politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » At 11am the Crown Prosecution Service announces what it is doi

And my first, first to boot.

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

CommanderShepard said:

I missed the rumours of last week but would be amazed if all 30 individuals got charged.

It was that some of the complaints were incredibly minor. ISTR examples were given, but cannot remember what they were, or even the poster.

Not being a lawyer, it'll be interesting to see how much detail the CPS given about charges that are bought and not bought and their reasoning.

Also, if none are bought, Crick might himself be in a slightly difficult position. Though I doubt that will happen.

FPT - some comment on a potential formal split in Labour.

OK, Labour Uncut, the clue's in the name. But have a read of this article by one of the few people who correctly predicted Miliband would get hammered:

http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2017/05/09/it-sounds-counter-intuitive-but-better-for-labours-survival-to-lose-seats-to-the-tories-than-the-lib-dems-or-ukip/

JosiasJessop said:

Jonathan said:

This is one of those threads where you really can't/shouldn't say anything on topic.

(Surprised we're not covering May's landmark One Show interview in more depth)

Well, we can say they're all innocent.

Perhaps they are.

Sandpit said:

Jonathan said:

This is one of those threads where you really can't/shouldn't say anything on topic.

(Surprised we're not covering May's landmark One Show interview in more depth)

One of the absolute certainties about today, is that someone who should know better will say something stupid and possibly predudicial. Hopefully it's not on this blog.

I wonder if there will be calls for Alison Saunders to be sacked? And from whom?

Damn the CPS.

Before 11.00, I now need to get my son to nursery, do a run, prepare dinner for later, and pick up some plants for the garden.

(I'm going out for a while this afternoon, so need to get all the chores done early).

RobinWiggs said:

JosiasJessop said:

Jonathan said:

This is one of those threads where you really can't/shouldn't say anything on topic.

(Surprised we're not covering May's landmark One Show interview in more depth)

Well, we can say they're all innocent.

Perhaps they are.

Indeed. I'm sort-of expecting it to be a case where infrequently used laws and regulations are not exactly fit for purpose. P'haps.

It will be nothing, the CPS do not want to be seen interfering in an election and if I recall a Lib Dem official is still under police investigation over something similair, ot has that resolved..
Hopefully the whole business will lead to much closer control of election expenditure including limiting as it happens, how much parties can raise in total.

JosiasJessop said:

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

(4) deactivate your FB account for the next 5 weeks

You won't miss much.

I've no idea what limits there are on expenses or even why there are limits. I suspect this story will be of limited interest to anyone other tha MPs and their agents unless of course some well know Tories end up in jail.

In other news apparently Pogba's agent made £41 million from his transfer. Not bad work if you can get it

DavidL said:

Casino_Royale said:

JosiasJessop said:

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

(4) deactivate your FB account for the next 5 weeks

You won't miss much.

Only 5 weeks? Why do people have these things at all?

To defend FB a little, it's useful to keep in contact with family and friends who are spread around the country and world and to see what they're doing. There can also be some useful and interesting groups to join.

Then again, one of Mrs J's ex-colleagues is addicted to it: whenever he goes out he puts where he is on an FB status, and even photographs the food in pubs and posts the pics.

ydoethur said:

JosiasJessop said:

Damn the CPS.

Before 11.00, I now need to get my son to nursery, do a run, prepare dinner for later, and pick up some plants for the garden.

(I'm going out for a while this afternoon, so need to get all the chores done early).

Note to self - Never skim read PB on the go.

I now have a surreal mental image involving the good Mr Jessop and a nun.

LOL.

But who's the 'good' Mr Jessop?

JosiasJessop said:

ydoethur said:

JosiasJessop said:

Damn the CPS.

Before 11.00, I now need to get my son to nursery, do a run, prepare dinner for later, and pick up some plants for the garden.

(I'm going out for a while this afternoon, so need to get all the chores done early).

Note to self - Never skim read PB on the go.

I now have a surreal mental image involving the good Mr Jessop and a nun.

LOL.

But who's the 'good' Mr Jessop?

Well, you said it...

Edit - perhaps he's a creature of habit?

bobajobPB said:

DavidL said:

Casino_Royale said:

JosiasJessop said:

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

(4) deactivate your FB account for the next 5 weeks

You won't miss much.

Only 5 weeks? Why do people have these things at all?

Good morning, David. Indeed you once again ask the key question. Five/ten years ago I was assured that I would be committing social suicide/isolating myself from the real world/self destruct by declining to sign up to Facebook. I resisted. Many years on I am still a Facebook refusenik. If people want to contact me, they can call or email.

Doesn't having 6 PB accounts cancel that out though?

FPT.OT. When I was an assistant photographer I had to take something to Red Star which was a parcel service run by British Rail.

I walked into a scruffy office with a counter and on the other side was a man in uniform sitting on a wooden chair reading a newspaper. He glanced up and saw me with my parcel and went back to his fag and his newspaper. After several minutes he carefully folded his paper stood up and said "Is this what you're sending....."

I was an ardent lefty back then and I loathed the Tories but I don't want to go back to those days and I'm afraid that's what Corbyn spells to me and many who were alive in the 70's.

His time has gone and though I sympathise with his ideals the thought of service and the related problems with the unions in those days makes me shiver.

The Guardian - Back to this year’s bus timetable, and Labour’s has hit the road. The smooth running of the service was delayed by questions over Jeremy Corbyn’s determination to stay on as leader even if Labour does not win the election. He told the BBC that, contrary to a BuzzFeed report, he hadn’t said that:

"No, I told them I would carry on as leader because we’ll have won the election by then."

Tricky for him, then, that BuzzFeed had a recording of the interview in which Corbyn said what BuzzFeed said he had said. BuzzFeed reports it has now been told its access to Labour campaign events will be “limited”.

Looks like Corbyn is reading from the Trump playbook. Says one thing, then immediately contradicts himself, and when picked up on it, simply starts banning media outlets - he will soon be crying Fake News nonstop on the campaign (or maybe he has already started that?).

Alistair said:

The letter recommending Comey's firing from Rosenstein is spectacular.

To save people having to search:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-39866767

bobajobPB said:

DavidL said:

Casino_Royale said:

JosiasJessop said:

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

(4) deactivate your FB account for the next 5 weeks

You won't miss much.

Only 5 weeks? Why do people have these things at all?

Good morning, David. Indeed you once again ask the key question. Five/ten years ago I was assured that I would be committing social suicide/isolating myself from the real world/self destruct by declining to sign up to Facebook. I resisted. Many years on I am still a Facebook refusenik. If people want to contact me, they can call or email.

I joined FB when my old Med School year was organising a 20 year reunion. FB came in very handy for that. In my line of work there is a lot of staff turnover and moving around the country. FB is fairly handy for staying in vague contact.

There are a few heavy users, but many who hardly ever post. I think probably the number of active users is a small fraction of total accounts.

Facebook has, however, been very useful for me over the last few months keeping friends and family updated. It has a value.

SouthamObserver said:

I have never had a conversation on this subject with a single person that I know. In fact, I don't think I have ever heard anyone mention it. The MP expenses story broke at the perfect time - just after the crash while the world was in turmoil, everyone felt vulnerable and the Labour government was pretty much a busted flush that everyone knew was on its way out. That's why it got so much traction. None of those circumstances exist now. Whatever happens, it will make no difference to anything except to the careers and personal lives of anyone affected.

I think the difference with the MPs expenses was that that was personal greed, stealing from the taxpayer to line their own pockets. It is really disgraceful more of them didn't go to jail for it. In contrast these are somewhat pettifogging rules that most people don't even know exist let alone understand with no obvious personal benefit at all (except getting elected potentially but the causation of that is extremely uncertain).

The next Parliament is going to be seriously busy with Brexit related legislation but I do hope they find time to revisit this.

AlastairMeeks said:

Do people really talk much about politics on Facebook? I've had one Scouse friend and his partner each declare that everyone should vote Labour, one post of the photoshop of Theresa May smoking a fag and drinking a can of beer while eating chips (voting intention unknown) and one person recommending we vote for Rick Astley because he'll never let you down, hurt you, tell a lie or desert you.

Otherwise, nothing other than the usual heartwarming stories of dogs recognising their long lost owners and inspirational maxims for women of a certain age.

Two old school friends of mine are Corbynistas. It makes for entertaining reading. God only knows how they'll react at 10pm on June 8.

AlastairMeeks said:

Do people really talk much about politics on Facebook? I've had one Scouse friend and his partner each declare that everyone should vote Labour, one post of the photoshop of Theresa May smoking a fag and drinking a can of beer while eating chips (voting intention unknown) and one person recommending we vote for Rick Astley because he'll never let you down, hurt you, tell a lie or desert you.

Otherwise, nothing other than the usual heartwarming stories of dogs recognising their long lost owners and inspirational maxims for women of a certain age.

That Rick Astley voter was Mr Eagles, wasn't it?

CarlottaVance said:

Roger said:

I don't want to go back to those days and I'm afraid that's what Corbyn spells to me and many who were alive in the 70's.

Which would account for the relative ratings of May & Osborne among the young & older.....

Are Osborne's ratings high among younger tories?

DavidL said:

bobajobPB said:

DavidL said:

Casino_Royale said:

JosiasJessop said:

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

(4) deactivate your FB account for the next 5 weeks

You won't miss much.

Only 5 weeks? Why do people have these things at all?

Good morning, David. Indeed you once again ask the key question. Five/ten years ago I was assured that I would be committing social suicide/isolating myself from the real world/self destruct by declining to sign up to Facebook. I resisted. Many years on I am still a Facebook refusenik. If people want to contact me, they can call or email.

Or chat to you on PB at your convenience.

I had a court case last Friday where FB entries have probably won it for us. They came from the other side, inevitably.

I remember being told, many years ago, never send anything in an e-mail that you don't want to hear read out in open court.

AlastairMeeks said:

Facebook has, however, been very useful for me over the last few months keeping friends and family updated. It has a value.

I originally signed up to Facebook to let people know how I was getting on with various hospital trips rather than sending lots on texts.

Roger said:

FPT.OT. When I was an assistant photographer I had to take something to Red Star which was a parcel service run by British Rail.

I walked into a scruffy office with a counter and on the other side was a man in uniform sitting on a wooden chair reading a newspaper. He glanced up and saw me with my parcel and went back to his fag and his newspaper. After several minutes he carefully folded his paper stood up and said "Is this what you're sending....."

I was an ardent lefty back then and I loathed the Tories but I don't want to go back to those days and I'm afraid that's what Corbyn spells to me and many who were alive in the 70's.

His time has gone and though I sympathise with his ideals the thought of service and the related problems with the unions in those days makes me shiver.

Is this the first Right Wing thing you've ever said, Roger?

ydoethur said:

Fysics_Teacher said:

DavidL said:

bobajobPB said:

DavidL said:

Casino_Royale said:

JosiasJessop said:

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

(4) deactivate your FB account for the next 5 weeks

You won't miss much.

Only 5 weeks? Why do people have these things at all?

Good morning, David. Indeed you once again ask the key question. Five/ten years ago I was assured that I would be committing social suicide/isolating myself from the real world/self destruct by declining to sign up to Facebook. I resisted. Many years on I am still a Facebook refusenik. If people want to contact me, they can call or email.

Or chat to you on PB at your convenience.

I had a court case last Friday where FB entries have probably won it for us. They came from the other side, inevitably.

I remember being told, many years ago, never send anything in an e-mail that you don't want to hear read out in open court.

With my students, it's 'never post a photograph online you wouldn't be completely happy to explain to your grandmother.'

I think I may steal that one...

Scrapheap_as_was said:

Or there's Prof Fisher's study...

https://twitter.com/rolandmcs/status/862197060015194113

*cough*

http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2015/11/04/antifrank-on-the-ge2020-prospects-for-tim-farrons-lib-dems/

Alistair said:

The letter recommending Comey's firing from Rosenstein is spectacular.

It certainly is. You rarely see something so blunt and concise. I take @ydoethur's point about Trump not handling it well but that is a compelling argument.

AlastairMeeks said:

Do people really talk much about politics on Facebook? I've had one Scouse friend and his partner each declare that everyone should vote Labour, one post of the photoshop of Theresa May smoking a fag and drinking a can of beer while eating chips (voting intention unknown) and one person recommending we vote for Rick Astley because he'll never let you down, hurt you, tell a lie or desert you.

Otherwise, nothing other than the usual heartwarming stories of dogs recognising their long lost owners and inspirational maxims for women of a certain age.

If only there was a pithy two-word phrase that would aptly describe most content on Facebook, that describes its superficial, low value nature.

AlastairMeeks said:

Scrapheap_as_was said:

Or there's Prof Fisher's study...

https://twitter.com/rolandmcs/status/862197060015194113

*cough*

http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2015/11/04/antifrank-on-the-ge2020-prospects-for-tim-farrons-lib-dems/

not another nom de plume you use Prof?

Is that MichaelCrick in that photo? He looks like John Shuttleworth.

Fysics_Teacher said:

DavidL said:

bobajobPB said:

DavidL said:

Casino_Royale said:

JosiasJessop said:

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

(4) deactivate your FB account for the next 5 weeks

You won't miss much.

Only 5 weeks? Why do people have these things at all?

Good morning, David. Indeed you once again ask the key question. Five/ten years ago I was assured that I would be committing social suicide/isolating myself from the real world/self destruct by declining to sign up to Facebook. I resisted. Many years on I am still a Facebook refusenik. If people want to contact me, they can call or email.

Or chat to you on PB at your convenience.

I had a court case last Friday where FB entries have probably won it for us. They came from the other side, inevitably.

I remember being told, many years ago, never send anything in an e-mail that you don't want to hear read out in open court.

I think it is the instantaneous and spontaneous nature of the response which makes people so unguarded. With an old fashioned letter you have several points to reflect before it goes in the box.

E-mails form a major strand of the evidence in most commercial litigations these day and very rarely are they to the advantage of the sender.

Morris_Dancer said:

Good morning, everyone.

Does this become a non-issue? If no charges are brought, nothing to see. If charges are brought, it's sub judice.

Asking for a friend.. what's the difference between sub judice, judice, and super judice?

Hertsmere_Pubgoer said:

I'm predicting a damp squib at 11AM

Crick's mis-representing of how journalists were supposedly telling the Tories their questions in advance in order to be picked seemingly was because he wasn't being picked.....

Freggles said:

Hertsmere_Pubgoer said:

I'm predicting a damp squib at 11AM

If we go by the rule that nothing is ever as good for left liberals as expected, I'd say you're right. And that rule has been shown accurate since about 2006

Apart from French exit polls!

Casino_Royale said:

Roger said:

FPT.OT. When I was an assistant photographer I had to take something to Red Star which was a parcel service run by British Rail.

I walked into a scruffy office with a counter and on the other side was a man in uniform sitting on a wooden chair reading a newspaper. He glanced up and saw me with my parcel and went back to his fag and his newspaper. After several minutes he carefully folded his paper stood up and said "Is this what you're sending....."

I was an ardent lefty back then and I loathed the Tories but I don't want to go back to those days and I'm afraid that's what Corbyn spells to me and many who were alive in the 70's.

His time has gone and though I sympathise with his ideals the thought of service and the related problems with the unions in those days makes me shiver.

Is this the first Right Wing thing you've ever said, Roger?

Nick P had written a piece on why the McDonnell amendment was worth voting for and it made me reflect on why Corbyn is unelectable even for a lefty.

You could never call the CONSERVATIVE party progressive but in spite of them we've moved on since Corbyn's nirvana.

ydoethur said:

Alistair said:

The letter recommending Comey's firing from Rosenstein is spectacular.

Wow. You weren't kidding. Thank you @JosiasJessop for the link.

That being said:

(1) I think Comey was in an impossible situation where there was no 'good' choice;

(2) No matter what he had or had not done, and separately from the question of whether the actual decision was right, Trump's method of firing him - by a note through a third party - was utterly wrong and completely reprehensible. It should have been in a personal meeting. If that was the way he ran his businesses no wonder they kept getting into trouble.

It's what happens next that matters now. If Trump is seen to be trying to shout down any kind of investigations into links between his people and Russia, Republicans will have to start asking themselves some very serious questions about their willingness to risk electoral meltdown to save their president.

Mr Meeks,

"Otherwise, nothing other than the usual heartwarming stories of dogs recognising their long lost owners and inspirational maxims for women of a certain age."

Thank God for that. I though it was only my FB page that was cluttered with stuff like that. At least, it stops me looking at it too much.

RobD said:

Morris_Dancer said:

Good morning, everyone.

Does this become a non-issue? If no charges are brought, nothing to see. If charges are brought, it's sub judice.

Asking for a friend.. what's the difference between sub judice, judice, and super judice?

Pretty sure super judice was Susan Dey on the desk in LA law.

Time for my shower.

DavidL said:

Fysics_Teacher said:

DavidL said:

bobajobPB said:

DavidL said:

Casino_Royale said:

JosiasJessop said:

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

(4) deactivate your FB account for the next 5 weeks

You won't miss much.

Only 5 weeks? Why do people have these things at all?

Good morning, David. Indeed you once again ask the key question. Five/ten years ago I was assured that I would be committing social suicide/isolating myself from the real world/self destruct by declining to sign up to Facebook. I resisted. Many years on I am still a Facebook refusenik. If people want to contact me, they can call or email.

Or chat to you on PB at your convenience.

I had a court case last Friday where FB entries have probably won it for us. They came from the other side, inevitably.

I remember being told, many years ago, never send anything in an e-mail that you don't want to hear read out in open court.

I think it is the instantaneous and spontaneous nature of the response which makes people so unguarded. With an old fashioned letter you have several points to reflect before it goes in the box.

E-mails form a major strand of the evidence in most commercial litigations these day and very rarely are they to the advantage of the sender.

My old boss had to read out in court an exchange between one of my colleagues and a contractor about getting back from holiday to start on a job. There was a whole email conversation about wearing speedos on the beach. He wasn't best pleased even though he won.

Sandpit said:

Fysics_Teacher said:

DavidL said:

bobajobPB said:

DavidL said:

Casino_Royale said:

JosiasJessop said:

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

(4) deactivate your FB account for the next 5 weeks

You won't miss much.

Only 5 weeks? Why do people have these things at all?

Good morning, David. Indeed you once again ask the key question. Five/ten years ago I was assured that I would be committing social suicide/isolating myself from the real world/self destruct by declining to sign up to Facebook. I resisted. Many years on I am still a Facebook refusenik. If people want to contact me, they can call or email.

Or chat to you on PB at your convenience.

I had a court case last Friday where FB entries have probably won it for us. They came from the other side, inevitably.

I remember being told, many years ago, never send anything in an e-mail that you don't want to hear read out in open court.

Yep. Especially when it's posted on someone else's website. The internet has no delete button.

As I said last week when the Macron hacking story broke, if I were in charge of IT for a political party I'd be seriously looking at dusting off the old conference call equipment and fax machines for the most sensitive conversations. The email server would need to be hiding behind a vpn and the firewall would be run by a 24/7 team of ex-GCHQ and MI6 guys. It's no longer a case of if you're hacked, but when you're hacked.

In a magnificent example of incompetence, human beings have decided that constant surveillance is not sonething from 1984 to be feared, but rather something to be embraced.

Including PB ramblings in that too...

bobajobPB said:

DavidL said:

Casino_Royale said:

JosiasJessop said:

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

(4) deactivate your FB account for the next 5 weeks

You won't miss much.

Only 5 weeks? Why do people have these things at all?

Good morning, David. Indeed you once again ask the key question. Five/ten years ago I was assured that I would be committing social suicide/isolating myself from the real world/self destruct by declining to sign up to Facebook. I resisted. Many years on I am still a Facebook refusenik. If people want to contact me, they can call or email.

I use Facebook about once or twice a day for 10 minutes at most but without it I would have lost touch with over half my Facebook friends

Left wing friends tend to be a lot noisier, but it's something you get used to. It is totally ineffective but it keeps them happy. It's also slightly embarrassing as I used to be like that when I was much younger.

I got better, though.

ydoethur said:

Alistair said:

The letter recommending Comey's firing from Rosenstein is spectacular.

Wow. You weren't kidding. Thank you @JosiasJessop for the link.

That being said:

(1) I think Comey was in an impossible situation where there was no 'good' choice;

(2) No matter what he had or had not done, and separately from the question of whether the actual decision was right, Trump's method of firing him - by a note through a third party - was utterly wrong and completely reprehensible. It should have been in a personal meeting. If that was the way he ran his businesses no wonder they kept getting into trouble.

The letter is pretty stupid in that any principled case for firing the FBI director ought also to address the issues that to do so is almost without precedent, and fire one who is in the process of conducting an investigation into the president's associates utterly beyond any political norms.
That it doesn't even consider these issues, let alone provide a rationale renders its appeal to "regaining the public trust" utterly ridiculous.

I'm more inclined to agree with this comment:
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/09/trump-comey-nixon-firing-watergate-238189
“The rationale is transparently absurd,” Waldman said. “Does anyone actually believe that Trump fired Comey because Comey was unfair to Hillary Clinton during the campaign?

AlastairMeeks said:

https://twitter.com/peston/status/862191300061343744

That's why we need a new centre left party to represent the liberal elite and bring in legislation to deal with the avocado problem.

DavidL said:

Fysics_Teacher said:

DavidL said:

bobajobPB said:

DavidL said:

Casino_Royale said:

JosiasJessop said:

So here are some alternatives:

1) Charges are bought against all 30 individuals and my FB feed does not shut up about EVVILLLL Tories.

2) Charges are bought against some of the individuals, but people on my FB feed still refer to the 30 cheating EVVILLLL Tories.

3) No charges are bought, but by FB feed says they were guilty and it's all a cover-up by EVVILLLL Tories.

This generally makes my FB feed unreadable at times.

It'll be interesting to see if the rumours involving the charges posted on here in the last week were accurate.

(4) deactivate your FB account for the next 5 weeks

You won't miss much.

Only 5 weeks? Why do people have these things at all?

Good morning, David. Indeed you once again ask the key question. Five/ten years ago I was assured that I would be committing social suicide/isolating myself from the real world/self destruct by declining to sign up to Facebook. I resisted. Many years on I am still a Facebook refusenik. If people want to contact me, they can call or email.

Or chat to you on PB at your convenience.

I had a court case last Friday where FB entries have probably won it for us. They came from the other side, inevitably.

I remember being told, many years ago, never send anything in an e-mail that you don't want to hear read out in open court.

I think it is the instantaneous and spontaneous nature of the response which makes people so unguarded. With an old fashioned letter you have several points to reflect before it goes in the box.

E-mails form a major strand of the evidence in most commercial litigations these day and very rarely are they to the advantage of the sender.

I was always taught that for any sensitive email, write it,neelete it, rewrite and reread at least and hour later and preferably overnight.

Then think about how an arsey barrister or litigation counsel would parse the punctuation. It's a letter not an ephemeral phone call.