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Aside from his vaccine approval and voting bounce the weekend’s other Johnson-Starmer ratings look t

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  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,739
    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,415
    edited March 2021
    Leon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Cliche alert: Londonder moves to the Cotswolds and life there isn't what they expected.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/i-left-london-for-the-countryside-and-it-was-nothing-like-i-dreamed-b923836.html

    Superb unselfawareness

    ‘I loved my job, editing a glossy magazine from the Vogue House offices in Mayfair. I loved our house, a four-bedroom detached Victorian villa near Kingston-upon-Thames’

    Right away, we know she is worth £2m, minimum. So, zero sympathy

    Why do they publish this tripe, unless they aim to humiliate the naive writer?
    The Evening Standard do this from time to time to remind any wavering Londoners that they must be mad to move into Non-London. Have an occasional weekend away at Glastonbury or the Leeds Festival but thats it .
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,724
    Andy_JS said:

    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    Floater said:
    I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but it is definitely starting to look like the AZ vaccine is being singled out for criticism.

    Whether it’s the EU hating something immediately successful and British, ‘Big Pharma’ lobbyists hating the idea that billions of vaccines made on a non-profit basis hurt their bottom lines, or some other reason, is left for the reader to conclude themselves.
    Indeed, it could easily be either and while this goes on cases sky rocket in the EU and it is costing people their lives. People are dying as a consequence. It’s insane.
    Since I started taking an interest in current affairs, what's going on in Europe with the AZ vaccine is the single-most astounding development. It's difficult to to believe it.
    Indeed, as others have posted, there's something very strange and, indeed, disturbing happening. I really don't see, assuming all the evidence is in the public domain, why the AZ vaccine is being treated this way.
    And don't tell me it's 'politics'; there's definitely something else going on.
  • Stupid as reactions to the AZ vaccine are, it does rather debunk the nonsense that "had we been inside the EU we'd have had to do what the EU tell us to".

    Yes, which is why Italy is arresting the vaccine and Belgium/Sweden are full speed ahead with sticking it in arms.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    Good morning, everyone.

    F1: Hamilton's odds for winning Bahrain now out to 2.6, Verstappen still 2.62, Perez down as well.

    Seems some really do think Red Bull could have the best car.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,780
    edited March 2021
    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,780
    DougSeal said:
    Given the mortality in that age group and the way deaths are counted that is probably about as low as it can be reasonably expected to go.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 32,739

    Stupid as reactions to the AZ vaccine are, it does rather debunk the nonsense that "had we been inside the EU we'd have had to do what the EU tell us to".

    Yes, which is why Italy is arresting the vaccine and Belgium/Sweden are full speed ahead with sticking it in arms.

    Exactly.

    This may be a Europe problem, but it's not an EU problem, despite the protestations of the Brexiteers
  • state_go_awaystate_go_away Posts: 5,415
    DavidL said:

    DougSeal said:
    Given the mortality in that age group and the way deaths are counted that is probably about as low as it can be reasonably expected to go.
    and over 90's tend to be rather good at dying . that's why there are not many cards the Queen has to write for 100th birthdays. To be frank , if we are obsessing about covid-19 still because some 90 year olds die with it then we are neglecting the rest of society especially the young
  • With apologies for a Scottish newspaper link to a Manchester story: http://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/19162548.stagecoach-launches-bid-halt-bus-franchising-manchester/?ref=appshr

    Andy Burnham wants to regain control over Greater Manchester bus services - timetables, frequency, fares. Stagecoach are objecting, which considering their near monopoly in southern Manchester for 25 years isn't a surprise.

    Bus deregulation has in so many places led to private monopolies where the operator can do what they like with no option from local authorities to do anything about it. Labour could have changed this in government but decided not to.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,961
    edited March 2021
    DougSeal said:
    "Ah, but", says the EU "blood clots...."

  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,094

    Leon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Cliche alert: Londonder moves to the Cotswolds and life there isn't what they expected.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/i-left-london-for-the-countryside-and-it-was-nothing-like-i-dreamed-b923836.html

    Superb unselfawareness

    ‘I loved my job, editing a glossy magazine from the Vogue House offices in Mayfair. I loved our house, a four-bedroom detached Victorian villa near Kingston-upon-Thames’

    Right away, we know she is worth £2m, minimum. So, zero sympathy

    Why do they publish this tripe, unless they aim to humiliate the naive writer?
    The Evening Standard do this from time to time to remind any wavering Londoners that they must be mad to move into Non-London. Have an occasional weekend away at Glastonbury or the Leeds Festival but thats it .
    Yet the irony is that almost all of the problems she finds - the second homes, the noisy holiday lets and raucous weekend events, the lack of children in the local school - are because the Cotswolds is now pretend countryside for Londerners.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    alex_ said:

    Pulpstar said:

    TimT said:

    Pulpstar said:

    The actions of Ireland are bad enough - but hopefully it'll be a short pause till Thursday there (That's quite bad enough).
    But the Italian police seizing 400,000 vaccines. Sweet Jesus christ

    I hope they are maintaining the cold chain during seizure, transport and storage. Otherwise, that is 400k does down the drain.
    I think that's precisely what will happen. Why seize them rather than just giving a pause on vaccinations like everywhere else that isn't quite as bonkers as Italy ?
    Oh they've put in place a vaccine pause as well. Although that maybe as a consequence of the police seizure which means that any contrary action puts them all on the hook for mass murder (i'm not joking - that's how Italian prosecutors work). I doubt the police are working in concert with national government officials at all.
    The head of the Italian regulators said overnight that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and the decision to suspend it was “political”
  • swing_voterswing_voter Posts: 1,435

    With apologies for a Scottish newspaper link to a Manchester story: http://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/19162548.stagecoach-launches-bid-halt-bus-franchising-manchester/?ref=appshr

    Andy Burnham wants to regain control over Greater Manchester bus services - timetables, frequency, fares. Stagecoach are objecting, which considering their near monopoly in southern Manchester for 25 years isn't a surprise.

    Bus deregulation has in so many places led to private monopolies where the operator can do what they like with no option from local authorities to do anything about it. Labour could have changed this in government but decided not to.

    to be fair, it has been 11 years since the last Labour government.....
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,724
    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Slightly surprising that he hadn't been a policeman for very long, either.
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,004
    edited March 2021
    Endillion said:

    Leon said:


    No, we can point and laugh at them. It won't do much for public health, but, you know, we're in a plague. Giggles are thin on the ground.

    Not sure about laughing, I think it's more that we need some modern-day Ingmar Bergman to produce a successor to The Seventh Seal.
    Trivia: Name another film about a game. See how many you can name. Go!
    Battleship
    3 Jumanji films
    All the Saw films (kind of; he keeps saying he wants to play a game)
    Wreck-it Ralph
    Ender's Game
    World of Warcraft
    The Pokemon Movie
    TRON
    Don't forget these classics:

    - Assassin's Creed
    - Street Fighter
    - Mortal Kombat
    - Sonic the Hedgehog
    - Super Mario Bros
    - Angry Birds
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614

    Good morning, everyone.

    F1: Hamilton's odds for winning Bahrain now out to 2.6, Verstappen still 2.62, Perez down as well.

    Seems some really do think Red Bull could have the best car.

    I’ll be backing Lewis and Valtteri, if Max goes favourite before the qualifying session - when we see the true pace of the cars for the first time.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,961

    Andy_JS said:

    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    Floater said:
    I’m not one for conspiracy theories, but it is definitely starting to look like the AZ vaccine is being singled out for criticism.

    Whether it’s the EU hating something immediately successful and British, ‘Big Pharma’ lobbyists hating the idea that billions of vaccines made on a non-profit basis hurt their bottom lines, or some other reason, is left for the reader to conclude themselves.
    Indeed, it could easily be either and while this goes on cases sky rocket in the EU and it is costing people their lives. People are dying as a consequence. It’s insane.
    Since I started taking an interest in current affairs, what's going on in Europe with the AZ vaccine is the single-most astounding development. It's difficult to to believe it.
    Indeed, as others have posted, there's something very strange and, indeed, disturbing happening. I really don't see, assuming all the evidence is in the public domain, why the AZ vaccine is being treated this way.
    And don't tell me it's 'politics'; there's definitely something else going on.
    The EU, turning into Violet Elizabeth Bott before your very eyes.

    (Does anyone know what the difference is between "very eyes" and "eyes"? Other than making it sound like you've stepped out a time machine invented in the Edwardian era?)
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    Charles said:

    alex_ said:

    Pulpstar said:

    TimT said:

    Pulpstar said:

    The actions of Ireland are bad enough - but hopefully it'll be a short pause till Thursday there (That's quite bad enough).
    But the Italian police seizing 400,000 vaccines. Sweet Jesus christ

    I hope they are maintaining the cold chain during seizure, transport and storage. Otherwise, that is 400k does down the drain.
    I think that's precisely what will happen. Why seize them rather than just giving a pause on vaccinations like everywhere else that isn't quite as bonkers as Italy ?
    Oh they've put in place a vaccine pause as well. Although that maybe as a consequence of the police seizure which means that any contrary action puts them all on the hook for mass murder (i'm not joking - that's how Italian prosecutors work). I doubt the police are working in concert with national government officials at all.
    The head of the Italian regulators said overnight that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and the decision to suspend it was “political”
    https://twitter.com/ReutersUK/status/1371719871487213568?s=20
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    DavidL said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Stupid as reactions to the AZ vaccine are, it does rather debunk the nonsense that "had we been inside the EU we'd have had to do what the EU tell us to".

    Yes, which is why Italy is arresting the vaccine and Belgium/Sweden are full speed ahead with sticking it in arms.

    Exactly.

    This may be a Europe problem, but it's not an EU problem, despite the protestations of the Brexiteers
    It's mixed. The stupid row with UvdL about the contract and deliveries certainly seems to have started difficulties between AZ and the EU countries, the delays by the EMA were not helpful and again seemed to sew the seeds of suspicion and the nonsense about age restrictions seems to have started there but the harvest of full on nuttery does seem to be country driven. The EMA will hopefully hold the line today and start to restore some sanity.
    The invoking of Article 16 on the NI border, without talking to RoI first, was most definitely an EU problem.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,724
    Charles said:

    alex_ said:

    Pulpstar said:

    TimT said:

    Pulpstar said:

    The actions of Ireland are bad enough - but hopefully it'll be a short pause till Thursday there (That's quite bad enough).
    But the Italian police seizing 400,000 vaccines. Sweet Jesus christ

    I hope they are maintaining the cold chain during seizure, transport and storage. Otherwise, that is 400k does down the drain.
    I think that's precisely what will happen. Why seize them rather than just giving a pause on vaccinations like everywhere else that isn't quite as bonkers as Italy ?
    Oh they've put in place a vaccine pause as well. Although that maybe as a consequence of the police seizure which means that any contrary action puts them all on the hook for mass murder (i'm not joking - that's how Italian prosecutors work). I doubt the police are working in concert with national government officials at all.
    The head of the Italian regulators said overnight that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and the decision to suspend it was “political”
    Just possibly, of course, there's a widespread lack of trust in us, the British.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,286
    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Why are we commenting on this when presumably there's going to be a court case?
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,780

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Slightly surprising that he hadn't been a policeman for very long, either.
    Military background? Maybe even special forces?
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    Mr. Sandpit, with each way between just top 2 (with Ladbrokes) I'm not sure Bottas is value. Of the Mercedes/Red Bull drivers he's probably the weakest.
  • kamskikamski Posts: 4,199

    DougSeal said:
    "Ah, but", says the EU "blood clots...."

    has the EU said blood clots though?

    just as once the seeds of doubt were planted in AZ by their botched trials many delusional people start seeing anything that happens in the vicinity of AZ as being caused by AZ, there are so many posters on here who are so addicted to the paranoid delusional politics of grievance that they need to see EU anti-British plots everywhere.
  • DougSealDougSeal Posts: 11,059

    Charles said:

    alex_ said:

    Pulpstar said:

    TimT said:

    Pulpstar said:

    The actions of Ireland are bad enough - but hopefully it'll be a short pause till Thursday there (That's quite bad enough).
    But the Italian police seizing 400,000 vaccines. Sweet Jesus christ

    I hope they are maintaining the cold chain during seizure, transport and storage. Otherwise, that is 400k does down the drain.
    I think that's precisely what will happen. Why seize them rather than just giving a pause on vaccinations like everywhere else that isn't quite as bonkers as Italy ?
    Oh they've put in place a vaccine pause as well. Although that maybe as a consequence of the police seizure which means that any contrary action puts them all on the hook for mass murder (i'm not joking - that's how Italian prosecutors work). I doubt the police are working in concert with national government officials at all.
    The head of the Italian regulators said overnight that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and the decision to suspend it was “political”
    Just possibly, of course, there's a widespread lack of trust in us, the British.
    And the Swedes? It's an Anglo-Swedish company.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,780
    Andy_JS said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Why are we commenting on this when presumably there's going to be a court case?
    I am not an English lawyer but my understanding is that the reporting restrictions do not apply until he is brought before the court. Happy to be corrected.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,724
    edited March 2021
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Slightly surprising that he hadn't been a policeman for very long, either.
    Military background? Maybe even special forces?
    Thought he worked in a garage. But he lived in Deal, so you could be right. But AndyJS is right, so we'd probably best not speculate too much, if at all.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,094
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Slightly surprising that he hadn't been a policeman for very long, either.
    Military background? Maybe even special forces?
    He worked as a mechanic in the family garage, until it shut down and he joined the police. His only military training was as a member of the TA; hardly special forces.
  • With apologies for a Scottish newspaper link to a Manchester story: http://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/19162548.stagecoach-launches-bid-halt-bus-franchising-manchester/?ref=appshr

    Andy Burnham wants to regain control over Greater Manchester bus services - timetables, frequency, fares. Stagecoach are objecting, which considering their near monopoly in southern Manchester for 25 years isn't a surprise.

    Bus deregulation has in so many places led to private monopolies where the operator can do what they like with no option from local authorities to do anything about it. Labour could have changed this in government but decided not to.

    to be fair, it has been 11 years since the last Labour government.....
    Indeed! But the Tories aren't going to abolish private monopolies that makes lives more difficult for poor people in favour of private sector profits. Labour could and should have changed the system.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,961
    alex_ said:

    Bad deaths day for Belgium. 104 deaths. They haven’t seen a number remotely close to that for months. Hope it’s a correction/backfilling.

    Better hope it isn't all those French who have been sent there to be looked after.....
  • alex_alex_ Posts: 7,518
    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    Are there not rules/guidance limiting the parameters for the deployment of plain clothes officers? Because this sort of thing seems far removed from wherever it feels the line should be drawn. If many night clubs weren’t likely already finished off by Covid...

    Horrible murder leads to concerns about the safety of women on their own in isolated streets at night. Authorities response: beef up undercover police presence in highly populated areas...
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,724
    DougSeal said:

    Charles said:

    alex_ said:

    Pulpstar said:

    TimT said:

    Pulpstar said:

    The actions of Ireland are bad enough - but hopefully it'll be a short pause till Thursday there (That's quite bad enough).
    But the Italian police seizing 400,000 vaccines. Sweet Jesus christ

    I hope they are maintaining the cold chain during seizure, transport and storage. Otherwise, that is 400k does down the drain.
    I think that's precisely what will happen. Why seize them rather than just giving a pause on vaccinations like everywhere else that isn't quite as bonkers as Italy ?
    Oh they've put in place a vaccine pause as well. Although that maybe as a consequence of the police seizure which means that any contrary action puts them all on the hook for mass murder (i'm not joking - that's how Italian prosecutors work). I doubt the police are working in concert with national government officials at all.
    The head of the Italian regulators said overnight that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and the decision to suspend it was “political”
    Just possibly, of course, there's a widespread lack of trust in us, the British.
    And the Swedes? It's an Anglo-Swedish company.
    Fair point; following the British press, does tend to give an Anglo-centric viewpoint. Anyone who reads Swedish newspapers or following the news in that country care to inform us further.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    Mr. Seal, the previous anti-AZ rhetoric coupled with the domino effect recently is likely the cause.

    It's stupid. The current pause may well be more misinformation taken seriously by foolish governments, although the initial doubts were cast shamefully by an EU desperate to distract from its initially poor (and, until recently, improving) vaccine programme.

    Ironically, the EU seems to have its head screwed on right, now, but national governments are falling prey to nonsense. There's no excuse whatsoever, when there's millions of vaccinations in the UK and problems would've been picked up here first.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    edited March 2021
    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Slightly surprising that he hadn't been a policeman for very long, either.
    Military background? Maybe even special forces?
    He has been reported as having a military background. Presumably more details will emerge at the trial and if he is convicted.

    AIUI reporting restrictions in England start from when he is charged with a crime.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,780
    IanB2 said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Slightly surprising that he hadn't been a policeman for very long, either.
    Military background? Maybe even special forces?
    He worked as a mechanic in the family garage, until it shut down and he joined the police. His only military training was as a member of the TA; hardly special forces.
    Then his accelerated promotion to such a post is curious. The cops are going to have some serious questions to answer about their systems. Anyone can employ a nutter but not everyone can give them a gun.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    DougSeal said:

    Charles said:

    alex_ said:

    Pulpstar said:

    TimT said:

    Pulpstar said:

    The actions of Ireland are bad enough - but hopefully it'll be a short pause till Thursday there (That's quite bad enough).
    But the Italian police seizing 400,000 vaccines. Sweet Jesus christ

    I hope they are maintaining the cold chain during seizure, transport and storage. Otherwise, that is 400k does down the drain.
    I think that's precisely what will happen. Why seize them rather than just giving a pause on vaccinations like everywhere else that isn't quite as bonkers as Italy ?
    Oh they've put in place a vaccine pause as well. Although that maybe as a consequence of the police seizure which means that any contrary action puts them all on the hook for mass murder (i'm not joking - that's how Italian prosecutors work). I doubt the police are working in concert with national government officials at all.
    The head of the Italian regulators said overnight that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and the decision to suspend it was “political”
    Just possibly, of course, there's a widespread lack of trust in us, the British.
    And the Swedes? It's an Anglo-Swedish company.
    The EU’s contract is with the Swedish company, not the U.K. Not that you’d know it from some of the commentary....
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,961
    Yesterday was officially spring here in south Devon, as it was both the first singing Chiffchaff of the year and the first time the pipistrelle bats were out at dusk.

    However, Covid case numbers across the south Hams went up by 25%.

    From 4 to 5.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,100
    Leon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Cliche alert: Londonder moves to the Cotswolds and life there isn't what they expected.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/i-left-london-for-the-countryside-and-it-was-nothing-like-i-dreamed-b923836.html

    Superb unselfawareness

    ‘I loved my job, editing a glossy magazine from the Vogue House offices in Mayfair. I loved our house, a four-bedroom detached Victorian villa near Kingston-upon-Thames’

    Right away, we know she is worth £2m, minimum. So, zero sympathy

    Why do they publish this tripe, unless they aim to humiliate the naive writer?
    Catching up on last night's thread.

    I'm sorry ... the Cotswolds are different to London?

    Thought it was mainly the same people, with hills, honeystone, grass and cows. My observation, anyway.
  • alex_alex_ Posts: 7,518

    alex_ said:

    Bad deaths day for Belgium. 104 deaths. They haven’t seen a number remotely close to that for months. Hope it’s a correction/backfilling.

    Better hope it isn't all those French who have been sent there to be looked after.....
    Ah, didn’t think of that.
  • moonshinemoonshine Posts: 5,226
    edited March 2021
    kamski said:

    DougSeal said:
    "Ah, but", says the EU "blood clots...."

    has the EU said blood clots though?

    just as once the seeds of doubt were planted in AZ by their botched trials many delusional people start seeing anything that happens in the vicinity of AZ as being caused by AZ, there are so many posters on here who are so addicted to the paranoid delusional politics of grievance that they need to see EU anti-British plots everywhere.
    Do you not think it is even remotely possible that the EU vaccine procurement debacle has directly led into this latest phase of incompetence by governments of EU member states (and their associates in the EEA?).

    And as I said yesterday, heads of state are as liable to fall prey to herd behaviour as anyone. All it takes is a few leading actors to caution against the vaccine’s safety and other democratic governments panic and do the same, so on the off chance there’s a problem with the vaccine they do not fail the hindsight test with voters. That they are costing lives in an opaque way will not be their concern right now, especially given supply to them is low. And because they are very short termist in their thinking, they are not considering that their “cautious” approach is actually serving to increase anti vax tendency in their countries not decrease it.

    In Asia these concerns with AZN have been shrugged off, no doubt helped by the “baffled” response of British scientists to the largely European reaction.

    And don’t throw South Africa at this again. That was a decision made by a cash constrained developing country based on perceived efficacy against their dominant strain, not safety.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    kamski said:

    DougSeal said:
    "Ah, but", says the EU "blood clots...."

    has the EU said blood clots though?

    just as once the seeds of doubt were planted in AZ by their botched trials many delusional people start seeing anything that happens in the vicinity of AZ as being caused by AZ, there are so many posters on here who are so addicted to the paranoid delusional politics of grievance that they need to see EU anti-British plots everywhere.
    Why do YOU think only one of two vaccines in widespread use, with very similar safety profiles, has had its use suspended?
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    Leon said:


    No, we can point and laugh at them. It won't do much for public health, but, you know, we're in a plague. Giggles are thin on the ground.

    Not sure about laughing, I think it's more that we need some modern-day Ingmar Bergman to produce a successor to The Seventh Seal.
    Trivia: Name another film about a game. See how many you can name. Go!
    Quiz Show
    That strange movie about kidnapping someone as a game
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,724

    DougSeal said:

    Charles said:

    alex_ said:

    Pulpstar said:

    TimT said:

    Pulpstar said:

    The actions of Ireland are bad enough - but hopefully it'll be a short pause till Thursday there (That's quite bad enough).
    But the Italian police seizing 400,000 vaccines. Sweet Jesus christ

    I hope they are maintaining the cold chain during seizure, transport and storage. Otherwise, that is 400k does down the drain.
    I think that's precisely what will happen. Why seize them rather than just giving a pause on vaccinations like everywhere else that isn't quite as bonkers as Italy ?
    Oh they've put in place a vaccine pause as well. Although that maybe as a consequence of the police seizure which means that any contrary action puts them all on the hook for mass murder (i'm not joking - that's how Italian prosecutors work). I doubt the police are working in concert with national government officials at all.
    The head of the Italian regulators said overnight that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and the decision to suspend it was “political”
    Just possibly, of course, there's a widespread lack of trust in us, the British.
    And the Swedes? It's an Anglo-Swedish company.
    The EU’s contract is with the Swedish company, not the U.K. Not that you’d know it from some of the commentary....
    Curiouser and curiouser.
  • alex_alex_ Posts: 7,518

    Mr. Seal, the previous anti-AZ rhetoric coupled with the domino effect recently is likely the cause.

    It's stupid. The current pause may well be more misinformation taken seriously by foolish governments, although the initial doubts were cast shamefully by an EU desperate to distract from its initially poor (and, until recently, improving) vaccine programme.

    Ironically, the EU seems to have its head screwed on right, now, but national governments are falling prey to nonsense. There's no excuse whatsoever, when there's millions of vaccinations in the UK and problems would've been picked up here first.

    I think the initial poor performance of the EU administration has led to a lack of confidence in national governments in prior decisions to delegate authority upwards - and this is the reaction which has gone way too far in the other direction - to the extent that Governments are now simultaneously appealing to the EMA for clear guidance, whilst not being prepared to actually listen to what it is saying.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,961
    kamski said:

    DougSeal said:
    "Ah, but", says the EU "blood clots...."

    has the EU said blood clots though?

    just as once the seeds of doubt were planted in AZ by their botched trials many delusional people start seeing anything that happens in the vicinity of AZ as being caused by AZ, there are so many posters on here who are so addicted to the paranoid delusional politics of grievance that they need to see EU anti-British plots everywhere.
    The EU is acquiescing by silence to the madness running rampant across member states.

    Thailand: "Hey, there might be a problem with....actually, no there isn't. As you were."

    EU " .............................................................................................. "
  • squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 6,288

    With apologies for a Scottish newspaper link to a Manchester story: http://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/19162548.stagecoach-launches-bid-halt-bus-franchising-manchester/?ref=appshr

    Andy Burnham wants to regain control over Greater Manchester bus services - timetables, frequency, fares. Stagecoach are objecting, which considering their near monopoly in southern Manchester for 25 years isn't a surprise.

    Bus deregulation has in so many places led to private monopolies where the operator can do what they like with no option from local authorities to do anything about it. Labour could have changed this in government but decided not to.

    to be fair, it has been 11 years since the last Labour government.....
    And whose fault is that...???
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830
    DavidL said:

    Andy_JS said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Why are we commenting on this when presumably there's going to be a court case?
    I am not an English lawyer but my understanding is that the reporting restrictions do not apply until he is brought before the court. Happy to be corrected.
    I think they apply from time of arrest, definitely from time of charge (which we have had). They are in force.

  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,780
    Sandpit said:

    Good morning, everyone.

    F1: Hamilton's odds for winning Bahrain now out to 2.6, Verstappen still 2.62, Perez down as well.

    Seems some really do think Red Bull could have the best car.

    I’ll be backing Lewis and Valtteri, if Max goes favourite before the qualifying session - when we see the true pace of the cars for the first time.
    Its been the same for several years now. Ferrari are quicker, no Red Bull, Mercedes have problems....and then the racing starts.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,082

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Slightly surprising that he hadn't been a policeman for very long, either.
    And the indecent exposure incident, and his wife being questioned.

    I think a lot will come out at the trial, not much of it flattering to the police.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,961
    alex_ said:

    alex_ said:

    Bad deaths day for Belgium. 104 deaths. They haven’t seen a number remotely close to that for months. Hope it’s a correction/backfilling.

    Better hope it isn't all those French who have been sent there to be looked after.....
    Ah, didn’t think of that.
    It's one way to keep your death rates down.

    "They didn't die in France, so we don't count them in French statistics."

  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 20,461
    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Without wishing to be glib, perhaps at his assessment he did not volunteer his interests in murdering young women?

    Such assessments are just designed to filter out some obviously unsuitable candidates and remind all candidates of the responsibility of the role. If society is expecting them to magically predict future crime "Minority Report" style we are being seriously naive.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,780

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Without wishing to be glib, perhaps at his assessment he did not volunteer his interests in murdering young women?

    Such assessments are just designed to filter out some obviously unsuitable candidates and remind all candidates of the responsibility of the role. If society is expecting them to magically predict future crime "Minority Report" style we are being seriously naive.
    In light of the advice this morning I am not commenting further.
  • TazTaz Posts: 10,704
    IanB2 said:

    Leon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Cliche alert: Londonder moves to the Cotswolds and life there isn't what they expected.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/i-left-london-for-the-countryside-and-it-was-nothing-like-i-dreamed-b923836.html

    Superb unselfawareness

    ‘I loved my job, editing a glossy magazine from the Vogue House offices in Mayfair. I loved our house, a four-bedroom detached Victorian villa near Kingston-upon-Thames’

    Right away, we know she is worth £2m, minimum. So, zero sympathy

    Why do they publish this tripe, unless they aim to humiliate the naive writer?
    The Evening Standard do this from time to time to remind any wavering Londoners that they must be mad to move into Non-London. Have an occasional weekend away at Glastonbury or the Leeds Festival but thats it .
    Yet the irony is that almost all of the problems she finds - the second homes, the noisy holiday lets and raucous weekend events, the lack of children in the local school - are because the Cotswolds is now pretend countryside for Londerners.

    Yup, she’s the problem and people like her. Awful people awful sense of entitlement.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 18,100
    edited March 2021
    Sandpit said:

    kle4 said:

    alex_ said:

    Goodness gracious- it could have been even worse!

    https://twitter.com/dogdevotion/status/1371492989680357385?s=21

    Quite simply, you don't put Government powers in legislation that have the potential to be abused. It is depressing how often these days we hear the argument that concerns about poorly or loosely drafted legislation are overblown because theoretical scenarios are 'far-fetched', and not intended as the purpose of the legislation.

    I suspect at the time of the drafting of Scotland Act there was a tacit assumption that no party would be able to secure a majority.
    Very good point. When it comes to government powers, you don't take the risk. If the powers are only intended for narrow purposes, you godsdamned put it that way in the legislation. Yes, that can muck things up if you are too strict in definition, but better that you allow far too much.
    Rather like the police bill, there’s a strong possibility that powers intended to deal with hardline Extinction Rebellion groups deliberately shutting down major transport infrastructure, can - if not worded carefully - end up being used to arrest a small group of women, holding a vigil for their friend who was dragged off the street and murdered, allegedly by a serving police officer.
    AIUI the women arrested were not holding a vigil for their friend.

    The vigil had already been concluded, and the police and a local councillor (who I think was one of the four original organisers), had asked the crowd to disperse.

    A section of the crowd refused to do so, and arrests were made when the police eventually moved in to clear the bandstand an hour or more after the vigil concluded.
  • kamskikamski Posts: 4,199

    kamski said:

    DougSeal said:
    "Ah, but", says the EU "blood clots...."

    has the EU said blood clots though?

    just as once the seeds of doubt were planted in AZ by their botched trials many delusional people start seeing anything that happens in the vicinity of AZ as being caused by AZ, there are so many posters on here who are so addicted to the paranoid delusional politics of grievance that they need to see EU anti-British plots everywhere.
    The EU is acquiescing by silence to the madness running rampant across member states.

    Thailand: "Hey, there might be a problem with....actually, no there isn't. As you were."

    EU " .............................................................................................. "
    So "the EU" hasn't said "blood clots", but most of your posts are just crap you've made up, so par for the course.

    The EMA, which is surely the relevant EU body has actually said that vaccinations should continue.
  • alex_alex_ Posts: 7,518
    edited March 2021
    IshmaelZ said:

    DavidL said:

    Andy_JS said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Why are we commenting on this when presumably there's going to be a court case?
    I am not an English lawyer but my understanding is that the reporting restrictions do not apply until he is brought before the court. Happy to be corrected.
    I think they apply from time of arrest, definitely from time of charge (which we have had). They are in force.

    Yes, we shouldn't really talk about it other than possibly in the generality.

    It's the general response that amazes me, which seems completely at odds with the specifics of what may have happened. Widespread use of undercover officers with a mandate to seek out alleged but non specific criminal harrassment, is not the same as providing reassurance through the increase in a uniformed police presence in situations where people feel unsafe. The latter is a measure to increase public confidence. The former is a measure destined to feed public suspicion. The difference between a police and a secret police.

    Maybe the reporting restrictions are in this case feeding the strangeness of and lack of sensible comment on the response. It suits the Government (in causing problems about public speculation on the court case) that the debate has moved on.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,559
    kamski said:

    kamski said:

    DougSeal said:
    "Ah, but", says the EU "blood clots...."

    has the EU said blood clots though?

    just as once the seeds of doubt were planted in AZ by their botched trials many delusional people start seeing anything that happens in the vicinity of AZ as being caused by AZ, there are so many posters on here who are so addicted to the paranoid delusional politics of grievance that they need to see EU anti-British plots everywhere.
    The EU is acquiescing by silence to the madness running rampant across member states.

    Thailand: "Hey, there might be a problem with....actually, no there isn't. As you were."

    EU " .............................................................................................. "
    So "the EU" hasn't said "blood clots", but most of your posts are just crap you've made up, so par for the course.

    The EMA, which is surely the relevant EU body has actually said that vaccinations should continue.
    And it is being largely ignored

    Its the politics, Brecht's Die Losung once again
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    edited March 2021
    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Good morning, everyone.

    F1: Hamilton's odds for winning Bahrain now out to 2.6, Verstappen still 2.62, Perez down as well.

    Seems some really do think Red Bull could have the best car.

    I’ll be backing Lewis and Valtteri, if Max goes favourite before the qualifying session - when we see the true pace of the cars for the first time.
    Its been the same for several years now. Ferrari are quicker, no Red Bull, Mercedes have problems....and then the racing starts.
    Oh indeed. Testing is just testing, no-one is even scrutineering the cars.

    For all we know, they could have the fuel flow meters removed, be 20kg underweight and taking a shortcut at the first corner.

    There’s photographic evidence of Tsunoda’s fastest lap having the DRS open about 400 yards before it will be allowed in the race, to give just one example.

    We shall see the running order of the cars at the end of the qualifying session for the first event, not before! Which gives some good betting opportunities, for those who over react to watching the timing screen at test sessions.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 44,082
    alex_ said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    Are there not rules/guidance limiting the parameters for the deployment of plain clothes officers? Because this sort of thing seems far removed from wherever it feels the line should be drawn. If many night clubs weren’t likely already finished off by Covid...

    Horrible murder leads to concerns about the safety of women on their own in isolated streets at night. Authorities response: beef up undercover police presence in highly populated areas...
    The chance of picking up a crime this way is approaching zero, much as is the chance of a Bobby on the beat interrupting a burglar in the act.

    It also does nothing for the lower level misbehaviour that makes for such discomfort for so many women.

    Intelligence led policing, swifter prosecutions, changes in rules of evidence, swifter searching of phones etc are all worth talking about, but are all rather after the fact.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 49,614
    Charles said:

    Leon said:


    No, we can point and laugh at them. It won't do much for public health, but, you know, we're in a plague. Giggles are thin on the ground.

    Not sure about laughing, I think it's more that we need some modern-day Ingmar Bergman to produce a successor to The Seventh Seal.
    Trivia: Name another film about a game. See how many you can name. Go!
    Quiz Show
    That strange movie about kidnapping someone as a game
    The Game - 1997, starring Michael Douglas.
  • alex_alex_ Posts: 7,518
    Foxy said:

    alex_ said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    Are there not rules/guidance limiting the parameters for the deployment of plain clothes officers? Because this sort of thing seems far removed from wherever it feels the line should be drawn. If many night clubs weren’t likely already finished off by Covid...

    Horrible murder leads to concerns about the safety of women on their own in isolated streets at night. Authorities response: beef up undercover police presence in highly populated areas...
    The chance of picking up a crime this way is approaching zero, much as is the chance of a Bobby on the beat interrupting a burglar in the act.

    It also does nothing for the lower level misbehaviour that makes for such discomfort for so many women.

    SNIP
    I don't know - if the plain clothes policemen are all attractive women...

    ... could initially lead to a large amount of "crime" detection, followed by a swift perception that you are taking a risk talking to any strange women in clubs!
  • alex_alex_ Posts: 7,518
    Sandpit said:

    Charles said:

    Leon said:


    No, we can point and laugh at them. It won't do much for public health, but, you know, we're in a plague. Giggles are thin on the ground.

    Not sure about laughing, I think it's more that we need some modern-day Ingmar Bergman to produce a successor to The Seventh Seal.
    Trivia: Name another film about a game. See how many you can name. Go!
    Quiz Show
    That strange movie about kidnapping someone as a game
    The Game - 1997, starring Michael Douglas.
    Running man.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,626
    dixiedean said:

    Leon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Cliche alert: Londonder moves to the Cotswolds and life there isn't what they expected.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/i-left-london-for-the-countryside-and-it-was-nothing-like-i-dreamed-b923836.html

    Superb unselfawareness

    ‘I loved my job, editing a glossy magazine from the Vogue House offices in Mayfair. I loved our house, a four-bedroom detached Victorian villa near Kingston-upon-Thames’

    Right away, we know she is worth £2m, minimum. So, zero sympathy

    Why do they publish this tripe, unless they aim to humiliate the naive writer?
    If she wanted to truly get away from London then perhaps the Cotswolds, full of Londoners commuting, and people who wanted to get away from London wasn't the ideal choice?
    Maybe commuting to London 4 days a week wasn't either?
    Just a couple of thoughts.
    The madness there was more not doing enough due diligence - depending on one school, location of the house (far too close to neighbours), no due diligence on ownership of nearby properties etc etc

    If you don't know an area, just buying is a bit mad. I would have gone for rent out the house in Kingston and use the proceeds to rent.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Scott_xP said:

    Stupid as reactions to the AZ vaccine are, it does rather debunk the nonsense that "had we been inside the EU we'd have had to do what the EU tell us to".

    Yes, which is why Italy is arresting the vaccine and Belgium/Sweden are full speed ahead with sticking it in arms.

    Exactly.

    This may be a Europe problem, but it's not an EU problem, despite the protestations of the Brexiteers
    Procurement was mishandled by the EU

    But the issue of behaviour is that our politicians lack the cojones not to follow the herd
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    A while ago now but I actually had sexual crime as a subject during forensic psychology classes.

    There were four categories, ranging from opportunistic to the (thankfully rare) very careful planner for whom the sex was less important than the sadism. From fuzzy memory, opportunists were by far the most common. Plus side of that is that people can take steps against it (in a group, have a pair stay sober and keep an eye on others, for example).
  • moonshinemoonshine Posts: 5,226

    dixiedean said:

    Leon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Cliche alert: Londonder moves to the Cotswolds and life there isn't what they expected.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/i-left-london-for-the-countryside-and-it-was-nothing-like-i-dreamed-b923836.html

    Superb unselfawareness

    ‘I loved my job, editing a glossy magazine from the Vogue House offices in Mayfair. I loved our house, a four-bedroom detached Victorian villa near Kingston-upon-Thames’

    Right away, we know she is worth £2m, minimum. So, zero sympathy

    Why do they publish this tripe, unless they aim to humiliate the naive writer?
    If she wanted to truly get away from London then perhaps the Cotswolds, full of Londoners commuting, and people who wanted to get away from London wasn't the ideal choice?
    Maybe commuting to London 4 days a week wasn't either?
    Just a couple of thoughts.
    The madness there was more not doing enough due diligence - depending on one school, location of the house (far too close to neighbours), no due diligence on ownership of nearby properties etc etc

    If you don't know an area, just buying is a bit mad. I would have gone for rent out the house in Kingston and use the proceeds to rent.
    The London centric dead tree media is obsessed right now with trying to boost London house prices with this sort of fluff. There’s also a total sense of denial about how profound a change in working practices we’ve seen take place, that is unlikely to reverse to the levels they’d like.
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    alex_ said:

    Foxy said:

    alex_ said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    Are there not rules/guidance limiting the parameters for the deployment of plain clothes officers? Because this sort of thing seems far removed from wherever it feels the line should be drawn. If many night clubs weren’t likely already finished off by Covid...

    Horrible murder leads to concerns about the safety of women on their own in isolated streets at night. Authorities response: beef up undercover police presence in highly populated areas...
    The chance of picking up a crime this way is approaching zero, much as is the chance of a Bobby on the beat interrupting a burglar in the act.

    It also does nothing for the lower level misbehaviour that makes for such discomfort for so many women.

    SNIP
    I don't know - if the plain clothes policemen are all attractive women...

    ... could initially lead to a large amount of "crime" detection, followed by a swift perception that you are taking a risk talking to any strange women in clubs!
    Talking is not a crime.

    Uninvited, unwanted groping etc is not "talking"
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,724

    dixiedean said:

    Leon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Cliche alert: Londonder moves to the Cotswolds and life there isn't what they expected.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/i-left-london-for-the-countryside-and-it-was-nothing-like-i-dreamed-b923836.html

    Superb unselfawareness

    ‘I loved my job, editing a glossy magazine from the Vogue House offices in Mayfair. I loved our house, a four-bedroom detached Victorian villa near Kingston-upon-Thames’

    Right away, we know she is worth £2m, minimum. So, zero sympathy

    Why do they publish this tripe, unless they aim to humiliate the naive writer?
    If she wanted to truly get away from London then perhaps the Cotswolds, full of Londoners commuting, and people who wanted to get away from London wasn't the ideal choice?
    Maybe commuting to London 4 days a week wasn't either?
    Just a couple of thoughts.
    The madness there was more not doing enough due diligence - depending on one school, location of the house (far too close to neighbours), no due diligence on ownership of nearby properties etc etc

    If you don't know an area, just buying is a bit mad. I would have gone for rent out the house in Kingston and use the proceeds to rent.
    There are some glossy brochures about for new houses being, or shortly to be, built in our area; 3/4 beds, high standard, upwards of £500k. Desirable rural area, quaint ancient pubs. It all sounds delightful, if somewhat pricey.

    Surgery can't take any more patients though, and the schools are full.
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,559

    kamski said:

    kamski said:

    DougSeal said:
    "Ah, but", says the EU "blood clots...."

    has the EU said blood clots though?

    just as once the seeds of doubt were planted in AZ by their botched trials many delusional people start seeing anything that happens in the vicinity of AZ as being caused by AZ, there are so many posters on here who are so addicted to the paranoid delusional politics of grievance that they need to see EU anti-British plots everywhere.
    The EU is acquiescing by silence to the madness running rampant across member states.

    Thailand: "Hey, there might be a problem with....actually, no there isn't. As you were."

    EU " .............................................................................................. "
    So "the EU" hasn't said "blood clots", but most of your posts are just crap you've made up, so par for the course.

    The EMA, which is surely the relevant EU body has actually said that vaccinations should continue.
    So why is nobody in the EU pointing to the EMA and saying "This. Now get back to jabbing."?

    It's because there's ANOTHER FUCKING AGENDA. Their initial mis-steps are being compounded by every next step they take. Just have the human decency, UvdL, to go in front of the media and say "So we go to it wrong on the AZ thing. It's actually great. It will save lots of lives across the EU." Instead, her actions are governed by not ever admitting failings in an EU system.

    German doctors saying move will screw up vaccine programme

    https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article228405411/Impfgipfel-nach-AstraZeneca-Stopp-verschoben-Mediziner-kritisieren-Aussetzen.html
  • AlanbrookeAlanbrooke Posts: 23,559
    Charles said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Stupid as reactions to the AZ vaccine are, it does rather debunk the nonsense that "had we been inside the EU we'd have had to do what the EU tell us to".

    Yes, which is why Italy is arresting the vaccine and Belgium/Sweden are full speed ahead with sticking it in arms.

    Exactly.

    This may be a Europe problem, but it's not an EU problem, despite the protestations of the Brexiteers
    Procurement was mishandled by the EU

    But the issue of behaviour is that our politicians lack the cojones not to follow the herd
    Merkel and Macron - not following the science

  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,557
    Sandpit said:

    Charles said:

    Leon said:


    No, we can point and laugh at them. It won't do much for public health, but, you know, we're in a plague. Giggles are thin on the ground.

    Not sure about laughing, I think it's more that we need some modern-day Ingmar Bergman to produce a successor to The Seventh Seal.
    Trivia: Name another film about a game. See how many you can name. Go!
    Quiz Show
    That strange movie about kidnapping someone as a game
    The Game - 1997, starring Michael Douglas.
    War Games (1983)?
  • Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 12,883
    DavidL said:

    IanB2 said:

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Slightly surprising that he hadn't been a policeman for very long, either.
    Military background? Maybe even special forces?
    He worked as a mechanic in the family garage, until it shut down and he joined the police. His only military training was as a member of the TA; hardly special forces.
    Then his accelerated promotion to such a post is curious. The cops are going to have some serious questions to answer about their systems. Anyone can employ a nutter but not everyone can give them a gun.
    He was CNC (nuclear fuzz) before the Met so he was already very familiar with firearms. He was probably driven mad by a posting to Hartlepool power station.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,684

    DavidL said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    It has been remarkable since day 1 that so little attention has been given to that. This wasn't just a serving police officer, this was someone who had been psychologically assessed as suitable to carry a concealed firearm. I mean, WTF?
    Slightly surprising that he hadn't been a policeman for very long, either.
    Military background? Maybe even special forces?
    Thought he worked in a garage. But he lived in Deal, so you could be right. But AndyJS is right, so we'd probably best not speculate too much, if at all.
    OKC, sure they said they were searching a building which had been "family" garage", so maybe he was not involved in it.
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    kamski said:

    DougSeal said:
    "Ah, but", says the EU "blood clots...."

    has the EU said blood clots though?

    just as once the seeds of doubt were planted in AZ by their botched trials many delusional people start seeing anything that happens in the vicinity of AZ as being caused by AZ, there are so many posters on here who are so addicted to the paranoid delusional politics of grievance that they need to see EU anti-British plots everywhere.
    The EU is acquiescing by silence to the madness running rampant across member states.

    Thailand: "Hey, there might be a problem with....actually, no there isn't. As you were."

    EU " .............................................................................................. "
    It’s not in the EU’s interests to intervene. They need the European governments to be proven to be as useless as they are otherwise there could be a roll back of power to the nation states...
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    I see people still trying to defend the indefensible

    The EU must be a cult to them
  • Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826
    Following the talk of deepfakes recently. Seriously WTF for this one?

    https://twitter.com/Phil_Lewis_/status/1370755173908369409
  • alex_alex_ Posts: 7,518
    edited March 2021

    alex_ said:

    Foxy said:

    alex_ said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    Are there not rules/guidance limiting the parameters for the deployment of plain clothes officers? Because this sort of thing seems far removed from wherever it feels the line should be drawn. If many night clubs weren’t likely already finished off by Covid...

    Horrible murder leads to concerns about the safety of women on their own in isolated streets at night. Authorities response: beef up undercover police presence in highly populated areas...
    The chance of picking up a crime this way is approaching zero, much as is the chance of a Bobby on the beat interrupting a burglar in the act.

    It also does nothing for the lower level misbehaviour that makes for such discomfort for so many women.

    SNIP
    I don't know - if the plain clothes policemen are all attractive women...

    ... could initially lead to a large amount of "crime" detection, followed by a swift perception that you are taking a risk talking to any strange women in clubs!
    Talking is not a crime.

    Uninvited, unwanted groping etc is not "talking"
    I was partially jesting. But, nevertheless, I said "perception". If people are unsure where the boundaries lie, then most make sure they don't go anywhere near the boundaries. Especially if you could be engaging directly with a police officer. You say "talking" isn't a crime. These days one gets the impression, perhaps erroneous, that often depends on what is said, and how it is interpreted by the person it is said to (or even by a third person in earshot). At least to the extent that it might trigger initial police action and investigation - even if ultimately not reaching a standard acceptable to the courts.

    Yesterday you were arguing strongly against police over-reaction to protesters and misusing their powers to enforce their interpretation of the law. Why can not the same ability to misinterpret the law not occur in other areas.

    The issue with misinterpretation in a lot of police activity is that nothing ever has to ultimately go anywhere near the courts. The police have wide powers to, in effect, interfere with lawful activity on the grounds of their 'reasonable suspicion'. That this suspicion may be unjustified doesn't change that.

  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,044
    Role of Sage to be reviewed over fears scientists hold too much power

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/15/role-sage-reviewed-fears-scientists-hold-much-power/
  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,557
    Leon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Cliche alert: Londonder moves to the Cotswolds and life there isn't what they expected.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/i-left-london-for-the-countryside-and-it-was-nothing-like-i-dreamed-b923836.html

    Superb unselfawareness

    ‘I loved my job, editing a glossy magazine from the Vogue House offices in Mayfair. I loved our house, a four-bedroom detached Victorian villa near Kingston-upon-Thames’

    Right away, we know she is worth £2m, minimum.
    Maybe not. Note she says "near" Kingston, for some reason, not "in" Kingston. That's usually code for "in a shitty part of town that I don't want to admit to living in".

    £1m would be my guess, and there may have been a big mortgage on it.

  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 60,933
    Mr. Floater, the apparently exponential rise of cases in Germany coupled with suspending usage of a completely safe vaccine (with literally millions of data points just across the water) beggars belief.

    It's deranged.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 75,842
    edited March 2021
    Floater said:
    If there is one thing you can be assured of in a pandemic it is exponential growth or decay.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    Great line "if building confidence is your goal, bringing in a raft of suspensions based on far from conclusive data may be...quasi ineffective"
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,589
    Sandpit said:

    DavidL said:

    Sandpit said:

    Good morning, everyone.

    F1: Hamilton's odds for winning Bahrain now out to 2.6, Verstappen still 2.62, Perez down as well.

    Seems some really do think Red Bull could have the best car.

    I’ll be backing Lewis and Valtteri, if Max goes favourite before the qualifying session - when we see the true pace of the cars for the first time.
    Its been the same for several years now. Ferrari are quicker, no Red Bull, Mercedes have problems....and then the racing starts.
    Oh indeed. Testing is just testing, no-one is even scrutineering the cars.

    For all we know, they could have the fuel flow meters removed, be 20kg underweight and taking a shortcut at the first corner.

    There’s photographic evidence of Tsunoda’s fastest lap having the DRS open about 400 yards before it will be allowed in the race, to give just one example.

    We shall see the running order of the cars at the end of the qualifying session for the first event, not before! Which gives some good betting opportunities, for those who over react to watching the timing screen at test sessions.
    There is that - but Mercedes, even if they were sandbagging, would hardly do so by sabotaging their gearbox and then unbalancing their car. They appear to have genuinely started off on the back foot.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,724
    Charles said:

    Charles said:

    alex_ said:

    Pulpstar said:

    TimT said:

    Pulpstar said:

    The actions of Ireland are bad enough - but hopefully it'll be a short pause till Thursday there (That's quite bad enough).
    But the Italian police seizing 400,000 vaccines. Sweet Jesus christ

    I hope they are maintaining the cold chain during seizure, transport and storage. Otherwise, that is 400k does down the drain.
    I think that's precisely what will happen. Why seize them rather than just giving a pause on vaccinations like everywhere else that isn't quite as bonkers as Italy ?
    Oh they've put in place a vaccine pause as well. Although that maybe as a consequence of the police seizure which means that any contrary action puts them all on the hook for mass murder (i'm not joking - that's how Italian prosecutors work). I doubt the police are working in concert with national government officials at all.
    The head of the Italian regulators said overnight that the AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and the decision to suspend it was “political”
    Just possibly, of course, there's a widespread lack of trust in us, the British.
    I’m sorry but that is a fucking stupid answer. Even being a Europhile doesn’t justify that attitude from you, especially given your historical training. AstraZeneca’s vaccine is effective. AstraZeneca’s vaccine is safe. People will die if they don’t take it.

    There is no way to justify the bullshit from the European politicians
    I've rarely, if ever, sworn or used foul language when responding to a post. I've probably used the 'abbreviation' K'nell but that's all. I thought better of you.

    And on the point I have no doubts whatsoever about the safety of the vaccine; indeed my wife had it, and is waiting for her second dose. And I agree that it's foolish in the extreme to refuse it. I was simply trying to offer an explanation, there being few if any rational ones..

  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 14,884
    Fishing said:

    Leon said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Cliche alert: Londonder moves to the Cotswolds and life there isn't what they expected.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/escapist/i-left-london-for-the-countryside-and-it-was-nothing-like-i-dreamed-b923836.html

    Superb unselfawareness

    ‘I loved my job, editing a glossy magazine from the Vogue House offices in Mayfair. I loved our house, a four-bedroom detached Victorian villa near Kingston-upon-Thames’

    Right away, we know she is worth £2m, minimum.
    Maybe not. Note she says "near" Kingston, for some reason, not "in" Kingston. That's usually code for "in a shitty part of town that I don't want to admit to living in".

    £1m would be my guess, and there may have been a big mortgage on it.

    It’s also not clear that they owned the whole house. Talk of living below people etc.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 50,780
    alex_ said:

    Foxy said:

    alex_ said:

    Sandpit said:

    Scott_xP said:

    A young woman was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by an off duty police officer.

    What is the response?

    https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1371714383387185157

    Glad I’m not the only one utterly confused by the way this story is playing out.

    Shouldn’t we primarily be asking, how the hell someone so mentally unstable was allowed to hold a warrant card and a firearm in the first place?
    Are there not rules/guidance limiting the parameters for the deployment of plain clothes officers? Because this sort of thing seems far removed from wherever it feels the line should be drawn. If many night clubs weren’t likely already finished off by Covid...

    Horrible murder leads to concerns about the safety of women on their own in isolated streets at night. Authorities response: beef up undercover police presence in highly populated areas...
    The chance of picking up a crime this way is approaching zero, much as is the chance of a Bobby on the beat interrupting a burglar in the act.

    It also does nothing for the lower level misbehaviour that makes for such discomfort for so many women.

    SNIP
    I don't know - if the plain clothes policemen are all attractive women...

    ... could initially lead to a large amount of "crime" detection, followed by a swift perception that you are taking a risk talking to any strange women in clubs!
    I once was involved in the prosecution of a chap who was being done for being concerned in the supply at a music festival. His evidence, which seemed highly credible for a change, was that he was approached by a very pretty undercover cop who asked him for some drugs so they could relax together. He went and got some and was then nicked.

    He was acquitted due to entrapment I am pleased to confirm.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 59,540
    [Google translate]

    Germany's decision to suspend the AstraZeneca anti-Covid vaccine at midday on Monday March 15 "caught the French government by surprise" , franceinfo learned from several government sources. According to the latter, the two countries had agreed to wait for an opinion from the European Medicines Agency before any possible suspension.

    Faced with the German decision, "our main European partner" , France could not therefore remain isolated and continue vaccination, said these sources.

    Emmanuel Macron announced at a press conference in Montauban the decision to "suspend as a precaution" the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine , pending an opinion from the European drug authority. The Head of State said "hope to resume soon" vaccination with this serum, "if the opinion of the European authority allows" . Several other European countries have also decided to suspend the use of this vaccine.


    https://www.francetvinfo.fr/sante/maladie/coronavirus/vaccin/suspension-du-vaccin-astrazeneca-la-france-a-ete-prise-de-court-par-la-decision-allemande_4334317.html

  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,961
    Meanwhile, the unnecessary deaths pile up at the gates of the Élysée Palace.....
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,044
    Pulpstar said:

    Floater said:
    If there is one thing you can be assured of in a pandemic it is exponential growth or decay.
    What happened to the idea that the plague followed a Gompertz function?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,589
    Sandpit said:

    Charles said:

    Leon said:


    No, we can point and laugh at them. It won't do much for public health, but, you know, we're in a plague. Giggles are thin on the ground.

    Not sure about laughing, I think it's more that we need some modern-day Ingmar Bergman to produce a successor to The Seventh Seal.
    Trivia: Name another film about a game. See how many you can name. Go!
    Quiz Show
    That strange movie about kidnapping someone as a game
    The Game - 1997, starring Michael Douglas.
    Bridge over the River Kwai....
This discussion has been closed.