The problem with the Lords isn't the hereditaries, it's the assorted lumpen social democratic lobby fodder appointed by successive Governments cluttering up the joint.
The whole thing is a craven abdication of moral duty, and your girl after ten minutes as PM installed a hatful of no mark donor's to the HoL and Johnson before her rammed it full of starlets and the starstruck (for Johnson).
I actually think that’s unfair to Truss.
You may not like their politics, but Elliott (led the Brexit campaign) and Moynihan (entrepreneur who built up PA Consulting) are definitely not “no mark donors”
Porter is a classical SPAD appointment so a bit meh.
"unfair to Truss" shouldn't exist as a phrase. The MoD should use even the slightest, ghastliest, whiff of her as a test for everything they have in their arsenal.
And the population and therefore the electorate grow over time, significantly so after 25 years or more..
John Major's 1992 score of 14.1 million votes still hasn't been beaten.
Perhaps that should be Rishi's template. Forget the high-tech digital stuff, pretend all that hasn't even been invented, and get out there, just him, a megaphone and an upturned box, one man taking his message in the raw* to every town and village square in England, asking people for their trust, their support, their vote.
* by which I mean appearing unfiltered and authentic rather than with no clothes on.
Sitting in hospital having just had my trigger finger op (very minor op). The notes they had for me were for someone else with the same name. Still got that sorted and they didn't amputate my leg by accident so all is well. Waiting to be discharged now.
I think I'd make a bit of a fuss about that.
Not because it had caused harm or to be awkward but because it must be a risk for future patients and should be fixed.
The chances of anyone actually listening or changing their broken process must be pretty low though (one of the many problem with the NHS).
A few years ago, yours truly went to my local health provider for some blood work ordered by my doctor.
The procedure at the lab, was for staff to ask patients NOT just about their names BUT also for their date of birth.
Turned out that another guy also at the lab for tests, also had my same first and last name; but different DOB.
Thankfully they checked BOTH names AND birth dates.
My NHS experience of the past couple of years is of always being asked for my date of birth first, which presumably then pops up candidate names on the NHS computer, then name, and finally partial address. (Sometimes it worries me that people nearby can hear all this but I suppose it is better than having the wrong leg lopped off.)
It is quite useful when you have a 29th February date as I do as there are very much fewer patients on NHS records born on the 29th February
The probability of same name / same DOB is unchanged though?
"Most of the millionaire households that they profiled did not have the extravagant lifestyles that most people would assume. This finding is backed up by surveys indicating how little these millionaire households have spent on such things as cars, watches, clothing, and other luxury products/services. Most importantly, the book gives a list of reasons for why these people managed to accumulate so much wealth (the top one being that "They live below their means")."
(One finding that may amuse some of you: Scots families in the US were, at the time of the study, about twice as likely to be millionaires as English families.)
No surprise and that despite the English nicking most of our money
Sitting in hospital having just had my trigger finger op (very minor op). The notes they had for me were for someone else with the same name. Still got that sorted and they didn't amputate my leg by accident so all is well. Waiting to be discharged now.
I think I'd make a bit of a fuss about that.
Not because it had caused harm or to be awkward but because it must be a risk for future patients and should be fixed.
The chances of anyone actually listening or changing their broken process must be pretty low though (one of the many problem with the NHS).
A few years ago, yours truly went to my local health provider for some blood work ordered by my doctor.
The procedure at the lab, was for staff to ask patients NOT just about their names BUT also for their date of birth.
Turned out that another guy also at the lab for tests, also had my same first and last name; but different DOB.
Thankfully they checked BOTH names AND birth dates.
My NHS experience of the past couple of years is of always being asked for my date of birth first, which presumably then pops up candidate names on the NHS computer, then name, and finally partial address. (Sometimes it worries me that people nearby can hear all this but I suppose it is better than having the wrong leg lopped off.)
It is quite useful when you have a 29th February date as I do as there are very much fewer patients on NHS records born on the 29th February
Explains why you're still so well-preserved, after celebrating your 20th-something birthday?
Sitting in hospital having just had my trigger finger op (very minor op). The notes they had for me were for someone else with the same name. Still got that sorted and they didn't amputate my leg by accident so all is well. Waiting to be discharged now.
I think I'd make a bit of a fuss about that.
Not because it had caused harm or to be awkward but because it must be a risk for future patients and should be fixed.
The chances of anyone actually listening or changing their broken process must be pretty low though (one of the many problem with the NHS).
A few years ago, yours truly went to my local health provider for some blood work ordered by my doctor.
The procedure at the lab, was for staff to ask patients NOT just about their names BUT also for their date of birth.
Turned out that another guy also at the lab for tests, also had my same first and last name; but different DOB.
Thankfully they checked BOTH names AND birth dates.
Name and DOB are better but might not be sufficient.
Admittedly it is a low probability event to have 'twins' in the same hospital but as Mrs Flatlander will tell you (a saga with HMRC which I recounted on here a while back) there is still a non-zero chance of confusion.
I thought this was what patient wrist bands were for?
My real first name is extremely unusual, although my second isn’t. Doing some genealogical research I found someone with the exact same name. Dead now, I’m sure. Quite often get my names reversed in hospital. I understand, and don’t get cross, until the ‘offending’ member of staff argues with me.
I *used* to get `Adam Matthews` as a result of family name/given name box transposition when transcribing a paper form to computers. Since everything has long since been computers-first-and-only, that has dropped to `almost never`.
ETA: I still call in a hit squad every time anyone calls me "Matt" though.
Yes, would annoy me too. Although I’ve a cousin who was christened Matthew and has been known as Matt since childhood. His brother was Richard and no-one to my knowledge ever called him Dick.
OT shopping sitrep. No Covid masks. The many foodbank donation bins were full to overflowing, presumably due to Ramadan with help from Easter and Passover.
Presumably because the regular volunteer who empties them is away?
Could be! No, I think Islam encourages charitable donations (cf church tithes) and Ramadan reminds Muslims of their obligations on that front although in theory it is a year-round thing. For the same reason there is also an increased number of appeals by Muslim charities.
"Most of the millionaire households that they profiled did not have the extravagant lifestyles that most people would assume. This finding is backed up by surveys indicating how little these millionaire households have spent on such things as cars, watches, clothing, and other luxury products/services. Most importantly, the book gives a list of reasons for why these people managed to accumulate so much wealth (the top one being that "They live below their means")."
(One finding that may amuse some of you: Scots families in the US were, at the time of the study, about twice as likely to be millionaires as English families.)
Raphael Varane: Man Utd and France defender says heading has 'damaged his body’
Good evening
There is a lot of evidence the damage heading does to a footballer especially in later life
I was playing a football match in Edinburgh in 1962 when I was elbowed in the back of the neck
Apparently I played for another 10 minutes before collapsing on the field and an ambulance was called. In the ambulance I said to my now wife you are wearing an engagement ring and who are you engaged to, before collapsing back into unconsciousness
I woke about 3.00am in the trauma ward of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary being violently sick and had no idea what had happened
It took over 6 months to recall going out to the match and playing, and even today I cannot recall everything about that evening
I didn't play football again and this is one isolated incident
The time may come when heading is outlawed but the game would not be recognisable
I was interested to see that measures against damage from heading are 'woke'. Makes sense. Their opponents will very much be unwoke in the long run.
OT shopping sitrep. No Covid masks. The many foodbank donation bins were full to overflowing, presumably due to Ramadan with help from Easter and Passover.
Presumably because the regular volunteer who empties them is away?
Could be! No, I think Islam encourages charitable donations (cf church tithes) and Ramadan reminds Muslims of their obligations on that front although in theory it is a year-round thing. For the same reason there is also an increased number of appeals by Muslim charities.
Raphael Varane: Man Utd and France defender says heading has 'damaged his body’
Good evening
There is a lot of evidence the damage heading does to a footballer especially in later life
I was playing a football match in Edinburgh in 1962 when I was elbowed in the back of the neck
Apparently I played for another 10 minutes before collapsing on the field and an ambulance was called. In the ambulance I said to my now wife you are wearing an engagement ring and who are you engaged to, before collapsing back into unconsciousness
I woke about 3.00am in the trauma ward of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary being violently sick and had no idea what had happened
It took over 6 months to recall going out to the match and playing, and even today I cannot recall everything about that evening
I didn't play football again and this is one isolated incident
The time may come when heading is outlawed but the game would not be recognisable
Yes, I know a guy who clashed heads with another fielder during a cricket match. He continued fielding until the end of the match, but had no recollection of anything except gazing up at the moon in the pub garden afterwards. At some point after that he collapsed and was carted off in an ambulance.
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Point of JKR exercise was NOT search for Truth (legal or otherwise3) but rather pursuit of ideology.
Mission accomplished.
Scottish government minister said it most definitely was in the remit , that is the reason d'etre of the halfwits and their weirdo green buddies.
Sitting in hospital having just had my trigger finger op (very minor op). The notes they had for me were for someone else with the same name. Still got that sorted and they didn't amputate my leg by accident so all is well. Waiting to be discharged now.
I think I'd make a bit of a fuss about that.
Not because it had caused harm or to be awkward but because it must be a risk for future patients and should be fixed.
The chances of anyone actually listening or changing their broken process must be pretty low though (one of the many problem with the NHS).
A few years ago, yours truly went to my local health provider for some blood work ordered by my doctor.
The procedure at the lab, was for staff to ask patients NOT just about their names BUT also for their date of birth.
Turned out that another guy also at the lab for tests, also had my same first and last name; but different DOB.
Thankfully they checked BOTH names AND birth dates.
My NHS experience of the past couple of years is of always being asked for my date of birth first, which presumably then pops up candidate names on the NHS computer, then name, and finally partial address. (Sometimes it worries me that people nearby can hear all this but I suppose it is better than having the wrong leg lopped off.)
It is quite useful when you have a 29th February date as I do as there are very much fewer patients on NHS records born on the 29th February
The probability of same name / same DOB is unchanged though?
Same name and same date of birth is unchanged (and tiny, which is why that combination is used), same name and same birthday is a quarter of the chance when the birthday is 29th Feb though (leaving aside small season variations in birthdays).
Sitting in hospital having just had my trigger finger op (very minor op). The notes they had for me were for someone else with the same name. Still got that sorted and they didn't amputate my leg by accident so all is well. Waiting to be discharged now.
I think I'd make a bit of a fuss about that.
Not because it had caused harm or to be awkward but because it must be a risk for future patients and should be fixed.
The chances of anyone actually listening or changing their broken process must be pretty low though (one of the many problem with the NHS).
A few years ago, yours truly went to my local health provider for some blood work ordered by my doctor.
The procedure at the lab, was for staff to ask patients NOT just about their names BUT also for their date of birth.
Turned out that another guy also at the lab for tests, also had my same first and last name; but different DOB.
Thankfully they checked BOTH names AND birth dates.
My NHS experience of the past couple of years is of always being asked for my date of birth first, which presumably then pops up candidate names on the NHS computer, then name, and finally partial address. (Sometimes it worries me that people nearby can hear all this but I suppose it is better than having the wrong leg lopped off.)
It is quite useful when you have a 29th February date as I do as there are very much fewer patients on NHS records born on the 29th February
Explains why you're still so well-preserved, after celebrating your 20th-something birthday?
Well preserved only by my recent pacemaker, otherwise according to my consultant the 2019 GE may have been my last GE
"Most of the millionaire households that they profiled did not have the extravagant lifestyles that most people would assume. This finding is backed up by surveys indicating how little these millionaire households have spent on such things as cars, watches, clothing, and other luxury products/services. Most importantly, the book gives a list of reasons for why these people managed to accumulate so much wealth (the top one being that "They live below their means")."
(One finding that may amuse some of you: Scots families in the US were, at the time of the study, about twice as likely to be millionaires as English families.)
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
The problem with the Lords isn't the hereditaries, it's the assorted lumpen social democratic lobby fodder appointed by successive Governments cluttering up the joint.
The whole thing is a craven abdication of moral duty, and your girl after ten minutes as PM installed a hatful of no mark donor's to the HoL and Johnson before her rammed it full of starlets and the starstruck (for Johnson).
I actually think that’s unfair to Truss.
You may not like their politics, but Elliott (led the Brexit campaign) and Moynihan (entrepreneur who built up PA Consulting) are definitely not “no mark donors”
Porter is a classical SPAD appointment so a bit meh.
It is not unfair a) on morality grounds because she had only been PM for 49 days or 5 minutes, take your pick and b) they were partisan political appointees irrespective of their back story.
For all you AI fan-boys/bots out there in PB land . . .
Courthouse News Service - California authors can’t intervene in ChatGPT copyright cases pending in New York
A Manhattan judge refused to allow intervenors to possibly disrupt the expedited timeline of four consolidated copyright cases against ChatGPT-maker OpenAI pending in New York federal court.
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Sitting in hospital having just had my trigger finger op (very minor op). The notes they had for me were for someone else with the same name. Still got that sorted and they didn't amputate my leg by accident so all is well. Waiting to be discharged now.
I think I'd make a bit of a fuss about that.
Not because it had caused harm or to be awkward but because it must be a risk for future patients and should be fixed.
The chances of anyone actually listening or changing their broken process must be pretty low though (one of the many problem with the NHS).
A few years ago, yours truly went to my local health provider for some blood work ordered by my doctor.
The procedure at the lab, was for staff to ask patients NOT just about their names BUT also for their date of birth.
Turned out that another guy also at the lab for tests, also had my same first and last name; but different DOB.
Thankfully they checked BOTH names AND birth dates.
My NHS experience of the past couple of years is of always being asked for my date of birth first, which presumably then pops up candidate names on the NHS computer, then name, and finally partial address. (Sometimes it worries me that people nearby can hear all this but I suppose it is better than having the wrong leg lopped off.)
It is quite useful when you have a 29th February date as I do as there are very much fewer patients on NHS records born on the 29th February
Explains why you're still so well-preserved, after celebrating your 20th-something birthday?
Well preserved only by my recent pacemaker, otherwise according to my consultant the 2019 GE may have been my last GE
Already got a pacemaker in your early 20s? You must REALLY be a party-hearty kind of guy!
Luntz is back on board the MAGA train, if this nonsense is anuything to go by.
https://twitter.com/FrankLuntz/status/1775112480311689417 It's his first Wisconsin appearance in 2 years, so why is Joe Biden going to predominantly white Green Bay rather than more racially diverse Milwaukee or college town Madison?
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
How anyone can oppose Labour's sensible remove hereditary peers stuff is beyond me. These people are there literally through no talent or skill, just where they were born. It is batty
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
If even Scottish Tories are saying what you are saying up front ...
You do know that the population of England increased somewhat between 1997 and 2017, right?
And you do know, that it is not only people in England that get a vote?
And you do know that under the FPTP system, if you motivate people to vote against you, then then raw vote totals can be... misleading... as regards electoral outcomes?
I just want to check you are aware of those things.
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
The comments from many in the Scottish Government on the matter appear somewhat different. I shall defer to the excellent Mrs @Cyclefree and yesterday’s header on the subject.
It’s also worth noting that this discussion has crossed the Pond - here’s an epic five-hour podcast with Joe Rogan and four comedian friends last week, that opened with discussions about this new law. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cV71YMAwIXY It’s fair to say that not many American comics will turn up in Edinburgh this year, if they feel that their speech might be policed by the actual Scottish police. That’s a direct hit to the Scottish economy, for as long as it takes for the actual implications of this law to become known by case law and appellate courts.
How anyone can oppose Labour's sensible remove hereditary peers stuff is beyond me. These people are there literally through no talent or skill, just where they were born. It is batty
Some have talent and skill. Ian Botham was a fine cricketer. As a Lord in the legislature, however, he is utterly preposterous.
Anecdote: until this year I'd never seen anyone fare dodging when getting on the London Underground, even though I use it fairly often. So far this year I've seen it happen quite a few times, right in front of staff at the gates. People brazenly pushing their way through the barriers, seemingly safe in the knowledge that no-one will do anything about it.
This modern phenomenon is as a result of a sequence of well intentioned, generally good actions.
1) in times past, ticket collectors, guards etc, would physically tackle fare dodgers 2) this is now banned - physical risk to staff, legal liability for companies. 3) this is good - less injured employees, less injury (and worse) due to amateur attempts at restraining people etc. 4) at this point someone raises “The Police” as a solution. The police were never present in enough numbers to actually tackle shop lifting or fare dodging. Their job was to turn up half an hour later to collect the miscreants from the hero employees.
See the push to decriminalise shop lifting.
No, manned tills dont anything - talk to the staff on high street shops who tell if thefts in front of them, with the shop lifters *trying* to cause physical contact. So they can claim assault.
The future? Well, the local Tesco franchise has a “cousin” of the manager who isn’t employed by the store (no sir) who tackles shop lifters and goes to magistrates court moderately regularly for assault.
Other, higher tech stores are looking at gated entry, linked to video ID’ing of wrong uns. Look out for the Guardian articles about the poor being locked out of stores.
With respect to the Great Trans Debate, a PBer (forget who) opined recently, that unlike in UK, in US the trans issue was "subsumed" (think that was the term) into/by the debate over abortion in wake of repeal of Roe v Wade.
Which is NOT really correct, at least IMHO.
For example, the recent MAGA-manufactured flap over coincidence of Easter (a notoriously "movable feast") being same day as Transgender Visibility Day.
Which as far as I can tell, had ZERO to do with the pro-life versus pro-choice controversy.
Personally think that GOPer politicos and their mouthpieces are banging the anti-trans drum so loudly, is because of its appeal to voters BEYOND the core pro-life constituency.
That is, to folks who are either pro-choice or ambivalent on abortion, BUT who (for whatever reason) are opposed to and/or repulsed by gender-bending.
Note that there was similar dynamic a generation ago, when GOP campaigned with vigor against gays and lesbians. For example, with TV campaign ads featuring the alleged debauchery of San Francisco Gay Pride parades.
So GOP nutbags still making a meal of the homophobia, but beyond this, the MAGA-GOP has switched to anti-trans, as having broader (ahem) appeal.
Anecdote: until this year I'd never seen anyone fare dodging when getting on the London Underground, even though I use it fairly often. So far this year I've seen it happen quite a few times, right in front of staff at the gates. People brazenly pushing their way through the barriers, seemingly safe in the knowledge that no-one will do anything about it.
I'm surprised you've not seen it until recently, I've seen it many times going back decades; perhaps I frequent ropier parts of town than you do! When I was a kid in Newcastle in the 80s I remember people jumping the Metro barriers all the time. I'm not sure if I've seen fare dodging more often recently. Maybe. I saw a young woman tailgating her pal through the barrier at Honor Oak the other day, they were both eating McDonald's which I thought was quite on brand.
You do know that the population of England increased somewhat between 1997 and 2017, right?
And you do know, that it is not only people in England that get a vote?
And you do know that under the FPTP system, if you motivate people to vote against you, then then raw vote totals can be... misleading... as regards electoral outcomes?
I just want to check you are aware of those things.
All true but not necessarily relevant. The fact is that for all his myriad flaws, Corbyn's Labour was quite attractive in 2017 and did remove the Conservatives' majority even though the government had a huge poll lead at the start of the campaign. CCHQ understood this which is why a lot of Boris's 2019 landslide borrowed heavily from Corbyn (and ironically Labour went back to the failed Miliband formula).
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Issue for ordinary punters is police can decide not to take furthjer but add you to the HCR regsiter an dyou would not know anything about it and so could have issues later with all sorts of things given all public bodies , HR depts etc will have access to it.
You do know that the population of England increased somewhat between 1997 and 2017, right?
And you do know, that it is not only people in England that get a vote?
And you do know that under the FPTP system, if you motivate people to vote against you, then then raw vote totals can be... misleading... as regards electoral outcomes?
I just want to check you are aware of those things.
All true but not necessarily relevant. The fact is that for all his myriad flaws, Corbyn's Labour was quite attractive in 2017 and did remove the Conservatives' majority even though the government had a huge poll lead at the start of the campaign. CCHQ understood this which is why a lot of Boris's 2019 landslide borrowed heavily from Corbyn (and ironically Labour went back to the failed Miliband formula).
The counterfactual is Corbyn immediately supports the May Government on Russia's poisoning and offers the 2017 manifesto again, do they do better?
I would argue it was the unpopularity of Corbyn, not the popularity of the Tories, that produced the result. It is why a reversal was always underpriced and why I said at the time it was nonsensical that the Tories thought they'd solved elections when they won with the most unpopular leader they'd ever had.
Arguably if Labour had done my suggestion above and done Keir Starmer's Brexit policy from the day after 2017, they'd probably be in government now.
Yes we have all out elections too. That includes council seats in new wards in areas that were up in bad years locally for the Tories, ie 2023 and 2022 as well as the better year of 2021.
That combined with fewer seats being up than last year and a reasonable performance by Susan Hall given current polls mean the local elections, although bad, won't be bad enough for Sunak to be removed by Tory MPs and he will survive until the general election as leader and PM
Yes we have all out elections too. That includes council seats in new wards in areas that were up in bad years locally for the Tories, ie 2023 and 2022 as well as the better year of 2021.
That combined with fewer seats being up than last year and a reasonable performance by Susan Hall given current polls mean the local elections, although bad, won't be bad enough for Sunak to be removed by Tory MPs and he will survive until the general election as leader and PM
It is so wonderful to be on the 7th year of a Corbyn Government, at least I assume that is the reality @bigjohnowls inhabits.
Sadly not your backroom boys made sure that could not happen by diverting funds and efforts away from key marginals to safe Right Wing Labour Constituencies
You should hang your head in shame that SKS types enabled 14 years of Tory misrule
You do know that the population of England increased somewhat between 1997 and 2017, right?
And you do know, that it is not only people in England that get a vote?
And you do know that under the FPTP system, if you motivate people to vote against you, then then raw vote totals can be... misleading... as regards electoral outcomes?
I just want to check you are aware of those things.
All true but not necessarily relevant. The fact is that for all his myriad flaws, Corbyn's Labour was quite attractive in 2017 and did remove the Conservatives' majority even though the government had a huge poll lead at the start of the campaign. CCHQ understood this which is why a lot of Boris's 2019 landslide borrowed heavily from Corbyn (and ironically Labour went back to the failed Miliband formula).
I disagree: I think people voted for Corbyn safe in the knowledge he wouldn't win. Later, when people thought he *might* win, his vote share dropped markedly, and the Conservatives got a stonking majority.
I look forward you posting - and celebrating - the upcoming record performance of Starmer, when he registers more Labour votes in England than Corbyn achieved in 2017.
You do know that the population of England increased somewhat between 1997 and 2017, right?
And you do know, that it is not only people in England that get a vote?
And you do know that under the FPTP system, if you motivate people to vote against you, then then raw vote totals can be... misleading... as regards electoral outcomes?
I just want to check you are aware of those things.
All true but not necessarily relevant. The fact is that for all his myriad flaws, Corbyn's Labour was quite attractive in 2017 and did remove the Conservatives' majority even though the government had a huge poll lead at the start of the campaign. CCHQ understood this which is why a lot of Boris's 2019 landslide borrowed heavily from Corbyn (and ironically Labour went back to the failed Miliband formula).
I disagree: I think people voted for Corbyn safe in the knowledge he wouldn't win. Later, when people thought he *might* win, his vote share dropped markedly, and the Conservatives got a stonking majority.
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
The comments from many in the Scottish Government on the matter appear somewhat different. I shall defer to the excellent Mrs @Cyclefree and yesterday’s header on the subject.
It’s also worth noting that this discussion has crossed the Pond - here’s an epic five-hour podcast with Joe Rogan and four comedian friends last week, that opened with discussions about this new law. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cV71YMAwIXY It’s fair to say that not many American comics will turn up in Edinburgh this year, if they feel that their speech might be policed by the actual Scottish police. That’s a direct hit to the Scottish economy, for as long as it takes for the actual implications of this law to become known by case law and appellate courts.
I betcha that it will be full to busting of comedians, American and otherwise, whose entire act will consist of skits cumulating in the phrase "....and try to arrest me for that, Scottish Government, yeah!", whilst being in absolutely no danger of arrest.
Safe danger. The best kind of danger. If you can afford it.
Humza Yousaf has said it is "increasingly difficult" to shield his children from racism after he was targeted with Islamophobic graffiti near his Dundee home.
Racist slurs relating to the Scottish first minister's Pakistani heritage were sprayed on the walls and fences of homes in a street in Broughty Ferry, on Monday.
It is near to where the first minister lives with his wife and two children.
The graffiti, which has since been removed, happened on the day the Scottish government's controversial new hate crime laws came into force.
Sitting in hospital having just had my trigger finger op (very minor op). The notes they had for me were for someone else with the same name. Still got that sorted and they didn't amputate my leg by accident so all is well. Waiting to be discharged now.
Anecdote: until this year I'd never seen anyone fare dodging when getting on the London Underground, even though I use it fairly often. So far this year I've seen it happen quite a few times, right in front of staff at the gates. People brazenly pushing their way through the barriers, seemingly safe in the knowledge that no-one will do anything about it.
Have to say I've lived in East London since 2005 and it's always been a thing at East Ham. The fare dodgers are often young men though of late I've seen older people, some of them I think working, going through in groups of three or four.
TfL estimate up to 15% of all journeys are made illegally at a cost of some £160 million to its coffers but as others have said, what can they do? When the revenue inspectors come to East Ham, they usually get a nice haul of offenders but it makes no long term difference. The big problem are the wide gates for luggage which allow groups to get through or tailgate but some just push the gates aside.
How much would it cost TfL to try to crack down on that last 15% of unpaid journeys? Probably about as much as the lost revenue so it gets tolerated.
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
The comments from many in the Scottish Government on the matter appear somewhat different. I shall defer to the excellent Mrs @Cyclefree and yesterday’s header on the subject.
It’s also worth noting that this discussion has crossed the Pond - here’s an epic five-hour podcast with Joe Rogan and four comedian friends last week, that opened with discussions about this new law. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cV71YMAwIXY It’s fair to say that not many American comics will turn up in Edinburgh this year, if they feel that their speech might be policed by the actual Scottish police. That’s a direct hit to the Scottish economy, for as long as it takes for the actual implications of this law to become known by case law and appellate courts.
I betcha that it will be full to busting of comedians, American and otherwise, whose entire act will consist of skits cumulating in the phrase "....and try to arrest me for that, Scottish Government, yeah!", whilst being in absolutely no danger of arrest.
Safe danger. The best kind of danger. If you can afford it.
Plus (or minus for some) majority of comics taking the mickey out of the new law, will make it clear they are PRO-trans.
NOT performing at the Waco, Texas Home for Evangelical Aged . . . nor for Bugger Bognor Conservative Association.
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
The comments from many in the Scottish Government on the matter appear somewhat different. I shall defer to the excellent Mrs @Cyclefree and yesterday’s header on the subject.
It’s also worth noting that this discussion has crossed the Pond - here’s an epic five-hour podcast with Joe Rogan and four comedian friends last week, that opened with discussions about this new law. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cV71YMAwIXY It’s fair to say that not many American comics will turn up in Edinburgh this year, if they feel that their speech might be policed by the actual Scottish police. That’s a direct hit to the Scottish economy, for as long as it takes for the actual implications of this law to become known by case law and appellate courts.
I betcha that it will be full to busting of comedians, American and otherwise, whose entire act will consist of skits cumulating in the phrase "....and try to arrest me for that, Scottish Government, yeah!", whilst being in absolutely no danger of arrest.
Safe danger. The best kind of danger. If you can afford it.
Yes you can well imagine a few US headliners turning up to make a point, and the police ignoring them in the knowledge that they have serious money for lawyers if required. They’re not going to actually arrest a Joe Rogan or Dave Chappelle.
The hundreds of unknown (and poor) comics who play to small audiences at the Fringe, on the other hand… would be well advised to join the Free Speech Union.
I look forward you posting - and celebrating - the upcoming record performance of Starmer, when he registers more Labour votes in England than Corbyn achieved in 2017.
Why nothing will change
What POLICY are you looking forward to as a positive change under SKS
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
The comments from many in the Scottish Government on the matter appear somewhat different. I shall defer to the excellent Mrs @Cyclefree and yesterday’s header on the subject.
It’s also worth noting that this discussion has crossed the Pond - here’s an epic five-hour podcast with Joe Rogan and four comedian friends last week, that opened with discussions about this new law. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cV71YMAwIXY It’s fair to say that not many American comics will turn up in Edinburgh this year, if they feel that their speech might be policed by the actual Scottish police. That’s a direct hit to the Scottish economy, for as long as it takes for the actual implications of this law to become known by case law and appellate courts.
Fringe has been saturated for years, so a few less tripe merchants will be fine with everyone, and with no discernible impact on jobs.
Indeed a smaller Fringe would be desirable given the recent changes in the lkaw to ensure that housing is reclaimed for locals despite the tantrums of precisely those Fringe types who demanded that local people continue to be evicted for August to suit their convenience.
With respect to the Great Trans Debate, a PBer (forget who) opined recently, that unlike in UK, in US the trans issue was "subsumed" (think that was the term) into/by the debate over abortion in wake of repeal of Roe v Wade.
Which is NOT really correct, at least IMHO.
For example, the recent MAGA-manufactured flap over coincidence of Easter (a notoriously "movable feast") being same day as Transgender Visibility Day.
Which as far as I can tell, had ZERO to do with the pro-life versus pro-choice controversy.
Personally think that GOPer politicos and their mouthpieces are banging the anti-trans drum so loudly, is because of its appeal to voters BEYOND the core pro-life constituency.
That is, to folks who are either pro-choice or ambivalent on abortion, BUT who (for whatever reason) are opposed to and/or repulsed by gender-bending.
Note that there was similar dynamic a generation ago, when GOP campaigned with vigor against gays and lesbians. For example, with TV campaign ads featuring the alleged debauchery of San Francisco Gay Pride parades.
So GOP nutbags still making a meal of the homophobia, but beyond this, the MAGA-GOP has switched to anti-trans, as having broader (ahem) appeal.
'Twas me, oh SSI2. My argument was based on the belief that most Republicans who are anti-trans are also anti-abortion, and vice versa
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
The comments from many in the Scottish Government on the matter appear somewhat different. I shall defer to the excellent Mrs @Cyclefree and yesterday’s header on the subject.
It’s also worth noting that this discussion has crossed the Pond - here’s an epic five-hour podcast with Joe Rogan and four comedian friends last week, that opened with discussions about this new law. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cV71YMAwIXY It’s fair to say that not many American comics will turn up in Edinburgh this year, if they feel that their speech might be policed by the actual Scottish police. That’s a direct hit to the Scottish economy, for as long as it takes for the actual implications of this law to become known by case law and appellate courts.
I betcha that it will be full to busting of comedians, American and otherwise, whose entire act will consist of skits cumulating in the phrase "....and try to arrest me for that, Scottish Government, yeah!", whilst being in absolutely no danger of arrest.
Safe danger. The best kind of danger. If you can afford it.
Yes you can well imagine a few US headliners turning up to make a point, and the police ignoring them in the knowledge that they have serious money for lawyers if required. They’re not going to actually arrest a Joe Rogan or Dave Chappelle.
The hundreds of unknown (and poor) comics who play to small audiences at the Fringe, on the other hand… would be well advised to join the Free Speech Union.
These would be even better advised to stay at home. It's been an open secret for years that the Fringe is declining in terms of rewards - both money and career promotion.
Yes we have all out elections too. That includes council seats in new wards in areas that were up in bad years locally for the Tories, ie 2023 and 2022 as well as the better year of 2021.
That combined with fewer seats being up than last year and a reasonable performance by Susan Hall given current polls mean the local elections, although bad, won't be bad enough for Sunak to be removed by Tory MPs and he will survive until the general election as leader and PM
I see the Conservatives are desperately trying to downplay expectations on the May elections.
We can do better than that - what's a "reasonable performance" by Susan Hall, the 35% achieved by Shaun Bailey, 30%?, 25%?
As for the local and PCC contests, we can take a view as well. As for the former, how about losing Dudley to Labour and Dorset to the LDs? What about the eight Conservative held District Councils with all up elections?
They would be Basildon, Epping Forest, Fareham, Gloucester, Harlow, Havant, Nuneaton & Bedworth and Redditch? Would losing control of half of those represent a bad night? What about losing control of all of them?
The Conservatives currently have 30 of the 39 PCCs in England and Wales having won the 2021 elections by 14.5 points. What would be a bad night in your view - losing ten, losing twenty?
I look forward you posting - and celebrating - the upcoming record performance of Starmer, when he registers more Labour votes in England than Corbyn achieved in 2017.
Why nothing will change
What POLICY are you looking forward to as a positive change under SKS
Well planning reform, which would get a lot of infrastructure built including lots of new telecoms masts!
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
The comments from many in the Scottish Government on the matter appear somewhat different. I shall defer to the excellent Mrs @Cyclefree and yesterday’s header on the subject.
It’s also worth noting that this discussion has crossed the Pond - here’s an epic five-hour podcast with Joe Rogan and four comedian friends last week, that opened with discussions about this new law. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cV71YMAwIXY It’s fair to say that not many American comics will turn up in Edinburgh this year, if they feel that their speech might be policed by the actual Scottish police. That’s a direct hit to the Scottish economy, for as long as it takes for the actual implications of this law to become known by case law and appellate courts.
I betcha that it will be full to busting of comedians, American and otherwise, whose entire act will consist of skits cumulating in the phrase "....and try to arrest me for that, Scottish Government, yeah!", whilst being in absolutely no danger of arrest.
Safe danger. The best kind of danger. If you can afford it.
I suspect the biggest hit to The Fringe is liable to be the astronomical cost of running a show there now, for comparatively little gain given the quickest route to getting noticed may well be social media.
With respect to the Great Trans Debate, a PBer (forget who) opined recently, that unlike in UK, in US the trans issue was "subsumed" (think that was the term) into/by the debate over abortion in wake of repeal of Roe v Wade.
Which is NOT really correct, at least IMHO.
For example, the recent MAGA-manufactured flap over coincidence of Easter (a notoriously "movable feast") being same day as Transgender Visibility Day.
Which as far as I can tell, had ZERO to do with the pro-life versus pro-choice controversy.
Personally think that GOPer politicos and their mouthpieces are banging the anti-trans drum so loudly, is because of its appeal to voters BEYOND the core pro-life constituency.
That is, to folks who are either pro-choice or ambivalent on abortion, BUT who (for whatever reason) are opposed to and/or repulsed by gender-bending.
Note that there was similar dynamic a generation ago, when GOP campaigned with vigor against gays and lesbians. For example, with TV campaign ads featuring the alleged debauchery of San Francisco Gay Pride parades.
So GOP nutbags still making a meal of the homophobia, but beyond this, the MAGA-GOP has switched to anti-trans, as having broader (ahem) appeal.
'Twas me, oh SSI2. My argument was based on the belief that most Republicans who are anti-trans are also anti-abortion, and vice versa
...there's a knot of states whose legislators are anti-trans, anti-abortion and anti-immigration, and wouldn't wee on Biden if he was afire. Whether the US electorate are pro- or anti- these things will be the key to POTUS2024
Humza Yousaf has said it is "increasingly difficult" to shield his children from racism after he was targeted with Islamophobic graffiti near his Dundee home.
Racist slurs relating to the Scottish first minister's Pakistani heritage were sprayed on the walls and fences of homes in a street in Broughty Ferry, on Monday.
It is near to where the first minister lives with his wife and two children.
The graffiti, which has since been removed, happened on the day the Scottish government's controversial new hate crime laws came into force.
The clown is always on about racism , he practices it himself , re the nursery where he had to drop the charges as it was just rubbish , and constantly saying there are too many white people in Scotland, and on and on . The man is a moron and invites trouble at every cut and turn. A real roaster "family man " as well allegedly. He really needs to be ousted ASAP. Not that that at all justifies the brain dead morons who did the racist graffiti, though state of the country and the education system etc is all under his control.
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
The comments from many in the Scottish Government on the matter appear somewhat different. I shall defer to the excellent Mrs @Cyclefree and yesterday’s header on the subject.
It’s also worth noting that this discussion has crossed the Pond - here’s an epic five-hour podcast with Joe Rogan and four comedian friends last week, that opened with discussions about this new law. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cV71YMAwIXY It’s fair to say that not many American comics will turn up in Edinburgh this year, if they feel that their speech might be policed by the actual Scottish police. That’s a direct hit to the Scottish economy, for as long as it takes for the actual implications of this law to become known by case law and appellate courts.
I betcha that it will be full to busting of comedians, American and otherwise, whose entire act will consist of skits cumulating in the phrase "....and try to arrest me for that, Scottish Government, yeah!", whilst being in absolutely no danger of arrest.
Safe danger. The best kind of danger. If you can afford it.
I look forward you posting - and celebrating - the upcoming record performance of Starmer, when he registers more Labour votes in England than Corbyn achieved in 2017.
Why nothing will change
What POLICY are you looking forward to as a positive change under SKS
Well planning reform, which would get a lot of infrastructure built including lots of new telecoms masts!
Having Sunak out and about all the time meeting real people and taking questions on local radio is working out well I see.
Nothing that five years of hostility couldn't have beaten out of him. The old system- go and fight someone hopeless first, have some setbacks on the way up- had a lot to commend it.
(See Starmer as well. He got a fair bit wrong on the early years, mostly due to inexperience.)
I look forward you posting - and celebrating - the upcoming record performance of Starmer, when he registers more Labour votes in England than Corbyn achieved in 2017.
Why nothing will change
What POLICY are you looking forward to as a positive change under SKS
Well planning reform, which would get a lot of infrastructure built including lots of new telecoms masts!
Humza Yousaf has said it is "increasingly difficult" to shield his children from racism after he was targeted with Islamophobic graffiti near his Dundee home.
Racist slurs relating to the Scottish first minister's Pakistani heritage were sprayed on the walls and fences of homes in a street in Broughty Ferry, on Monday.
It is near to where the first minister lives with his wife and two children.
The graffiti, which has since been removed, happened on the day the Scottish government's controversial new hate crime laws came into force.
The clown is always on about racism , he practices it himself , re the nursery where he had to drop the charges as it was just rubbish , and constantly saying there are too many white people in Scotland, and on and on . The man is a moron and invites trouble at every cut and turn. A real roaster "family man " as well allegedly. He really needs to be ousted ASAP. Not that that at all justifies the brain dead morons who did the racist graffiti, though state of the country and the education system etc is all under his control.
Wouldn’t the law, prior to this hate crime legislation, dealt with that graffiti anyway ? It’s not,like it’s a new law brought in to deal with it. Or am I mistaken ?
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
The comments from many in the Scottish Government on the matter appear somewhat different. I shall defer to the excellent Mrs @Cyclefree and yesterday’s header on the subject.
It’s also worth noting that this discussion has crossed the Pond - here’s an epic five-hour podcast with Joe Rogan and four comedian friends last week, that opened with discussions about this new law. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cV71YMAwIXY It’s fair to say that not many American comics will turn up in Edinburgh this year, if they feel that their speech might be policed by the actual Scottish police. That’s a direct hit to the Scottish economy, for as long as it takes for the actual implications of this law to become known by case law and appellate courts.
I betcha that it will be full to busting of comedians, American and otherwise, whose entire act will consist of skits cumulating in the phrase "....and try to arrest me for that, Scottish Government, yeah!", whilst being in absolutely no danger of arrest.
Safe danger. The best kind of danger. If you can afford it.
I suspect the biggest hit to The Fringe is liable to be the astronomical cost of running a show there now, for comparatively little gain given the quickest route to getting noticed may well be social media.
Already is. Plus a month's personal accommodation in Edinburgh now that evictions of locals, and Airbnb, are under much more control by the council and performers can't just walk into a nice flat near the centre.
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
I look forward you posting - and celebrating - the upcoming record performance of Starmer, when he registers more Labour votes in England than Corbyn achieved in 2017.
Why nothing will change
What POLICY are you looking forward to as a positive change under SKS
Why would I want policies? All governments do is fuck things up. I am looking for masterly inaction.
Humza Yousaf has said it is "increasingly difficult" to shield his children from racism after he was targeted with Islamophobic graffiti near his Dundee home.
Racist slurs relating to the Scottish first minister's Pakistani heritage were sprayed on the walls and fences of homes in a street in Broughty Ferry, on Monday.
It is near to where the first minister lives with his wife and two children.
The graffiti, which has since been removed, happened on the day the Scottish government's controversial new hate crime laws came into force.
The clown is always on about racism , he practices it himself , re the nursery where he had to drop the charges as it was just rubbish , and constantly saying there are too many white people in Scotland, and on and on . The man is a moron and invites trouble at every cut and turn. A real roaster "family man " as well allegedly. He really needs to be ousted ASAP. Not that that at all justifies the brain dead morons who did the racist graffiti, though state of the country and the education system etc is all under his control.
Wouldn’t the law, prior to this hate crime legislation, dealt with that graffiti anyway ? It’s not,like it’s a new law brought in to deal with it. Or am I mistaken ?
You're not mistaken. And malky is right - and how many times can you say that?
BREAKING: JK Rowling's comments about new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, as they confirmed no further action would be taken
Wasn't this already known up front? Specifically, that the exposition of gender critical thought was not within the remit of the thing.
Yes. There was never any possibility of her comments being deemed to be potentially criminal.
They would never fight her in court, they will save it for their secret register where the plebs don't even know they have been marked down for some fkucwitted moron's opinion. Plod will take easy option. It is all virtue signalling by the clowns running the SNP and ruining the country, a bigger bunch of rubbish you would struggle to find.
Jo Rowling knows they’ll never go after her, as she has basically unlimited financial resources and a worldwide media profile.
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Either that of the hype over the law was substantially bunkum all along, and never intended to inhibit opinions like hers.
The comments from many in the Scottish Government on the matter appear somewhat different. I shall defer to the excellent Mrs @Cyclefree and yesterday’s header on the subject.
It’s also worth noting that this discussion has crossed the Pond - here’s an epic five-hour podcast with Joe Rogan and four comedian friends last week, that opened with discussions about this new law. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cV71YMAwIXY It’s fair to say that not many American comics will turn up in Edinburgh this year, if they feel that their speech might be policed by the actual Scottish police. That’s a direct hit to the Scottish economy, for as long as it takes for the actual implications of this law to become known by case law and appellate courts.
I betcha that it will be full to busting of comedians, American and otherwise, whose entire act will consist of skits cumulating in the phrase "....and try to arrest me for that, Scottish Government, yeah!", whilst being in absolutely no danger of arrest.
Safe danger. The best kind of danger. If you can afford it.
I suspect the biggest hit to The Fringe is liable to be the astronomical cost of running a show there now, for comparatively little gain given the quickest route to getting noticed may well be social media.
In any case, all this is a fine example of the fallacy that Scotland only counts during August, and only insofar as it affects performers and attendees at the Edinburgh International Arts Festival, or rather how they think it does, despite their complete lack of knowledge of the place. The Graun is particularly prone to this.
Israel has lost even more credibility today. It's time for the US to say some kind words to get them to stop.
I’m sure our resident apologist for all things Israeli regime will be around to justify Israels actions imminently.
Bart will just say it's part of a war.
Let's be honest, Israel and the IDF will kill anyone who gets in their way. There have been so many "accidents" now, nobody can convince me they're even trying to be careful.
So not only are they radicalising a whole new generation of nutjobs, they're killing totally innocent people there to help.
Comments
* by which I mean appearing unfiltered and authentic rather than with no clothes on.
His brother was Richard and no-one to my knowledge ever called him Dick.
Courthouse News Service - California authors can’t intervene in ChatGPT copyright cases pending in New York
A Manhattan judge refused to allow intervenors to possibly disrupt the expedited timeline of four consolidated copyright cases against ChatGPT-maker OpenAI pending in New York federal court.
https://www.courthousenews.com/california-authors-cant-intervene-in-chatgpt-copyright-cases-pending-in-new-york/
https://twitter.com/FrankLuntz/status/1775112480311689417
It's his first Wisconsin appearance in 2 years, so why is Joe Biden going to predominantly white Green Bay rather than more racially diverse Milwaukee or college town Madison?
...Community note.
"Biden visited Milwaukee in March 2024. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/03/13/takeaways-from-president-joe-bidens-trip-to-milwaukee/72950737007/
The article Luntz links to says Trump is the one visiting Green Bay, while Biden is in fact going to Madison. "
What I think she’s doing, is to get police and prosecutors to quickly define where they are drawing the line, such that others can use the same defences in future. She’ll probably speak out, and possibly even dip into her pocket for a few lawyers, if she sees that initial standard being eroded over time.
Someone removed a mole from the wrong patient in my Trust a few years back under LA. He had answered to the wrong name.
This is why we are pedantic about WHO checklists. Usually when these errors happen it's because someone hasn't done the checks properly.
And you do know, that it is not only people in England that get a vote?
And you do know that under the FPTP system, if you motivate people to vote against you, then then raw vote totals can be... misleading... as regards electoral outcomes?
I just want to check you are aware of those things.
It’s also worth noting that this discussion has crossed the Pond - here’s an epic five-hour podcast with Joe Rogan and four comedian friends last week, that opened with discussions about this new law. https://youtube.com/watch?v=cV71YMAwIXY
It’s fair to say that not many American comics will turn up in Edinburgh this year, if they feel that their speech might be policed by the actual Scottish police. That’s a direct hit to the Scottish economy, for as long as it takes for the actual implications of this law to become known by case law and appellate courts.
As a Lord in the legislature, however, he is utterly preposterous.
1) in times past, ticket collectors, guards etc, would physically tackle fare dodgers
2) this is now banned - physical risk to staff, legal liability for companies.
3) this is good - less injured employees, less injury (and worse) due to amateur attempts at restraining people etc.
4) at this point someone raises “The Police” as a solution. The police were never present in enough numbers to actually tackle shop lifting or fare dodging. Their job was to turn up half an hour later to collect the miscreants from the hero employees.
See the push to decriminalise shop lifting.
No, manned tills dont anything - talk to the staff on high street shops who tell if thefts in front of them, with the shop lifters *trying* to cause physical contact. So they can claim assault.
The future? Well, the local Tesco franchise has a “cousin” of the manager who isn’t employed by the store (no sir) who tackles shop lifters and goes to magistrates court moderately regularly for assault.
Other, higher tech stores are looking at gated entry, linked to video ID’ing of wrong uns. Look out for the Guardian articles about the poor being locked out of stores.
Which is NOT really correct, at least IMHO.
For example, the recent MAGA-manufactured flap over coincidence of Easter (a notoriously "movable feast") being same day as Transgender Visibility Day.
Which as far as I can tell, had ZERO to do with the pro-life versus pro-choice controversy.
Personally think that GOPer politicos and their mouthpieces are banging the anti-trans drum so loudly, is because of its appeal to voters BEYOND the core pro-life constituency.
That is, to folks who are either pro-choice or ambivalent on abortion, BUT who (for whatever reason) are opposed to and/or repulsed by gender-bending.
Note that there was similar dynamic a generation ago, when GOP campaigned with vigor against gays and lesbians. For example, with TV campaign ads featuring the alleged debauchery of San Francisco Gay Pride parades.
So GOP nutbags still making a meal of the homophobia, but beyond this, the MAGA-GOP has switched to anti-trans, as having broader (ahem) appeal.
Do homeless people have a lot of money to pay fines?
These local Candidates sound amazing.
Their track record sounds brilliant.
FFS who do they think we are?
Perhaps Helen Whately?
I would argue it was the unpopularity of Corbyn, not the popularity of the Tories, that produced the result. It is why a reversal was always underpriced and why I said at the time it was nonsensical that the Tories thought they'd solved elections when they won with the most unpopular leader they'd ever had.
Arguably if Labour had done my suggestion above and done Keir Starmer's Brexit policy from the day after 2017, they'd probably be in government now.
That combined with fewer seats being up than last year and a reasonable performance by Susan Hall given current polls mean the local elections, although bad, won't be bad enough for Sunak to be removed by Tory MPs and he will survive until the general election as leader and PM
You should hang your head in shame that SKS types enabled 14 years of Tory misrule
I look forward you posting - and celebrating - the upcoming record performance of Starmer, when he registers more Labour votes in England than Corbyn achieved in 2017.
The worst possible outcome would be for The Jessiah to actually reach No. 10
This would involve compromise, schism, the shattering of the True Faith. Reality.
The King Over The Water is always better than The King In The Royal Bath.
Just in case anyone was wondering what could possibly be gained by the IDF bombing the World Central Kitchen aid convoy.
Genocide lovers please explain
https://yougov.co.uk/politics/articles/18588-why-people-voted-labour-or-conservative-2017-gener
Ursula von der Leyen
@vonderleyen
·
7h
I pay homage to the @WCKitchen aid workers who lost their lives in Gaza.
Lost their lives when the Terrorist state we have funded for the last six months murdered them i presume she means
But perhaps the best example is Sunak himself.
Actually, lettuce not go there...
& L4%K
Safe danger. The best kind of danger. If you can afford it.
Humza Yousaf has said it is "increasingly difficult" to shield his children from racism after he was targeted with Islamophobic graffiti near his Dundee home.
Racist slurs relating to the Scottish first minister's Pakistani heritage were sprayed on the walls and fences of homes in a street in Broughty Ferry, on Monday.
It is near to where the first minister lives with his wife and two children.
The graffiti, which has since been removed, happened on the day the Scottish government's controversial new hate crime laws came into force.
https://news.sky.com/story/first-minister-humza-yousaf-condemns-racist-graffiti-aimed-at-him-near-dundee-home-13106494
TfL estimate up to 15% of all journeys are made illegally at a cost of some £160 million to its coffers but as others have said, what can they do? When the revenue inspectors come to East Ham, they usually get a nice haul of offenders but it makes no long term difference. The big problem are the wide gates for luggage which allow groups to get through or tailgate but some just push the gates aside.
How much would it cost TfL to try to crack down on that last 15% of unpaid journeys? Probably about as much as the lost revenue so it gets tolerated.
NOT performing at the Waco, Texas Home for Evangelical Aged . . . nor for Bugger Bognor Conservative Association.
Jeremy Corbyn fans please explain.
The hundreds of unknown (and poor) comics who play to small audiences at the Fringe, on the other hand… would be well advised to join the Free Speech Union.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignaz_Trebitsch-Lincoln
What POLICY are you looking forward to as a positive change under SKS
Indeed a smaller Fringe would be desirable given the recent changes in the lkaw to ensure that housing is reclaimed for locals despite the tantrums of precisely those Fringe types who demanded that local people continue to be evicted for August to suit their convenience.
Compare and contrast the two maps here:
- Anti-abortion: https://states.guttmacher.org/policies/
- Anti-trans: https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/anti-trans-legislative-risk-assessment-cd3
The overlay, whilst not exact (Montana!), is apparent. Although I am sympathetic to your add-on theory: buy one, get one free so to speak.We can do better than that - what's a "reasonable performance" by Susan Hall, the 35% achieved by Shaun Bailey, 30%?, 25%?
As for the local and PCC contests, we can take a view as well. As for the former, how about losing Dudley to Labour and Dorset to the LDs? What about the eight Conservative held District Councils with all up elections?
They would be Basildon, Epping Forest, Fareham, Gloucester, Harlow, Havant, Nuneaton & Bedworth and Redditch? Would losing control of half of those represent a bad night? What about losing control of all of them?
The Conservatives currently have 30 of the 39 PCCs in England and Wales having won the 2021 elections by 14.5 points. What would be a bad night in your view - losing ten, losing twenty?
Not even that is an excuse.
Having Sunak out and about all the time meeting real people and taking questions on local radio is working out well I see.
He's like Ed Miliband.
- https://www.newsweek.com/map-american-states-backing-texas-governor-greg-abbott-border-feud-1864363
...there's a knot of states whose legislators are anti-trans, anti-abortion and anti-immigration, and wouldn't wee on Biden if he was afire. Whether the US electorate are pro- or anti- these things will be the key to POTUS2024Not that that at all justifies the brain dead morons who did the racist graffiti, though state of the country and the education system etc is all under his control.
https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/labour-manifesto-2017.pdf
The old system- go and fight someone hopeless first, have some setbacks on the way up- had a lot to commend it.
(See Starmer as well. He got a fair bit wrong on the early years, mostly due to inexperience.)
Ministers face Tory revolt over plans to criminalise rough sleeping
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/01/ministers-face-tory-revolt-over-plans-to-criminalise-rough-sleeping
Let's be honest, Israel and the IDF will kill anyone who gets in their way. There have been so many "accidents" now, nobody can convince me they're even trying to be careful.
So not only are they radicalising a whole new generation of nutjobs, they're killing totally innocent people there to help.
But it's a war, so who cares?