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    dr_spyn said:
    He should have denied it and killed the story.

    Silly.

    (Unless it was actually true, and so he couldn't...)
    Keep up the parsimonious postings like that and it will be you going up in effigy next year.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited November 2015

    Charles said:

    isam said:



    The fact that franchises alter their menu to cater for local religion is a small but worrying sign of the future

    I'd say people can't see the wood for the trees

    If mass immigration and multiculturalism had worked, this restaurant would sell both types

    Your point, about I'm supposing small independent restaurants, is irrelevant to this as KFC is a nationwide chain... They may alter their menu dependent on country...

    Given that, presumably, these products wouldn't sell, you are arguing that the shareholders of KFC should accept losses in order that someone who randomly walks into one of their shops can buy anything they like?

    Shouldn't that be a simple business decision?
    Isn't KFC a franchise? I think McDonalds is too and they certainly sell different stuff in different countries to cater for local tastes.
    McD operates some stores as franchises, some as affiliates and some directly by the corporation. Apparently 70% of UK outlets are run by the corporation directly. In any case they own all the real estate pretty much everywhere, just might choose to install a franchisee or affiliate. KFC is much more heavily franchised, with around a tenth run by the corporation.

    McDs here does a range of fried chicken with rice options :)
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,217
    Charles said:

    isam said:



    The fact that franchises alter their menu to cater for local religion is a small but worrying sign of the future

    I'd say people can't see the wood for the trees

    If mass immigration and multiculturalism had worked, this restaurant would sell both types

    Your point, about I'm supposing small independent restaurants, is irrelevant to this as KFC is a nationwide chain... They may alter their menu dependent on country...

    Given that, presumably, these products wouldn't sell, you are arguing that the shareholders of KFC should accept losses in order that someone who randomly walks into one of their shops can buy anything they like?

    Shouldn't that be a simple business decision?
    Can we be sure it's a question of no demand for pork products, or might it be the problem of getting staff willing to work at a KFC who are also willing to touch pork products?
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    @Morris

    Be wary of links claiming to show "marching refugees in Germany with ISIS flags":

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/isis-flag-picture-that-claims-to-show-refugees-attacking-police-goes-viral--and-is-a-lie-10501290.html

    I find it disturbing that some media organisations ran with these pics as current - the least they could do when verifying an image they didn't source themselves is to run a reverse image search which would have cast doubt on the story.

    I've no idea whether the image of "marching refugees in Germany with ISIS flags" is current and/or genuine. But the explanation on The Independent website is hardly conclusive or, indeed, convincing: "the picture is old, probably doesn't show an Isis flag, and has nothing to do with refugees". I looked at the video that, according to The Independent, shows the demo where the protest took place (Bonn, 2012) and noticed that the police were wearing different uniforms to the ones shown in the still.

    Bottom line is, there is a lot of propaganda and misinformation being distributed by both "sides" with regard to this crisis. And if there are some amongst the refugees who are sympathetic to ISIS - well, haven't we already been warned that that is likely? Also from The Independent: "One in 50 Syrian refugees entering Europe could be member of Isis, a Lebanese government minister has claimed."
    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/1-in-50-syrian-refugees-in-europe-could-be-an-isis-jihadist-minister-warns-david-cameron-10501249.html


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    chestnutchestnut Posts: 7,341
    edited November 2015
    Diane Abbott fidgeting nervously in the face of a Syrian refugee on the DP.

    In fact, she is completely drowning and trying to talk down, and failing, with the woman in question. :smiley:
  • Options

    Charles said:

    isam said:



    The fact that franchises alter their menu to cater for local religion is a small but worrying sign of the future

    I'd say people can't see the wood for the trees

    If mass immigration and multiculturalism had worked, this restaurant would sell both types

    Your point, about I'm supposing small independent restaurants, is irrelevant to this as KFC is a nationwide chain... They may alter their menu dependent on country...

    Given that, presumably, these products wouldn't sell, you are arguing that the shareholders of KFC should accept losses in order that someone who randomly walks into one of their shops can buy anything they like?

    Shouldn't that be a simple business decision?
    Can we be sure it's a question of no demand for pork products, or might it be the problem of getting staff willing to work at a KFC who are also willing to touch pork products?
    I believe it is a strategic policy of KFC to have some outlets that cater for those unwilling to eat at an establishment that serves pork products. Another thing they pride themselves in having chicken that is halal.
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    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    edited November 2015

    Charles said:

    isam said:



    The fact that franchises alter their menu to cater for local religion is a small but worrying sign of the future

    I'd say people can't see the wood for the trees

    If mass immigration and multiculturalism had worked, this restaurant would sell both types

    Your point, about I'm supposing small independent restaurants, is irrelevant to this as KFC is a nationwide chain... They may alter their menu dependent on country...

    Given that, presumably, these products wouldn't sell, you are arguing that the shareholders of KFC should accept losses in order that someone who randomly walks into one of their shops can buy anything they like?

    Shouldn't that be a simple business decision?
    Can we be sure it's a question of no demand for pork products, or might it be the problem of getting staff willing to work at a KFC who are also willing to touch pork products?
    If that is the case it gets murky fast, people not handling pork products others desire for religious reasons is only a small stones throw away from people not wanting to bake cakes with a pro-gay marriage message for religious reasons.
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    Local council has "lost" my individual electoral roll registration, despite registering months ago. Funny that.

    Why am I not remotely surprised? It was always a stitch-up, taken straight from the GOP handbook of disenfranchising voters under the guise of plausible deniability.
  • Options
    Charles said:

    isam said:



    The fact that franchises alter their menu to cater for local religion is a small but worrying sign of the future

    I'd say people can't see the wood for the trees

    If mass immigration and multiculturalism had worked, this restaurant would sell both types

    Your point, about I'm supposing small independent restaurants, is irrelevant to this as KFC is a nationwide chain... They may alter their menu dependent on country...

    Given that, presumably, these products wouldn't sell, you are arguing that the shareholders of KFC should accept losses in order that someone who randomly walks into one of their shops can buy anything they like?

    Shouldn't that be a simple business decision?
    Charles: only just clocked your message. Sorry. Just replied.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,059
    Charles said:

    isam said:



    The fact that franchises alter their menu to cater for local religion is a small but worrying sign of the future

    I'd say people can't see the wood for the trees

    If mass immigration and multiculturalism had worked, this restaurant would sell both types

    Your point, about I'm supposing small independent restaurants, is irrelevant to this as KFC is a nationwide chain... They may alter their menu dependent on country...

    Given that, presumably, these products wouldn't sell, you are arguing that the shareholders of KFC should accept losses in order that someone who randomly walks into one of their shops can buy anything they like?

    Shouldn't that be a simple business decision?
    I didnt say what they can and can't or should or shouldn't do, I just notice that nationwide chains serve different menus according to religion in different parts of the same country
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    While this is nasty and distasteful, can anyone explain to me why the police and courts had to get involved in this? Or even why they were able to?

    She now faces jail time:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/reality-tv-star-faces-jail-for-saying-anyone-with-downs-syndrome-should-be-put-down-5480117/
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    Oliver_PB said:

    Local council has "lost" my individual electoral roll registration, despite registering months ago. Funny that.

    Why am I not remotely surprised? It was always a stitch-up, taken straight from the GOP handbook of disenfranchising voters under the guise of plausible deniability.

    Contact your local authority and re-register. – Problem solved.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 41,059

    Charles said:

    isam said:



    The fact that franchises alter their menu to cater for local religion is a small but worrying sign of the future

    I'd say people can't see the wood for the trees

    If mass immigration and multiculturalism had worked, this restaurant would sell both types

    Your point, about I'm supposing small independent restaurants, is irrelevant to this as KFC is a nationwide chain... They may alter their menu dependent on country...

    Given that, presumably, these products wouldn't sell, you are arguing that the shareholders of KFC should accept losses in order that someone who randomly walks into one of their shops can buy anything they like?

    Shouldn't that be a simple business decision?
    Isn't KFC a franchise? I think McDonalds is too and they certainly sell different stuff in different countries to cater for local tastes.
    'Different stuff in different countries to cater for local tastes'

    My point entirely
  • Options
    JEOJEO Posts: 3,656

    While this is nasty and distasteful, can anyone explain to me why the police and courts had to get involved in this? Or even why they were able to?

    She now faces jail time:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/reality-tv-star-faces-jail-for-saying-anyone-with-downs-syndrome-should-be-put-down-5480117/

    "Swansea Magistrates’ Court heard how police also found jokes about the disabled on her mobile phone."

    So politically incorrect jokes sent to your friends can now be used against you in a court of law. In the country that first had a Bill of Rights.

    Something has gone badly wrong with liberalism in the UK.
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    Oliver_PB said:

    Local council has "lost" my individual electoral roll registration, despite registering months ago. Funny that.

    Why am I not remotely surprised? It was always a stitch-up, taken straight from the GOP handbook of disenfranchising voters under the guise of plausible deniability.

    LOL!
  • Options
    Bob__SykesBob__Sykes Posts: 1,176
    The Lewes effigy of Blatter, middle finger raised, looks a good one.

    The Cameron one is distateful. Could the police (perhaps at No 10's request) order its removal on decency grounds? (I recognise that makes a story in itself)
  • Options

    While this is nasty and distasteful, can anyone explain to me why the police and courts had to get involved in this? Or even why they were able to?

    She now faces jail time:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/reality-tv-star-faces-jail-for-saying-anyone-with-downs-syndrome-should-be-put-down-5480117/

    Sounds like she basically just had a load of Frankie Boyle-esque jokes on her phone. She gets banged up, he has made a career out of it...

    I don't like Boyle very much and don't find him funny and would never pay to see him, but I don't think he should be stopped from doing his act. Nor Jim Jefferies or Dapper Laughs etc etc etc
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    watford30watford30 Posts: 3,474
    edited November 2015
    A branch of KFC, (founded Utah, USA in 1952) changes a menu to suit local tastes, and it's a creeping attack on British culture. Priceless stuff.
  • Options
    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,671
    edited November 2015

    While this is nasty and distasteful, can anyone explain to me why the police and courts had to get involved in this? Or even why they were able to?

    She now faces jail time:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/reality-tv-star-faces-jail-for-saying-anyone-with-downs-syndrome-should-be-put-down-5480117/

    And yet I notice on the same website:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/charges-dropped-against-diversity-offer-who-tweeted-killallwhitemen-5479933/

    The case appears to have been dropped due to lack of evidence - can there be lack of evidence of someone tweeting something?

    I'm not sure I agree with either case proceeding, both on the basis of freedom of speech, and of a total waste of police and court time when they should be trying to put criminals behind bars, but the second surely has greater potential relevance because it could be categorised as incitement.
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    While this is nasty and distasteful, can anyone explain to me why the police and courts had to get involved in this? Or even why they were able to?

    She now faces jail time:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/reality-tv-star-faces-jail-for-saying-anyone-with-downs-syndrome-should-be-put-down-5480117/

    And yet I notice on the same website:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/charges-dropped-against-diversity-offer-who-tweeted-killallwhitemen-5479933/

    The case appears to have been dropped due to lack of evidence - can there be lack of evidence of someone tweeting something?

    I'm not sure I agree with either case proceeding, both on the basis of freedom of speech, and of a total waste of police and court time when they should be trying to put criminals behind bars, but the second surely has greater potential relevance because it could be categorised as incitement.
    If only the plod had these new snooping powers they would have been able to get the evidence..or something along those lines according to the plod.
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    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,671

    The Lewes effigy of Blatter, middle finger raised, looks a good one.

    The Cameron one is distateful. Could the police (perhaps at No 10's request) order its removal on decency grounds? (I recognise that makes a story in itself)

    I'm not sure you've entirely grasped the point of the exercise.
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    watford30watford30 Posts: 3,474
    edited November 2015

    The Lewes effigy of Blatter, middle finger raised, looks a good one.

    The Cameron one is distateful. Could the police (perhaps at No 10's request) order its removal on decency grounds? (I recognise that makes a story in itself)

    I'm not sure you've entirely grasped the point of the exercise.
    The Putin effigies last year were great. Vlad in a mankini.

    http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/lewes-bonfire-night-effigies-vladimir-putin-alex-salmond-guy-fawkes-parade-1473432

    http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-an-effigy-of-russian-president-vladimir-putin-sitting-astride-a-crashed-75231472.html

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    isamisam Posts: 41,059
    watford30 said:

    A branch of KFC, (founded Utah, USA in 1952) changes a menu to suit local tastes, and it's a creeping attack on British culture. Priceless stuff.

    Who said anything about British culture?

    Complete strawman

    WATCH your step
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    Oliver_PBOliver_PB Posts: 397
    edited November 2015

    Oliver_PB said:

    Local council has "lost" my individual electoral roll registration, despite registering months ago. Funny that.

    Why am I not remotely surprised? It was always a stitch-up, taken straight from the GOP handbook of disenfranchising voters under the guise of plausible deniability.

    Contact your local authority and re-register. – Problem solved.
    I am, because I'm the sort of person who cares about this sort of thing and is willing to go out of their way to ensure they're on it. I imagine many people aren't and won't bother to take the time out of their busy lives.

    I mean, why would they? There's likely not going to be an election for years and they'll reason that they can register then.
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    JEOJEO Posts: 3,656
    The hypocrisy in Labour, blaming this government for their chronic underinvestment in power:

    Lisa Nandy, Labour’s shadow energy secretary, blamed Government policy for “creating an energy security crisis” while the GMB Union said Britain was in the “bonkers position… where National Grid is using consumer’s money to pay firms to stop work in order to avoid blackouts”.
  • Options
    JEO said:

    While this is nasty and distasteful, can anyone explain to me why the police and courts had to get involved in this? Or even why they were able to?

    She now faces jail time:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/reality-tv-star-faces-jail-for-saying-anyone-with-downs-syndrome-should-be-put-down-5480117/

    "Swansea Magistrates’ Court heard how police also found jokes about the disabled on her mobile phone."

    So politically incorrect jokes sent to your friends can now be used against you in a court of law. In the country that first had a Bill of Rights.

    Something has gone badly wrong with liberalism in the UK.
    This is just the thing: the malicious communication act was set up to stop people sending letters or other articles for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety. Therefore, intent and mechanism are all important.

    The electronic equivalent would be to either subscribe to a Facebook support group for parents/those with Down's Syndrome and post or repeatedly post this (the first should be an informal warning) or invidually targetting those with Down's Syndrome, or parents of the same, via Facebook messenger with that intent.

    Just broadcasting an opinion once off to your 'friends' that some may find offensive is not and should not count. Still less why it justified the police to take her phone and trawl through it.

    When the police asked her if she knew she had committed a criminal offence (a common tactic used to extract a confession of guilt where the evidence is not there) she should have said 'no' and told them to bog off.
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    Oliver_PBOliver_PB Posts: 397
    edited November 2015
    KFC's bacon, which I imagine is their only pork product, isn't very nice. It has little flavour and cardboard-like texture. It would be no loss if they got rid of it entirely and I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually happens without any religious justification, especially since it's only used in one or two of their products.
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    JackWJackW Posts: 14,787
    On the great PB food filling debate I have to say that back in the day there was worldwide disquiet about potential changes to Auchentennach Fine Pies when the Liberals changed to the Liberal Democrats especially after all the difficulties with the Alliance.

    More recently on the plus side we are now able to charge a premium price following the events of May .... :smile:
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    watford30watford30 Posts: 3,474
    edited November 2015
    JEO said:

    The hypocrisy in Labour, blaming this government for their chronic underinvestment in power:

    Lisa Nandy, Labour’s shadow energy secretary, blamed Government policy for “creating an energy security crisis” while the GMB Union said Britain was in the “bonkers position… where National Grid is using consumer’s money to pay firms to stop work in order to avoid blackouts”.

    The closure of many power stations is directly attributable to Labour and Ed Milliband's Green Policies whilst at DECC.
  • Options

    While this is nasty and distasteful, can anyone explain to me why the police and courts had to get involved in this? Or even why they were able to?

    She now faces jail time:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/reality-tv-star-faces-jail-for-saying-anyone-with-downs-syndrome-should-be-put-down-5480117/

    Sounds like she basically just had a load of Frankie Boyle-esque jokes on her phone. She gets banged up, he has made a career out of it...

    I don't like Boyle very much and don't find him funny and would never pay to see him, but I don't think he should be stopped from doing his act. Nor Jim Jefferies or Dapper Laughs etc etc etc
    Time and time again this Act has been misused:

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malicious_Communications_Act_1988

    The thing is the authorities will always use any power they have in the maximum way they can: either to make their jobs and lives easier, to impress their management, or to pursue personal pet hates, work priorities and vendettas.

    The reason the police love policing Twitter and Facebook so much is because it's a 'crime' they can fight from sitting on their arses, and they spend a lot of time on both anyway.
  • Options

    While this is nasty and distasteful, can anyone explain to me why the police and courts had to get involved in this? Or even why they were able to?

    She now faces jail time:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/reality-tv-star-faces-jail-for-saying-anyone-with-downs-syndrome-should-be-put-down-5480117/

    And yet I notice on the same website:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/charges-dropped-against-diversity-offer-who-tweeted-killallwhitemen-5479933/

    The case appears to have been dropped due to lack of evidence - can there be lack of evidence of someone tweeting something?

    I'm not sure I agree with either case proceeding, both on the basis of freedom of speech, and of a total waste of police and court time when they should be trying to put criminals behind bars, but the second surely has greater potential relevance because it could be categorised as incitement.
    Interestingly, it's the police that are often keen to prosecute and the CPS who can take a more sensible view, although not always. The desire to police what people say runs deep.

    The CPS shouldn't have to tell the police how to do their job.
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    JEO said:

    The hypocrisy in Labour, blaming this government for their chronic underinvestment in power:

    Do conservatives believe governments should be "investing" in power generation?
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    The Lewes effigy of Blatter, middle finger raised, looks a good one.

    The Cameron one is distateful. Could the police (perhaps at No 10's request) order its removal on decency grounds? (I recognise that makes a story in itself)

    No, there are no grounds for such an order.

    We really must learn the difference in this country between someone expressing their own opinion - even if crudely offensive, rude, provocative and controversial (which is their own god-damn right) -and deliberately inciting, or conducting, actual criminal behaviour.
  • Options
    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,671
    watford30 said:

    The Lewes effigy of Blatter, middle finger raised, looks a good one.

    The Cameron one is distateful. Could the police (perhaps at No 10's request) order its removal on decency grounds? (I recognise that makes a story in itself)

    I'm not sure you've entirely grasped the point of the exercise.
    The Putin effigies last year were great. Vlad in a mankini.

    http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/lewes-bonfire-night-effigies-vladimir-putin-alex-salmond-guy-fawkes-parade-1473432

    http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-an-effigy-of-russian-president-vladimir-putin-sitting-astride-a-crashed-75231472.html

    Yes, they're brilliant.
  • Options
    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,217
    watford30 said:

    JEO said:

    The hypocrisy in Labour, blaming this government for their chronic underinvestment in power:

    Lisa Nandy, Labour’s shadow energy secretary, blamed Government policy for “creating an energy security crisis” while the GMB Union said Britain was in the “bonkers position… where National Grid is using consumer’s money to pay firms to stop work in order to avoid blackouts”.

    The closure of many power stations is directly attributable to Labour and Ed Milliband's Green Policies whilst at DECC.
    I remember one of my first posts on PB being about a potential energy crunch because of these policies. The post would have been around 2011, and the crunch was predicted for 2015/6 ...

    It led to some interesting and polite discussions with RCS about spare energy capacity. I wonder what the figures show now?
  • Options
    Oliver_PB said:

    JEO said:

    The hypocrisy in Labour, blaming this government for their chronic underinvestment in power:

    Do conservatives believe governments should be "investing" in power generation?
    Shouldn't every government be 'investing' in power generation? Making sure we have enough power today, 5 years forward, 10 years forward and 20 years forward is a basic building block of the economy is it not.
  • Options
    philiphphiliph Posts: 4,704
    Oliver_PB said:

    Oliver_PB said:

    Local council has "lost" my individual electoral roll registration, despite registering months ago. Funny that.

    Why am I not remotely surprised? It was always a stitch-up, taken straight from the GOP handbook of disenfranchising voters under the guise of plausible deniability.

    Contact your local authority and re-register. – Problem solved.
    I am, because I'm the sort of person who cares about this sort of thing and is willing to go out of their way to ensure they're on it. I imagine many people aren't and won't bother to take the time out of their busy lives.

    I mean, why would they? There's likely not going to be an election for years and they'll reason that they can register then.
    Wow!

    The wicked Tory party have bludgeoned and coerced local authorities throughout the land to slyly shove cotter registrations beehive the sofa.
  • Options
    IndigoIndigo Posts: 9,966
    Oliver_PB said:

    Local council has "lost" my individual electoral roll registration, despite registering months ago. Funny that.

    Why am I not remotely surprised? It was always a stitch-up, taken straight from the GOP handbook of disenfranchising voters under the guise of plausible deniability.

    First apply https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon's_razor
  • Options
    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,671
    watford30 said:

    JEO said:

    The hypocrisy in Labour, blaming this government for their chronic underinvestment in power:

    Lisa Nandy, Labour’s shadow energy secretary, blamed Government policy for “creating an energy security crisis” while the GMB Union said Britain was in the “bonkers position… where National Grid is using consumer’s money to pay firms to stop work in order to avoid blackouts”.

    The closure of many power stations is directly attributable to Labour and Ed Milliband's Green Policies whilst at DECC.
    How long ago was that? Why haven't they been repealed? This smacks of the '17 years of Tory rule' that Labour were blaming well into their third term.
  • Options
    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822
    I detect autocorrect at work here.
    philiph said:

    Oliver_PB said:

    Oliver_PB said:

    Local council has "lost" my individual electoral roll registration, despite registering months ago. Funny that.

    Why am I not remotely surprised? It was always a stitch-up, taken straight from the GOP handbook of disenfranchising voters under the guise of plausible deniability.

    Contact your local authority and re-register. – Problem solved.
    I am, because I'm the sort of person who cares about this sort of thing and is willing to go out of their way to ensure they're on it. I imagine many people aren't and won't bother to take the time out of their busy lives.

    I mean, why would they? There's likely not going to be an election for years and they'll reason that they can register then.
    Wow!

    The wicked Tory party have bludgeoned and coerced local authorities throughout the land to slyly shove cotter registrations beehive the sofa.
  • Options

    Charles said:

    isam said:



    The fact that franchises alter their menu to cater for local religion is a small but worrying sign of the future

    I'd say people can't see the wood for the trees

    If mass immigration and multiculturalism had worked, this restaurant would sell both types

    Your point, about I'm supposing small independent restaurants, is irrelevant to this as KFC is a nationwide chain... They may alter their menu dependent on country...

    Given that, presumably, these products wouldn't sell, you are arguing that the shareholders of KFC should accept losses in order that someone who randomly walks into one of their shops can buy anything they like?

    Shouldn't that be a simple business decision?
    Can we be sure it's a question of no demand for pork products, or might it be the problem of getting staff willing to work at a KFC who are also willing to touch pork products?
    Don't you live somewhere near Derby way JJ? It's not that Derbistan, is it? On the other hand, I guess demographics means that having halal KFC is likely to be more profitable - the teenagers are mostly not going to be spending all their paper round money (or whatever they do these days) on eight pints of marstons pedigree, so they're probably very good profitbale customers?
  • Options
    taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    ''How long ago was that? Why haven't they been repealed?''

    You have to say that none of the major parties from the last parliament emerges with much credit here. The tories gave the energy portfolio to an MP whose policies were completely rejected by the electorate.
  • Options
    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,252

    The Lewes effigy of Blatter, middle finger raised, looks a good one.

    The Cameron one is distateful. Could the police (perhaps at No 10's request) order its removal on decency grounds? (I recognise that makes a story in itself)

    No, there are no grounds for such an order.

    We really must learn the difference in this country between someone expressing their own opinion - even if crudely offensive, rude, provocative and controversial (which is their own god-damn right) -and deliberately inciting, or conducting, actual criminal behaviour.
    Well said.

  • Options
    Oliver_PBOliver_PB Posts: 397
    edited November 2015
    philiph said:

    Oliver_PB said:

    Oliver_PB said:

    Local council has "lost" my individual electoral roll registration, despite registering months ago. Funny that.

    Why am I not remotely surprised? It was always a stitch-up, taken straight from the GOP handbook of disenfranchising voters under the guise of plausible deniability.

    Contact your local authority and re-register. – Problem solved.
    I am, because I'm the sort of person who cares about this sort of thing and is willing to go out of their way to ensure they're on it. I imagine many people aren't and won't bother to take the time out of their busy lives.

    I mean, why would they? There's likely not going to be an election for years and they'll reason that they can register then.
    Wow!

    The wicked Tory party have bludgeoned and coerced local authorities throughout the land to slyly shove cotter registrations beehive the sofa.
    Or work under the assumption that resource-starved local councils will inevitably make mistakes and the demographics of disinterested people who won't bother chasing things up in a way will particularly benefit one individual party electorally.

    It really isn't hard to see and the neoliberal right tends to be very good at such subtle "plausible deniability" policies, as they have don't follow the same moral hand-wringing as more left-wing parties and governments do.

    See also: benefits changes, which are designed as cynical politics to create headlines and make people suffer for marginal benefit.
    Williamz said:


    Shouldn't every government be 'investing' in power generation? Making sure we have enough power today, 5 years forward, 10 years forward and 20 years forward is a basic building block of the economy is it not.

    Well, not everyone believes that. The right tends to believe that sort of infrastructure should be placed in the domain of private companies and the free market.

    The right often draw an analogy with food: should governments should be 'investing' in food, to make sure we have enough food today and in 5/10/20 years? They say no, as the free market will deliver it far more cost-effectively.

    On the other hand, I'd argue yes, to some extent we should have governments investing in food security (incidentally, the CAP is one, albeit inefficient, way of doing it - and why I fear abandoning it entirely and potentially risking exposing people to food shortages due to market failures).
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    Cameron comes across like Blair; which might be why it feels to me like a win for Cameron but contempory audiences, who were more worried about their new Tory leader being like Blair, did not.
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    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,252

    While this is nasty and distasteful, can anyone explain to me why the police and courts had to get involved in this? Or even why they were able to?

    She now faces jail time:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/reality-tv-star-faces-jail-for-saying-anyone-with-downs-syndrome-should-be-put-down-5480117/

    Sounds like she basically just had a load of Frankie Boyle-esque jokes on her phone. She gets banged up, he has made a career out of it...

    I don't like Boyle very much and don't find him funny and would never pay to see him, but I don't think he should be stopped from doing his act. Nor Jim Jefferies or Dapper Laughs etc etc etc
    Time and time again this Act has been misused:

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malicious_Communications_Act_1988

    The thing is the authorities will always use any power they have in the maximum way they can: either to make their jobs and lives easier, to impress their management, or to pursue personal pet hates, work priorities and vendettas.

    The reason the police love policing Twitter and Facebook so much is because it's a 'crime' they can fight from sitting on their arses, and they spend a lot of time on both anyway.
    Indeed. One reason why I worry about the Internet Browsing Database.
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    i used to like a burger king beanburger. by the way. kfc too oily :)
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    CyclefreeCyclefree Posts: 25,252

    JEO said:

    While this is nasty and distasteful, can anyone explain to me why the police and courts had to get involved in this? Or even why they were able to?

    She now faces jail time:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/reality-tv-star-faces-jail-for-saying-anyone-with-downs-syndrome-should-be-put-down-5480117/

    "Swansea Magistrates’ Court heard how police also found jokes about the disabled on her mobile phone."

    So politically incorrect jokes sent to your friends can now be used against you in a court of law. In the country that first had a Bill of Rights.

    Something has gone badly wrong with liberalism in the UK.
    This is just the thing: the malicious communication act was set up to stop people sending letters or other articles for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety. Therefore, intent and mechanism are all important.

    The electronic equivalent would be to either subscribe to a Facebook support group for parents/those with Down's Syndrome and post or repeatedly post this (the first should be an informal warning) or invidually targetting those with Down's Syndrome, or parents of the same, via Facebook messenger with that intent.

    Just broadcasting an opinion once off to your 'friends' that some may find offensive is not and should not count. Still less why it justified the police to take her phone and trawl through it.

    When the police asked her if she knew she had committed a criminal offence (a common tactic used to extract a confession of guilt where the evidence is not there) she should have said 'no' and told them to bog off.
    At the risk of being controversial, but why should causing distress and anxiety be a criminal offence?
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    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,671
    edited November 2015

    watford30 said:

    JEO said:

    The hypocrisy in Labour, blaming this government for their chronic underinvestment in power:

    Lisa Nandy, Labour’s shadow energy secretary, blamed Government policy for “creating an energy security crisis” while the GMB Union said Britain was in the “bonkers position… where National Grid is using consumer’s money to pay firms to stop work in order to avoid blackouts”.

    The closure of many power stations is directly attributable to Labour and Ed Milliband's Green Policies whilst at DECC.
    I remember one of my first posts on PB being about a potential energy crunch because of these policies. The post would have been around 2011, and the crunch was predicted for 2015/6 ...

    It led to some interesting and polite discussions with RCS about spare energy capacity. I wonder what the figures show now?
    Any powercuts will be a serious 'wake up' moment. This Government was elected on a (rather creepy) platform of securing the populace from cradle to grave. Keeping the flatscreen TV blaring is a big part of that, and failure to do so will result in serious questioning not just of the wisdom of carpeting the country with windfarms, but of the whole 'security blanket' agenda.
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    LennonLennon Posts: 1,737

    While this is nasty and distasteful, can anyone explain to me why the police and courts had to get involved in this? Or even why they were able to?

    She now faces jail time:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/reality-tv-star-faces-jail-for-saying-anyone-with-downs-syndrome-should-be-put-down-5480117/

    And yet I notice on the same website:

    http://metro.co.uk/2015/11/04/charges-dropped-against-diversity-offer-who-tweeted-killallwhitemen-5479933/

    The case appears to have been dropped due to lack of evidence - can there be lack of evidence of someone tweeting something?

    I'm not sure I agree with either case proceeding, both on the basis of freedom of speech, and of a total waste of police and court time when they should be trying to put criminals behind bars, but the second surely has greater potential relevance because it could be categorised as incitement.
    Interestingly, it's the police that are often keen to prosecute and the CPS who can take a more sensible view, although not always. The desire to police what people say runs deep.

    The CPS shouldn't have to tell the police how to do their job.
    It would also help a lot if Government learnt how to draft legislation that is clear and limited in scope - not woolly generic rubbish that the police can then take and apply as widely as they fancy at any point in time. (cf Psychoactive Substances Bill as the latest and most egregious example)
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    runnymederunnymede Posts: 2,536
    At the risk of being controversial, but why should causing distress and anxiety be a criminal offence?

    On that basis we would presumably close down all England's national sports teams.

    And Scotland's football team would presumably be sentenced to peine forte et dure
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    MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 50,190
    JackW said:

    On the great PB food filling debate I have to say that back in the day there was worldwide disquiet about potential changes to Auchentennach Fine Pies when the Liberals changed to the Liberal Democrats especially after all the difficulties with the Alliance.

    More recently on the plus side we are now able to charge a premium price following the events of May .... :smile:

    There must be a worry supplies will eventually dry up...

    Have you tried pies with a kipper filling?
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    The right often draw an analogy with food: should governments should be 'investing' in food, to make sure we have enough food today and in 5/10/20 years? They say no, as the free market will deliver it far more cost-effectively.

    On the other hand, I'd argue yes, to some extent we should have governments investing in food security (incidentally, the CAP is one, albeit inefficient, way of doing it - and why I fear abandoning it entirely and potentially risking exposing people to food shortages due to market failures).

    err OK. I supposed just best to ignore it for 13 years.
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822
    Rather interesting
    The London that could have been: Rejected designs for Tower Bridge are among forgotten blueprints for unbuilt buildings that would have left the capital looking very different

    A rejected 1878 blueprint for the iconic Tower Bridge has been released by the Royal Institute of British Architects
    The official London architect Sir Horace Jones completed the structure 16 years later using a different design
    Other failed designs include Nelson's Globe and an ambitious and flamboyant plan for department store Selfridges

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3304956/The-London-Rejected-designs-Tower-Bridge-forgotten-blueprints-unbuilt-buildings-left-capital-looking-different.html#ixzz3qcoCq7HU
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    Plato_SaysPlato_Says Posts: 11,822
    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11976889/If-people-cant-protest-peacefully-they-shouldnt-be-allowed-to-protest-at-all.html
    Tonight, there is going to be a licensed riot in central London. We know there will be a riot, because the Metropolitan police service – whose job it is to prevent riots – have told us there will be one.

    Yesterday, Chief Superintendent Pippa Mills, of the Metropolitan Police told the Telegraph, "We will always facilitate peaceful protest and have a strong history of doing so. However, over the last few years this event has seen high levels of anti-social behaviour, crime and disorder. This year we have strong reason to believe that peaceful protest is the last thing on the minds of many of the people who will come along. It is unacceptable that a small minority should believe they have the right to break the law, harass people, damage buildings and attack police officers”.
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    Oliver_PBOliver_PB Posts: 397
    edited November 2015
    Lennon said:


    It would also help a lot if Government learnt how to draft legislation that is clear and limited in scope - not woolly generic rubbish that the police can then take and apply as widely as they fancy at any point in time. (cf Psychoactive Substances Bill as the latest and most egregious example)

    The problem is that there needs to be a balance between precision and generality, otherwise people would find loopholes and legislation would need to be constantly updated. I agree that some legislation is worryingly vague, however. In particular, I know the Computer Misuse Act 1990 is kind of scary in how ridiculously general it is.

    Many of the problems have been caused by several successive authoritarian governments from Thatcher onwards, each introducing more government powers and putting more restrictions on people's freedoms. I find it particularly frustrating as the current Conservative Party leadership have at times given lip-service to the idea of "freedom" while being as bad, if not worse, in introducing policies that restrict individual freedoms and increasing government powers.
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    Oliver_PB said:

    Local council has "lost" my individual electoral roll registration, despite registering months ago. Funny that.

    Why am I not remotely surprised? It was always a stitch-up, taken straight from the GOP handbook of disenfranchising voters under the guise of plausible deniability.

    Why would your council want to disenfranchise you? It is in each council's interest to get as many voters on the roll in its area as possible before the boundary review to ensure that it gets as many MPs allocated as possible. Sounds like a cock up to me.
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    Oliver - surely each council can decide how much money to spend on electoral services. I can't imagine it costs much compared to big ticket items like social services. My local council (RWBM) has cut council tax 5 or 6 years in a row but still managed to process my individual registration application fairly quickly
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,217

    watford30 said:

    JEO said:

    The hypocrisy in Labour, blaming this government for their chronic underinvestment in power:

    Lisa Nandy, Labour’s shadow energy secretary, blamed Government policy for “creating an energy security crisis” while the GMB Union said Britain was in the “bonkers position… where National Grid is using consumer’s money to pay firms to stop work in order to avoid blackouts”.

    The closure of many power stations is directly attributable to Labour and Ed Milliband's Green Policies whilst at DECC.
    How long ago was that? Why haven't they been repealed? This smacks of the '17 years of Tory rule' that Labour were blaming well into their third term.
    Because they are not easy to repeal. Most of these stations are old, and parts are not easy to come by or have to be specially made. Once a closure date has been set, long-term maintenance past that date is no longer done, and only routine maintenance. In most cases, the plant is figuratively run into the ground. In others, such as Didcot, non-life expired kit is sold on.

    It's not impossible, but very difficult. It's different if the plant has only been mothballed.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,217

    Rather interesting

    The London that could have been: Rejected designs for Tower Bridge are among forgotten blueprints for unbuilt buildings that would have left the capital looking very different

    A rejected 1878 blueprint for the iconic Tower Bridge has been released by the Royal Institute of British Architects
    The official London architect Sir Horace Jones completed the structure 16 years later using a different design
    Other failed designs include Nelson's Globe and an ambitious and flamboyant plan for department store Selfridges

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3304956/The-London-Rejected-designs-Tower-Bridge-forgotten-blueprints-unbuilt-buildings-left-capital-looking-different.html#ixzz3qcoCq7HU
    There was a plan from the 1960s for Tower Bridge where the stone cladding around the steel frame would have been remove and replaced with steel and glass.
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    JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 39,217

    Charles said:

    isam said:



    The fact that franchises alter their menu to cater for local religion is a small but worrying sign of the future

    I'd say people can't see the wood for the trees

    If mass immigration and multiculturalism had worked, this restaurant would sell both types

    Your point, about I'm supposing small independent restaurants, is irrelevant to this as KFC is a nationwide chain... They may alter their menu dependent on country...

    Given that, presumably, these products wouldn't sell, you are arguing that the shareholders of KFC should accept losses in order that someone who randomly walks into one of their shops can buy anything they like?

    Shouldn't that be a simple business decision?
    Can we be sure it's a question of no demand for pork products, or might it be the problem of getting staff willing to work at a KFC who are also willing to touch pork products?
    Don't you live somewhere near Derby way JJ? It's not that Derbistan, is it? On the other hand, I guess demographics means that having halal KFC is likely to be more profitable - the teenagers are mostly not going to be spending all their paper round money (or whatever they do these days) on eight pints of marstons pedigree, so they're probably very good profitbale customers?
    I was Derbyshire born 'n bred, and still have a large number of family in the local and wider area. But I live in the flatlands now. :)

    There are small parts of Derby that have very high percentages of ethnic minorities, and that was the case in my childhood as well.
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