limited signal for O2 and both Vodafone and EE claiming to have good 4G signal. No 5G for any network at this location.
Without getting a new Sim card on a different network is there any way to test what the various networks signals would be like at my location so I can decide which network to switch to?
I have the same issue (dense tenements) and wifi-calling is the answer. Does your phone support that?
The SNP voted down an amendment to prevent rape defendants from legally changing their sex before trial. To help avoid sort of defence advanced by defence barrister in this case, that this now-convicted male rapist shouldn’t be seen as a “predatory man”
[Thankfully this means the jury rejected the extraordinary argument from Bryson's KC that "if you accept that evidence, that she is transitioning ... that goes a long way to acquitting her of these charges."]
Key facts: this convicted rapist started transitioning in 2020 AFTER he raped two women in 2016 and 2019 with what was referred to in court as “her penis”
But, no, it’ll never ever happen and women are crazy to fear that male sex offenders will cynically abuse a system that allows them to change their legal sex with barely any safeguards.
The proposition that the KC, one of the most experienced at the Scottish bar, put forward in that case was little short of outrageous. I am relieved that the Jury were not misdirected from the real issue in the case, namely whether 2 very vulnerable young women had been raped.
The general public appears to have remained sensible through all this, unlike some of their more excitable politicians....
The problem though is what does the Scottish Prison Service do with this person for the next 5 or so years? She will no doubt want to go to a women's prison. The risk assessment connected with that is going to be horrendous. In fairness she would not be safe in a men's prison either.
Logical solution for me is men's prison with protective solitary custody if that is required.
From the BBC:
"Clearly, Bryson cannot be held in segregation - solitary confinement - forever. It would breach her human rights.
At some point she will mix and be housed with other prisoners. One commentator with extensive knowledge of Scotland's jails said the prison service "is in a very difficult position facing very difficult choices.""
You can say that again.
A very realistic fear is that sex offenders will game the system and, simply on the basis of self identification, declare themselves a woman, with all the perquisites that go with it.
I'm really not surprised that feminists are simmering with fury at this. If anyone can be a woman - even a male rapist - what was the whole battle for womens rights actually about?
Can I ask PB Brains Trust a question please. I moved over Christmas, to a new build, where town is expanding into what used to be a rural area. The only problem I've had is my mobile phone signal is utterly awful, when I am on the phone its often crackly and quite a few calls simply get missed and go straight to voicemail which I can't be having.
I'm with Sky Mobile which I believe uses O2. Think I might need to switch though. My wife is with Vodafone and her signal is better, but still not great. Had visitors on Three, their signal was poor as well. Don't know about EE.
I've tried looking at Ofcom's signal checker service to see what networks work here, the postcode isn't recognised with it being new, but scrolling the map it seems to show no signal for 3, limited signal for O2 and both Vodafone and EE claiming to have good 4G signal. No 5G for any network at this location.
Without getting a new Sim card on a different network is there any way to test what the various networks signals would be like at my location so I can decide which network to switch to?
Turn on Wi-Fi Calling which Sky definitely support.
Probably building construction so probably bad on all networks but otherwise get PAYG SIMs is the only way.
Surely, in the depraved ranks of His Majesty’s Honourable Guild of PB-ers, there must be one miscreant who can give me the skinny on Tramadol
Did it once at a party, a few tablets ground up and it was honestly a lovely experience but I got in a lot of shit from a very close doctor friend and despite having been very tempted in the years since I have avoided it as I can see it would become very addictive very quickly so avoid like the plague.
I’ve kicked heroin and Xanax, reckon I can take Tramadol, no probs
See you all in 8 years after jail & rehab
Don’t be silly. It’ll fuck you up.
It’s really not gonna fuck me up. I’m too old and grizzled for that. I’ve done EVERYTHING
So it’s quite possible you’re just a few years away from your first stroke, then? The one calamity that you have been unable to foresee.
Can I ask PB Brains Trust a question please. I moved over Christmas, to a new build, where town is expanding into what used to be a rural area. The only problem I've had is my mobile phone signal is utterly awful, when I am on the phone its often crackly and quite a few calls simply get missed and go straight to voicemail which I can't be having.
I'm with Sky Mobile which I believe uses O2. Think I might need to switch though. My wife is with Vodafone and her signal is better, but still not great. Had visitors on Three, their signal was poor as well. Don't know about EE.
I've tried looking at Ofcom's signal checker service to see what networks work here, the postcode isn't recognised with it being new, but scrolling the map it seems to show no signal for 3, limited signal for O2 and both Vodafone and EE claiming to have good 4G signal. No 5G for any network at this location.
Without getting a new Sim card on a different network is there any way to test what the various networks signals would be like at my location so I can decide which network to switch to?
EE has generally the best signal everywhere as they massively upgraded their network when the got the 4g contract for the emergency services new radio system. Unsurprisingly this system is now over budget and late due to them trying to shoehorn unsuitable technology in as it was the bright new thing.But the infrastructure is in place and working for the consumer now.Or go with a network that allows WiFi calling, BT do and a few others I think
As usual, well off the pace but this morning's public finance data was just plain bad and the flash PMI numbers weren't brilliant either.
At least Hunt can safely ignore the siren calls for tax cuts from those who believe it's the only way for the Conservatives to win re-election. It would be good if, as Ken Clarke in the mid-90s, he put the overall health of the economy and public finances before pre-election gimmicks.
The priority now should be to reduce the deficit which won't be easy if £200 billion every year is going on debt interest payments. Spending cuts? Perhaps but where? Defence ? Hardly seems politically acceptable. Welfare? Ditto. NHS? Hardly.
Tax rises? We are told those who pay most of the tax are already paying too much and they'll be on the first plane to (fill in the gap) if we try to take any more from them.
Obviously, we can kick the can down the road - growth will help when more favourable conditions return and as tax revenues recover (and we can perhaps look at raising taxes when growth is back), we can get the deficit down which will mean we're back to living somewhere within our means but for now, it looks very bad.
Hunt and Sunak are clearly aware of just how serious things are and explains why they are resisting inflation pay rises in the public sector
The outlook for the next few years is very bleak and frankly politicians are going to be overwhelmed by the unpalatable decisions that will be required to address the economy
I cannot see any space for tax cuts, indeed taxes on wealth are going to be needed as tax on incomes is far too high
And Eabhal. Thanks for the advice, WiFi Calling is already enabled on my phone, so not sure why its playing up with the crackly calls and missed calls then?
We have BT Fibre Broadband which was installed by the developers before we moved in, we just needed to get it activated. Not had any other issues with WiFi.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
Rather typical of privatised services when the customer is the state and not the individual. See also NHS and Social Care.
From time to time, when I read of endless child abuse scandals, police scandals, banking scandals, political scandals, I find myself wondering if the leaders of this country are actively evil.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
The media narrative, is that lower-class white people cannot be victims, because they don’t fit into the woke hierarchy of vitimhood.
That's just nonsense.
Except that it isn’t nonsense, there was a decades-long documented history of it.
Baroness Jay’s report identified 1,400 victims between 1997 and 2013, and resulted in the resignations of the council’s Chief Executive, the Director of Children’s Services, and the Police and Crime Comissioner for South Yorkshire.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
The whole care system is rife with abuse.
The prize winning blogger, Winston Smith, who worked in the system, revealed a good deal of how the system creates a converter belt of vulnerable children ready for the predators.
It’s like police corruption. After how many “bad apples” do you start to think something is up with the barrel, or maybe the whole fucking orchard?
Awful to think of. Does he have any ideas to reduce the chances of abuse happening?
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
The media narrative, is that lower-class white people cannot be victims, because they don’t fit into the woke hierarchy of vitimhood.
Not sure about the that narrative, or hierarchy, but I do note that when the "woke lobby" go up against a group that is up for a fight (the Mumsnet cohort, basically), things get heated very quickly and enter the mainstream discourse.
Vulnerable children need someone to do the fighting for them. Good to see the BBC digging into it.
Let me repeat what I said earlier: I do not think Trump is a "prohibitive favorite" to win the Republican nomination.
And here is some more data, supporting that conclusion, from another column by Aaron Blake, this one from last December: "Another pollster to weigh in after the election is Marist College. It asked Republican-leaning voters who has a better shot of winning in 2024: Trump or a hypothetical “someone else.” In October 2021, Trump led on that measure 50-35. Today, “someone else” leads 54-35. . . . But it’s not just that Republicans finally see a plausible alternative and worry about Trump’s prospects; there are signs that they have soured a bit on what he has wrought for the party. Before the 2022 election, the Quinnipiac poll showed Republicans said Trump has had “mainly a positive” impact on the party by a 76-point margin, 85-9. Today, it’s a much smaller 46-point margin: 70-24." source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/05/trump-2024-polls/
The trends are not his friends.
I’ve been laying Trump as nominee for a while. Just the worry that crediting the US republicans with some sense might land me in the same hole as did thinking that the Tories would surely never put a lying clown into number ten.
It'll be Trump versus Biden. The Republican base won't be told. He tickles their itch. And why would a narcissistic egotist not do what he wants to do? He craves attention and adulation. And they - or at least enough of them - will provide it in spades.
Can I ask PB Brains Trust a question please. I moved over Christmas, to a new build, where town is expanding into what used to be a rural area. The only problem I've had is my mobile phone signal is utterly awful, when I am on the phone its often crackly and quite a few calls simply get missed and go straight to voicemail which I can't be having.
I'm with Sky Mobile which I believe uses O2. Think I might need to switch though. My wife is with Vodafone and her signal is better, but still not great. Had visitors on Three, their signal was poor as well. Don't know about EE.
I've tried looking at Ofcom's signal checker service to see what networks work here, the postcode isn't recognised with it being new, but scrolling the map it seems to show no signal for 3, limited signal for O2 and both Vodafone and EE claiming to have good 4G signal. No 5G for any network at this location.
Without getting a new Sim card on a different network is there any way to test what the various networks signals would be like at my location so I can decide which network to switch to?
I have the same issue (dense tenements) and wifi-calling is the answer. Does your phone support that?
If this is inside the house, WiFi calling is the answer.
Modern home building/rework often has foil layers in the insulation. Which really, really stuff up mobile reception.
And Eabhal. Thanks for the advice, WiFi Calling is already enabled on my phone, so not sure why its playing up with the crackly calls and missed calls then?
We have BT Fibre Broadband which was installed by the developers before we moved in, we just needed to get it activated. Not had any other issues with WiFi.
Weird, works perfectly for me. Does it pop up as "WiFi call" or similar when you make a call?
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
And Eabhal. Thanks for the advice, WiFi Calling is already enabled on my phone, so not sure why its playing up with the crackly calls and missed calls then?
We have BT Fibre Broadband which was installed by the developers before we moved in, we just needed to get it activated. Not had any other issues with WiFi.
So the network can choose to prioritise the mobile access network over Wi-Fi Calling and you probably can't control this.
However, quick workaround, turn on Airplane Mode. That will force Wi-Fi Calling. See if that's better for a few days.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
The media narrative, is that lower-class white people cannot be victims, because they don’t fit into the woke hierarchy of vitimhood.
Not sure about the that narrative, or hierarchy, but I do note that when the "woke lobby" go up against a group that is up for a fight (the Mumsnet cohort, basically), things get heated very quickly and enter the mainstream discourse.
Vulnerable children need someone to do the fighting for them.
The only person talking about “Rotherham” before 2009, was Nick Griffin. Sadly, everyone in polite society dismissed him as a racist, and didn’t listen to what he had to say.
I’m still not sure that lesson hasn’t been learned.
And Eabhal. Thanks for the advice, WiFi Calling is already enabled on my phone, so not sure why its playing up with the crackly calls and missed calls then?
We have BT Fibre Broadband which was installed by the developers before we moved in, we just needed to get it activated. Not had any other issues with WiFi.
Weird, works perfectly for me. Does it pop up as "WiFi call" or similar when you make a call?
Depends on network as I said above, they can prioritise mobile over Wi-Fi. Use Airplane Mode to force Wi-Fi Calling.
I'm on O2 here and with full reception my iPhone uses the radio access network as that is the priority O2 has set. I just use Airplane Mode when at home to work around this.
Long term solution is more low band spectrum, there's 700MHz being rolled out at the moment on 4G/5G with DSS, newer phones will allow better indoor reception
Let me repeat what I said earlier: I do not think Trump is a "prohibitive favorite" to win the Republican nomination.
And here is some more data, supporting that conclusion, from another column by Aaron Blake, this one from last December: "Another pollster to weigh in after the election is Marist College. It asked Republican-leaning voters who has a better shot of winning in 2024: Trump or a hypothetical “someone else.” In October 2021, Trump led on that measure 50-35. Today, “someone else” leads 54-35. . . . But it’s not just that Republicans finally see a plausible alternative and worry about Trump’s prospects; there are signs that they have soured a bit on what he has wrought for the party. Before the 2022 election, the Quinnipiac poll showed Republicans said Trump has had “mainly a positive” impact on the party by a 76-point margin, 85-9. Today, it’s a much smaller 46-point margin: 70-24." source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/05/trump-2024-polls/
The trends are not his friends.
I’ve been laying Trump as nominee for a while. Just the worry that crediting the US republicans with some sense might land me in the same hole as did thinking that the Tories would surely never put a lying clown into number ten.
It'll be Trump versus Biden. The Republican base won't be told. He tickles their itch. And why would a narcissistic egotist not do what he wants to do? He craves attention and adulation. And they - or at least enough of them - will provide it in spades.
More likely to be neither on the ballot than both imo.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
The media narrative, is that lower-class white people cannot be victims, because they don’t fit into the woke hierarchy of vitimhood.
Not sure about the that narrative, or hierarchy, but I do note that when the "woke lobby" go up against a group that is up for a fight (the Mumsnet cohort, basically), things get heated very quickly and enter the mainstream discourse.
Vulnerable children need someone to do the fighting for them. Good to see the BBC digging into it.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
The media narrative, is that lower-class white people cannot be victims, because they don’t fit into the woke hierarchy of vitimhood.
Not sure about the that narrative, or hierarchy, but I do note that when the "woke lobby" go up against a group that is up for a fight (the Mumsnet cohort, basically), things get heated very quickly and enter the mainstream discourse.
Vulnerable children need someone to do the fighting for them. Good to see the BBC digging into it.
I wouldn’t say it’s a media narrative. I think that some people in power just view these people as scum. I don’t think it’s a right vs left thing, either.
And, no doubt, these children are very challenging.
The need to have people fighting on one’s behalf is essential. The middle classes have them, the lower classes much less so.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
Rather typical of privatised services when the customer is the state and not the individual. See also NHS and Social Care.
Yes, profit motive, state as customer, this is a dodgy dynamic.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
There's certainly no media narrative that vulnerable children are abused by gangs of Muslim groomers in town after town across Britain. Which is odd, because you'd think it would be a story worth reporting
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
The media narrative, is that lower-class white people cannot be victims, because they don’t fit into the woke hierarchy of vitimhood.
It's residential special schools for those with the very highest level of needs. From all over the country. What makes you think they are whiter or more working class than the average?
If the state can't provide residential care homes cheaper than the £250k a year this private equity did, then it really ought to be able to. 16% profit.
Two Britons missing in Ukraine have been killed while trying to carry out a humanitarian evacuation, the family of one of the men said in a statement.
Chris Parry, 28, and his colleague Andrew Bagshaw, 48 – who held dual UK and New Zealand citizenship – had been attempting an evacuation from Soledar, in eastern Ukraine, Parry’s family said.
The men had been working as volunteers, helping people escape the frontline of the war started by Russia in February 2022.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
Rather typical of privatised services when the customer is the state and not the individual. See also NHS and Social Care.
Yes, profit motive, state as customer, this is a dodgy dynamic.
From time to time, when I read of endless child abuse scandals, police scandals, banking scandals, political scandals, I find myself wondering if the leaders of this country are actively evil.
I'm sure that active evil exists. But I suspect the bigger problem is the collective unwillingness to call out evil acts when we see them. And that's understandable (even when it's wrong)... It takes a degree of courage to blow the whistle. It takes a different (but just as real) kind of courage to listen for a whistle being blown and to respond properly.
Unfortunately, that cowardice (for that's what it is, even if it's humanly understandable) is what allows the proper scumbags to thrive.
I'm really not surprised that feminists are simmering with fury at this. If anyone can be a woman - even a male rapist - what was the whole battle for womens rights actually about?
I've been on tramadol recently for a medical condition, having only done heroin a couple of times I'm not an expert, but my feeling is that while tramadol is far, far milder, it activates the same reward centres in the brain, and if you've a history of opioid abuse, I'd say it could easily be the start of a slippery slope. Better to stick to a benzodiazepine which has a similar sedative effect but seems to hit a different reward centre of the brain. There is something quite physical about the opiods and similar, like a body hit, whereas the hit from a benzo or similar is quite cerebral, like a slowing down of the thoughts.
Anyway - if you've a history with opiods I'd recommend serious caution with tramadol - its an opioid and it stimulates the same reward centres as the hard stuff.
From time to time, when I read of endless child abuse scandals, police scandals, banking scandals, political scandals, I find myself wondering if the leaders of this country are actively evil.
I always assumed incompetent or blinded by ideology. It was hard to remain this sympathetic to those in charge once lockdown came along and it became apparent that there were actual card-carrying communists in positions of influence. Hard to convince myself that the likes of Susan Michie isn't actively evil.
Two Britons missing in Ukraine have been killed while trying to carry out a humanitarian evacuation, the family of one of the men said in a statement.
Chris Parry, 28, and his colleague Andrew Bagshaw, 48 – who held dual UK and New Zealand citizenship – had been attempting an evacuation from Soledar, in eastern Ukraine, Parry’s family said.
The men had been working as volunteers, helping people escape the frontline of the war started by Russia in February 2022.
Let me repeat what I said earlier: I do not think Trump is a "prohibitive favorite" to win the Republican nomination.
And here is some more data, supporting that conclusion, from another column by Aaron Blake, this one from last December: "Another pollster to weigh in after the election is Marist College. It asked Republican-leaning voters who has a better shot of winning in 2024: Trump or a hypothetical “someone else.” In October 2021, Trump led on that measure 50-35. Today, “someone else” leads 54-35. . . . But it’s not just that Republicans finally see a plausible alternative and worry about Trump’s prospects; there are signs that they have soured a bit on what he has wrought for the party. Before the 2022 election, the Quinnipiac poll showed Republicans said Trump has had “mainly a positive” impact on the party by a 76-point margin, 85-9. Today, it’s a much smaller 46-point margin: 70-24." source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/05/trump-2024-polls/
The trends are not his friends.
I’ve been laying Trump as nominee for a while. Just the worry that crediting the US republicans with some sense might land me in the same hole as did thinking that the Tories would surely never put a lying clown into number ten.
It'll be Trump versus Biden. The Republican base won't be told. He tickles their itch. And why would a narcissistic egotist not do what he wants to do? He craves attention and adulation. And they - or at least enough of them - will provide it in spades.
More likely to be neither on the ballot than both imo.
Well I rather hope you're right. But I don't see Trump losing out on the nomination, and that will mean Biden will feel obliged to run. If not him, who? Harris is pretty hopeless from what I've seen and Buttigieg won't be able to deliver the voting coalition that got Biden elected.
And Eabhal. Thanks for the advice, WiFi Calling is already enabled on my phone, so not sure why its playing up with the crackly calls and missed calls then?
We have BT Fibre Broadband which was installed by the developers before we moved in, we just needed to get it activated. Not had any other issues with WiFi.
Weird, works perfectly for me. Does it pop up as "WiFi call" or similar when you make a call?
I've never noticed it saying WiFi call, no.
Could try Airplane mode but I would be worried I'd forget to turn it off when I leave the house.
Fun report in The Guardian from Eurostar. In essence they have to leave hundreds of seats empty on various trains because there simply isn't the border capacity to process and stamp passports. A bigger issue than just a lack of bodies, there physically isn't the space to create the pens needed to hold hundreds more passengers in queues...
Can I ask PB Brains Trust a question please. I moved over Christmas, to a new build, where town is expanding into what used to be a rural area. The only problem I've had is my mobile phone signal is utterly awful, when I am on the phone its often crackly and quite a few calls simply get missed and go straight to voicemail which I can't be having.
I'm with Sky Mobile which I believe uses O2. Think I might need to switch though. My wife is with Vodafone and her signal is better, but still not great. Had visitors on Three, their signal was poor as well. Don't know about EE.
I've tried looking at Ofcom's signal checker service to see what networks work here, the postcode isn't recognised with it being new, but scrolling the map it seems to show no signal for 3, limited signal for O2 and both Vodafone and EE claiming to have good 4G signal. No 5G for any network at this location.
Without getting a new Sim card on a different network is there any way to test what the various networks signals would be like at my location so I can decide which network to switch to?
Have you considered asking whether O2 is planning a new transmitter mast for the new estates?
Looks like the Germans have finally decided to send Leopards to Ukraine.
The Americans are sending Abrams.
Personally think USA should REALLY get serious about helping UKR . . . and send Tyler Swift over to the front lines, to entertain the troops who are fighting for freedom!
AND believe UK should "truly" give it's all for UKR . . . by sending Radiohead on tour of Russia, to (further) demoralize their audiences and (ditto) destabilize Putin's rotten regime!!
Speaking of Taylor Swift, the Ticketmaster Meltdown is apparently THE major problem facing America today, judging from CSpan.
From time to time, when I read of endless child abuse scandals, police scandals, banking scandals, political scandals, I find myself wondering if the leaders of this country are actively evil.
I'm sure that active evil exists. But I suspect the bigger problem is the collective unwillingness to call out evil acts when we see them. And that's understandable (even when it's wrong)... It takes a degree of courage to blow the whistle. It takes a different (but just as real) kind of courage to listen for a whistle being blown and to respond properly.
Unfortunately, that cowardice (for that's what it is, even if it's humanly understandable) is what allows the proper scumbags to thrive.
Tremendous courage. In the case of Rotherham, probably career-ending courage. The problem is that these people have convinced themselves not just that they are right but that they are good - nice, virtuous, kind. And so anyone who opposes them must by definition be bad, unkind, vicious. And so it is quite legitimate - indeed, necessary - to destroy anyone who voices a contrary opinion. You can see why no-one really dares speak out against the machine.
Tramadol can have serious repercussions if you are on sertraline (or other SSRI's). I know cos the hospital put me on them. The GP was horrified when I tried to get a repeat prescription.
Fun report in The Guardian from Eurostar. In essence they have to leave hundreds of seats empty on various trains because there simply isn't the border capacity to process and stamp passports. A bigger issue than just a lack of bodies, there physically isn't the space to create the pens needed to hold hundreds more passengers in queues...
From time to time, when I read of endless child abuse scandals, police scandals, banking scandals, political scandals, I find myself wondering if the leaders of this country are actively evil.
I'm sure that active evil exists. But I suspect the bigger problem is the collective unwillingness to call out evil acts when we see them. And that's understandable (even when it's wrong)... It takes a degree of courage to blow the whistle. It takes a different (but just as real) kind of courage to listen for a whistle being blown and to respond properly.
Unfortunately, that cowardice (for that's what it is, even if it's humanly understandable) is what allows the proper scumbags to thrive.
There is another problem.
They are mostly rather ignorant, while convinced of their own omniscience.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
There's certainly no media narrative that vulnerable children are abused by gangs of Muslim groomers in town after town across Britain. Which is odd, because you'd think it would be a story worth reporting
Still don't see the link to this scandal. Perhaps there isn't one. Not every bad thing in this world has a Muslim or Woke angle.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
Rather typical of privatised services when the customer is the state and not the individual. See also NHS and Social Care.
Yes, profit motive, state as customer, this is a dodgy dynamic.
Vast shortage of places to add to the mix.
Indeed, it's money for old rope, and can save on staff costs by using untrained staff and pocket even more money.
Can I ask PB Brains Trust a question please. I moved over Christmas, to a new build, where town is expanding into what used to be a rural area. The only problem I've had is my mobile phone signal is utterly awful, when I am on the phone its often crackly and quite a few calls simply get missed and go straight to voicemail which I can't be having.
I'm with Sky Mobile which I believe uses O2. Think I might need to switch though. My wife is with Vodafone and her signal is better, but still not great. Had visitors on Three, their signal was poor as well. Don't know about EE.
I've tried looking at Ofcom's signal checker service to see what networks work here, the postcode isn't recognised with it being new, but scrolling the map it seems to show no signal for 3, limited signal for O2 and both Vodafone and EE claiming to have good 4G signal. No 5G for any network at this location.
Without getting a new Sim card on a different network is there any way to test what the various networks signals would be like at my location so I can decide which network to switch to?
Have you considered asking whether O2 is planning a new transmitter mast for the new estates?
Good idea, no I haven't, I looked online but couldn't find a way to find that out online. Since I'm only indirectly a customer with O2 I wasn't sure how to approach that.
Can I ask PB Brains Trust a question please. I moved over Christmas, to a new build, where town is expanding into what used to be a rural area. The only problem I've had is my mobile phone signal is utterly awful, when I am on the phone its often crackly and quite a few calls simply get missed and go straight to voicemail which I can't be having.
I'm with Sky Mobile which I believe uses O2. Think I might need to switch though. My wife is with Vodafone and her signal is better, but still not great. Had visitors on Three, their signal was poor as well. Don't know about EE.
I've tried looking at Ofcom's signal checker service to see what networks work here, the postcode isn't recognised with it being new, but scrolling the map it seems to show no signal for 3, limited signal for O2 and both Vodafone and EE claiming to have good 4G signal. No 5G for any network at this location.
Without getting a new Sim card on a different network is there any way to test what the various networks signals would be like at my location so I can decide which network to switch to?
Have you considered asking whether O2 is planning a new transmitter mast for the new estates?
Good idea, no I haven't, I looked online but couldn't find a way to find that out online. Since I'm only indirectly a customer with O2 I wasn't sure how to approach that.
Presumably your neighbours are having the same issue, so it might suit O2 well if it is a substantial estate.
Let me repeat what I said earlier: I do not think Trump is a "prohibitive favorite" to win the Republican nomination.
And here is some more data, supporting that conclusion, from another column by Aaron Blake, this one from last December: "Another pollster to weigh in after the election is Marist College. It asked Republican-leaning voters who has a better shot of winning in 2024: Trump or a hypothetical “someone else.” In October 2021, Trump led on that measure 50-35. Today, “someone else” leads 54-35. . . . But it’s not just that Republicans finally see a plausible alternative and worry about Trump’s prospects; there are signs that they have soured a bit on what he has wrought for the party. Before the 2022 election, the Quinnipiac poll showed Republicans said Trump has had “mainly a positive” impact on the party by a 76-point margin, 85-9. Today, it’s a much smaller 46-point margin: 70-24." source$: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/12/05/trump-2024-polls/
The trends are not his friends.
I’ve been laying Trump as nominee for a while. Just the worry that crediting the US republicans with some sense might land me in the same hole as did thinking that the Tories would surely never put a lying clown into number ten.
It'll be Trump versus Biden. The Republican base won't be told. He tickles their itch. And why would a narcissistic egotist not do what he wants to do? He craves attention and adulation. And they - or at least enough of them - will provide it in spades.
More likely to be neither on the ballot than both imo.
Well I rather hope you're right. But I don't see Trump losing out on the nomination, and that will mean Biden will feel obliged to run. If not him, who? Harris is pretty hopeless from what I've seen and Buttigieg won't be able to deliver the voting coalition that got Biden elected.
Ah well I don't see Trump getting the nomination. So that's the essence of our difference.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
The media narrative, is that lower-class white people cannot be victims, because they don’t fit into the woke hierarchy of vitimhood.
Not sure about the that narrative, or hierarchy, but I do note that when the "woke lobby" go up against a group that is up for a fight (the Mumsnet cohort, basically), things get heated very quickly and enter the mainstream discourse.
Vulnerable children need someone to do the fighting for them.
The only person talking about “Rotherham” before 2009, was Nick Griffin. Sadly, everyone in polite society dismissed him as a racist, and didn’t listen to what he had to say.
I’m still not sure that lesson hasn’t been learned.
The lesson is the story of the boy who cried wolf.
When you keep banging on about bullshit and lies, then when one of those strands of bullshit turns out to be correct, people aren't listening to you anymore.
Don't be a racist prick and people might take you more seriously.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
The media narrative, is that lower-class white people cannot be victims, because they don’t fit into the woke hierarchy of vitimhood.
Not sure about the that narrative, or hierarchy, but I do note that when the "woke lobby" go up against a group that is up for a fight (the Mumsnet cohort, basically), things get heated very quickly and enter the mainstream discourse.
Vulnerable children need someone to do the fighting for them.
The only person talking about “Rotherham” before 2009, was Nick Griffin. Sadly, everyone in polite society dismissed him as a racist, and didn’t listen to what he had to say.
I’m still not sure that lesson hasn’t been learned.
The lesson is the story of the boy who cried wolf.
When you keep banging on about bullshit and lies, then when one of those strands of bullshit turns out to be correct, people aren't listening to you anymore.
Don't be a racist prick and people might take you more seriously.
Alternatively, as Garak suggested, never tell the same piece of bullshit twice.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
There's certainly no media narrative that vulnerable children are abused by gangs of Muslim groomers in town after town across Britain. Which is odd, because you'd think it would be a story worth reporting
Considering it has been all over the press and broadcast media for over a decade, repetitively in both factual and drama forms, what is it that makes you think it unreported?
And Eabhal. Thanks for the advice, WiFi Calling is already enabled on my phone, so not sure why its playing up with the crackly calls and missed calls then?
We have BT Fibre Broadband which was installed by the developers before we moved in, we just needed to get it activated. Not had any other issues with WiFi.
Weird, works perfectly for me. Does it pop up as "WiFi call" or similar when you make a call?
Depends on network as I said above, they can prioritise mobile over Wi-Fi. Use Airplane Mode to force Wi-Fi Calling.
I'm on O2 here and with full reception my iPhone uses the radio access network as that is the priority O2 has set. I just use Airplane Mode when at home to work around this.
Its a good idea, but I worry I'll forget to turn Airplane Mode off when I leave and be driving around and going elsewhere with Airplane Mode still on.
Thankfully this is very much a one-off, and not at all representative of dozens hundreds of court cases, over decades, involving abuse of children in what’s somewhat euphemistically called “care”.
It’s a massive scandal but the media ignore it, because it doesn’t fit their “narrative”.
What narrative do you mean?
Start with the “Rotherham” problem, with the long list of victims ignored by authorities, journalists, and politicians, over a droid of more than a decade.
I don't see the link to this. Are you saying there's a media narrative that vulnerable children are never abused?
There's certainly no media narrative that vulnerable children are abused by gangs of Muslim groomers in town after town across Britain. Which is odd, because you'd think it would be a story worth reporting
Still don't see the link to this scandal. Perhaps there isn't one. Not every bad thing in this world has a Muslim or Woke angle.
Maybe not. Looking back, I only came into the conversation belatedly, by which time it was about Rotherham.
Fun report in The Guardian from Eurostar. In essence they have to leave hundreds of seats empty on various trains because there simply isn't the border capacity to process and stamp passports. A bigger issue than just a lack of bodies, there physically isn't the space to create the pens needed to hold hundreds more passengers in queues...
Appalling that they don't rebuild Amsterdam Centraal station to allow the big holding pen needed to slowly process a trainload of people heading to the UK. Why won't these uppity foreigners respect the mandate from the 17.4m people who very specifically voted to wait in a big holding pen to board the handful of trains its worth running.
Fun report in The Guardian from Eurostar. In essence they have to leave hundreds of seats empty on various trains because there simply isn't the border capacity to process and stamp passports. A bigger issue than just a lack of bodies, there physically isn't the space to create the pens needed to hold hundreds more passengers in queues...
Appalling that they don't rebuild Amsterdam Centraal station to allow the big holding pen needed to slowly process a trainload of people heading to the UK. Why won't these uppity foreigners respect the mandate from the 17.4m people who very specifically voted to wait in a big holding pen to board the handful of trains its worth running.
From time to time, when I read of endless child abuse scandals, police scandals, banking scandals, political scandals, I find myself wondering if the leaders of this country are actively evil.
I'm sure that active evil exists. But I suspect the bigger problem is the collective unwillingness to call out evil acts when we see them. And that's understandable (even when it's wrong)... It takes a degree of courage to blow the whistle. It takes a different (but just as real) kind of courage to listen for a whistle being blown and to respond properly.
Unfortunately, that cowardice (for that's what it is, even if it's humanly understandable) is what allows the proper scumbags to thrive.
Tremendous courage. In the case of Rotherham, probably career-ending courage. The problem is that these people have convinced themselves not just that they are right but that they are good - nice, virtuous, kind. And so anyone who opposes them must by definition be bad, unkind, vicious. And so it is quite legitimate - indeed, necessary - to destroy anyone who voices a contrary opinion. You can see why no-one really dares speak out against the machine.
Thing is, you don't need to invoke woke, and plenty of scandals have no woke angle.
Just a bunch of people who are nervous for their jobs, tired most of the time, and knowing that they're not spotless (because none of us are). Far easier to stick to the agreed line and look the other way if necessary.
Which is not to say that "in awe of our wonderful leaders" isn't a thing as well. Yesterday, I had to do some Church of England safeguarding training, which started with the Peter Ball scandal.
Fun report in The Guardian from Eurostar. In essence they have to leave hundreds of seats empty on various trains because there simply isn't the border capacity to process and stamp passports. A bigger issue than just a lack of bodies, there physically isn't the space to create the pens needed to hold hundreds more passengers in queues...
Appalling that they don't rebuild Amsterdam Centraal station to allow the big holding pen needed to slowly process a trainload of people heading to the UK. Why won't these uppity foreigners respect the mandate from the 17.4m people who very specifically voted to wait in a big holding pen to board the handful of trains its worth running.
The proud people of Britain didn't vote to be put in a holding pen, dammit.
We voted for the freedom to put other people in a holding pen if we wanted to, which is something completely different.
The SNP voted down an amendment to prevent rape defendants from legally changing their sex before trial. To help avoid sort of defence advanced by defence barrister in this case, that this now-convicted male rapist shouldn’t be seen as a “predatory man”
[Thankfully this means the jury rejected the extraordinary argument from Bryson's KC that "if you accept that evidence, that she is transitioning ... that goes a long way to acquitting her of these charges."]
Key facts: this convicted rapist started transitioning in 2020 AFTER he raped two women in 2016 and 2019 with what was referred to in court as “her penis”
But, no, it’ll never ever happen and women are crazy to fear that male sex offenders will cynically abuse a system that allows them to change their legal sex with barely any safeguards.
The proposition that the KC, one of the most experienced at the Scottish bar, put forward in that case was little short of outrageous. I am relieved that the Jury were not misdirected from the real issue in the case, namely whether 2 very vulnerable young women had been raped.
The general public appears to have remained sensible through all this, unlike some of their more excitable politicians....
The problem though is what does the Scottish Prison Service do with this person for the next 5 or so years? She will no doubt want to go to a women's prison. The risk assessment connected with that is going to be horrendous. In fairness she would not be safe in a men's prison either.
Sounds liek a despicable person at best , men's prison for me where HE can do less damage.
And for longer than 5 years!
Let's hope he/she is not less than 25 years old.
Under new sentencing guidelines in Scotland people under the age of 25 are now not to be regarded as fully responsible for criminal actions. Apparently they are not mature enough and should be considered adolescents.
NB. On the other hand, in the wonderful world of woke that is now Scotland, 16 year old adolescents will be regarded as adults for the purpose of changing their gender.
It is like Alice in Wonderland up here just now
Wasn't that to do with paedophilia rather than transgenderism?
Who knows with eth bunch that are running the country just now , add the weirdo Greens and anything is possible TUD.
The SNP voted down an amendment to prevent rape defendants from legally changing their sex before trial. To help avoid sort of defence advanced by defence barrister in this case, that this now-convicted male rapist shouldn’t be seen as a “predatory man”
[Thankfully this means the jury rejected the extraordinary argument from Bryson's KC that "if you accept that evidence, that she is transitioning ... that goes a long way to acquitting her of these charges."]
Key facts: this convicted rapist started transitioning in 2020 AFTER he raped two women in 2016 and 2019 with what was referred to in court as “her penis”
But, no, it’ll never ever happen and women are crazy to fear that male sex offenders will cynically abuse a system that allows them to change their legal sex with barely any safeguards.
The proposition that the KC, one of the most experienced at the Scottish bar, put forward in that case was little short of outrageous. I am relieved that the Jury were not misdirected from the real issue in the case, namely whether 2 very vulnerable young women had been raped.
The general public appears to have remained sensible through all this, unlike some of their more excitable politicians....
The problem though is what does the Scottish Prison Service do with this person for the next 5 or so years? She will no doubt want to go to a women's prison. The risk assessment connected with that is going to be horrendous. In fairness she would not be safe in a men's prison either.
Logical solution for me is men's prison with protective solitary custody if that is required.
From the BBC:
"Clearly, Bryson cannot be held in segregation - solitary confinement - forever. It would breach her human rights.
At some point she will mix and be housed with other prisoners. One commentator with extensive knowledge of Scotland's jails said the prison service "is in a very difficult position facing very difficult choices.""
You can say that again.
A very realistic fear is that sex offenders will game the system and, simply on the basis of self identification, declare themselves a woman, with all the perquisites that go with it.
I'm really not surprised that feminists are simmering with fury at this. If anyone can be a woman - even a male rapist - what was the whole battle for womens rights actually about?
Even worse i sthe F***ing BBC pretending he is a woman
Comments
As usual, well off the pace but this morning's public finance data was just plain bad and the flash PMI numbers weren't brilliant either.
At least Hunt can safely ignore the siren calls for tax cuts from those who believe it's the only way for the Conservatives to win re-election. It would be good if, as Ken Clarke in the mid-90s, he put the overall health of the economy and public finances before pre-election gimmicks.
The priority now should be to reduce the deficit which won't be easy if £200 billion every year is going on debt interest payments. Spending cuts? Perhaps but where? Defence ? Hardly seems politically acceptable. Welfare? Ditto. NHS? Hardly.
Tax rises? We are told those who pay most of the tax are already paying too much and they'll be on the first plane to (fill in the gap) if we try to take any more from them.
Obviously, we can kick the can down the road - growth will help when more favourable conditions return and as tax revenues recover (and we can perhaps look at raising taxes when growth is back), we can get the deficit down which will mean we're back to living somewhere within our means but for now, it looks very bad.
All the best OGH!
The prize winning blogger, Winston Smith, who worked in the system, revealed a good deal of how the system creates a converter belt of vulnerable children ready for the predators.
It’s like police corruption. After how many “bad apples” do you start to think something is up with the barrel, or maybe the whole fucking orchard?
I'm with Sky Mobile which I believe uses O2. Think I might need to switch though. My wife is with Vodafone and her signal is better, but still not great. Had visitors on Three, their signal was poor as well. Don't know about EE.
I've tried looking at Ofcom's signal checker service to see what networks work here, the postcode isn't recognised with it being new, but scrolling the map it seems to show no signal for 3, limited signal for O2 and both Vodafone and EE claiming to have good 4G signal. No 5G for any network at this location.
Without getting a new Sim card on a different network is there any way to test what the various networks signals would be like at my location so I can decide which network to switch to?
"Clearly, Bryson cannot be held in segregation - solitary confinement - forever. It would breach her human rights.
At some point she will mix and be housed with other prisoners. One commentator with extensive knowledge of Scotland's jails said the prison service "is in a very difficult position facing very difficult choices.""
You can say that again.
A very realistic fear is that sex offenders will game the system and, simply on the basis of self identification, declare themselves a woman, with all the perquisites that go with it.
I'm really not surprised that feminists are simmering with fury at this. If anyone can be a woman - even a male rapist - what was the whole battle for womens rights actually about?
Probably building construction so probably bad on all networks but otherwise get PAYG SIMs is the only way.
So it’s quite possible you’re just a few years away from your first stroke, then? The one calamity that you have been unable to foresee.
The outlook for the next few years is very bleak and frankly politicians are going to be overwhelmed by the unpalatable decisions that will be required to address the economy
I cannot see any space for tax cuts, indeed taxes on wealth are going to be needed as tax on incomes is far too high
We have BT Fibre Broadband which was installed by the developers before we moved in, we just needed to get it activated. Not had any other issues with WiFi.
Baroness Jay’s report identified 1,400 victims between 1997 and 2013, and resulted in the resignations of the council’s Chief Executive, the Director of Children’s Services, and the Police and Crime Comissioner for South Yorkshire.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Inquiry_into_Child_Sexual_Abuse
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotherham_child_sexual_exploitation_scandal
Vulnerable children need someone to do the fighting for them. Good to see the BBC digging into it.
Modern home building/rework often has foil layers in the insulation. Which really, really stuff up mobile reception.
However, quick workaround, turn on Airplane Mode. That will force Wi-Fi Calling. See if that's better for a few days.
I’m still not sure that lesson hasn’t been learned.
I'm on O2 here and with full reception my iPhone uses the radio access network as that is the priority O2 has set. I just use Airplane Mode when at home to work around this.
And, no doubt, these children are very challenging.
The need to have people fighting on one’s behalf is essential. The middle classes have them, the lower classes much less so.
From all over the country.
What makes you think they are whiter or more working class than the average?
16% profit.
Chris Parry, 28, and his colleague Andrew Bagshaw, 48 – who held dual UK and New Zealand citizenship – had been attempting an evacuation from Soledar, in eastern Ukraine, Parry’s family said.
The men had been working as volunteers, helping people escape the frontline of the war started by Russia in February 2022.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/24/two-missing-britons-killed-in-ukraine-family-say
Especially IF you are talking about Electoral College. But reckon also with total national popular vote.
Landslide being defined as margin of +10 percentage points, of total votes (EV or pop) cast.
Unfortunately, that cowardice (for that's what it is, even if it's humanly understandable) is what allows the proper scumbags to thrive.
Simply not possible in any State school.
No DBS no start.
But Hiya CHB. Hope you are doing better mate.
I've been on tramadol recently for a medical condition, having only done heroin a couple of times I'm not an expert, but my feeling is that while tramadol is far, far milder, it activates the same reward centres in the brain, and if you've a history of opioid abuse, I'd say it could easily be the start of a slippery slope. Better to stick to a benzodiazepine which has a similar sedative effect but seems to hit a different reward centre of the brain. There is something quite physical about the opiods and similar, like a body hit, whereas the hit from a benzo or similar is quite cerebral, like a slowing down of the thoughts.
Anyway - if you've a history with opiods I'd recommend serious caution with tramadol - its an opioid and it stimulates the same reward centres as the hard stuff.
Sadly been a very rough start to the year but mental health is stronger so coping just
Been much warmer here since around Sunday lunchtime. 11° today, minimum of 8°.
Got the window open.
Could try Airplane mode but I would be worried I'd forget to turn it off when I leave the house.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jan/24/eurostar-trains-empty-seats-brexit-passport-rules-london-paris-brussels
AND believe UK should "truly" give it's all for UKR . . . by sending Radiohead on tour of Russia, to (further) demoralize their audiences and (ditto) destabilize Putin's rotten regime!!
Speaking of Taylor Swift, the Ticketmaster Meltdown is apparently THE major problem facing America today, judging from CSpan.
The problem is that these people have convinced themselves not just that they are right but that they are good - nice, virtuous, kind. And so anyone who opposes them must by definition be bad, unkind, vicious. And so it is quite legitimate - indeed, necessary - to destroy anyone who voices a contrary opinion.
You can see why no-one really dares speak out against the machine.
He might get Lost but it won't trigger Armageddon.
I know cos the hospital put me on them. The GP was horrified when I tried to get a repeat prescription.
They are mostly rather ignorant, while convinced of their own omniscience.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jan/24/everton-for-sale-farhad-moshiri-asking-price-more-than-500m?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_gu&utm_medium&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1674590466
When you keep banging on about bullshit and lies, then when one of those strands of bullshit turns out to be correct, people aren't listening to you anymore.
Don't be a racist prick and people might take you more seriously.
https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1617741509927014401
And showed remarkable forbearance in not turning round and shooting the fncker.
NEW THREAD
Just a bunch of people who are nervous for their jobs, tired most of the time, and knowing that they're not spotless (because none of us are). Far easier to stick to the agreed line and look the other way if necessary.
Which is not to say that "in awe of our wonderful leaders" isn't a thing as well. Yesterday, I had to do some Church of England safeguarding training, which started with the Peter Ball scandal.
We voted for the freedom to put other people in a holding pen if we wanted to, which is something completely different.