No real surprise that remainers think coarse language is acceptable on a piece of signage.
Lol! If you think crap is coarse I fear for any impending visit to Glasow, though we’’d make sure you got a right fucking hospitable welcome (genuinely).
Lol, Glasgow, the city where the other C word is a term of endearment.
And the F word can be used as a noun, verb and adjective in the same sentence.
Off topic, I note the Prem was extended to end at the end of May in 2008/9.
FA Cup should be after the last Prem match tbh
I agree but it’s UEFA’s fault.
Plus they need to keep Wembley free for the play off finals.
Reduce the prem to 16 clubs, so only 30 fixtures. Finished BEFORE FA Cup final. Fewer games so players less tired. England wins the WC.
Get rid of these spurious minor Euro competitions, and just limit it to top 3 in the Champs League.
Go further and make the Champions League only the champions of each national league... Oddly the old name was more appropriate for the tournament - it used to be the European Cup.
ON topic, for once, I’m on my safari lodge balcony watching hippos vigorously poo. The nearest hippo has just pooed three times in a row while whirling his tail around and getting poo all over his back
I guess they must actually enjoy ii - doing mad whirry poos. There’s a sense of delight in the action. I confess I’m slightly jealous
If you Google "why do hippos spray their poop with their tail", you will find out why. Really.
ON topic, for once, I’m on my safari lodge balcony watching hippos vigorously poo. The nearest hippo has just pooed three times in a row while whirling his tail around and getting poo all over his back
I guess they must actually enjoy ii - doing mad whirry poos. There’s a sense of delight in the action. I confess I’m slightly jealous
If you Google "why do hippos spray their poop with their tail", you will find out why. Really.
My word you’re right. It’s called “dung showering”. I’m gonna try it later on when we have a boat trip on the lake with the lodge owner
Remarkable really that Labour's share, albeit paltry, is holding up despite a dreadful few weeks for Starmer. It rather suggests that there's a core Labour vote of 17-20% that will support the government irrespective of the ordure heaped on it.
It is why I think predicting the death of the Labour Party is a touch premature. It will surely go up some when Starmer is gone.
I guess we have found the core Labour vote though.
ON topic, for once, I’m on my safari lodge balcony watching hippos vigorously poo. The nearest hippo has just pooed three times in a row while whirling his tail around and getting poo all over his back
I guess they must actually enjoy ii - doing mad whirry poos. There’s a sense of delight in the action. I confess I’m slightly jealous
If you Google "why do hippos spray their poop with their tail", you will find out why. Really.
There's a cowdung throwing festival in just one particular village in India's Karnataka State. Just that one village.
Off topic, I note the Prem was extended to end at the end of May in 2008/9.
FA Cup should be after the last Prem match tbh
I agree but it’s UEFA’s fault.
Plus they need to keep Wembley free for the play off finals.
Reduce the prem to 16 clubs, so only 30 fixtures. Finished BEFORE FA Cup final. Fewer games so players less tired. England wins the WC.
Get rid of these spurious minor Euro competitions, and just limit it to top 3 in the Champs League.
Go further and make the Champions League only the champions of each national league... Oddly the old name was more appropriate for the tournament - it used to be the European Cup.
The Prem and CL are producing quality games, drama and record levels of interest. Just perhaps, we should enjoy them and not feel a constant need to tinker.
The Golders Green attack is horrific. We have normalised a level of anti Semitism which isn’t far off 1930s Germany
Um no, in Germany they didn’t arrest the people perpetrating it.
The problem is that the Israeli Government has by conflating protests about its actions as anti-Semitic attacks against all Jews (which it wasn’t) made it easier for those who really were anti-Semitic to justify their actions to themselves and others.
This is absolutely right. Certainly for former industrial areas
People like Rochdale get it.
The main parties and the PB herd don’t and just demonise the likes of Lucy and ignore the reasons.
‘ Think this quote from Lucy who voted Conservative in 2019, Labour in 2024 and is probably voting Green now but would also consider Reform just encapsulates people’s desperation to find some/any party that would bring about the change they so desperately want’
A touch of strawmanning in that argument. It's not "demonising" them to point out the likely futility of their choices.
Many of us are just as frustrated with the efforts of the former duopoly, but we seriously doubt that change brought about by a prospective Reform or Green administration would do anything to improve matters.
The truth is that it doesn't matter which council you elect next week.
They will be as broke then as they are now. They will have the same statutory duties to hosepipe cash at social care as they do now Everything that could possibly be cut has been cut Most councillors are normal people and that means many are at best not very good and at worst stupid and malevolent. Which means the officers who are running the council will continue to run the council
I am sorry but that is defeatist and all too popular an answer from political centrist class these days as to why nothing can change
I think it's more a reflection of how little power local government has. At Westminster, you can make a change. At Holyrood too.
I disagree. Councils and Councillors can only administer the money they get from central government. Social services, and education are mandated from central government so they can't do anything about it. It seems that councillors are just targets for citizens to take out their annoyances on from national government. I toyed with the idea a year ago to stand for the council, but it seems whatever you do and however hard you work you will win it lose on the basis of parties in Westminster, Cardiff or Edinburgh.
I agree with that. Building civic society is perhaps better done from the voluntary sector at present, where years of work will not be destroyed on the whim of some self-promoter in Westminster.
Eventually it is the route to getting rid of the extreme tendencies currently blighting our politics.
It's quiite interesting that some in the USA are arguing the same line - for example historian Heather Cox Richardson arguing that civic minded people need to start now with school boards, libraries, county committees, and state positions, so that in 1-2 decades there will be the seed of a new generation in more key positions.
I'd suggest that in the UK the more regional local government may be a similar opportunity, but that the real problem is that the Westminster Bastards think it is all their plaything.
So we need to start with the more important, mundane things - PTAs, local sports clubs, toy libraries, village halls and parks and the rest. Perhaps for political structures it is parish and town councils that are more important.
this is an absolutely extraordinary scoop by Guardian:
Nigel Farage was given £5m by the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne shortly before announcing he would stand in the 2024 British general election, the Guardian can reveal
Returning briefly to the Letby controversy: a recent letter in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology makes a strong claim that seriously undermines the case against Letby. The authors claim that (contrary to evidence given at Letby’s trial) a large fraction of pre-term neonates show the kind of ratio of C-peptide to insulin that was claimed in court to be impossible without the administration of insulin from an external source: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/19322968261439151
If the claim holds up, then it seems it must bring into question the entirety of Letby’s convictions: the jury deliberated the insulin cases first & were told by the judge that they were then entitled to make use of their conviction in those cases to inform their opinion on all the others. If that belief in Letby’s pre-existing guilt on the insulin cases in shown to be false, can the subsequent convictions stand?
Being skeptical, medical science is full of papers that have later been shown to be mistaken or have twisted the evidence to push a particular thesis. This isn’t (I believe) a particularly prestigious journal & the authors have made similar contributions questioning the insulin evidence to the pro-Letby case more directly - see this BBC article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89l05e97vqo which quotes one of them. Secondly whilst the authors do have direct relevant experience in diabetes research they aren’t neo-natal endocrinologists.
On the positive side, letters to the editor for this journal are at least peer reviewed by the editor (or presumably by whomever they request review) who is an experienced endocrinologist - this means that this thesis & the evidence for it has at least gone through some amount of peer review, which is a higher bar than nothing at all.
Those with actual medical experience here (who might have access to the full text of the paper through work or academic connections - I have only seen snippets unfortunately), especially @Foxy who have commented on the insulin evidence in the past - do you have any thoughts?
ON topic, for once, I’m on my safari lodge balcony watching hippos vigorously poo. The nearest hippo has just pooed three times in a row while whirling his tail around and getting poo all over his back
I guess they must actually enjoy ii - doing mad whirry poos. There’s a sense of delight in the action. I confess I’m slightly jealous
If you Google "why do hippos spray their poop with their tail", you will find out why. Really.
Leon's comment suggests fellow feeling.
We’re not American.
‘Poop’ !
I’m amazed Luckyguy wasn’t all over this. Metaphorically of course.
Returning briefly to the Letby controversy: a recent letter in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology makes a strong claim that seriously undermines the case against Letby. The authors claim that (contrary to evidence given at Letby’s trial) a large fraction of pre-term neonates show the kind of ratio of C-peptide to insulin that was claimed in court to be impossible without the administration of insulin from an external source: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/19322968261439151
If the claim holds up, then it seems it must bring into question the entirety of Letby’s convictions: the jury deliberated the insulin cases first & were told by the judge that they were then entitled to make use of their conviction in those cases to inform their opinion on all the others. If that belief in Letby’s pre-existing guilt on the insulin cases in shown to be false, can the subsequent convictions stand?
Being skeptical, medical science is full of papers that have later been shown to be mistaken or have twisted the evidence to push a particular thesis. This isn’t (I believe) a particularly prestigious journal & the authors have made similar contributions questioning the insulin evidence to the pro-Letby case more directly - see this BBC article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89l05e97vqo which quotes one of them. Secondly whilst the authors do have direct relevant experience in diabetes research they aren’t neo-natal endocrinologists.
On the positive side, letters to the editor for this journal are at least peer reviewed by the editor (or presumably by whomever they request review) who is an experienced endocrinologist - this means that this thesis & the evidence for it has at least gone through some amount of peer review, which is a higher bar than nothing at all.
Those with actual medical experience here (who might have access to the full text of the paper through work or academic connections - I have only seen snippets unfortunately), especially @Foxy who have commented on the insulin evidence in the past - do you have any thoughts?
I have recently read one of the books on the trial (Unmasking Lucy Letby). At the end I was leaning more towards guilty than not, primarily because the insulin evidence seems (or seemed) unchallengeable - at least three babies had had exogenous insulin, so someone MUST have done that. If not Letby, who? But if there is a genuine explanation that isn't external harm then I think the case for appeal is made. As you say the jury were allowed to infer guilt based on finding guilt in the insulin cases. I think there are huge questions to be answered.
This is absolutely right. Certainly for former industrial areas
People like Rochdale get it.
The main parties and the PB herd don’t and just demonise the likes of Lucy and ignore the reasons.
‘ Think this quote from Lucy who voted Conservative in 2019, Labour in 2024 and is probably voting Green now but would also consider Reform just encapsulates people’s desperation to find some/any party that would bring about the change they so desperately want’
A touch of strawmanning in that argument. It's not "demonising" them to point out the likely futility of their choices.
Many of us are just as frustrated with the efforts of the former duopoly, but we seriously doubt that change brought about by a prospective Reform or Green administration would do anything to improve matters.
The truth is that it doesn't matter which council you elect next week.
They will be as broke then as they are now. They will have the same statutory duties to hosepipe cash at social care as they do now Everything that could possibly be cut has been cut Most councillors are normal people and that means many are at best not very good and at worst stupid and malevolent. Which means the officers who are running the council will continue to run the council
The one thing a reform council may do is as with Durham not raise council tax to much this year, so creating a bigger problem down the line
ISTR Reform candidates promising to cut council tax. Its easy. Simply scrap DEI and return the cash to the people.
Except DEI costs are roughly less than sod all - as its day to day HR work.
Curiously one of the big things Reform are attacking Labour on in South Tyneside is a £28,000 event to reward staff for doing work above and beyond duty.
Yes it’s £28,000 that could be saved but I bet that type of reward generates £x00,000 of free Labour that otherwise would need to be paid for or not get done
And it’s removing thank yous like this that results in the better workers leaving
Curious bit of DEI this week. We were informed of Lesbian Awareness day. I find this amusing as anyone who has ever visited certain kinds of website will be fully aware of lesbians.*
*So I'm told.
I'd guess part of the awareness you might be missing is that lesbians are ordinary people and not just wankfodder.
Combined with the grotesque discussion on here about Trump's mother finding KCIII cute the other day and it does feel like some posters are determined to ensure the number of women contributing to PB.com is minimised.
I'm glad that due to my new hobby of having to see doctors, hospitals and radiographers practically on a daily basis I missed this piece of "banter".
Meanwhile it's been reported that two Jewish people have been stabbed by an attacker in Golders Green Road. On Monday a memorial wall for Jewish hostages initially and now for Iranians killed by the regime was targeted for arson. My brother lives close by and shops in these streets. In the last few weeks here are some of the attacks targeted at Jews in Britain:
- A man pleads guilty to racially aggravated harassment of an Orthodox Jewish building inspector while he was doing his job on a house in Slough.
- A Tube driver has been suspended after being filmed saying that Jews would "not be safe" with him driving the train.
- An arson attack on four Hatzola Ambulances in Golders Green. Two men and a boy have been charged and a fourth arrested.
- An arson attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue.
- An arson attack on the former premises of Jewish Futures charity in Hendon.
- An arson attack on Kenton United Synagogue, Harrow. A boy has pleaded guilty to this and released on bail with a condition that he not try to enter the synagogue. No limitations on him approaching any other Jewish building.
- A pair of streamers harassed and mocked Jews in Golders Green for clicks, including cornering and mocking a disabled Jewish man.
- A survey suggested that 1 in 5 students would not be happy to share a house with a Jew.
- Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, told Panorama that hate marches lead to attacks on Jews and that the laws are not being sufficiently used to prevent the worst antisemitic hate crimes.
- UK Counter-Terror Police have arrested seven men in a plot to launch a terrorist attack on the Jewish community — apparently just hours before it was set to happen.
This is intolerable. Not just for the Jewish community. But for all of us. Or it should be intolerable. But the brutal reality is that anti- hatred
We know what the leader of the "new kid on the block" party thinks of this: it may be reality or a "perception", a remarkably tone deaf comment (was he asleep during the Corbyn years or did he think that Corbyn's tone deafness was something to emulate?) and both are bad. Well that's nice. A more pertinent question is whether it will take any action against those of its candidates who express the sort of anti-Jewish hatred which backgrounds these sorts of crimes rather than, in some cases, the leader campaigning with and supporting such candidates.
Or is this the "change" some are looking for? Or simply something they are prepared to tolerate or turn a blind eye to so they get what they want?
This is absolutely right. Certainly for former industrial areas
People like Rochdale get it.
The main parties and the PB herd don’t and just demonise the likes of Lucy and ignore the reasons.
‘ Think this quote from Lucy who voted Conservative in 2019, Labour in 2024 and is probably voting Green now but would also consider Reform just encapsulates people’s desperation to find some/any party that would bring about the change they so desperately want’
A touch of strawmanning in that argument. It's not "demonising" them to point out the likely futility of their choices.
Many of us are just as frustrated with the efforts of the former duopoly, but we seriously doubt that change brought about by a prospective Reform or Green administration would do anything to improve matters.
The truth is that it doesn't matter which council you elect next week.
They will be as broke then as they are now. They will have the same statutory duties to hosepipe cash at social care as they do now Everything that could possibly be cut has been cut Most councillors are normal people and that means many are at best not very good and at worst stupid and malevolent. Which means the officers who are running the council will continue to run the council
The one thing a reform council may do is as with Durham not raise council tax to much this year, so creating a bigger problem down the line
ISTR Reform candidates promising to cut council tax. Its easy. Simply scrap DEI and return the cash to the people.
Except DEI costs are roughly less than sod all - as its day to day HR work.
Curiously one of the big things Reform are attacking Labour on in South Tyneside is a £28,000 event to reward staff for doing work above and beyond duty.
Yes it’s £28,000 that could be saved but I bet that type of reward generates £x00,000 of free Labour that otherwise would need to be paid for or not get done
And it’s removing thank yous like this that results in the better workers leaving
Curious bit of DEI this week. We were informed of Lesbian Awareness day. I find this amusing as anyone who has ever visited certain kinds of website will be fully aware of lesbians.*
*So I'm told.
I'd guess part of the awareness you might be missing is that lesbians are ordinary people and not just wankfodder.
Combined with the grotesque discussion on here about Trump's mother finding KCIII cute the other day and it does feel like some posters are determined to ensure the number of women contributing to PB.com is minimised.
I'm glad that due to my new hobby of having to see doctors, hospitals and radiographers practically on a daily basis I missed this piece of "banter".
Meanwhile it's been reported that two Jewish people have been stabbed by an attacker in Golders Green Road. On Monday a memorial wall for Jewish hostages initially & now for Iranians killed by the regime was targeted for arson. My brother lives close by & shops in these streets. In the last few weeks, some of the attacks targeted at Jews here:
- A man pleads guilty to racially aggravated harassment of an Orthodox Jewish building inspector while he was doing his job on a house in Slough.
- A Tube driver has been suspended after being filmed saying that Jews would "not be safe" with him driving the train.
- An arson attack on four Hatzola Ambulances in Golders Green. Two men & a boy have been charged & a fourth arrested.
- An arson attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue.
- An arson attack on the former premises of Jewish Futures charity in Hendon.
- An arson attack on Kenton United Synagogue, Harrow. A boy has pleaded guilty to this & released on bail with a condition that he not try to enter the synagogue. No limitations on him approaching any other Jewish building.
- A pair of streamers harassed & mocked Jews in Golders Green for clicks, including cornering and mocking a disabled Jewish man.
- A survey suggested that 1 in 5 students would not be happy to share a house with a Jew.
- Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, told Panorama that hate marches lead to attacks on Jews & that the laws are not being sufficiently used to prevent the worst antisemitic hate crimes.
- UK Counter-Terror Police have arrested seven men in a plot to launch a terrorist attack on the Jewish community — apparently just hours before it was set to happen.
This is intolerable. Not just for the Jewish community. But for all of us. Or it should be intolerable. But the brutal reality is that anti-Jewish hatred has been normalised in Britain. It is no use saying that it should not happening. It is happening. It is getting worse. And it has been allowed to develop and spread because of encouragement by some, turning of blind eyes by others and lot of cowardice by those with the power and duty to act.
We know what the leader of the "new kid on the block" party thinks of this: it may be reality or a "perception", a remarkably tone deaf comment (was he asleep during the Corbyn years or did he think that Corbyn's tone deafness was something to emulate?) and both are bad. Well that's nice. A more pertinent question is whether it will take any action against those of its candidates who express the sort of anti-Jewish hatred which backgrounds these sorts of crimes rather than, in some cases, the leader campaigning with and supporting such candidates.
Or is this the "change" some are looking for? Or simply something they are prepared to tolerate or turn a blind eye to so they get what they want?
I'm a bit surprised at that. My headcanon is that the powers-that-be are perfectly comfortable with speech suppression, providing it is on speech they don't like, with the corollary that they protect speech that they do like. However, looking at the article there was an element of process-nonobservance so Malmesbury rules apply and they'll just tick more boxes in future.
A quick glance suggests that the judgment relies wholly on procedural (bias, pre-determination, scope of powers, rational exercise thereof etc) and not substantive points. Of the 74 page judgment, paras 444-455 provide a helpful summary. The general gap between public perception and procedural reality is well drawn in paras 444-5:
444. Conclusions on each of the Grounds are set out below. It is important to make clear that I am not determining any of the issues or facts surrounding what happened to Professor Stock. That was not the subject of the OfS investigation and it is not the subject of this Judicial Review. 445. This is a Judicial Review of the OfS’s decision to find breaches and to fine the University. The judgment is concerned with whether the OfS erred in law, either in respect of its jurisdiction, its interpretation of the law, or the lawfulness of its process.
It's a Starmer paradise, but doesn't stop him being puzzled as to why nothing works or happens quickly.
This is absolutely right. Certainly for former industrial areas
People like Rochdale get it.
The main parties and the PB herd don’t and just demonise the likes of Lucy and ignore the reasons.
‘ Think this quote from Lucy who voted Conservative in 2019, Labour in 2024 and is probably voting Green now but would also consider Reform just encapsulates people’s desperation to find some/any party that would bring about the change they so desperately want’
A touch of strawmanning in that argument. It's not "demonising" them to point out the likely futility of their choices.
Many of us are just as frustrated with the efforts of the former duopoly, but we seriously doubt that change brought about by a prospective Reform or Green administration would do anything to improve matters.
The truth is that it doesn't matter which council you elect next week.
They will be as broke then as they are now. They will have the same statutory duties to hosepipe cash at social care as they do now Everything that could possibly be cut has been cut Most councillors are normal people and that means many are at best not very good and at worst stupid and malevolent. Which means the officers who are running the council will continue to run the council
The one thing a reform council may do is as with Durham not raise council tax to much this year, so creating a bigger problem down the line
ISTR Reform candidates promising to cut council tax. Its easy. Simply scrap DEI and return the cash to the people.
Except DEI costs are roughly less than sod all - as its day to day HR work.
Curiously one of the big things Reform are attacking Labour on in South Tyneside is a £28,000 event to reward staff for doing work above and beyond duty.
Yes it’s £28,000 that could be saved but I bet that type of reward generates £x00,000 of free Labour that otherwise would need to be paid for or not get done
And it’s removing thank yous like this that results in the better workers leaving
Curious bit of DEI this week. We were informed of Lesbian Awareness day. I find this amusing as anyone who has ever visited certain kinds of website will be fully aware of lesbians.*
*So I'm told.
I'd guess part of the awareness you might be missing is that lesbians are ordinary people and not just wankfodder.
Combined with the grotesque discussion on here about Trump's mother finding KCIII cute the other day and it does feel like some posters are determined to ensure the number of women contributing to PB.com is minimised.
I'm glad that due to my new hobby of having to see doctors, hospitals and radiographers practically on a daily basis I missed this piece of "banter".
Meanwhile it's been reported that two Jewish people have been stabbed by an attacker in Golders Green Road. On Monday a memorial wall for Jewish hostages initially and now for Iranians killed by the regime was targeted for arson. My brother lives close by and shops in these streets. In the last few weeks here are some of the attacks targeted at Jews in Britain:
- A man pleads guilty to racially aggravated harassment of an Orthodox Jewish building inspector while he was doing his job on a house in Slough.
- A Tube driver has been suspended after being filmed saying that Jews would "not be safe" with him driving the train.
- An arson attack on four Hatzola Ambulances in Golders Green. Two men and a boy have been charged and a fourth arrested.
- An arson attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue.
- An arson attack on the former premises of Jewish Futures charity in Hendon.
- An arson attack on Kenton United Synagogue, Harrow. A boy has pleaded guilty to this and released on bail with a condition that he not try to enter the synagogue. No limitations on him approaching any other Jewish building.
- A pair of streamers harassed and mocked Jews in Golders Green for clicks, including cornering and mocking a disabled Jewish man.
- A survey suggested that 1 in 5 students would not be happy to share a house with a Jew.
- Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, told Panorama that hate marches lead to attacks on Jews and that the laws are not being sufficiently used to prevent the worst antisemitic hate crimes.
- UK Counter-Terror Police have arrested seven men in a plot to launch a terrorist attack on the Jewish community — apparently just hours before it was set to happen.
This is intolerable. Not just for the Jewish community. But for all of us. Or it should be intolerable. But the brutal reality is that anti- hatred
We know what the leader of the "new kid on the block" party thinks of this: it may be reality or a "perception", a remarkably tone deaf comment (was he asleep during the Corbyn years or did he think that Corbyn's tone deafness was something to emulate?) and both are bad. Well that's nice. A more pertinent question is whether it will take any action against those of its candidates who express the sort of anti-Jewish hatred which backgrounds these sorts of crimes rather than, in some cases, the leader campaigning with and supporting such candidates.
Or is this the "change" some are looking for? Or simply something they are prepared to tolerate or turn a blind eye to so they get what they want?
I was considering voting Green in the local elections, the candidate has some sensible ideas for the locality. But decided that I couldn't due to their apparent positions on antisemitism and Ukraine
This is absolutely right. Certainly for former industrial areas
People like Rochdale get it.
The main parties and the PB herd don’t and just demonise the likes of Lucy and ignore the reasons.
‘ Think this quote from Lucy who voted Conservative in 2019, Labour in 2024 and is probably voting Green now but would also consider Reform just encapsulates people’s desperation to find some/any party that would bring about the change they so desperately want’
A touch of strawmanning in that argument. It's not "demonising" them to point out the likely futility of their choices.
Many of us are just as frustrated with the efforts of the former duopoly, but we seriously doubt that change brought about by a prospective Reform or Green administration would do anything to improve matters.
The truth is that it doesn't matter which council you elect next week.
They will be as broke then as they are now. They will have the same statutory duties to hosepipe cash at social care as they do now Everything that could possibly be cut has been cut Most councillors are normal people and that means many are at best not very good and at worst stupid and malevolent. Which means the officers who are running the council will continue to run the council
The one thing a reform council may do is as with Durham not raise council tax to much this year, so creating a bigger problem down the line
ISTR Reform candidates promising to cut council tax. Its easy. Simply scrap DEI and return the cash to the people.
Except DEI costs are roughly less than sod all - as its day to day HR work.
Curiously one of the big things Reform are attacking Labour on in South Tyneside is a £28,000 event to reward staff for doing work above and beyond duty.
Yes it’s £28,000 that could be saved but I bet that type of reward generates £x00,000 of free Labour that otherwise would need to be paid for or not get done
And it’s removing thank yous like this that results in the better workers leaving
Curious bit of DEI this week. We were informed of Lesbian Awareness day. I find this amusing as anyone who has ever visited certain kinds of website will be fully aware of lesbians.*
*So I'm told.
I'd guess part of the awareness you might be missing is that lesbians are ordinary people and not just wankfodder.
Combined with the grotesque discussion on here about Trump's mother finding KCIII cute the other day and it does feel like some posters are determined to ensure the number of women contributing to PB.com is minimised.
I'm glad that due to my new hobby of having to see doctors, hospitals and radiographers practically on a daily basis I missed this piece of "banter".
Meanwhile it's been reported that two Jewish people have been stabbed by an attacker in Golders Green Road. On Monday a memorial wall for Jewish hostages initially and now for Iranians killed by the regime was targeted for arson. My brother lives close by and shops in these streets. In the last few weeks here are some of the attacks targeted at Jews in Britain:
- A man pleads guilty to racially aggravated harassment of an Orthodox Jewish building inspector while he was doing his job on a house in Slough.
- A Tube driver has been suspended after being filmed saying that Jews would "not be safe" with him driving the train.
- An arson attack on four Hatzola Ambulances in Golders Green. Two men and a boy have been charged and a fourth arrested.
- An arson attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue.
- An arson attack on the former premises of Jewish Futures charity in Hendon.
- An arson attack on Kenton United Synagogue, Harrow. A boy has pleaded guilty to this and released on bail with a condition that he not try to enter the synagogue. No limitations on him approaching any other Jewish building.
- A pair of streamers harassed and mocked Jews in Golders Green for clicks, including cornering and mocking a disabled Jewish man.
- A survey suggested that 1 in 5 students would not be happy to share a house with a Jew.
- Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, told Panorama that hate marches lead to attacks on Jews and that the laws are not being sufficiently used to prevent the worst antisemitic hate crimes.
- UK Counter-Terror Police have arrested seven men in a plot to launch a terrorist attack on the Jewish community — apparently just hours before it was set to happen.
This is intolerable. Not just for the Jewish community. But for all of us. Or it should be intolerable. But the brutal reality is that anti- hatred
We know what the leader of the "new kid on the block" party thinks of this: it may be reality or a "perception", a remarkably tone deaf comment (was he asleep during the Corbyn years or did he think that Corbyn's tone deafness was something to emulate?) and both are bad. Well that's nice. A more pertinent question is whether it will take any action against those of its candidates who express the sort of anti-Jewish hatred which backgrounds these sorts of crimes rather than, in some cases, the leader campaigning with and supporting such candidates.
Or is this the "change" some are looking for? Or simply something they are prepared to tolerate or turn a blind eye to so they get what they want?
I was considering voting Green in the local elections, the candidate has some sensible ideas for the locality. But decided that I couldn't due to their apparent positions on antisemitism and Ukraine
Just look at Zack’s response today
Can’t bring himself to call out the attack for what it is.
ON topic, for once, I’m on my safari lodge balcony watching hippos vigorously poo. The nearest hippo has just pooed three times in a row while whirling his tail around and getting poo all over his back
I guess they must actually enjoy ii - doing mad whirry poos. There’s a sense of delight in the action. I confess I’m slightly jealous
If you Google "why do hippos spray their poop with their tail", you will find out why. Really.
Leon's comment suggests fellow feeling.
We’re not American.
‘Poop’ !
I’m amazed Luckyguy wasn’t all over this. Metaphorically of course.
We use "poop".
We have a famous nitpicking lawyer known as Mr Poophole, for example !
This is absolutely right. Certainly for former industrial areas
People like Rochdale get it.
The main parties and the PB herd don’t and just demonise the likes of Lucy and ignore the reasons.
‘ Think this quote from Lucy who voted Conservative in 2019, Labour in 2024 and is probably voting Green now but would also consider Reform just encapsulates people’s desperation to find some/any party that would bring about the change they so desperately want’
A touch of strawmanning in that argument. It's not "demonising" them to point out the likely futility of their choices.
Many of us are just as frustrated with the efforts of the former duopoly, but we seriously doubt that change brought about by a prospective Reform or Green administration would do anything to improve matters.
The truth is that it doesn't matter which council you elect next week.
They will be as broke then as they are now. They will have the same statutory duties to hosepipe cash at social care as they do now Everything that could possibly be cut has been cut Most councillors are normal people and that means many are at best not very good and at worst stupid and malevolent. Which means the officers who are running the council will continue to run the council
The one thing a reform council may do is as with Durham not raise council tax to much this year, so creating a bigger problem down the line
ISTR Reform candidates promising to cut council tax. Its easy. Simply scrap DEI and return the cash to the people.
Except DEI costs are roughly less than sod all - as its day to day HR work.
Curiously one of the big things Reform are attacking Labour on in South Tyneside is a £28,000 event to reward staff for doing work above and beyond duty.
Yes it’s £28,000 that could be saved but I bet that type of reward generates £x00,000 of free Labour that otherwise would need to be paid for or not get done
And it’s removing thank yous like this that results in the better workers leaving
Curious bit of DEI this week. We were informed of Lesbian Awareness day. I find this amusing as anyone who has ever visited certain kinds of website will be fully aware of lesbians.*
*So I'm told.
I'd guess part of the awareness you might be missing is that lesbians are ordinary people and not just wankfodder.
Combined with the grotesque discussion on here about Trump's mother finding KCIII cute the other day and it does feel like some posters are determined to ensure the number of women contributing to PB.com is minimised.
I'm glad that due to my new hobby of having to see doctors, hospitals and radiographers practically on a daily basis I missed this piece of "banter".
Meanwhile it's been reported that two Jewish people have been stabbed by an attacker in Golders Green Road. On Monday a memorial wall for Jewish hostages initially and now for Iranians killed by the regime was targeted for arson. My brother lives close by and shops in these streets. In the last few weeks here are some of the attacks targeted at Jews in Britain:
- A man pleads guilty to racially aggravated harassment of an Orthodox Jewish building inspector while he was doing his job on a house in Slough.
- A Tube driver has been suspended after being filmed saying that Jews would "not be safe" with him driving the train.
- An arson attack on four Hatzola Ambulances in Golders Green. Two men and a boy have been charged and a fourth arrested.
- An arson attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue.
- An arson attack on the former premises of Jewish Futures charity in Hendon.
- An arson attack on Kenton United Synagogue, Harrow. A boy has pleaded guilty to this and released on bail with a condition that he not try to enter the synagogue. No limitations on him approaching any other Jewish building.
- A pair of streamers harassed and mocked Jews in Golders Green for clicks, including cornering and mocking a disabled Jewish man.
- A survey suggested that 1 in 5 students would not be happy to share a house with a Jew.
- Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, told Panorama that hate marches lead to attacks on Jews and that the laws are not being sufficiently used to prevent the worst antisemitic hate crimes.
- UK Counter-Terror Police have arrested seven men in a plot to launch a terrorist attack on the Jewish community — apparently just hours before it was set to happen.
This is intolerable. Not just for the Jewish community. But for all of us. Or it should be intolerable. But the brutal reality is that anti- hatred
We know what the leader of the "new kid on the block" party thinks of this: it may be reality or a "perception", a remarkably tone deaf comment (was he asleep during the Corbyn years or did he think that Corbyn's tone deafness was something to emulate?) and both are bad. Well that's nice. A more pertinent question is whether it will take any action against those of its candidates who express the sort of anti-Jewish hatred which backgrounds these sorts of crimes rather than, in some cases, the leader campaigning with and supporting such candidates.
Or is this the "change" some are looking for? Or simply something they are prepared to tolerate or turn a blind eye to so they get what they want?
I was considering voting Green in the local elections, the candidate has some sensible ideas for the locality. But decided that I couldn't due to their apparent positions on antisemitism and Ukraine
No elections where I am. But that is my position. And I'm pretty Green - how we treat nature matters a lot to me. But seeing my Jewish friends and neighbours frightened and in tears with gratitude when I have reached out to them has made me feel ashamed of what is happening. I will not vote for a party which ignores this issue or which seeks votes from those who perpetrate or excuse this behaviour.
NB I do congratulation whoever came up with the idea of giving POTUS the bell from HMS Trump as a gift from Charles.
Perfectly judged to nod to our nations’ history of co-operation and mutual support whilst also leaning into Trump’s deep appreciation for personal flattery.
Off topic, I note the Prem was extended to end at the end of May in 2008/9.
FA Cup should be after the last Prem match tbh
I agree but it’s UEFA’s fault.
Plus they need to keep Wembley free for the play off finals.
Reduce the prem to 16 clubs, so only 30 fixtures. Finished BEFORE FA Cup final. Fewer games so players less tired. England wins the WC.
Get rid of these spurious minor Euro competitions, and just limit it to top 3 in the Champs League.
Go further and make the Champions League only the champions of each national league... Oddly the old name was more appropriate for the tournament - it used to be the European Cup.
The Prem and CL are producing quality games, drama and record levels of interest. Just perhaps, we should enjoy them and not feel a constant need to tinker.
Suggested changes to make football great again: Rename the first tier: "Football League Division 1", the second tier "Football League Division 2", the third tier "Football League Division 3"m the fourth tier "Football League Division 4" (anyone impressed by being in a league named 'championship' which is actually the second tier, etc. is a moron to whom we should not pander) and the fifth tier "the Vauxhall Conference" (here at least we are on firm ground because that is what most of us of a certain age still instinctively call it - Vauxhall have achieved permanent free sponsorship, albeit at the expense of association with a fifth tier product). The FA Cup, as suggested, happens when all the league games have finished. Semi-finals at neutral grounds roughly equidistant from the clubs concerned, not Wembley. Oh, and get rid of penalty shoot outs - if they can't settle it in 120 minutes, replay. And replay again. I have happy memories of, what, the third replay between Man Utd and Liverpool from the eighties long after most of the next round had started. (That said, I'm perfectly happy for the play-offs for promotion to happen after the FA Cup. But they should happen over Spring Bank Holiday and in ascending order i.e. Saturday for the fourth division play-off, Sunday for the third division play off and Bank Holiday Monday for the second division play off.) Two-legged semi-finals for the League Cup. The Champions League should be only for the winners of each league, and should be a straight knock-out tournament over two legs. Reinstatement of the Cup-Winners-Cup, also a straight knock-out competition. The UEFA cup for up to four other teams from each country, also as a straight knock-out. (I used to really enjoy European football. But it was for its novelty. There is now far too much of it and its main selling point - i.e. its novelty - has been lost) A maximum of one 'exotic' player for each team (Scots, Irish, Welsh or Scandinavians do not count as exotic). Black boots for everyone. No 'third' kits. The only possible reason for a third kit is if your first kit is insufficiently different from your second kit. If you are stupid enough to put yourself in this position, you should be punished by having to play in bibs/skins/the opposition's second kit. Non-standard hairstyles will be allowed but mocked/frowned upon.
NB I do congratulation whoever came up with the idea of giving POTUS the bell from HMS Trump as a gift from Charles.
Perfectly judged to nod to our nations’ history of co-operation and mutual support whilst also leaning into Trump’s deep appreciation for personal flattery.
Next thing you know, they'll be Trumping the Colo(u)r!
Interesting thread from Dan Neidle about why UK tax is increasing but expenditure isn't. He thinks the previous government overspent during and after COVID compared with peer countries, and this government is paying down an outsized inherited deficit.
Something to bear in mind when assessing Rachel Reeves against other previous and potential chancellors.
This is absolutely right. Certainly for former industrial areas
People like Rochdale get it.
The main parties and the PB herd don’t and just demonise the likes of Lucy and ignore the reasons.
‘ Think this quote from Lucy who voted Conservative in 2019, Labour in 2024 and is probably voting Green now but would also consider Reform just encapsulates people’s desperation to find some/any party that would bring about the change they so desperately want’
A touch of strawmanning in that argument. It's not "demonising" them to point out the likely futility of their choices.
Many of us are just as frustrated with the efforts of the former duopoly, but we seriously doubt that change brought about by a prospective Reform or Green administration would do anything to improve matters.
The truth is that it doesn't matter which council you elect next week.
They will be as broke then as they are now. They will have the same statutory duties to hosepipe cash at social care as they do now Everything that could possibly be cut has been cut Most councillors are normal people and that means many are at best not very good and at worst stupid and malevolent. Which means the officers who are running the council will continue to run the council
The one thing a reform council may do is as with Durham not raise council tax to much this year, so creating a bigger problem down the line
ISTR Reform candidates promising to cut council tax. Its easy. Simply scrap DEI and return the cash to the people.
Except DEI costs are roughly less than sod all - as its day to day HR work.
Curiously one of the big things Reform are attacking Labour on in South Tyneside is a £28,000 event to reward staff for doing work above and beyond duty.
Yes it’s £28,000 that could be saved but I bet that type of reward generates £x00,000 of free Labour that otherwise would need to be paid for or not get done
And it’s removing thank yous like this that results in the better workers leaving
Curious bit of DEI this week. We were informed of Lesbian Awareness day. I find this amusing as anyone who has ever visited certain kinds of website will be fully aware of lesbians.*
*So I'm told.
I'd guess part of the awareness you might be missing is that lesbians are ordinary people and not just wankfodder.
Combined with the grotesque discussion on here about Trump's mother finding KCIII cute the other day and it does feel like some posters are determined to ensure the number of women contributing to PB.com is minimised.
I'm glad that due to my new hobby of having to see doctors, hospitals and radiographers practically on a daily basis I missed this piece of "banter".
Meanwhile it's been reported that two Jewish people have been stabbed by an attacker in Golders Green Road. On Monday a memorial wall for Jewish hostages initially and now for Iranians killed by the regime was targeted for arson. My brother lives close by and shops in these streets. In the last few weeks here are some of the attacks targeted at Jews in Britain:
- A man pleads guilty to racially aggravated harassment of an Orthodox Jewish building inspector while he was doing his job on a house in Slough.
- A Tube driver has been suspended after being filmed saying that Jews would "not be safe" with him driving the train.
- An arson attack on four Hatzola Ambulances in Golders Green. Two men and a boy have been charged and a fourth arrested.
- An arson attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue.
- An arson attack on the former premises of Jewish Futures charity in Hendon.
- An arson attack on Kenton United Synagogue, Harrow. A boy has pleaded guilty to this and released on bail with a condition that he not try to enter the synagogue. No limitations on him approaching any other Jewish building.
- A pair of streamers harassed and mocked Jews in Golders Green for clicks, including cornering and mocking a disabled Jewish man.
- A survey suggested that 1 in 5 students would not be happy to share a house with a Jew.
- Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, told Panorama that hate marches lead to attacks on Jews and that the laws are not being sufficiently used to prevent the worst antisemitic hate crimes.
- UK Counter-Terror Police have arrested seven men in a plot to launch a terrorist attack on the Jewish community — apparently just hours before it was set to happen.
This is intolerable. Not just for the Jewish community. But for all of us. Or it should be intolerable. But the brutal reality is that anti- hatred
We know what the leader of the "new kid on the block" party thinks of this: it may be reality or a "perception", a remarkably tone deaf comment (was he asleep during the Corbyn years or did he think that Corbyn's tone deafness was something to emulate?) and both are bad. Well that's nice. A more pertinent question is whether it will take any action against those of its candidates who express the sort of anti-Jewish hatred which backgrounds these sorts of crimes rather than, in some cases, the leader campaigning with and supporting such candidates.
Or is this the "change" some are looking for? Or simply something they are prepared to tolerate or turn a blind eye to so they get what they want?
I was considering voting Green in the local elections, the candidate has some sensible ideas for the locality. But decided that I couldn't due to their apparent positions on antisemitism and Ukraine
I think I’m going to stick a card with a list of Green policies on it so I can quiz Green canvassers in detail when they knock on the door & watch them squirm a bit.
The Golders Green attack is horrific. We have normalised a level of anti Semitism which isn’t far off 1930s Germany
Um no, in Germany they didn’t arrest the people perpetrating it.
The problem is that the Israeli Government has by conflating protests about its actions as anti-Semitic attacks against all Jews (which it wasn’t) made it easier for those who really were anti-Semitic to justify their actions to themselves and others.
That's certainly a problem, but it's not the problem. The fundamental problem is a significant strain of antisemitism, which cannot be accepted or excused.
Off topic, I note the Prem was extended to end at the end of May in 2008/9.
FA Cup should be after the last Prem match tbh
I agree but it’s UEFA’s fault.
Plus they need to keep Wembley free for the play off finals.
Reduce the prem to 16 clubs, so only 30 fixtures. Finished BEFORE FA Cup final. Fewer games so players less tired. England wins the WC.
Get rid of these spurious minor Euro competitions, and just limit it to top 3 in the Champs League.
Go further and make the Champions League only the champions of each national league... Oddly the old name was more appropriate for the tournament - it used to be the European Cup.
The Prem and CL are producing quality games, drama and record levels of interest. Just perhaps, we should enjoy them and not feel a constant need to tinker.
Suggested changes to make football great again: Rename the first tier: "Football League Division 1", the second tier "Football League Division 2", the third tier "Football League Division 3"m the fourth tier "Football League Division 4" (anyone impressed by being in a league named 'championship' which is actually the second tier, etc. is a moron to whom we should not pander) and the fifth tier "the Vauxhall Conference" (here at least we are on firm ground because that is what most of us of a certain age still instinctively call it - Vauxhall have achieved permanent free sponsorship, albeit at the expense of association with a fifth tier product). The FA Cup, as suggested, happens when all the league games have finished. Semi-finals at neutral grounds roughly equidistant from the clubs concerned, not Wembley. Oh, and get rid of penalty shoot outs - if they can't settle it in 120 minutes, replay. And replay again. I have happy memories of, what, the third replay between Man Utd and Liverpool from the eighties long after most of the next round had started. (That said, I'm perfectly happy for the play-offs for promotion to happen after the FA Cup. But they should happen over Spring Bank Holiday and in ascending order i.e. Saturday for the fourth division play-off, Sunday for the third division play off and Bank Holiday Monday for the second division play off.) Two-legged semi-finals for the League Cup. The Champions League should be only for the winners of each league, and should be a straight knock-out tournament over two legs. Reinstatement of the Cup-Winners-Cup, also a straight knock-out competition. The UEFA cup for up to four other teams from each country, also as a straight knock-out. (I used to really enjoy European football. But it was for its novelty. There is now far too much of it and its main selling point - i.e. its novelty - has been lost) A maximum of one 'exotic' player for each team (Scots, Irish, Welsh or Scandinavians do not count as exotic). Black boots for everyone. No 'third' kits. The only possible reason for a third kit is if your first kit is insufficiently different from your second kit. If you are stupid enough to put yourself in this position, you should be punished by having to play in bibs/skins/the opposition's second kit. Non-standard hairstyles will be allowed but mocked/frowned upon.
And to show I'm not completely reactionary:
Of the many, many problems with football, the biggest surely has to be the rules. In almost every sport (rugby, cricket, snooker - just, all of them) - if you break the rules and get caught, the rules state that you end up worse off than had you not broken the rules (the penalty try, the free hit, the miss rule). Not so in football. You can cheerfully save a ball with your hands on the goal line - a penalty is awarded but might not be scored; your opponent has beaten you and is setting off on a run, just trip him up and let all your team reassemble behind the ball to defend it. And for God's sake football, try to understand the advantage rule. Sort that lot out and you sort out 50% of football's problems straight away. And finally, while referees are in an impossible position with the cheating fucks who feign injury - if convincing evidence shows that the player was faking it (that Brazilian player in what, 2010, who went down clutching his face when a Turkish player through a ball at/to him which hit his leg springs to mind), the wronged player should be allowed, after the event, to inflict as much pain on the faking-it player as the faking-it player pretended to be in.
Interesting thread from Dan Neidle about why UK tax is increasing but expenditure isn't. He thinks the previous government overspent during and after COVID compared with peer countries, and this government is paying down an outsized inherited deficit.
Something to bear in mind when assessing Rachel Reeves against other previous and potential chancellors.
NB I do congratulation whoever came up with the idea of giving POTUS the bell from HMS Trump as a gift from Charles.
Perfectly judged to nod to our nations’ history of co-operation and mutual support whilst also leaning into Trump’s deep appreciation for personal flattery.
It sticks in the craw, but realpolitik says "necessary".
If you can get access this piece in NY Times about a recent wargame of Putin attack on NATO via Kaliningrad is frightening.
"Mr. Putin may believe he can combine appeals to Mr. Trump’s vanity with nuclear intimidation to persuade America not to defend Europe — just as we did in the game."
Julie Davis, the acting US Ambassador in Kyiv, is leaving the State Department having grown frustrated with Trump's dwindling support for Ukraine. Davis's resignation follows that of her predecessor, Bridget Brink, who resigned for similar reasons early last year. https://x.com/ak_mack/status/2049199344646041679
Off topic, I note the Prem was extended to end at the end of May in 2008/9.
FA Cup should be after the last Prem match tbh
I agree but it’s UEFA’s fault.
Plus they need to keep Wembley free for the play off finals.
Reduce the prem to 16 clubs, so only 30 fixtures. Finished BEFORE FA Cup final. Fewer games so players less tired. England wins the WC.
Get rid of these spurious minor Euro competitions, and just limit it to top 3 in the Champs League.
Go further and make the Champions League only the champions of each national league... Oddly the old name was more appropriate for the tournament - it used to be the European Cup.
The Prem and CL are producing quality games, drama and record levels of interest. Just perhaps, we should enjoy them and not feel a constant need to tinker.
Suggested changes to make football great again: Rename the first tier: "Football League Division 1", the second tier "Football League Division 2", the third tier "Football League Division 3"m the fourth tier "Football League Division 4" (anyone impressed by being in a league named 'championship' which is actually the second tier, etc. is a moron to whom we should not pander) and the fifth tier "the Vauxhall Conference" (here at least we are on firm ground because that is what most of us of a certain age still instinctively call it - Vauxhall have achieved permanent free sponsorship, albeit at the expense of association with a fifth tier product). The FA Cup, as suggested, happens when all the league games have finished. Semi-finals at neutral grounds roughly equidistant from the clubs concerned, not Wembley. Oh, and get rid of penalty shoot outs - if they can't settle it in 120 minutes, replay. And replay again. I have happy memories of, what, the third replay between Man Utd and Liverpool from the eighties long after most of the next round had started. (That said, I'm perfectly happy for the play-offs for promotion to happen after the FA Cup. But they should happen over Spring Bank Holiday and in ascending order i.e. Saturday for the fourth division play-off, Sunday for the third division play off and Bank Holiday Monday for the second division play off.) Two-legged semi-finals for the League Cup. The Champions League should be only for the winners of each league, and should be a straight knock-out tournament over two legs. Reinstatement of the Cup-Winners-Cup, also a straight knock-out competition. The UEFA cup for up to four other teams from each country, also as a straight knock-out. (I used to really enjoy European football. But it was for its novelty. There is now far too much of it and its main selling point - i.e. its novelty - has been lost) A maximum of one 'exotic' player for each team (Scots, Irish, Welsh or Scandinavians do not count as exotic). Black boots for everyone. No 'third' kits. The only possible reason for a third kit is if your first kit is insufficiently different from your second kit. If you are stupid enough to put yourself in this position, you should be punished by having to play in bibs/skins/the opposition's second kit. Non-standard hairstyles will be allowed but mocked/frowned upon.
What you are remembering are the joys of memories of youth, I share many of them. But they are not improvements for football.
Julie Davis, the acting US Ambassador in Kyiv, is leaving the State Department having grown frustrated with Trump's dwindling support for Ukraine. Davis's resignation follows that of her predecessor, Bridget Brink, who resigned for similar reasons early last year. https://x.com/ak_mack/status/2049199344646041679
Julie Davis, the acting US Ambassador in Kyiv, is leaving the State Department having grown frustrated with Trump's dwindling support for Ukraine. Davis's resignation follows that of her predecessor, Bridget Brink, who resigned for similar reasons early last year. https://x.com/ak_mack/status/2049199344646041679
Off topic, I note the Prem was extended to end at the end of May in 2008/9.
FA Cup should be after the last Prem match tbh
I agree but it’s UEFA’s fault.
Plus they need to keep Wembley free for the play off finals.
Reduce the prem to 16 clubs, so only 30 fixtures. Finished BEFORE FA Cup final. Fewer games so players less tired. England wins the WC.
Get rid of these spurious minor Euro competitions, and just limit it to top 3 in the Champs League.
Go further and make the Champions League only the champions of each national league... Oddly the old name was more appropriate for the tournament - it used to be the European Cup.
The Prem and CL are producing quality games, drama and record levels of interest. Just perhaps, we should enjoy them and not feel a constant need to tinker.
Suggested changes to make football great again: Rename the first tier: "Football League Division 1", the second tier "Football League Division 2", the third tier "Football League Division 3"m the fourth tier "Football League Division 4" (anyone impressed by being in a league named 'championship' which is actually the second tier, etc. is a moron to whom we should not pander) and the fifth tier "the Vauxhall Conference" (here at least we are on firm ground because that is what most of us of a certain age still instinctively call it - Vauxhall have achieved permanent free sponsorship, albeit at the expense of association with a fifth tier product). The FA Cup, as suggested, happens when all the league games have finished. Semi-finals at neutral grounds roughly equidistant from the clubs concerned, not Wembley. Oh, and get rid of penalty shoot outs - if they can't settle it in 120 minutes, replay. And replay again. I have happy memories of, what, the third replay between Man Utd and Liverpool from the eighties long after most of the next round had started. (That said, I'm perfectly happy for the play-offs for promotion to happen after the FA Cup. But they should happen over Spring Bank Holiday and in ascending order i.e. Saturday for the fourth division play-off, Sunday for the third division play off and Bank Holiday Monday for the second division play off.) Two-legged semi-finals for the League Cup. The Champions League should be only for the winners of each league, and should be a straight knock-out tournament over two legs. Reinstatement of the Cup-Winners-Cup, also a straight knock-out competition. The UEFA cup for up to four other teams from each country, also as a straight knock-out. (I used to really enjoy European football. But it was for its novelty. There is now far too much of it and its main selling point - i.e. its novelty - has been lost) A maximum of one 'exotic' player for each team (Scots, Irish, Welsh or Scandinavians do not count as exotic). Black boots for everyone. No 'third' kits. The only possible reason for a third kit is if your first kit is insufficiently different from your second kit. If you are stupid enough to put yourself in this position, you should be punished by having to play in bibs/skins/the opposition's second kit. Non-standard hairstyles will be allowed but mocked/frowned upon.
And to show I'm not completely reactionary:
Of the many, many problems with football, the biggest surely has to be the rules. In almost every sport (rugby, cricket, snooker - just, all of them) - if you break the rules and get caught, the rules state that you end up worse off than had you not broken the rules (the penalty try, the free hit, the miss rule). Not so in football. You can cheerfully save a ball with your hands on the goal line - a penalty is awarded but might not be scored; your opponent has beaten you and is setting off on a run, just trip him up and let all your team reassemble behind the ball to defend it. And for God's sake football, try to understand the advantage rule. Sort that lot out and you sort out 50% of football's problems straight away. And finally, while referees are in an impossible position with the cheating fucks who feign injury - if convincing evidence shows that the player was faking it (that Brazilian player in what, 2010, who went down clutching his face when a Turkish player through a ball at/to him which hit his leg springs to mind), the wronged player should be allowed, after the event, to inflict as much pain on the faking-it player as the faking-it player pretended to be in.
There: football: solved.
My friend advocated a different solution to faking injury and diving. Any player guilty of it would be forced to play the next match in pink fluffy slippers.
If you can get access this piece in NY Times about a recent wargame of Putin attack on NATO via Kaliningrad is frightening.
"Mr. Putin may believe he can combine appeals to Mr. Trump’s vanity with nuclear intimidation to persuade America not to defend Europe — just as we did in the game."
Julie Davis, the acting US Ambassador in Kyiv, is leaving the State Department having grown frustrated with Trump's dwindling support for Ukraine. Davis's resignation follows that of her predecessor, Bridget Brink, who resigned for similar reasons early last year. https://x.com/ak_mack/status/2049199344646041679
That is a good name, Bridget Brink!
She was an excellent ambassador, and is likely to be a strong candidate for office.
Interesting thread from Dan Neidle about why UK tax is increasing but expenditure isn't. He thinks the previous government overspent during and after COVID compared with peer countries, and this government is paying down an outsized inherited deficit.
Something to bear in mind when assessing Rachel Reeves against other previous and potential chancellors.
And what did Reeves want while in opposition, was it less spending?
I predicted Sunak's complicated furlough schemes, many of which were scammed by organised criminals, would come back to bite us. It wasn't so much the question of demand for Government assistance but how that assistance was divvied up.
Seems that voters are dying out. Deaths are expected to outnumber births in the UK every year from 2026, according to projections from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)
Between mid-2024 and mid-2034, the ONS projects:
6.4 million people will be born
6.9 million people will die
7.3 million will immigrate to the UK on a long-term basis
5.1 million people will emigrate long-term from the UK
Those stats are 2024 based and depend on an assumption (guesstimate?) that net inward migration will hold up at 230,000 per year over the ten year period.
In the wake of recent sharp falls and further policy tightening in the last two years there are other studies that suggest that net migration will fall a lot further than that in 2026 and 2027, such that we could come quite close to zero net migration and the overall population could start to fall.
My pic of the day based on the numbers. If Britain chooses not to be multicultural then it will be an interesting place. Democratically the old can dictate to the young the amount of financial pain they will have to endure through tax take. Though that is already happening
The Golders Green attack is horrific. We have normalised a level of anti Semitism which isn’t far off 1930s Germany
Um no, in Germany they didn’t arrest the people perpetrating it.
The problem is that the Israeli Government has by conflating protests about its actions as anti-Semitic attacks against all Jews (which it wasn’t) made it easier for those who really were anti-Semitic to justify their actions to themselves and others.
When it comes to antisemitism it's never the perpetrators who are really to blame. In fact if you trace the chain of causation back it's Jews themselves who are ultimately responsible it seems.
Apologies for the duplicate post. Cock up on the editing front.
Loved Reggie Perrin, the original not the Clunes remake.
Every PB’er should revere the original Reggie Perrin, not least because the Sunshine Desserts market research woman so very clearly inspired our own HY’s regular analysis of opinion polling.
Starmer is livid about the privileges committee vote - attacked both Kemi and Davey for the "stunt"
Just following the process in full....
A uup mp suggested it could be his last pmqs and he didn't like that much either
Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader in Westminster who is standing for Holyrood: Depending upon the results in the elections next week, this may well be my final PMQs. I suppose that the same is perhaps true for the Prime Minister as well.
Off topic, I note the Prem was extended to end at the end of May in 2008/9.
FA Cup should be after the last Prem match tbh
I agree but it’s UEFA’s fault.
Plus they need to keep Wembley free for the play off finals.
Reduce the prem to 16 clubs, so only 30 fixtures. Finished BEFORE FA Cup final. Fewer games so players less tired. England wins the WC.
Get rid of these spurious minor Euro competitions, and just limit it to top 3 in the Champs League.
Go further and make the Champions League only the champions of each national league... Oddly the old name was more appropriate for the tournament - it used to be the European Cup.
The Prem and CL are producing quality games, drama and record levels of interest. Just perhaps, we should enjoy them and not feel a constant need to tinker.
Suggested changes to make football great again: Rename the first tier: "Football League Division 1", the second tier "Football League Division 2", the third tier "Football League Division 3"m the fourth tier "Football League Division 4" (anyone impressed by being in a league named 'championship' which is actually the second tier, etc. is a moron to whom we should not pander) and the fifth tier "the Vauxhall Conference" (here at least we are on firm ground because that is what most of us of a certain age still instinctively call it - Vauxhall have achieved permanent free sponsorship, albeit at the expense of association with a fifth tier product). The FA Cup, as suggested, happens when all the league games have finished. Semi-finals at neutral grounds roughly equidistant from the clubs concerned, not Wembley. Oh, and get rid of penalty shoot outs - if they can't settle it in 120 minutes, replay. And replay again. I have happy memories of, what, the third replay between Man Utd and Liverpool from the eighties long after most of the next round had started. (That said, I'm perfectly happy for the play-offs for promotion to happen after the FA Cup. But they should happen over Spring Bank Holiday and in ascending order i.e. Saturday for the fourth division play-off, Sunday for the third division play off and Bank Holiday Monday for the second division play off.) Two-legged semi-finals for the League Cup. The Champions League should be only for the winners of each league, and should be a straight knock-out tournament over two legs. Reinstatement of the Cup-Winners-Cup, also a straight knock-out competition. The UEFA cup for up to four other teams from each country, also as a straight knock-out. (I used to really enjoy European football. But it was for its novelty. There is now far too much of it and its main selling point - i.e. its novelty - has been lost) A maximum of one 'exotic' player for each team (Scots, Irish, Welsh or Scandinavians do not count as exotic). Black boots for everyone. No 'third' kits. The only possible reason for a third kit is if your first kit is insufficiently different from your second kit. If you are stupid enough to put yourself in this position, you should be punished by having to play in bibs/skins/the opposition's second kit. Non-standard hairstyles will be allowed but mocked/frowned upon.
What you are remembering are the joys of memories of youth, I share many of them. But they are not improvements for football.
Give groundsmen the entire winter off so we can go back to playing on ploughed fields.
Off topic, I note the Prem was extended to end at the end of May in 2008/9.
FA Cup should be after the last Prem match tbh
I agree but it’s UEFA’s fault.
Plus they need to keep Wembley free for the play off finals.
Reduce the prem to 16 clubs, so only 30 fixtures. Finished BEFORE FA Cup final. Fewer games so players less tired. England wins the WC.
Get rid of these spurious minor Euro competitions, and just limit it to top 3 in the Champs League.
Go further and make the Champions League only the champions of each national league... Oddly the old name was more appropriate for the tournament - it used to be the European Cup.
The Prem and CL are producing quality games, drama and record levels of interest. Just perhaps, we should enjoy them and not feel a constant need to tinker.
Suggested changes to make football great again: Rename the first tier: "Football League Division 1", the second tier "Football League Division 2", the third tier "Football League Division 3"m the fourth tier "Football League Division 4" (anyone impressed by being in a league named 'championship' which is actually the second tier, etc. is a moron to whom we should not pander) and the fifth tier "the Vauxhall Conference" (here at least we are on firm ground because that is what most of us of a certain age still instinctively call it - Vauxhall have achieved permanent free sponsorship, albeit at the expense of association with a fifth tier product). The FA Cup, as suggested, happens when all the league games have finished. Semi-finals at neutral grounds roughly equidistant from the clubs concerned, not Wembley. Oh, and get rid of penalty shoot outs - if they can't settle it in 120 minutes, replay. And replay again. I have happy memories of, what, the third replay between Man Utd and Liverpool from the eighties long after most of the next round had started. (That said, I'm perfectly happy for the play-offs for promotion to happen after the FA Cup. But they should happen over Spring Bank Holiday and in ascending order i.e. Saturday for the fourth division play-off, Sunday for the third division play off and Bank Holiday Monday for the second division play off.) Two-legged semi-finals for the League Cup. The Champions League should be only for the winners of each league, and should be a straight knock-out tournament over two legs. Reinstatement of the Cup-Winners-Cup, also a straight knock-out competition. The UEFA cup for up to four other teams from each country, also as a straight knock-out. (I used to really enjoy European football. But it was for its novelty. There is now far too much of it and its main selling point - i.e. its novelty - has been lost) A maximum of one 'exotic' player for each team (Scots, Irish, Welsh or Scandinavians do not count as exotic). Black boots for everyone. No 'third' kits. The only possible reason for a third kit is if your first kit is insufficiently different from your second kit. If you are stupid enough to put yourself in this position, you should be punished by having to play in bibs/skins/the opposition's second kit. Non-standard hairstyles will be allowed but mocked/frowned upon.
What you are remembering are the joys of memories of youth, I share many of them. But they are not improvements for football.
better than the tv driven , selective crap we are fed now , where an elite few get 5 teams in as champions etc. They are scared to have to go and polay in a field somewhere in november in case their hairdos get ruined. CL is the biggest farce
Comments
I guess we have found the core Labour vote though.
The problem is that the Israeli Government has by conflating protests about its actions as anti-Semitic attacks against all Jews (which it wasn’t) made it easier for those who really were anti-Semitic to justify their actions to themselves and others.
Eventually it is the route to getting rid of the extreme tendencies currently blighting our politics.
It's quiite interesting that some in the USA are arguing the same line - for example historian Heather Cox Richardson arguing that civic minded people need to start now with school boards, libraries, county committees, and state positions, so that in 1-2 decades there will be the seed of a new generation in more key positions.
I'd suggest that in the UK the more regional local government may be a similar opportunity, but that the real problem is that the Westminster Bastards think it is all their plaything.
So we need to start with the more important, mundane things - PTAs, local sports clubs, toy libraries, village halls and parks and the rest. Perhaps for political structures it is parish and town councils that are more important.
Please do not post anything that can get the site into trouble.
If you chase Frenchmen into a swamp and steal their land, you get blues played on the accordion.
Until politicians show a unified will to reform this stuff it will carry on.
If the claim holds up, then it seems it must bring into question the entirety of Letby’s convictions: the jury deliberated the insulin cases first & were told by the judge that they were then entitled to make use of their conviction in those cases to inform their opinion on all the others. If that belief in Letby’s pre-existing guilt on the insulin cases in shown to be false, can the subsequent convictions stand?
Being skeptical, medical science is full of papers that have later been shown to be mistaken or have twisted the evidence to push a particular thesis. This isn’t (I believe) a particularly prestigious journal & the authors have made similar contributions questioning the insulin evidence to the pro-Letby case more directly - see this BBC article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89l05e97vqo which quotes one of them. Secondly whilst the authors do have direct relevant experience in diabetes research they aren’t neo-natal endocrinologists.
On the positive side, letters to the editor for this journal are at least peer reviewed by the editor (or presumably by whomever they request review) who is an experienced endocrinologist - this means that this thesis & the evidence for it has at least gone through some amount of peer review, which is a higher bar than nothing at all.
Those with actual medical experience here (who might have access to the full text of the paper through work or academic connections - I have only seen snippets unfortunately), especially @Foxy who have commented on the insulin evidence in the past - do you have any thoughts?
Just Redbridge Independents over our way.
‘Poop’ !
I’m amazed Luckyguy wasn’t all over this. Metaphorically of course.
Can’t quite bring himself to call it anti semitic or, at least, call out it was members of the Jewish community targetted.
But that may upset some of the Greens target vote.
‘ Horrendous attack in Golders Green.
Thinking of the victims, their families and everyone who will once again be shaken by this attack.
Thank you to all of those involved with the emergency response.’
https://x.com/zackpolanski/status/2049468031290515785?s=61
Meanwhile it's been reported that two Jewish people have been stabbed by an attacker in Golders Green Road. On Monday a memorial wall for Jewish hostages initially and now for Iranians killed by the regime was targeted for arson. My brother lives close by and shops in these streets. In the last few weeks here are some of the attacks targeted at Jews in Britain:
- A man pleads guilty to racially aggravated harassment of an Orthodox Jewish building inspector while he was doing his job on a house in Slough.
- A Tube driver has been suspended after being filmed saying that Jews would "not be safe" with him driving the train.
- An arson attack on four Hatzola Ambulances in Golders Green. Two men and a boy have been charged and a fourth arrested.
- An arson attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue.
- An arson attack on the former premises of Jewish Futures charity in Hendon.
- An arson attack on Kenton United Synagogue, Harrow. A boy has pleaded guilty to this and released on bail with a condition that he not try to enter the synagogue. No limitations on him approaching any other Jewish building.
- A pair of streamers harassed and mocked Jews in Golders Green for clicks, including cornering and mocking a disabled Jewish man.
- A survey suggested that 1 in 5 students would not be happy to share a house with a Jew.
- Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, told Panorama that hate marches lead to attacks on Jews and that the laws are not being sufficiently used to prevent the worst antisemitic hate crimes.
- UK Counter-Terror Police have arrested seven men in a plot to launch a terrorist attack on the Jewish community — apparently just hours before it was set to happen.
This is intolerable. Not just for the Jewish community. But for all of us. Or it should be intolerable. But the brutal reality is that anti- hatred
We know what the leader of the "new kid on the block" party thinks of this: it may be reality or a "perception", a remarkably tone deaf comment (was he asleep during the Corbyn years or did he think that Corbyn's tone deafness was something to emulate?) and both are bad. Well that's nice. A more pertinent question is whether it will take any action against those of its candidates who express the sort of anti-Jewish hatred which backgrounds these sorts of crimes rather than, in some cases, the leader campaigning with and supporting such candidates.
Or is this the "change" some are looking for? Or simply something they are prepared to tolerate or turn a blind eye to so they get what they want?
Meanwhile it's been reported that two Jewish people have been stabbed by an attacker in Golders Green Road. On Monday a memorial wall for Jewish hostages initially & now for Iranians killed by the regime was targeted for arson. My brother lives close by & shops in these streets. In the last few weeks, some of the attacks targeted at Jews here:
- A man pleads guilty to racially aggravated harassment of an Orthodox Jewish building inspector while he was doing his job on a house in Slough.
- A Tube driver has been suspended after being filmed saying that Jews would "not be safe" with him driving the train.
- An arson attack on four Hatzola Ambulances in Golders Green. Two men & a boy have been charged & a fourth arrested.
- An arson attack on Finchley Reform Synagogue.
- An arson attack on the former premises of Jewish Futures charity in Hendon.
- An arson attack on Kenton United Synagogue, Harrow. A boy has pleaded guilty to this & released on bail with a condition that he not try to enter the synagogue. No limitations on him approaching any other Jewish building.
- A pair of streamers harassed & mocked Jews in Golders Green for clicks, including cornering and mocking a disabled Jewish man.
- A survey suggested that 1 in 5 students would not be happy to share a house with a Jew.
- Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, told Panorama that hate marches lead to attacks on Jews & that the laws are not being sufficiently used to prevent the worst antisemitic hate crimes.
- UK Counter-Terror Police have arrested seven men in a plot to launch a terrorist attack on the Jewish community — apparently just hours before it was set to happen.
This is intolerable. Not just for the Jewish community. But for all of us. Or it should be intolerable. But the brutal reality is that anti-Jewish hatred has been normalised in Britain. It is no use saying that it should not happening. It is happening. It is getting worse. And it has been allowed to develop and spread because of encouragement by some, turning of blind eyes by others and lot of cowardice by those with the power and duty to act.
We know what the leader of the "new kid on the block" party thinks of this: it may be reality or a "perception", a remarkably tone deaf comment (was he asleep during the Corbyn years or did he think that Corbyn's tone deafness was something to emulate?) and both are bad. Well that's nice. A more pertinent question is whether it will take any action against those of its candidates who express the sort of anti-Jewish hatred which backgrounds these sorts of crimes rather than, in some cases, the leader campaigning with and supporting such candidates.
Or is this the "change" some are looking for? Or simply something they are prepared to tolerate or turn a blind eye to so they get what they want?
444. Conclusions on each of the Grounds are set out below. It is important to make clear that I am not
determining any of the issues or facts surrounding what happened to Professor Stock. That was not the
subject of the OfS investigation and it is not the subject of this Judicial Review.
445. This is a Judicial Review of the OfS’s decision to find breaches and to fine the University. The
judgment is concerned with whether the OfS erred in law, either in respect of its jurisdiction, its
interpretation of the law, or the lawfulness of its process.
It's a Starmer paradise, but doesn't stop him being puzzled as to why nothing works or happens quickly.
Can’t bring himself to call out the attack for what it is.
We have a famous nitpicking lawyer known as Mr Poophole, for example !
Perfectly judged to nod to our nations’ history of co-operation and mutual support whilst also leaning into Trump’s deep appreciation for personal flattery.
Rename the first tier: "Football League Division 1", the second tier "Football League Division 2", the third tier "Football League Division 3"m the fourth tier "Football League Division 4" (anyone impressed by being in a league named 'championship' which is actually the second tier, etc. is a moron to whom we should not pander) and the fifth tier "the Vauxhall Conference" (here at least we are on firm ground because that is what most of us of a certain age still instinctively call it - Vauxhall have achieved permanent free sponsorship, albeit at the expense of association with a fifth tier product).
The FA Cup, as suggested, happens when all the league games have finished. Semi-finals at neutral grounds roughly equidistant from the clubs concerned, not Wembley. Oh, and get rid of penalty shoot outs - if they can't settle it in 120 minutes, replay. And replay again. I have happy memories of, what, the third replay between Man Utd and Liverpool from the eighties long after most of the next round had started.
(That said, I'm perfectly happy for the play-offs for promotion to happen after the FA Cup. But they should happen over Spring Bank Holiday and in ascending order i.e. Saturday for the fourth division play-off, Sunday for the third division play off and Bank Holiday Monday for the second division play off.)
Two-legged semi-finals for the League Cup.
The Champions League should be only for the winners of each league, and should be a straight knock-out tournament over two legs.
Reinstatement of the Cup-Winners-Cup, also a straight knock-out competition.
The UEFA cup for up to four other teams from each country, also as a straight knock-out. (I used to really enjoy European football. But it was for its novelty. There is now far too much of it and its main selling point - i.e. its novelty - has been lost)
A maximum of one 'exotic' player for each team (Scots, Irish, Welsh or Scandinavians do not count as exotic).
Black boots for everyone.
No 'third' kits. The only possible reason for a third kit is if your first kit is insufficiently different from your second kit. If you are stupid enough to put yourself in this position, you should be punished by having to play in bibs/skins/the opposition's second kit.
Non-standard hairstyles will be allowed but mocked/frowned upon.
Something to bear in mind when assessing Rachel Reeves against other previous and potential chancellors.
https://bsky.app/profile/danneidle.bsky.social/post/3mkmovdbjmw2f
Last month the DVLA rather screwed up my driving license in their bureaucracy, and were threatening evocation.
It appears that this is now probably resolved (subject to the thing arriving in the post), and the MP route seems to be effective.
This is one reason the best policy with the DVLA is to handle them with a bargepole and a full audit trail:
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/jun/20/licence-revoked-dvla-errors-drivers-stripped-entitlements
The fundamental problem is a significant strain of antisemitism, which cannot be accepted or excused.
Of the many, many problems with football, the biggest surely has to be the rules. In almost every sport (rugby, cricket, snooker - just, all of them) - if you break the rules and get caught, the rules state that you end up worse off than had you not broken the rules (the penalty try, the free hit, the miss rule). Not so in football. You can cheerfully save a ball with your hands on the goal line - a penalty is awarded but might not be scored; your opponent has beaten you and is setting off on a run, just trip him up and let all your team reassemble behind the ball to defend it. And for God's sake football, try to understand the advantage rule. Sort that lot out and you sort out 50% of football's problems straight away.
And finally, while referees are in an impossible position with the cheating fucks who feign injury - if convincing evidence shows that the player was faking it (that Brazilian player in what, 2010, who went down clutching his face when a Turkish player through a ball at/to him which hit his leg springs to mind), the wronged player should be allowed, after the event, to inflict as much pain on the faking-it player as the faking-it player pretended to be in.
There: football: solved.
"Mr. Putin may believe he can combine appeals to Mr. Trump’s vanity with nuclear intimidation to persuade America not to defend Europe — just as we did in the game."
I Played Putin in a War Game. The Most Dangerous Period May Be Coming.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/29/opinion/international-world/putin-russia-nato-attack.html
I knew I had to speak out and run for office because siding with dictators is just not who we are.
https://x.com/AmbBridgetBrink/status/2049467844190957739
Julie Davis, the acting US Ambassador in Kyiv, is leaving the State Department having grown frustrated with Trump's dwindling support for Ukraine. Davis's resignation follows that of her predecessor, Bridget Brink, who resigned for similar reasons early last year.
https://x.com/ak_mack/status/2049199344646041679
To be expected I guess.
Oh and let us not forget PPE fast lanes.
NEW THREAD