I'm a great believer in the positive and negative power of corporate culture. Any organisation - especially large and long-established ones - have a corporate culture within them. These are often set by the founder(s), and can take years to change as long-serving staff are understandably resistant to change.
Corporate cultures can be positive for the organisation, or can be negative. Because of the resistance to change, negative cultures (or aspects of culture) can take years to turn around.
The Post Office, at top level, not postmasters, appears to have a rotten corporate culture. I fear it's not just the top bods who need to change, but many people within the organisation.
Yup: culture beats strategy hands down.
You start with change at the top and you keep going until you hit the layer you need, the one that is worthwhile and then you make them feel - through reward and praise - that they are doing the right thing by doing the right thing. It takes time and hard work and persistence. It can be done. But only if you first realise it needs to be done. The PO has not even got to that point yet.
The PO hasn’t got to the “yes, we fucked up” point. Yet.
At this point they might as well never do so, it's far far too late to get any credit or benefit from accepting responsibility. Just commit to being the villains of the piece.
Surely it is time for the PO board to do the 'honourable' thing and resign en masse. The shareholders (!) can then appoint replacements, and they can then make the necessary employee changes.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
That would be astute and probably quite popular politics from SKS.
He can't afford to give the tories Brexit as a wedge issue before the election as there is nothing they would like better in the nuggets of anthracite that pass for their hearts than to re-litigate the 2019 GBD election.
Rejoin is just common sense and inevitable anyway. Just need more gammons to be killed by Carling/Bennie Hedgehogs.
No, we will never go back to how it was before, or more so.
It's possible we might Rejoin a changed Europe, which has different membership arrangements for different tiers, but not the status quo ante bellum.
Ironically, with our opt outs that's not far off the status quo ante bellum.
I hope he doesn't try to take us back into Europe though, either openly or covertly. We're out, for good or for ill, and trying to reverse that would waste a lot more time, energy and money that we simply can't spare right now.
No-one including Starmer is honest about the choices having the UK. Brexit has failed. It's crap but we're stuck with it for the foreseeable future. The discussion needs to be about what compromises we prepared to make to limit the damage.
Interesting little snippet from the Post Office Board:
Simon Jeffreys, a non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee is also -
"Simon chairs the Board of St James Place International plc, and is Chair of the Audit and Risk Committees of Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust plc, SimCorp A/S, a listed Danish financial services software company, and the Crown Prosecution Service."
Starmer fans please explain!
Malmesbury should get this for his Juke (or whatever piece of shit he has).
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
This is a massive over simplification. Firstly Oborne knows perfectly well the routes by which Starmer can lose the election, and opening up the EU question is one of the best.
Secondly he knows that there is not a 'slowly' way back into EU membership, but only a way which engages us in a deeply acrimonious debate in which the outcome is unknown in political and personal terms, and which will involve well publicised key decisions which are absolutely binary - parliamentary decisions, referendum, making application, process, acceptance, terms and conditions, joining.
The idea of opening all that up from cold in an election campaign is unthinkable. He might in the manifesto say 'we shall continue to review our relationship with the EU and seek to act in ways which strengthen the UK's trading and political position' but that's about all it is reasonable to expect. This election will be dirty enough already.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
Why? Do you think SKS has a mandate for whatever he likes provided he wins in November?
Everything has a political consequence. And those are far greater if you don't have a mandate, and it does eventually catch-up with you.
Depends if it's a success or not.
The Conservatives had a mandate for the Community Charge, but it didn't stop it being a millstone round their necks.
They didn't have a mandate for increasing VAT in the 1979 budget, but it wasn't much of an issue by the next election.
Clearly, it is morally better if a government sets out plans in its manifesto, but I don't think any government has really stuck to them afterwards.
I wouldn't advise this, and I don't think anyone would do this, but I wonder what would happen if a party ran on "We know Britain is in a mess, but we're not sure how bad it is. If elected, we will find out and do our best to fix it"?
Basically, the Interim Manager approach. Looking at things like the Post Office, it might be what we need.
Is it really any less honest than the fantasy policies we're likely to get?
I'm a great believer in the positive and negative power of corporate culture. Any organisation - especially large and long-established ones - have a corporate culture within them. These are often set by the founder(s), and can take years to change as long-serving staff are understandably resistant to change.
Corporate cultures can be positive for the organisation, or can be negative. Because of the resistance to change, negative cultures (or aspects of culture) can take years to turn around.
The Post Office, at top level, not postmasters, appears to have a rotten corporate culture. I fear it's not just the top bods who need to change, but many people within the organisation.
Yup: culture beats strategy hands down.
You start with change at the top and you keep going until you hit the layer you need, the one that is worthwhile and then you make them feel - through reward and praise - that they are doing the right thing by doing the right thing. It takes time and hard work and persistence. It can be done. But only if you first realise it needs to be done. The PO has not even got to that point yet.
The PO hasn’t got to the “yes, we fucked up” point. Yet.
At this point they might as well never do so, it's far far too late to get any credit or benefit from accepting responsibility. Just commit to being the villains of the piece.
Surely it is time for the PO board to do the 'honourable' thing and resign en masse. The shareholders (!) can then appoint replacements, and they can then make the necessary employee changes.
In general I think it better to hold the current board accountable. For the first time. Accountable for sorting out their own mess. But that accountability needs to be tied down with rigorous sanctions if they don't fix the problem.
I'm a great believer in the positive and negative power of corporate culture. Any organisation - especially large and long-established ones - have a corporate culture within them. These are often set by the founder(s), and can take years to change as long-serving staff are understandably resistant to change.
Corporate cultures can be positive for the organisation, or can be negative. Because of the resistance to change, negative cultures (or aspects of culture) can take years to turn around.
The Post Office, at top level, not postmasters, appears to have a rotten corporate culture. I fear it's not just the top bods who need to change, but many people within the organisation.
Yup: culture beats strategy hands down.
You start with change at the top and you keep going until you hit the layer you need, the one that is worthwhile and then you make them feel - through reward and praise - that they are doing the right thing by doing the right thing. It takes time and hard work and persistence. It can be done. But only if you first realise it needs to be done. The PO has not even got to that point yet.
The PO hasn’t got to the “yes, we fucked up” point. Yet.
At this point they might as well never do so, it's far far too late to get any credit or benefit from accepting responsibility. Just commit to being the villains of the piece.
Surely it is time for the PO board to do the 'honourable' thing and resign en masse. The shareholders (!) can then appoint replacements, and they can then make the necessary employee changes.
In general I think it better to hold the current board accountable. For the first time. Accountable for sorting out their own mess. But that accountability needs to be tied down with rigorous sanctions if they don't fix the problem.
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
This is a massive over simplification. Firstly Oborne knows perfectly well the routes by which Starmer can lose the election, and opening up the EU question is one of the best.
Secondly he knows that there is not a 'slowly' way back into EU membership, but only a way which engages us in a deeply acrimonious debate in which the outcome is unknown in political and personal terms, and which will involve well publicised key decisions which are absolutely binary - parliamentary decisions, referendum, making application, process, acceptance, terms and conditions, joining.
The idea of opening all that up from cold in an election campaign is unthinkable. He might in the manifesto say 'we shall continue to review our relationship with the EU and seek to act in ways which strengthen the UK's trading and political position' but that's about all it is reasonable to expect. This election will be dirty enough already.
Yes he's about locking in the election win not rolling the dice to chase a bigger win at the risk of no win at all.
Labour will ...
Cancel Brexit Let anybody into the country Borrow and spend like a drunken sailor Be soft on crime Not respect the Union Jack Persecute drivers Let men pretend to be women
That off the top of my head is a list of the main things being closed down. By closed down I mean give the Cons and their media patsies and enablers no ammo whatsoever to give the charge any traction with anybody paying attention.
I would be delighted if Alan Bates stood in our constituency as with boundary changes he now does and I would vote for him without a second thought
Tory win in K&S incoming.
Nah, Davey will win.
I wouldn’t be too sure. Particularly if she’s the only such candidate in the country. She’ll become a lightning rod for protest votes. Davey lost the seat in 2015 remember.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
I'm a great believer in the positive and negative power of corporate culture. Any organisation - especially large and long-established ones - have a corporate culture within them. These are often set by the founder(s), and can take years to change as long-serving staff are understandably resistant to change.
Corporate cultures can be positive for the organisation, or can be negative. Because of the resistance to change, negative cultures (or aspects of culture) can take years to turn around.
The Post Office, at top level, not postmasters, appears to have a rotten corporate culture. I fear it's not just the top bods who need to change, but many people within the organisation.
Yup: culture beats strategy hands down.
You start with change at the top and you keep going until you hit the layer you need, the one that is worthwhile and then you make them feel - through reward and praise - that they are doing the right thing by doing the right thing. It takes time and hard work and persistence. It can be done. But only if you first realise it needs to be done. The PO has not even got to that point yet.
The PO hasn’t got to the “yes, we fucked up” point. Yet.
At this point they might as well never do so, it's far far too late to get any credit or benefit from accepting responsibility. Just commit to being the villains of the piece.
Surely it is time for the PO board to do the 'honourable' thing and resign en masse. The shareholders (!) can then appoint replacements, and they can then make the necessary employee changes.
In general I think it better to hold the current board accountable. For the first time. Accountable for sorting out their own mess. But that accountability needs to be tied down with rigorous sanctions if they don't fix the problem.
If they were competent to do it, maybe.
That's up to them. If they don't do the right thing now they will get the consequences, if we hold their feet properly to the fire.
Surely anyone who is prosecuted for the post office scandal will argue it will be impossible for them to get a fair trial. Whether that washes, I don’t know, but they’re bound to try it.
Why would they be able to argue that, any more than - for example - someone who is charged with committing a murder that has excited widespread outrage?
They can't. This is always brought up every time there is a crime which is in the news and it never happens. First, there will be no prosecutions until the Inquiry is done. Then the police and CPS will need to review all the evidence which has come out of the Inquiry and may also need to interview others. So I doubt there will be prosecutions this year. Next year maybe. If they didn't happen until 2026 I would not be surprised.
Also remember that the burden of proof for conspiracy charges is high.
Are there any clawback provisions in the bonuses awarded to PO managers? There ought to be.
I must say that the word "bonus" now sets my teeth on edge in the same way as the phrase "lessons learned". Corporate looting would be more accurate.
The PO Scandal has finally caught the zeitgeist, despite many of us knowing about it for years. In my case it was from Private Eye that I found the story a decade or so ago.
The ITV drama made a human story out of what is superficially boring: computers, accounting and sub-post offices. It is a very emblematic story of how Britain (and for that matter many other countries) has evolved: ordinary people doing ordinary jobs being screwed over by a system designed not for the common interest, but rather for the financial interests at the top and their political friends.
It strikes a chord with that populist feeling, and feeds the suspicion that any "reform" that we are going to see in the way the country is run will screw over the common folk again in favour of those lobbying interests.
That's why it's reasonated.
It speaks to every part of the political spectrum and strikes at that fundamental decent British sense of fair play.
The husband of one of the jailed postmasters (mistresses?) was on R4 this morning recounting how he was beaten up three times after a 'pregnant thief jailed' headline in the local paper. I feel it's very much swings and roundabouts on the fundamental decent British sense of fair play front.
Also rather lacking on PB of late. Notably a rather partisan rush to blame Mr Davey and SKS for everything right down to the exact shade of beige used for the wpbs (PO staff for the use of).
That's nothing to the shite being poured over Vennells. There are others who need to share the blame.
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
Why? Do you think SKS has a mandate for whatever he likes provided he wins in November?
Everything has a political consequence. And those are far greater if you don't have a mandate, and it does eventually catch-up with you.
Relative to the current Tory mandate on their third leader, who lost his own party leadership contest, and having flip flopped on numerous policies, Starmers mandate, if he gets a clear win, must be pretty broad.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
I would be delighted if Alan Bates stood in our constituency as with boundary changes he now does and I would vote for him without a second thought
Tory win in K&S incoming.
Nah, Davey will win.
I wouldn’t be too sure. Particularly if she’s the only such candidate in the country. She’ll become a lightning rod for protest votes. Davey lost the seat in 2015 remember.
Worth noting that she's already a Kingston councillor. Whether that helps or hinders her, I'm not sure.
I would be delighted if Alan Bates stood in our constituency as with boundary changes he now does and I would vote for him without a second thought
Tory win in K&S incoming.
Nah, Davey will win.
I wouldn’t be too sure. Particularly if she’s the only such candidate in the country. She’ll become a lightning rod for protest votes. Davey lost the seat in 2015 remember.
By the time of the GE this will be as relevant as ULEZ imo.
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
Why? Do you think SKS has a mandate for whatever he likes provided he wins in November?
Everything has a political consequence. And those are far greater if you don't have a mandate, and it does eventually catch-up with you.
Relative to the current Tory mandate on their third leader, who lost his own party leadership contest, and having flip flopped on numerous policies, Starmers mandate, if he gets a clear win, must be pretty broad.
He's going to have a thumping great "not the tories" mandate.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
It’s not AI it’s a doll
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
Why? Do you think SKS has a mandate for whatever he likes provided he wins in November?
Everything has a political consequence. And those are far greater if you don't have a mandate, and it does eventually catch-up with you.
Relative to the current Tory mandate on their third leader, who lost his own party leadership contest, and having flip flopped on numerous policies, Starmers mandate, if he gets a clear win, must be pretty broad.
He's going to have a thumping great "not the tories" mandate.
Yes, I'd say Not the Tories is the biggest chunk of the electorate at about 25%.
20% Labour, 15% Tories, 10% Not Labour, 30% The rest
Oth I deplore personalised number plates but I finally saw a cool one. Somewhat negated by what it’s attached to but gather ye rosebuds while ye may
Kick Out the Just About Managings.
Brothers and Sisters, the time has come for each and everyone of you to decide whether you are going to be the problem or whether you are going to be the solution..
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
Why? Do you think SKS has a mandate for whatever he likes provided he wins in November?
Everything has a political consequence. And those are far greater if you don't have a mandate, and it does eventually catch-up with you.
Relative to the current Tory mandate on their third leader, who lost his own party leadership contest, and having flip flopped on numerous policies, Starmers mandate, if he gets a clear win, must be pretty broad.
He's going to have a thumping great "not the tories" mandate.
Yes, I'd say Not the Tories is the biggest chunk of the electorate at about 25%.
20% Labour, 15% Tories, 10% Not Labour, 30% The rest
It looks as if the Post Office has been claiming the compensation payments made to subpostmasters as tax deductible expenses. HMRC disagrees and is arguing that the PO needs to pony up ca. £100 m in tax.
Of course this is one bit of the government paying money to another bit. But still - delightful to see a body prosecuting others for false accounting not being able to get its tax affairs in order.
'While the Post Office appears to have deducted compensation provisions from their taxable profits, it apparently ignored them when it came to calculating executive pay.'
Their entire accounts for the past 20 years are going to have to be rewritten, aren't they.
The whole thing will probably be worth about £3.16 by the end and the whole shebang can be bought with loose change when going to your local branch to buy some balloons, sellotape and a birthday card for a friend's 3 year old.
Bagsy first in the queue: I will enjoy sacking everyone.
I just read this bit of news and my eyes were out on stalks. It is an absolutely bog standard tax principle that compensation payments of this kind are not a deductible expense. You don't get tax relief for breaking the law. Any High Street accountant could tell you that. What were they thinking? How did the auditors not point it out to them?
As for bonuses based on pre-compensation payents, they're 'aving a larf, surely? The way they've performed,they should be paying us, not the other way round.
I should say the PO must be technically insolvent as of now. There is no way it is going to be able meet its liabilities when they are all totted up. Of course that means the bill will be passed on to me and thee, but hopefully we will get some say in the matter of retribution. I'd go for garotting of those responsible, starting with the Board and working my way down.
Others, Ms Cyclefree, might want something a bit harsher, but I'm a tolerant soul.
The whole problem is they were not thinking. Not capable of it, you see.
The argument they could use is the same one Bates uses - that the payments are (significantly) reimbursement. The original shortfalls were made good by the SPMRs and generated taxable income that added to the bottom line. Hence reversing this out should be deductible.
Of course, this won’t, and shouldn’t, fly. But it’s a way of looking at it.
To the extent that it is returning what was never theirs in the first place I think that is ok. The accounts really ought to be rewritten but then since this is a Government owned company it wouldn't make sense to be too particular about it. The real problem is that the PO doesn't know the figures. It probably lost track of them years ago, if indeed it ever had track. (The whole organisation seems utterly shambolic so that would hardly be surprising.)
The punitive element, which one assumes now will be large, has got no chance of getting past HMRC, public body or not.
Frankly you have to question whether it is still a going concern in the normal sense. Caretaker administration beckons?
I really don't know. The whole bloody mess keeps getting worse.
On your point
"Caretaker administration beckons?"
Surely a magnificent opportunity to reward some deserving Conservative donors.
Why not an actual caretaker? They could hardly do any worse.
I would be delighted if Alan Bates stood in our constituency as with boundary changes he now does and I would vote for him without a second thought
Tory win in K&S incoming.
Nah, Davey will win.
I wouldn’t be too sure. Particularly if she’s the only such candidate in the country. She’ll become a lightning rod for protest votes. Davey lost the seat in 2015 remember.
Worth noting that she's already a Kingston councillor. Whether that helps or hinders her, I'm not sure.
It suggests she’s serious, but it also suggests this isn’t just about the Post Office scandal. She’ll have a local record of things she’s supported or opposed. Reporting suggests she’s a small-c conservative in terms of council affairs.
How much salience will the Post Office scandal have in November or whenever the election is? She’d do better having a go at the London Assembly perhaps.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
It’s not AI it’s a doll
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
Apologies for starting this, I was just being a knob writing that something that doesn’t exist (a ghost baby) can’t be real because the hands that aren’t in the picture aren’t realistic as per an oft remarked problem with AI. I didn’t realise people would demand your banning for doing something you haven’t done.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
It’s not AI it’s a doll
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
Apologies for starting this, I was just being a knob writing that something that doesn’t exist (a ghost baby) can’t be real because the hands that aren’t in the picture aren’t realistic as per an oft remarked problem with AI. I didn’t realise people would demand your banning for doing something you haven’t done.
Demanding people be punished for things they haven’t done is very in keeping with the political mood perhaps.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
It’s not AI it’s a doll
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
Going out on a limb here, but I think you might be a bit suggestible.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
It’s not AI it’s a doll
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
Apologies for starting this, I was just being a knob writing that something that doesn’t exist (a ghost baby) can’t be real because the hands that aren’t in the picture aren’t realistic as per an oft remarked problem with AI. I didn’t realise people would demand your banning for doing something you haven’t done.
I humiliate people on here - or infuriate them. Sometimes both. They all want me banned, and they jump at any opportunity - as you can see
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
It’s not AI it’s a doll
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
Apologies for starting this, I was just being a knob writing that something that doesn’t exist (a ghost baby) can’t be real because the hands that aren’t in the picture aren’t realistic as per an oft remarked problem with AI. I didn’t realise people would demand your banning for doing something you haven’t done.
Not guilty to that charge. I wasn't demanding he be banned. I was just predicting it based on my understanding of site rules. I don't mind AI pics myself. Anyway the claim now is that these aren't AI they're actual dolls. In which case there's no issue and we all move on.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
It’s not AI it’s a doll
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
Going out on a limb here, but I think you might be a bit suggestible.
Oh for sure, it’s called “having an imagination”. As I understand it, properly employed it can actually earn you money
Btw the Louisiana story is genuinely hair-raising. I will tell it someday
I will tell the raffles story in a minute. It’s quite the coincidence
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
Wasn’t it just a creepy doll with atmospheric lighting?
I would be delighted if Alan Bates stood in our constituency as with boundary changes he now does and I would vote for him without a second thought
Mr Bates has many talents, but do these really make him suitable for Parliament?
When comparing him to the vast majority of present mps he is a colossus
He is a remarkable man, but such a move might be perceived as gimmicky and there is nothing gimmicky about him.
Might be a good thing however to have one or two former SPMs in the House to ask relevant questions - for example, where is Kemi Badenoch? That would be a good question right now, but nobody seems to be putting it.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
It’s not AI it’s a doll
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
Going out on a limb here, but I think you might be a bit suggestible.
Oh for sure, it’s called “having an imagination”. As I understand it, properly employed it can actually earn you money
Btw the Louisiana story is genuinely hair-raising. I will tell it someday
I will tell the raffles story in a minute. It’s quite the coincidence
You make a good point, but it hardly backs up ‘genuinely’ hair-raising.
Surely anyone who is prosecuted for the post office scandal will argue it will be impossible for them to get a fair trial. Whether that washes, I don’t know, but they’re bound to try it.
Why would they be able to argue that, any more than - for example - someone who is charged with committing a murder that has excited widespread outrage?
They can't. This is always brought up every time there is a crime which is in the news and it never happens. First, there will be no prosecutions until the Inquiry is done. Then the police and CPS will need to review all the evidence which has come out of the Inquiry and may also need to interview others. So I doubt there will be prosecutions this year. Next year maybe. If they didn't happen until 2026 I would not be surprised.
Also remember that the burden of proof for conspiracy charges is high.
Are there any clawback provisions in the bonuses awarded to PO managers? There ought to be.
I must say that the word "bonus" now sets my teeth on edge in the same way as the phrase "lessons learned". Corporate looting would be more accurate.
The PO Scandal has finally caught the zeitgeist, despite many of us knowing about it for years. In my case it was from Private Eye that I found the story a decade or so ago.
The ITV drama made a human story out of what is superficially boring: computers, accounting and sub-post offices. It is a very emblematic story of how Britain (and for that matter many other countries) has evolved: ordinary people doing ordinary jobs being screwed over by a system designed not for the common interest, but rather for the financial interests at the top and their political friends.
It strikes a chord with that populist feeling, and feeds the suspicion that any "reform" that we are going to see in the way the country is run will screw over the common folk again in favour of those lobbying interests.
That's why it's reasonated.
It speaks to every part of the political spectrum and strikes at that fundamental decent British sense of fair play.
The husband of one of the jailed postmasters (mistresses?) was on R4 this morning recounting how he was beaten up three times after a 'pregnant thief jailed' headline in the local paper. I feel it's very much swings and roundabouts on the fundamental decent British sense of fair play front.
Also rather lacking on PB of late. Notably a rather partisan rush to blame Mr Davey and SKS for everything right down to the exact shade of beige used for the wpbs (PO staff for the use of).
That's nothing to the shite being poured over Vennells. There are others who need to share the blame.
They need one of those things the farmer on the field behind here uses to spread the contents of the midden evenly and efficiently.
Raffles Phnom Penh was used by the Khmer Rouge as one of its main headquarters during the entire regime. it would have been one of the few buildings occupied in a city that was otherwise eerily deserted: deliberately emptied of its two million citizens, all driven into the countryside to farm rice and kill each other
What happened in this building??
The Stone Tape was a 1972 Christmas horror story written by Nigel Kneale (who wrote Quatermass). A team of scientists move into their new research facility, a renovated Victorian mansion that has a reputation for being haunted. The team investigate the phenomenon, trying to determine if the stones of the building are acting as a recording medium for past events (the "stone tape" of the play's title).
Maybe you are tuned into the building's recording...
The Stone Tape is one of the best bits of TV ever. A brilliant concept, brilliantly realised.
I would be delighted if Alan Bates stood in our constituency as with boundary changes he now does and I would vote for him without a second thought
Mr Bates has many talents, but do these really make him suitable for Parliament?
When comparing him to the vast majority of present mps he is a colossus
He is a remarkable man, but such a move might be perceived as gimmicky and there is nothing gimmicky about him.
Might be a good thing however to have one or two former SPMs in the House to ask relevant questions - for example, where is Kemi Badenoch? That would be a good question right now, but nobody seems to be putting it.
Arguably one of the type of people you might want in a second chamber. Such an offer would be an blatant act of political pandering at present - so it’s not entirely unlikely.
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
It’s not AI it’s a doll
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
Going out on a limb here, but I think you might be a bit suggestible.
Oh for sure, it’s called “having an imagination”. As I understand it, properly employed it can actually earn you money
Btw the Louisiana story is genuinely hair-raising. I will tell it someday
I will tell the raffles story in a minute. It’s quite the coincidence
You make a good point, but it hardly backs up ‘genuinely’ hair-raising.
I haven’t told the story! Believe it or not I am not prone to TRULY freaking out. I’m excitable and over-dramatic but that’s different
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
It’s not AI it’s a doll
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
Going out on a limb here, but I think you might be a bit suggestible.
Oh for sure, it’s called “having an imagination”. As I understand it, properly employed it can actually earn you money
Btw the Louisiana story is genuinely hair-raising. I will tell it someday
I will tell the raffles story in a minute. It’s quite the coincidence
You make a good point, but it hardly backs up ‘genuinely’ hair-raising.
I haven’t told the story! Believe it or not I am not prone to TRULY freaking out. I’m excitable and over-dramatic but that’s different
Surely anyone who is prosecuted for the post office scandal will argue it will be impossible for them to get a fair trial. Whether that washes, I don’t know, but they’re bound to try it.
Why would they be able to argue that, any more than - for example - someone who is charged with committing a murder that has excited widespread outrage?
They can't. This is always brought up every time there is a crime which is in the news and it never happens. First, there will be no prosecutions until the Inquiry is done. Then the police and CPS will need to review all the evidence which has come out of the Inquiry and may also need to interview others. So I doubt there will be prosecutions this year. Next year maybe. If they didn't happen until 2026 I would not be surprised.
Also remember that the burden of proof for conspiracy charges is high.
Are there any clawback provisions in the bonuses awarded to PO managers? There ought to be.
I must say that the word "bonus" now sets my teeth on edge in the same way as the phrase "lessons learned". Corporate looting would be more accurate.
The PO Scandal has finally caught the zeitgeist, despite many of us knowing about it for years. In my case it was from Private Eye that I found the story a decade or so ago.
The ITV drama made a human story out of what is superficially boring: computers, accounting and sub-post offices. It is a very emblematic story of how Britain (and for that matter many other countries) has evolved: ordinary people doing ordinary jobs being screwed over by a system designed not for the common interest, but rather for the financial interests at the top and their political friends.
It strikes a chord with that populist feeling, and feeds the suspicion that any "reform" that we are going to see in the way the country is run will screw over the common folk again in favour of those lobbying interests.
That's why it's reasonated.
It speaks to every part of the political spectrum and strikes at that fundamental decent British sense of fair play.
The husband of one of the jailed postmasters (mistresses?) was on R4 this morning recounting how he was beaten up three times after a 'pregnant thief jailed' headline in the local paper. I feel it's very much swings and roundabouts on the fundamental decent British sense of fair play front.
Also rather lacking on PB of late. Notably a rather partisan rush to blame Mr Davey and SKS for everything right down to the exact shade of beige used for the wpbs (PO staff for the use of).
That's nothing to the shite being poured over Vennells. There are others who need to share the blame.
I would be delighted if Alan Bates stood in our constituency as with boundary changes he now does and I would vote for him without a second thought
Tory win in K&S incoming.
Nah, Davey will win.
I wouldn’t be too sure. Particularly if she’s the only such candidate in the country. She’ll become a lightning rod for protest votes. Davey lost the seat in 2015 remember.
Worth noting that she's already a Kingston councillor. Whether that helps or hinders her, I'm not sure.
It suggests she’s serious, but it also suggests this isn’t just about the Post Office scandal. She’ll have a local record of things she’s supported or opposed. Reporting suggests she’s a small-c conservative in terms of council affairs.
How much salience will the Post Office scandal have in November or whenever the election is? She’d do better having a go at the London Assembly perhaps.
Non-party candidates have broken through (Martin Bell benefited from LibDem and Lab standing down, what was the story with the doctor in Wyre Forest?), but not many.
Easier to see her getting Davey out than winning herself.
As practical matter, probably not many Republics gonna be waiting in line OUTSIDE on Monday night; Iowans are better organized than that; they generally find the counting more problematic than the weather.
And folks may well start turning up, an being checked in, before 7pm. With actual voting not until then.
Essentially the caucuses are meetings. A few people will get up and make speeches, others will comment, most will be there just to fill out a ballot and drop it in the box.
IF turnout at a locality is heavy, could take a while to get past the ID checkers. But again these lines and waiting should be indoors.
Typically caucus meetings are held at schools and churches, normal election polling places. Or in peoples homes.
Also pretty common in some places to hold caucuses for several precincts at same location, say a high school with plenty of classrooms for meetings, or in an auditorium or school gym.
Reckon the REAL turnout issue, will be folks not wanting to drive too far from home that night. May be somewhat more of a factor in rural precincts, where the trip to & from caucus may be longer.
AP are saying it is going to be -45. I presume that is Fahrenheit but it doesn't make much difference at that sort of number. That is seriously cold. Not a night for being out driving. This is madness.
When you get down to that point you are close to the parity value
Because of the way the conversion is calculated, -40 F is -40 C. It is the crossover point. Below -40, Fahrenheit values are lower than centigrade for any given temperature.
Ah but does lower mean higher or lower when it comes to negative numbers?
Surely anyone who is prosecuted for the post office scandal will argue it will be impossible for them to get a fair trial. Whether that washes, I don’t know, but they’re bound to try it.
Why would they be able to argue that, any more than - for example - someone who is charged with committing a murder that has excited widespread outrage?
They can't. This is always brought up every time there is a crime which is in the news and it never happens. First, there will be no prosecutions until the Inquiry is done. Then the police and CPS will need to review all the evidence which has come out of the Inquiry and may also need to interview others. So I doubt there will be prosecutions this year. Next year maybe. If they didn't happen until 2026 I would not be surprised.
Also remember that the burden of proof for conspiracy charges is high.
Are there any clawback provisions in the bonuses awarded to PO managers? There ought to be.
I must say that the word "bonus" now sets my teeth on edge in the same way as the phrase "lessons learned". Corporate looting would be more accurate.
The PO Scandal has finally caught the zeitgeist, despite many of us knowing about it for years. In my case it was from Private Eye that I found the story a decade or so ago.
The ITV drama made a human story out of what is superficially boring: computers, accounting and sub-post offices. It is a very emblematic story of how Britain (and for that matter many other countries) has evolved: ordinary people doing ordinary jobs being screwed over by a system designed not for the common interest, but rather for the financial interests at the top and their political friends.
It strikes a chord with that populist feeling, and feeds the suspicion that any "reform" that we are going to see in the way the country is run will screw over the common folk again in favour of those lobbying interests.
That's why it's reasonated.
It speaks to every part of the political spectrum and strikes at that fundamental decent British sense of fair play.
The husband of one of the jailed postmasters (mistresses?) was on R4 this morning recounting how he was beaten up three times after a 'pregnant thief jailed' headline in the local paper. I feel it's very much swings and roundabouts on the fundamental decent British sense of fair play front.
Also rather lacking on PB of late. Notably a rather partisan rush to blame Mr Davey and SKS for everything right down to the exact shade of beige used for the wpbs (PO staff for the use of).
That's nothing to the shite being poured over Vennells. There are others who need to share the blame.
They need one of those things the farmer on the field behind here uses to spread the contents of the midden evenly and efficiently.
The enquiry, slow as it is bound to be, seems to be doing a pretty good job of working its way along the chain of causation. The media, of course, is a different matter, but I’m fairly sure Vennells is not going to be a lone scapegoat.
I would be delighted if Alan Bates stood in our constituency as with boundary changes he now does and I would vote for him without a second thought
Tory win in K&S incoming.
Nah, Davey will win.
I wouldn’t be too sure. Particularly if she’s the only such candidate in the country. She’ll become a lightning rod for protest votes. Davey lost the seat in 2015 remember.
Worth noting that she's already a Kingston councillor. Whether that helps or hinders her, I'm not sure.
It suggests she’s serious, but it also suggests this isn’t just about the Post Office scandal. She’ll have a local record of things she’s supported or opposed. Reporting suggests she’s a small-c conservative in terms of council affairs.
How much salience will the Post Office scandal have in November or whenever the election is? She’d do better having a go at the London Assembly perhaps.
Non-party candidates have broken through (Martin Bell benefited from LibDem and Lab standing down, what was the story with the doctor in Wyre Forest?), but not many.
Easier to see her getting Davey out than winning herself.
I’m not sure. For example all the aggrieved covid families look at this and think, what a great idea! What a great way to keep our grievance against Tories over Covid in the news throughout the election campaign by standing against senior Tories! It would more likely hurt Libdem and Labours chances of defeating those senior Tories in electoral trouble, by siphoning votes from their challenge.
I would be delighted if Alan Bates stood in our constituency as with boundary changes he now does and I would vote for him without a second thought
Tory win in K&S incoming.
Nah, Davey will win.
I wouldn’t be too sure. Particularly if she’s the only such candidate in the country. She’ll become a lightning rod for protest votes. Davey lost the seat in 2015 remember.
Worth noting that she's already a Kingston councillor. Whether that helps or hinders her, I'm not sure.
It suggests she’s serious, but it also suggests this isn’t just about the Post Office scandal. She’ll have a local record of things she’s supported or opposed. Reporting suggests she’s a small-c conservative in terms of council affairs.
How much salience will the Post Office scandal have in November or whenever the election is? She’d do better having a go at the London Assembly perhaps.
Non-party candidates have broken through (Martin Bell benefited from LibDem and Lab standing down, what was the story with the doctor in Wyre Forest?), but not many.
Easier to see her getting Davey out than winning herself.
Very hard to see a swing to the Tories anywhere, but particularly in West London.
She may well dent his majority but Davey is safe as an MP, if not as leader.
I would be delighted if Alan Bates stood in our constituency as with boundary changes he now does and I would vote for him without a second thought
Tory win in K&S incoming.
Nah, Davey will win.
I wouldn’t be too sure. Particularly if she’s the only such candidate in the country. She’ll become a lightning rod for protest votes. Davey lost the seat in 2015 remember.
Worth noting that she's already a Kingston councillor. Whether that helps or hinders her, I'm not sure.
It suggests she’s serious, but it also suggests this isn’t just about the Post Office scandal. She’ll have a local record of things she’s supported or opposed. Reporting suggests she’s a small-c conservative in terms of council affairs.
How much salience will the Post Office scandal have in November or whenever the election is? She’d do better having a go at the London Assembly perhaps.
Non-party candidates have broken through (Martin Bell benefited from LibDem and Lab standing down, what was the story with the doctor in Wyre Forest?), but not many.
Easier to see her getting Davey out than winning herself.
Very hard to see a swing to the Tories anywhere, but particularly in West London.
She may well dent his majority but Davey is safe as an MP, if not as leader.
10, 000 majority last time (against Gyles Brandreth's daughter), so that's a lot of votes for Davey to lose before he's undertaken by the Conservatives.
I was FREAKING OUT about the dark history of this hotel - Jon swain, Roland neveu, dith pran, the Khmer Rouge, soldiers dying in the lobby, executions in the garden - and I was told the Elephant Bar “has some interesting photos”
As I was due for my “gin class” at the same bar I came down to look at the photos first then I noticed an elderly American standing next to me also looking at the photos
Turns out he was STAYING in the hotel in the week it was taken over by the Khmer Rouge. He is a famous philanthropist and he was in Cambodia to organise the “rice lift” which saved many Cambodian kids
He was personally witness to all the events described. He knew dith pran, Jon swain, Sidney Sheldon and all the people in The Killing Fields and he could point to the room where he slept until that fateful week
How weird is that, the same day I freak out about the history?
Lai seems to have won in Taiwan. No majority in the legislature, though, with the newish third party taking votes.
China pissed.
Of course China's pi**ed. Taiwan's shown China how to do democracy. I wonder why dictator-for-life Xi doesn't like that?
I’m delighted the DPP has won an unprecedented (though it’s not been a democracy long enough for much precedent) third term; it’s a progressive party, which also has proved competent in government.
There’s a risk of Xi doing something stupid in reaction, though.
Lai seems to have won in Taiwan. No majority in the legislature, though, with the newish third party taking votes.
China pissed.
Of course China's pi**ed. Taiwan's shown China how to do democracy. I wonder why dictator-for-life Xi doesn't like that?
I’m delighted the DPP has won an unprecedented (though it’s not been a democracy long enough for much precedent) third term; it’s a progressive party, which also has proved competent in government.
There’s a risk of Xi doing something stupid in reaction, though.
Just imagine if you had locked yourself into a 25 year fixed mortgage in late 2006.
Rachel Reeves has pledged that Labour will oversee a “revolution” in home ownership by opening the door to 25-year fixed-rate mortgages for millions of people.
In an interview with The Times before a trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, the shadow chancellor said that longer fixed-rate deals would enable people to buy houses with smaller deposits and with lower monthly repayments.
She has asked a Labour review of financial services, which is being run by a group of City grandees, to work with the mortgage industry to find ways to remove regulatory barriers and help trigger a broader cultural shift.
You can’t destroy risk in finance - just move it about.
True, but as a society I think we should have preferences about where the risk ends up. In particular I think it's better if we design systems and regulations so that significant risks and especially hard to predict large downside risks largely land on big organisations who have the resources to make a better job of assessing them and to weather the consequences if they do come to pass, rather than on individuals. If individuals want to take on risks, that's fine, but we shouldn't set financial systems up so they are obliged to.
What I mean is that having everyone on lifetime-of-the-mortgage portable fixed rates sounds like a no lose plan.
Except that this will mean someone holding a fuckton of 25 year swaps.
If not carefully thought out, that’s your next banking crisis.
I'm a great believer in the positive and negative power of corporate culture. Any organisation - especially large and long-established ones - have a corporate culture within them. These are often set by the founder(s), and can take years to change as long-serving staff are understandably resistant to change.
Corporate cultures can be positive for the organisation, or can be negative. Because of the resistance to change, negative cultures (or aspects of culture) can take years to turn around.
The Post Office, at top level, not postmasters, appears to have a rotten corporate culture. I fear it's not just the top bods who need to change, but many people within the organisation.
Yup: culture beats strategy hands down.
You start with change at the top and you keep going until you hit the layer you need, the one that is worthwhile and then you make them feel - through reward and praise - that they are doing the right thing by doing the right thing. It takes time and hard work and persistence. It can be done. But only if you first realise it needs to be done. The PO has not even got to that point yet.
The PO hasn’t got to the “yes, we fucked up” point. Yet.
At this point they might as well never do so, it's far far too late to get any credit or benefit from accepting responsibility. Just commit to being the villains of the piece.
In order to stop fucking up, the first step is to admit you are fucking up.
I was FREAKING OUT about the dark history of this hotel - Jon swain, Roland neveu, dith pran, the Khmer Rouge, soldiers dying in the lobby, executions in the garden - and I was told the Elephant Bar “has some interesting photos”
As I was due for my “gin class” at the same bar I came down to look at the photos first then I noticed an elderly American standing next to me also looking at the photos
Turns out he was STAYING in the hotel in the week it was taken over by the Khmer Rouge. He is a famous philanthropist and he was in Cambodia to organise the “rice lift” which saved many Cambodian kids
He was personally witness to all the events described. He knew dith pran, Jon swain, Sidney Sheldon and all the people in The Killing Fields and he could point to the room where he slept until that fateful week
How weird is that, the same day I freak out about the history?
You'd be freaking about its history *any* day. So just reduce the last bit to, 'the same day I visit the hotel'. But a very notable coincidence anyway.
I heard from a Republican strategist who hails from the Midwest who said that heavy snow falls that block roads would hit turnout but simply cold weather wouldn't. He said that Iowans have no problem with the cold, the only people who would be affected would be East Coast journalists.
Lai seems to have won in Taiwan. No majority in the legislature, though, with the newish third party taking votes.
China pissed.
Of course China's pi**ed. Taiwan's shown China how to do democracy. I wonder why dictator-for-life Xi doesn't like that?
Lai is an impressive character.
Raised by a single mother after his miner father died from carbon monoxide poisoning; has a masters degree in public health, and is a national expert of spinal injuries; hugely popular two term mayor of Tainan before entering national politics, and nominated ‘best legislator’ four times in a row while sitting in parliament. Not your average party hack.
A domestic flight of Japan's All Nippon Airways returned to its departure airport after a crack was found on the cockpit window of a Boeing 737-800 aircraft
I was FREAKING OUT about the dark history of this hotel - Jon swain, Roland neveu, dith pran, the Khmer Rouge, soldiers dying in the lobby, executions in the garden - and I was told the Elephant Bar “has some interesting photos”
As I was due for my “gin class” at the same bar I came down to look at the photos first then I noticed an elderly American standing next to me also looking at the photos
Turns out he was STAYING in the hotel in the week it was taken over by the Khmer Rouge. He is a famous philanthropist and he was in Cambodia to organise the “rice lift” which saved many Cambodian kids
He was personally witness to all the events described. He knew dith pran, Jon swain, Sidney Sheldon and all the people in The Killing Fields and he could point to the room where he slept until that fateful week
How weird is that, the same day I freak out about the history?
You'd be freaking about its history *any* day. So just reduce the last bit to, 'the same day I visit the hotel'. But a very notable coincidence anyway.
Don’t discourage him; I’d like to hear more of the story, if there is more.
I was FREAKING OUT about the dark history of this hotel - Jon swain, Roland neveu, dith pran, the Khmer Rouge, soldiers dying in the lobby, executions in the garden - and I was told the Elephant Bar “has some interesting photos”
As I was due for my “gin class” at the same bar I came down to look at the photos first then I noticed an elderly American standing next to me also looking at the photos
Turns out he was STAYING in the hotel in the week it was taken over by the Khmer Rouge. He is a famous philanthropist and he was in Cambodia to organise the “rice lift” which saved many Cambodian kids
He was personally witness to all the events described. He knew dith pran, Jon swain, Sidney Sheldon and all the people in The Killing Fields and he could point to the room where he slept until that fateful week
How weird is that, the same day I freak out about the history?
This photo apparently shows one of the hotel staff of Le Royal being ordered out by the Khmer Rouge on April 17, 1975. They were all - it is believed - quickly executed around the corner. Hence the emotions which made Jon Swain cry 35 years later
But I think that photo shows Sydney Schanberg - famous NYT hack - looking on in horror? If so that is quite iconic (on top of everything else)
A domestic flight of Japan's All Nippon Airways returned to its departure airport after a crack was found on the cockpit window of a Boeing 737-800 aircraft
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
That would be astute and probably quite popular politics from SKS.
He can't afford to give the tories Brexit as a wedge issue before the election as there is nothing they would like better in the nuggets of anthracite that pass for their hearts than to re-litigate the 2019 GBD election.
Rejoin is just common sense and inevitable anyway. Just need more gammons to be killed by Carling/Bennie Hedgehogs.
You have a lucid and engaging writing style. Have you thought about writing travelogs from the far east?
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
This is a massive over simplification. Firstly Oborne knows perfectly well the routes by which Starmer can lose the election, and opening up the EU question is one of the best.
Secondly he knows that there is not a 'slowly' way back into EU membership, but only a way which engages us in a deeply acrimonious debate in which the outcome is unknown in political and personal terms, and which will involve well publicised key decisions which are absolutely binary - parliamentary decisions, referendum, making application, process, acceptance, terms and conditions, joining.
The idea of opening all that up from cold in an election campaign is unthinkable. He might in the manifesto say 'we shall continue to review our relationship with the EU and seek to act in ways which strengthen the UK's trading and political position' but that's about all it is reasonable to expect. This election will be dirty enough already.
Yes he's about locking in the election win not rolling the dice to chase a bigger win at the risk of no win at all.
Labour will ...
Cancel Brexit Let anybody into the country Borrow and spend like a drunken sailor Be soft on crime Not respect the Union Jack Persecute drivers Let men pretend to be women
That off the top of my head is a list of the main things being closed down. By closed down I mean give the Cons and their media patsies and enablers no ammo whatsoever to give the charge any traction with anybody paying attention.
Although, you would welcome every one of those policies.
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
Why? Do you think SKS has a mandate for whatever he likes provided he wins in November?
Everything has a political consequence. And those are far greater if you don't have a mandate, and it does eventually catch-up with you.
Relative to the current Tory mandate on their third leader, who lost his own party leadership contest, and having flip flopped on numerous policies, Starmers mandate, if he gets a clear win, must be pretty broad.
He's going to have a thumping great "not the tories" mandate.
Yes, I'd say Not the Tories is the biggest chunk of the electorate at about 25%.
20% Labour, 15% Tories, 10% Not Labour, 30% The rest
That's all very well, but those aren't the choices.
Chuck in some police incompetence, on top of the unreliable Horizon evidence. … North Yorkshire police officers lost key evidence, including a clump of hair found on the pillow in the couple’s bedroom. The hair, which was a different colour to both Diana’s and Robin’s, was never taken for forensic analysis and was lost. ..The murder weapon, a metal bar, was only found several days after the murder, on top of a high wall nearby. The jury heard it was contaminated by the police officer who handled it, and may have sneezed on it...
Hard to say without further detail if the conviction is so unsafe it should be quashed, but it’s likely there’ll be more than a handful of these tangential cases.
I'm a great believer in the positive and negative power of corporate culture. Any organisation - especially large and long-established ones - have a corporate culture within them. These are often set by the founder(s), and can take years to change as long-serving staff are understandably resistant to change.
Corporate cultures can be positive for the organisation, or can be negative. Because of the resistance to change, negative cultures (or aspects of culture) can take years to turn around.
The Post Office, at top level, not postmasters, appears to have a rotten corporate culture. I fear it's not just the top bods who need to change, but many people within the organisation.
Yup: culture beats strategy hands down.
You start with change at the top and you keep going until you hit the layer you need, the one that is worthwhile and then you make them feel - through reward and praise - that they are doing the right thing by doing the right thing. It takes time and hard work and persistence. It can be done. But only if you first realise it needs to be done. The PO has not even got to that point yet.
The PO hasn’t got to the “yes, we fucked up” point. Yet.
At this point they might as well never do so, it's far far too late to get any credit or benefit from accepting responsibility. Just commit to being the villains of the piece.
In order to stop fucking up, the first step is to admit you are fucking up.
I don't think there's any point in any of the people still involved in the running of the post office being involved longer term, so they're acknowledging they are fcking up is probably immaterial. They clearly don't believe it by now, so any conversion to accepting it would be insincere and not help them stop fcking up.
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
Peter Oborne reckons Sir Keir is fibbing about Brexit at the moment, and will slowly take us back into the EU if he becomes PM. Probably right, he u-turns on every other pledge and we know what he really thinks on this one
That would be astute and probably quite popular politics from SKS.
He can't afford to give the tories Brexit as a wedge issue before the election as there is nothing they would like better in the nuggets of anthracite that pass for their hearts than to re-litigate the 2019 GBD election.
Rejoin is just common sense and inevitable anyway. Just need more gammons to be killed by Carling/Bennie Hedgehogs.
You have a lucid and engaging writing style. Have you thought about writing travelogs from the far east?
This is almost but not quite as spooky as my night at the Destrehan Hotel in Louisiana. Which was unquestionably the closest I have come to a paranormal experience of “haunting”
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
That ghost baby is clearly AI, you can tell by the hands.
Which means he's banned. We have a "no AI pics" rule.
I thought the rule only applied to one poster, who is not boulay.
But Leon posted it. It may not be AI though, it could be photoshopped or some projection trick.
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
It’s not AI it’s a doll
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
Going out on a limb here, but I think you might be a bit suggestible.
Comments
A photo I took during my night at the Destrehan. Even now - thinking about it - makes me shudder
Secondly he knows that there is not a 'slowly' way back into EU membership, but only a way which engages us in a deeply acrimonious debate in which the outcome is unknown in political and personal terms, and which will involve well publicised key decisions which are absolutely binary - parliamentary decisions, referendum, making application, process, acceptance, terms and conditions, joining.
The idea of opening all that up from cold in an election campaign is unthinkable. He might in the manifesto say 'we shall continue to review our relationship with the EU and seek to act in ways which strengthen the UK's trading and political position' but that's about all it is reasonable to expect. This election will be dirty enough already.
The Conservatives had a mandate for the Community Charge, but it didn't stop it being a millstone round their necks.
They didn't have a mandate for increasing VAT in the 1979 budget, but it wasn't much of an issue by the next election.
Clearly, it is morally better if a government sets out plans in its manifesto, but I don't think any government has really stuck to them afterwards.
I wouldn't advise this, and I don't think anyone would do this, but I wonder what would happen if a party ran on "We know Britain is in a mess, but we're not sure how bad it is. If elected, we will find out and do our best to fix it"?
Basically, the Interim Manager approach. Looking at things like the Post Office, it might be what we need.
Is it really any less honest than the fantasy policies we're likely to get?
We should be so proud of our country 🇬🇧
@RishiSunak and @LeeAndersonMP_ react 👇
Is it a good idea to let Sunak campaign?
https://twitter.com/YvonneNewMalden/status/1745975752531534126?t=Zu_eZZPNQwI4ac_U7dEybg&s=19
I would be delighted if Alan Bates stood in our constituency as with boundary changes he now does and I would vote for him without a second thought
Labour will ...
Cancel Brexit
Let anybody into the country
Borrow and spend like a drunken sailor
Be soft on crime
Not respect the Union Jack
Persecute drivers
Let men pretend to be women
That off the top of my head is a list of the main things being closed down. By closed down I mean give the Cons and their media patsies and enablers no ammo whatsoever to give the charge any traction with anybody paying attention.
I mean - how much worse could he *be?*
What snowflake flagged the spooky doll pic from Louisiana?!
One thing I am certain it isn't is a photo of a ghost baby.
The “hotel” had a room full of them. They are some of the scariest photos I’ve ever taken. Which seems right as it was one of the scariest places - psychodramatically - that I’ve ever slept
20% Labour, 15% Tories, 10% Not Labour, 30% The rest
How much salience will the Post Office scandal have in November or whenever the election is? She’d do better having a go at the London Assembly perhaps.
Btw the Louisiana story is genuinely hair-raising. I will tell it someday
I will tell the raffles story in a minute. It’s quite the coincidence
There’s lots of criticism of Sunak.
But it’s all because he’s a bit shit rather than he’s Asian or Hindu.
Can you imagine that being the case in America?
Might be a good thing however to have one or two former SPMs in the House to ask relevant questions - for example, where is Kemi Badenoch? That would be a good question right now, but nobody seems to be putting it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnDerD1lacw
Such an offer would be an blatant act of political pandering at present - so it’s not entirely unlikely.
But that night in Louisiana was eerily unsettling
Easier to see her getting Davey out than winning herself.
No majority in the legislature, though, with the newish third party taking votes.
China pissed.
It would more likely hurt Libdem and Labours chances of defeating those senior Tories in electoral trouble, by siphoning votes from their challenge.
She may well dent his majority but Davey is safe as an MP, if not as leader.
I was FREAKING OUT about the dark history of this hotel - Jon swain, Roland neveu, dith pran, the Khmer Rouge, soldiers dying in the lobby, executions in the garden - and I was told the Elephant Bar “has some interesting photos”
As I was due for my “gin class” at the same bar I came down to look at the photos first then I noticed an elderly American standing next to me also looking at the photos
Turns out he was STAYING in the hotel in the week it was taken over by the Khmer Rouge. He is a famous philanthropist and he was in Cambodia to organise the “rice lift” which saved many Cambodian kids
He was personally witness to all the events described. He knew dith pran, Jon swain, Sidney Sheldon and all the people in The Killing Fields and he could point to the room where he slept until that fateful week
How weird is that, the same day I freak out about the history?
There’s a risk of Xi doing something stupid in reaction, though.
Except that this will mean someone holding a fuckton of 25 year swaps.
If not carefully thought out, that’s your next banking crisis.
Raised by a single mother after his miner father died from carbon monoxide poisoning; has a masters degree in public health, and is a national expert of spinal injuries; hugely popular two term mayor of Tainan before entering national politics, and nominated ‘best legislator’ four times in a row while sitting in parliament.
Not your average party hack.
https://x.com/rtenews/status/1746159653010939925
which made Jon Swain cry 35 years later
But I think that photo shows Sydney Schanberg - famous NYT hack - looking on in horror? If so that is quite iconic (on top of everything else)
Both shipping and aviation use forms of imperial measures as the baseline - knots, feet and nautical miles - and that's absolutely established.
I found it cheaper to change my name by deed poll to CN06WDA.
Never give in to bullies.
Post office owner says Horizon system was used to frame him for wife’s murder
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/jan/13/post-office-owner-says-horizon-system-was-used-to-frame-him-for-wifes-murder
Chuck in some police incompetence, on top of the unreliable Horizon evidence.
… North Yorkshire police officers lost key evidence, including a clump of hair found on the pillow in the couple’s bedroom. The hair, which was a different colour to both Diana’s and Robin’s, was never taken for forensic analysis and was lost.
..The murder weapon, a metal bar, was only found several days after the murder, on top of a high wall nearby. The jury heard it was contaminated by the police officer who handled it, and may have sneezed on it...
Hard to say without further detail if the conviction is so unsafe it should be quashed, but it’s likely there’ll be more than a handful of these tangential cases.