Saturday 31 August 2019

Tweet Of The Month

A three way tie! Sticking the boot into Corbyn:



And this is just sublime:


Post Title Of The Month

I'll forgive him the resulting Vanessa Paradis earworm, because Bucko's post on taxi driver guide dog refusals is a corker:


Quote Of The Month

Farenheit211 on Israel's blocking of the two Democrat politicians:
"Keeping people like Omar and Talib at arms length is something that any civilised and sensible country should do.
Ilhan Omar in particular is a person to whom scandal and hatred seem to stick to her like shit to a blanket. She’s made numerous statements that have been perceived to be anti-Jew, was voted in by a Minnesota Islamic community that holds views about Jews that would not be out of place in 1930’s Germany and has consistently demonised and delegitimised the state of Israel. Ilhan Omar is about as welcome in Congress as a pork chop at a Bar-mitzvah and unlike Rep Occasio-Cortez, is not just stupid but also malicious.
Talib is just the run of the mill Islamic hate-fountain but the sort of scandals that are sticking to Omar are ones that can no longer be written off as propaganda against her. She has not properly addressed any of the gossip about her such as campaign finance violations and marrying her brother in order to get him entry to the USA. She has spoken at conferences organised by groups closely associated with the Muslim Brotherhood and has become a poster-girl for American Islamists and a deranged far Left that will support anyone and anything that they see as anti-American."

Post Of The Month

Al Jahom points out some home truths.

Breaking A (Pinned) Butterfly On A Wheel...

She said: ‘The police said they received information from someone about the wolf online and checked if I had a certificate to own a stuffed wolf, and obviously I don’t.
‘It’s ridiculous that’s how they got a warrant. It was just a toy.
‘The whole thing has done me a lot of harm. How the police handled it was appalling and I was devastated by it. I thought they were going to send me to jail and I was absolutely terrified. My husband said “there’s a film crew outside” and we could not believe it.
‘I realise I have done something wrong but that was not justified. It was heavy-handed to have the BBC turn up.’
Yeah, Cliff Richard's court win clearly made no impact on our brave boys in blue whatsoever, did it? I guess they figure 'it's only taxpayer money'...
‘We live in a small village and it was turned into a circus. I was made out to be a major criminal.’
If you were a major criminal, they'd probably never have bothered you. But low-hanging middle class respectable fruit, who won't get aggressive or violent? They are in there like gangbusters!
Seven officers from North Wales Police’s rural crime team and a TV crew of three arrived at Mrs Tate’s home in Newborough, on Anglesey, on February 5.
Ah. Them again. Clearly, Mrs Tate wasn't 'vulnerable' enough to get away with it.

I have a theory about these 'specialist units'. And that's that they are often staffed by fanatics. People with no sense of proportion and an unshakeable belief that whatever they are doing, no matter how unreasonable it may seem, is righteous.

In short, the worst people for the job.

Friday 30 August 2019

Councils: "We're So Strapped For Cash!"

Kids in seaside towns are being given lessons how to...
Avoid county lines drug gangs?
...avoid being 'mugged' by gulls as attacks soar.
*blinks*
They are shown cardboard cut outs of the birds and told about the dangers of eating in front of the gulls - and warned never to feed them.
By whom? The RSPCA?
Council staff in Scarborough and Whitby, North Yorkshire, are being sent into schools in a bid to 'improve the relationship between humans and gulls'.
FFS!
Jonathan Bramley, the council's environment and regulation manager, has been visiting schools in Whitby and Scarborough with videos and cardboard cut-outs of seagulls. 'We're reinforcing the message not to feed the gulls,' he said.
Because they are becoming dependant on handouts and aggressive begging is scaring the public?

Great! Time you shut down foodbanks too....
Local resident and best selling author GP Taylor warned that the local gull plague was getting worse.
He said: 'The birds are protected and there are strict rules governing the removal of nests if they have eggs in them.
'It is about time those in authority started putting people before seagulls. There are growing problem with these birds in Whitby.'
Oh?
'I have witnessed two people attacked on the street in the town and workman at my house had his sandwiches stolen by a mob of gulls.'
Oh noes! Isaiah Ntimane feels your pain, GP...

PETA:"We Kill The Most Animals In Need Of Help!"

RSPCA:"Hold our beer..."
Crews were called after the animal was found trapped in an old water tank on Tuesday.
After pulling him out of the cold water firefighters bypassed advice to have the animal put down and instead performed CPR and used animal oxygen masks to bring him back to life.
Good for them! Useful practice.
Lorraine March from Kent Wildlife Rescue Service was at the scene, in Chatham, Kent.
"The work the firefighters did was amazing, they spent 40 minutes working on it.
"They called the RSPCA who said they were available but suggested the crew took it to the nearest vet to have it put down."
Should have told them you had a camera crew in tow, they'd have been out so fast it'd make your head spin.

Thursday 29 August 2019

"But Main Street's still all cracked and broken...."

"Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!"
A coach driver for an Erith-based firm has been sacked after filming a video criticising a cop days after an officer was killed in the line of duty.
Because apparently - what, you didn't get the memo? - they are uncriticisable now.
The driver films a police van parked on zig zag lines and suggests if any other car was parked in the same place, they would be disciplined.
Quite! Nothing at all wrong with that.
A statement said: "His views are not condoned or shared in any way by anyone else in our organisation.
"Abbey Travel have always supported and shown the upmost [sic] respect for all our emergency services and we have now removed this driver from our database with immediate effect."
Well, then Abbey Travel is clearly staffed by morons. Who are illiterate (unless the 'journalist' reporting this made that error).

And should be careful, because one day, they may well be on the other end of a Twitter mob. Don't expect much sympathy then.
Danny Hackett, independent councillor for Thamesmead East, praised the company for taking action against the driver.
He told News Shopper: "I am delighted that Abbey Travel have taken swift and decisive action following a video posted by one of their self employed drivers on Facebook. "The person who posted the video clearly has little or no respect for our emergency workers who deserve our undying gratitude and respect at all times."
Do they? At all times? Even when they are doing things they shouldn't be doing?

You're In No Position To Criticise...

A youth-focused trio will lobby the government with knife crime solutions written on chicken boxes that had been distributed by the Home Office.
...Hayel Wartemberg, Ndubuisi Uchea and Shiva Tarbhaker took to the streets of London and gathered responses from members of the public, including practical solutions to knife crime.
Oooh, this'll be good! *gets popcorn*
Uchea said: “It was really beautiful to see people coming up with ideas and then other people coming over and reading those ideas.”
And then laughing their socks off...
Uchea said: “A lot of the time, the policymakers are so far removed from those people living the reality.”
Let's see some of your 'reality' then?
“An interest-free business loan would help turn someone who is running a business as a drug dealer, which does take some business sense, into something with a better purpose.”
Amazing! It boils down to 'Bribe us with taxpayer money not to be criminals'..! Who'd ever have guessed?

Wednesday 28 August 2019

" I taw a puddy tat as plain as he could be!"

Sally Williams and her son, Steve, were walking their dog in the grounds of St Peter’s C of E Church, in Powick, when they saw the large, black animal.
Ah. I forgot about Silly Season.
Mr Williams, from Bransford, said: “I noticed it run across the churchyard, and I thought it was a fox.
"I even said, ‘oh there’s a fox.’
A black fox? They are pretty rare! Rarer than the 'British Big Cat', even...
“Then it stopped, and I saw it was some sort of big cat.
"I would say it was about medium dog sized, like a spaniel.
“After I realised it wasn’t a fox, I started videoing.”
He added: “I was a little unnerved by it, and just a bit shocked.
“My mum was a bit scared.”
Of a cat the size of a spaniel?
“It does look like it has a collar on, so if it is something like a puma it could have escaped or been let loose from someone who owned it.”
Or...it could be a cat?
“I looked up puma and it fits the description.”
I'd like to know where you looked it up, then, as pumas are never black.

All Local Politics Is An Ego Boost, Peter...

...after all, why aren't you sticking to frying chips?
In a blunt resignation letter seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Paul Van Looy outlined his reasons for leaving the Independent Group.
“In my opinion some of the coalition just wanted cabinet post to boost their ego.
“With a Labour leader and the coalition, in my opinion they haven’t got the balls to get rid of the dead wood council officers at the civic centre, which needs to be done ASAP.”
Hmmm, you may well have a point there, though...
Council leader Ian Gilbert hit back at the comments from Mr Van Looy saying it is inappropriate to attack council officers who are not able to defend themselves.
Not able to defend themselves, eh? I bet Peter has a few planning applications denied in the future. And he'd better be very careful where he parks, too!

Tuesday 27 August 2019

"What's Up, Skip? Shall I Call The Police?"

The area, which is less than two miles from Windsor Castle, reportedly has a problem with a specific gang which targets wild animals.
One resident said: 'Last month they kicked a seagull like a football in front of everyone. It died 15 minutes later...
'Anything that flies will be shot at — they've even killed swans.'
Absolutely disgusting. What are the police doing?

Oh. Hang on. It's the useless bastards at Thames Valley's patch, isn't it?
A police spokesperson said: 'Thames Valley Police was called at around 5pm on Wednesday to reports that a wallaby had been seen in a park in Allen Way, Datchet.
'The wallaby was safely recovered and is now in the care of wildlife experts.'
Yeah. Like I figured. Nothing.

Another Of Those 'Extremely Rare' Incidents...

...you know, the ones that seem to happen with monotonous regularity:
On April 17 last year, shortly after midnight, the victim, a man in his twenties, was sat listening to music alone on a train from London Bridge to Norwood Junction. Duncan approached him from behind and punched him to the back of the head, before asking him “do you want to die tonight?”
He went on to pull a pair of nail scissors from his pocket and lunged towards the victim’s neck, who thankfully managed to block Duncan’s forearm and deflect the impact.
The victim was able to call 999 and officers arrested Duncan at Norwood Junction station.
Ah, don't you feel enriched?
In his police interview, Duncan claimed he’d drunk a lot of Jack Daniels that night and couldn’t remember the incident.
Yeah, Sure.
Yesterday (August 8), the judge sentenced him to two years and nine months in prison.
Which makes me think he had a lot of previous.
British Transport Police Inspector Malcolm McCulloch said: “While this was a shocking attack, I would like to remind the public that unprovoked incidents such as this are thankfully extremely rare on the rail network.”
Sadly, they aren't. As a glance through the local crime reports in any newspaper will tell you.

Monday 26 August 2019

You Know What The Explanation Will Be, Emma...

...it'll be 'Well, who cares if we are incompetent, the process is the punishment':
Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot found Paul Bussetti, 47, not guilty after it emerged the clip that sparked outrage online may not have been his.
Another disaster for the CPS, but why should they care, when it's only taxpayer money?
Mrs Arbuthnot told Westminster magistrates: "Putting this sort of video on the internet even in a private WhatsApp group could in certain circumstances constitute a offence.
"But in this case the Crown have not discharged the burden on them, I cannot be sure the video circulated on by the crown is the one by the defendant.
"The thoroughly offensive racist remarks and images sent by the defendant and others on a regular basis cannot fill the holes in the crown's case."
Clearly, the CPS goons forgot that they can't simply say 'these are horrible people' and expect that to be all that's needed. They actually have to have a case.

Oh, and follow the rules:
She praised Bussetti's defence barrister Mark Summers QC for spotting a police interview transcript of Peter Hancock admitting to also sharing the bonfire video had not been disclosed to the defence.
More disclosure fuckups, CPS..? Weren't the recent sex case failures enough of a warning?
She said: "Had these issues been raised at half time I may well have upheld Mr Summers submission of no case.
"Had Mr Summers raised an abuse of process that too may have succeeded.
"It seems on the face of it however the very latest this morning warnings bells should have been ringing.
"It's Mr Summers keeping his wits about him who prevented potentially a miscarriage of justice."
She said she will expect an explanation over the "appalling" disclosure failings by the senior prosecutor in the case.
The explanation is staring her in the face, and if she doesn't understand this, Fahrenheit211 will tell her the plain truth; the CPS has been so corrupted by political correctness, and infiltrated by Common Purpose, that it's no longer fit for purpose.

"I Have Spawned, Worship Me!"

A quarter of parking spaces reserved for parents with children are being abused by other drivers.
An investigation by comparison website Confused.com found 26 per cent of bays observed were used by someone without a child in the car.
It appears drivers are wrongly taking advantage of parent and child parking spaces, leaving mums and dads battling to find spaces with young children in tow.
There's remarkably little sympathy in the comments, with most people sympathetic to disabled spaces, but finding parent & child priority a step too far.
The company asked drivers why they abused the rules, with the most popular response being they ‘wanted to park close to the entrance’.
We all do. Why should those who have procreated get first dibs?

Saturday 24 August 2019

Their Powers Of Deduction Are Incredible...

A 92-year-old retired dental nurse was seriously hurt after being mowed down in the street by a man on a mobility scooter.
Mrs Wicken’s daughter Helen Lee, 57, from Sunbury-On-Thames, said the rider stopped to check on her but left when other witnesses arrived. She said that the pensioner cried, “I’m in so much pain ... he hit me from behind, I didn’t even see him” before two people came to her aid.
Mrs Wicken is still receiving treatment in hospital and Mrs Lee says the family are considering legal action against the scooter rider, if they can identify him, after police deemed it an accident.
If it had been a retired police officer mown down, do you think they'd have been so quick to dismiss it?

And...so what if it was an accident? Don't they have a duty of care to find this idiot to prevent more 'accidents'?

Pity She Didn't Do It Before The Birth...

Defending, Paul Mendelle QC said Brazil's mother had taken her own life when he was 10 years old and that he was 'a deeply damaged individual who has been damaged by his traumatic early life'.
Reading a statement from Brazil, he said: 'I'm very sorry for what happened to this lady. I feel really bad and now I have to live with it.'
'Living with it' doesn't seem to have been that much of a problem for him:
Brazil, of Epsom, Surrey, has 46 previous convictions for 79 offences including battery, burglary and sexual offences, the court was told.
Still, he was 'remorseful' according to his brief. So that must count for somethi...

Oh!
Brazil told Judge Jonathan Black to 'f*** your mum's c***' and stormed from the dock as he was jailed for 20 years and three months with an extended licence period of three years.
Should have called him back and added another few years.

Friday 23 August 2019

Trust, But...Wait.

A shop worker stuffed thousands of pounds worth of notes in his pants from the safe.
Chris Lam was caught on camera taking the money from the Cex shop in Western Road, Brighton.
Ooops!
It was just months after he was sacked for stealing thousands of pounds from Cotswold Outdoor Co where he invented fake receipts.
Wait, what? Why did Cex employ him then?
“It was not reported to the police, but he was dismissed.”
Ah. But wait!
He was previously jailed for four months in 2011 for fraud, and was cautioned for theft by an employee in 2008.
/facepalm
Judge David Rennie said he had been “thoroughly dishonest”, but gave Lam six months to prove his sincerity about paying back the money.
/doublefacepalm
Jason Halsey, defending, said Lam made full admissions to the thefts at the first opportunity, and said he is currently in work, earning £23,000 per year.
WHO IS EMPLOYING HIM? WHO?!?
He told Lam: “You have been thoroughly dishonest on a number of occasions in your life. You are saying all the right things, but I would say the same if I were facing prison.
“If you pay back the money it will be an impressive response that I would consider carefully.
“There may be better ways of managing your problems which led you to take stupid decisions.”
You could cut his thieving hands off? Maybe there's something to this sharia law thing after all?

The Price Of Safety Is Eternal Vigilance

...or as Tim put it the other day, "As the Stasi knew well, there are always narks...":
Two men were arrested over the weekend after passengers overheard them talking about knives.
BTP officers boarded a train at Wimbledon station at 5pm on August 10 following a report of two men discussing carrying knifes and theft.
One of the men, aged 24, was detained at the scene and arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife and theft.
The second man, also 24, fled onto the train tracks. He was found in nearby Cromwell Road and was arrested on suspicion of trespass.
More of this, please!

Thursday 22 August 2019

No, No, There's No Proof It's Harmful...

Statements from four of Ahmed Nur’s friends were read out at the inquest today by the coroner, Mary Hassell, at the inquest at St Pancras coroner’s court.
Their evidence laid bare the stress and trauma Ahmed Nur was going through before his death. As well as dealing with the distress of being imprisoned and tortured as a child in Eritrea before he fled, he was constantly worrying about his family, especially his younger brother, who was in prison in Egypt, and his older brother, who was in Sudan. He felt he should be providing support for both of them but was unable to do so.
His friends said he turned to alcohol and cannabis.
Because that helps!
After he was stopped and searched by the police, he became convinced that because he was smoking cannabis he was going to have his refugee status revoked and would be arrested and imprisoned for a long time and deported back to Eritrea. He believed that he was being followed, that there were videos about his drug use on YouTube, and that his drug use was being broadcast by newsreaders on the BBC and by TV sport commentators when he watched football matches.
QED

Tough On Knife Crime..?

Levi Allen, 28, had the blade in Lottbridge Drove, Eastbourne in June.
He admitted possessing the weapon at Hastings Magistrates’ Court, where he was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence.
Allen, of Seaside, Eastbourne, was spared prison because he showed remorse, and his last offence was committed eight years ago.
Don't make me laugh!

Wednesday 21 August 2019

"...they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR DOORMATS!"

South Essex Homes has been removing the items from homes at a block of flats in Shannon Close, Leigh.
One resident said he refused to let the association workers remove his plant table and doormat out of protest.
David Carr said: “What the association is doing is absurd and so unjust.
“I am prepared to be arrested and even go to prison to stop them from taking my doormat and plant table.
“I have lived here 38 years and so many people compliment me on my plant table and how it makes the landing area so nice and homely.
“I feel this is unwarranted harassment of people who are trying to keep their homes nice.”
So there! Health and safety be damned!
The 75-year-old added: “Of course I do not want our flats to be dangerous in any way but this is just over the top. “When the South Essex Homes worker came to take my items I told them I would be prepared to stop them and they knew I meant it.”
I bet they were terrified!
A spokesman for South Essex Homes said: “We understand this may appear stern, however the safety of residents is always paramount.”
Hmmm, sure, I'm convinced.

Not That Bright Or Intelligent Then....

An immigration source told the Times that the woman’s family said (she) was ‘a bright, intelligent woman with a PhD who wanted to start a new life’.
...or she'd have applied the legal way, rather than try to get in illegally.

Tuesday 20 August 2019

Surrogate Families Like The Mansons?


How on earth can anyone be so thick?


Ah. Say no more...

H/T: MarcherLord via Twitter

When Did He Find The Time For Coppering?

Ruston pays child support for three children from his failed marriage and also provides for a child he has fathered with a new partner as well as her four children, Mr Doble added.
Which is his excuse for failing an integrity test. And, as the judge pointed out:
"The circumstances of this case are an undercover police officer gave you lost property and he did so to test your integrity. And they don't do it randomly."
Quite!

Monday 19 August 2019

I Guess 'Promising Footballer' Isn't A Cliche After All...

One resident, 50, told the Sun Online: 'I saw the body on the door path. People said it was two or three boys who attacked him.
'He tried to knock the door, saying, 'Help me'. People were scared, that is why nobody opened.'
Mr Smith had played youth football for Southampton but had 'gone off the rails' after he was released from the club, according to friends.
*rolls eyes*
The victim was the 15th teenager to be murdered in London this year - 14 of whom have been fatally stabbed, and the 75th teenager to be killed in the capital since Sadiq Khan was elected Mayor just three years ago.
#Khanage
Tourists staying at the four-star Melia White House Hotel, just yards from the scene, told of their shock. Jose Blanco, 20, a student from the Dominican Republic who is staying at the hotel with his family, said: 'I had heard about rising crime in London on the news, but I didn't expect someone to be killed next to my hotel.'
Nei Barbosa, 48, from Paraná in Brazil, is staying at the hotel on his first visit to London with his partner Carla. He said: 'We thought that London was extremely safe. I can't believe someone was killed just outside our hotel. We will definitely be very careful for the rest of our stay.'
When people from Dominica and Brazil say they feel unsafe, you know something's not right!
A construction manager, 52, who was working in Regent's Place opposite the hotel, said: 'Come on Boris, sort it out! We have been too weak for too long.
'I say bring it on to stop and search. People say it's racist, but if you are not carrying anything you've got nothing to worry about.'
A logistics worker, 24, delivering drinks to the hotel, said: 'It's sad. It's just kids killing kids. They don't think about how it will affect their families.
'Look around you: there's a Lamborghini right there, with a nice hotel and fancy apartments next to it. A boy was stabbed nearby.
'It's symbolic. Kids don't want to work these days. They listen to songs and want to get rich quick by doing terrible things.'
Time Priti Patel listened to these people, and not the excusers on the Left.

They Demand 'Respect'...

...but they never show any:
The unauthorised encampment of van dwellers has sparked public outrage after taking up residence at the Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Warren Road, Woodingdean.
The group of nine caravans arrived at the 37-acre lawn memorial, which has specialist areas set aside for Muslims, Quakers and other denominations, on Saturday afternoon.
They had been moved on from Stanmer Park.
It's about time the police followed them out of the county, to make sure they leave. And if the police from the neighbouring county pick up the trail and do the same, maybe they'll finally get the message...
"I was told they were being moved on yesterday but they’re still there today, riding their quad bikes in and around a cemetery - one that my dad is buried in. Absolutely vile."
Of course they are. Just as the police are ineffective:
Police have attended the site but nine caravans remain.
*sighs*

Saturday 17 August 2019

And After That, Talking To Your Passengers..?

Tougher restrictions on drivers using mobile phones, including extending the ban to hands-free devices, should be considered, MPs have said. The transport select committee said using any type of mobile phone while driving had potentially catastrophic consequences.
Although it acknowledged there would be practical challenges, it recommended that the government launch a public consultation on criminalising the use of hands-free devices by drivers.
But people are still driving around using mobiles in a non-hands free manner with impunity. I see one or two every day, if not more.

And why? Because there's no enforcement.
Motoring organisations the RAC and the AA backed calls for a review and said enforcement was a crucial factor.
Exactly!
Edmund King, the AA president, said: “Offenders think the chance of being caught is minimal. Following a reduction of specialist traffic officers by a third, a good deterrent would be to have more cops in cars targeting those tempted to pick up the phone.”
Only one problem: how are they going to report their arrest? They'll have to pull over, because what's the difference between a hands-free mobile, and a radio?

The Consequence Of Illegal Actions

Mr Connors was struck on the A2016 Eastern Way dual carriageway last July while racing his cart.
Carts can be used on highways in the UK so long as the driver complies with the Department for Transport’s Code of Practice for Horse-Drawn Vehicles, reports the Highway Code.
However cart racing is illegal and not allowed on UK roads.
A spokesperson for the Met police told MailOnline: 'Racing, in a cart or car, is not an acceptable way to travel.'
No, it isn't. Why don't you enforce it, then? You know it happens. You know who does it. You know now what the consequences of tiptoeing around these 'people' can be, after all.
Mr Budd was ordered to complete two 18 month long community orders requiring him to complete 300 hours of unpaid work for causing death by dangerous driving and 100 hours for damaging property, in respect to the horse.
Both are to run at the same time. He was also disqualified from driving for two years.
Personally, I think the ratio of those points is the wrong way round. The horse was worth more, in every sense of the word.

Friday 16 August 2019

They Never Stop...


You thought they'd give up at plastic shopping bags? Where have you been...?
High-street stores and online retailers hand out hundreds of millions of hangers every year – even though the overwhelming majority cannot be recycled and around half of them end up in landfill or the ocean.
And, of course, the answer is to soak the public. Again.
There is growing support for a war on plastic hangers, with politicians, campaign groups and even the hanger industry itself demanding a compulsory 5p charge, similar to the successful levy on plastic bags. The hanger mountain has been described as a scandal ‘hidden in plain sight’.
The real scandal is how we are allowing ourselves to be driven into bankruptcy by green campaigners...

Common Elements...

Decent, hardworking victim:
Mr Duncan's family said in a statement: 'Peter was a kind and caring man who was always first to help others.
'He was a devoted father, husband, son, brother, uncle and friend and loved by all who knew him. His death will leave such a huge hole in our lives.'
Utter scum waste of oxygen perps:
Stephen Humphries, 34, a waiter, added: 'There was a group of people around the guy on the floor, clutching his chest. There was a group of young lads running around shouting, they did not seem too bothered.
'The young lads were swearing and saying 'he was going to get it' and 'it was coming to him'.'
Ineffective revolving door criminal justice system:
Chief Superintendent Ged Noble said the inquiry into Mr Duncan's death is at an early stage but said it appears he was attacked at the entrance to the shopping centre.
He added: 'We have very quickly made seven arrests. The persons involved are known to us.'
This latest murder is a microcosm of modern UK life, isn't it?

Thursday 15 August 2019

It's Noticeable That This Doesn't Happen At Every Type Of Music Festival...

A trio of councillors have blasted the processes that led to four men being stabbed at a music festival in Morden over the weekend.
 Unusually for Lib Dems, they aren't blaming 'poverty', 'Tory underinvestment' or 'policing failures'...
“The festival was only approved after organisers gave assurances about the security measures in place. Clearly something went seriously wrong.
“As an immediate step, the Liberal Democrat group has written to the Council to call for a formal review of security arrangements at the festival. We will also be pushing to ensure that councillors are kept fully briefed at every stage of the review, so that we can keep residents informed and ensure that their concerns are adequately addressed.
“I hope that any review can consider whether knife arches or further weapons searches could be used at future events of this type.
“When I speak to local people on the doorstep, crime comes up repeatedly as a real concern. Residents deserve to be able to feel safe in this area, and that is why preserving a proper local police presence is a priority for me and my fellow Liberal Democrat councillors.”
Makes a change, You're usually tying their hands so they can't do anything about yobbery!
Cannon Hill Councillor Nick McLean as well as Dundonald's David Dean think that the event should no longer be held at Morden Park altogether.
“Merton’s parks are there for everyone to enjoy," Cllr Dean said. "It was very clear from last year’s event that residents were aggrieved with the noise, litter, loss of parkland, overcrowding in Morden, drugs and apparent lawlessness. It appears that this year’s event has surpassed the previous one in its anti social behaviour and has added violence to its litany of complaints.
"Merton Council should not have entertained another year of aggro. It’s time to say goodbye to this unpopular pastime.”
Excellent! Finally, standing up for decency! What a refreshing change.

Now, about that Notting Hill Carnival...

Animals Owning Animals...

A dog was left in severe pain after a leg fracture and chronic dental disease were left untreated by its owners.
Lurcher Bing's condition deteriorated so badly that he had to be put to sleep. His owners Anthony Sellars, John Sellars and Merrissa Sellars have now been prosecuted by the RSPCA.
They pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to Bing - who they had owned since he was around one-year-old.
As usual, the perpetrators are the type you'd expect:


Ugh!
Anthony Sellars, 49, John Sellars, 21, and Merrissa Sellars, 29, - all of Clyde Street, Chopwell - will be sentenced at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court on September 6.


Comment of the month!

Wednesday 14 August 2019

"Thorin sits down and starts to sing about gold..."

'...for 45 minutes every Monday in 22 episodes, soon on Prime!'
A JRR Tolkien expert working on Amazon’s forthcoming multi-series adaptation of The Lord of the Rings has claimed that the retail and streaming giant has been refused permission by the estate to use the bulk of the book’s plot.
Eh...?
Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey, who is supervising the show’s development, told German fansite Deutsche Tolkien that the estate has refused to allow the series to be set during any period other than the Second Age of Middle-earth.
This means Amazon’s adaptation will not cross over at all with events from the Third Age, which were dramatised in Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning trilogy and sees hobbit Frodo Baggins destroy the One Ring.
So, it's a prequel? You know, I think fans and viewers will still tune in, somehow.

It's Always Men's Fault...

Knife possession offences involving women in England have increased steeply since 2014 - rising by at least 10% every year, police figures show.
Yeah, it's gangs and enrichment, of course...
Youth workers say some women carry weapons for gangs as they are less likely to be stopped by police.
But wait! Surely, somehow...?
Jennifer Blake is a former gang leader from Peckham, in south London, who now works as a community support worker and independent gangs consultant.
"For some women it's a normal thing to have in your bag, like lipstick," she says. "We have got girls that stab, but it's just like the elephant in the room. No-one wants to talk about it because no one knows how to deal with it.
"Everywhere you go you have problems with girls and their identity, their self-worth and those are the vulnerable ones that boys end up picking up."
Yup! Thought so.

Tuesday 13 August 2019

"Have You Got A Licence For That Sense Of Humour, Sir?"

Gwent Police released a mugshot of Jermaine Taylor, 21, from Newport, south east Wales on Wednesday as he wanted on recall to prison.
But their appeal for help in finding him was met with facetious comments, with many choosing to use the opportunity for a joke.
Really? Why?

Oh...
Lea Hook wrote: 'He was last seen in town; Police are combing the area.' While Matt Price said: 'Push his release date back further than his hair line, that should teach him.'
Heh! Well, who could fail to...

Wait. What?
... after the barage (sic) of comments, with some 80,000 now having been left, Gwent Police said: 'Please remember that harassing, threatening and abusing people on social media can be against the law.
'Our advice is to be as careful on social media as you would in any other form of communication.
'If you say something about someone which is grossly offensive or is of an indecent, obscene or menacing character, then you could be investigated by the police.'
If Boris Johnson and Priti Patel are serious about ensuring the criminals fear the police again, then the first way they could go about it is demanding that police social media departments are razed to the ground...

Keep Death Off The Roads...

...oh, wait!
Judge Peter Ross, sentencing Partridge to 240 hours unpaid work, described his actions as 'almost suicidal'.
He added: "It was appallingly reckless and dangerous driving."
Judge Ross said what made the incident so serious was Partridge had made the 'deliberate decision' to turn off speed limiting in the ambulance so he could go faster.
He added, however, that Partridge was 'hard-working' and decided not to impose a prison sentence or suspended sentence so he could pursue a nursing course.
I hope if Judge Ross is ever wheeled into a NHS hospital for treatment, he sees this walking disaster area standing there with a bedpan.

Monday 12 August 2019

Take, Take, Take...

I told you we hadn't seen the last of this story:
Shukri’s uncle Mustaf Omar, 29, said: “We are not happy with the lack of information in the report. It’s a whitewash. We hoped the school would interview Shukri’s mother for this report and other parents whose children might have experienced bullying but they weren’t approached.
“It was very insulting that we were asked to go to the police station to receive this school report. We asked for an interpreter for Shukri’s mum, Zamzam, but there was no interpreter there. Zamzam just sat there crying. In the end we walked out of the police station in protest about the way we were treated.”
*rolls eyes*
Shukri’s mother, Zamzam Arab Ture, is calling on the school to be investigated for a potential breach of its duty of care towards pupils.
She said: “If the rights we came to this country for exist I want something done.
You've got a bloody nerve demanding your 'rights' when you haven't even bothered to learn the language of the country you came to!
An investigation has been launched into whether police treated Shukri’s family “less favourably” because of their ethnic background.
Of course it has.

A Blast From The Past...

Back in 2015, this post got a 'Post of the Month'.

Has anything changed since then?
Mum-of-four Becky Bryant, 40, told Sun Online: "(The victims) were in a large group of around 30. A lady was crying and screaming as two people comforted her.
"It was an Asian family. The ladies all had their head-wear on. The last lady that got pulled out, she definitely had her clothing on."
Guess not.

Saturday 10 August 2019

"Britons, never never never shall be slaves..."

Malcolm Venton, 77, and partner Lorraine Ellis, 64, were among seven people in their street and 20 residents in the whole of Whaley Bridge to stay put.
He said: 'It's vindicated us really, I felt that we were never in much danger and that's proven to be the case.
A police woman this morning asked me if I was was one of those refusing to move and I sad (sic) 'yes'.
'She said that I was 'foolish' and told me 'we'll be the ones who have to retrieve your bodies'.
After you've completed all the paperwork and risk assessments and waited for backup, you mean?

And...yes, it is your job. Why is it somehow 'selfish' to expect you to do it, should it become necessary?
Local resident Chris George, 48, agreed and said: 'I didn't feel that I was putting myself in harm's way at all and tonight's decision I think reflects that.
'We are only just inside the 'red zone' or 'danger zone' so if anything bad happened I could have run 150 yards or so up the hill to safety.
'I've got a bag ready and packed with clothing and bare essentials should that be the case.
'I wanted to stay within the comfort of my own home, rather be here than some hotel or draughty school hall.
'I've seen the criticisms of those residents people who've stayed put and I can understand that but I really don't think I'm going to be putting myself or others in any danger.'
As it turned out, you weren't. Some will say it was luck, but maybe instead, it was a rational choice having assessed all the dangers?

Dangers that you, as someone living there, might be expected to assess more carefully that a state agent intent of following standard operating procedure...
Kaz Stringer, 47, and her partner Martin George were moved out of their town centre flat on Thursday and were staying with his 70-year-old mother Gillian when they were asked to evacuate again on Saturday.
All three refused and Kaz said: 'We'd already moved once and didn't want to do so again after only two days.
'Besides, this house is on a much higher point and is much better protected from any floodwater so we didn't feel the need to.'
Isn't it nice to see people not blindly obedient to the demands of a stranger in hi-vis?


*sighs* We've clearly still got a long, long way to go...

Only In Liverpool Pt18974532


Wha...?
Peter Higham was jailed for 10 months, and given a 17 month road ban, on Friday after being found guilty of dangerous driving and obstructing an officer in their duty.
 But wait, it gets better!
Judge Gary Woodhall jailed Higham saying that he clearly hadn't learnt his lesson, after previously impersonating members of the emergency services and earning himself the nickname "Fireman Sham".
Now, Higham could see himself losing his beloved job as a bus driver for Stagecoach who he started working for in 2015, less than 10 years after he was convicted of stealing an Arriva bus and accepting fares from passengers.
He was suspended from his jobs when Stagecoach were made aware of Higham's latest offences and have said they will now be carrying out an internal disciplinary process.
 Yes, the obvious question was asked...
When asked how Higham was able to get a job as a bus driver considering his past, Stagecoach told the ECHO that each driver is subject to background checks and in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, some previous convictions can be considered spent.
Is it that difficult to find someone to employ without a criminal conviction in Liverpool then?

Friday 9 August 2019

A Better Question Is 'Who Cares?'...


Despite the growing popularity of professional gaming throughout the world – the audience figures for competitive gaming have reached 450m this year – female competitors remain scarce.
*shrugs*
There certainly are high-profile examples of female pros – trans woman Sasha “Scarlett” Hostyn is one of the most successful Starcraft II players in the world...
I rather think you've just devalued your argument there, Keith...
...figures collected by Nielsen suggest that almost a quarter of the pro gaming audience is female, and in some parts of the world it’s much higher. So why aren’t we seeing that reflected in the Fortnite World Cup?
Because watching isn't the same as doing? But maybe there were reasons for it - barriers women couldn't...

Oh!
The easy answer is because no women qualified. The heats were entirely open and held online over 10 weeks – more than 40m players competed with no restrictions on age or gender.
Keith's convinced it's the 'toxic atmosphere' and 'hostility to females' that the males are guilty of (which you'd think would be evident to the watching female audience too)....

And because 'diversity' is all, this must change! Keith said so!
Though esports revenues are set to hit $1bn this year, it remains a young and immature industry. Working out best practices in terms of encouraging gender diversity is a challenge that will affect every publisher and event organiser in the world over the coming years...
They are making millions, and - presumably - will still make millions even if women don't compete. Why should they feel a need to 'tackle this'..?

Off With Its Head!

Lynsey Beck was taking her son Cody to nursery when the Bullmastiff ran out of its owner’s garden and savaged their six-month-old puppy Harley before turning on her.
The terrifying incident left the mum needing stitches for bite wounds and their Labrador required treatment from a vet.
Dad Colin, who was also present, considered throwing Cody, now six, into a garden in a desperate bid to protect him from the crazed animal, named Eva.
Now, almost three years after the incident, the dog’s owner Moira Hunter and her supporters have written to the Royal Family in a desperate plea to overrule a sheriff who ordered the dog to be put down.
Maybe we'll get lucky, and Her Maj will order a spell in the Tower for the useless arrogant owner too...
The attack happened in December 2016 in Hurlford, Ayrshire. Hunter was in her garden with Eva.
As she saw the family walk down the street with their dog, which was on a lead, she shouted: “Don’t worry, she’s friendly.”
Words that almost always mean 'Attacking incoming!'...
Seconds later, the bullmastiff ran across the road and went berserk.
Lynsey suffered bites to her right hip and hand and ended up with fractured fingers in the attack. Harley also needed stitches to his leg and stomach.
Hunter appeared in Kilmarnock Sheriff Court in January last year where she admitted being in charge of the dog when it was dangerously out of control. She was banned from owning dogs for five years. Sheriff Elizabeth MacFarlane also ordered Eva to be put to sleep.
Why on earth has it taken so long?  Because the owner clearly has more money than sense.
But the animal was given a lifeline after the sheriff’s ruling was referred to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.
The public body referred the case back to the High Court to consider an alternative sanction. But the original sentence was upheld. Now a rarely used legal bid – the royal prerogative of mercy – has been launched as a last-ditch effort to save the dog.
FFS!

The owner is, as expected, the typical dangerous dog owner, convinced she's in the right here, despite the damage her mutt has caused. And the fact she's got form:
Hunter, who has a previous conviction for failing to control a Japanese Akita, claimed the attack had been “blown out of proportion”.
She said: “I’d say that if the dog suffered after that day and had to get behavioural training, then that’s all exaggerated.
“I apologised at the time, The lassie had a wee bite on her hand. I went in to the house to get a cold cloth but she didn’t want it.”
Even our NHS wouldn't recommend a cold cloth for having chunks bitten out of you, would it?

Naturally, there's an animal rights nutcase behind this legal bid.
Animal rights group Fighting Against Breed Specific Legislation have been backing her campaign and said a family has already been lined up for Eva.
The Manson Family...?
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said they did not want to comment.
Can't really blame them...

Thursday 8 August 2019

About Time It Was Renamed Then....


The clean-up was done in collaboration with Pride, which paid for the cleaning of its official areas, provided extra bins and recruited litter pickers.
So they knew in advance that the people attending this thing would behave like animals?

Wouldn't it have been better to simply provide extra council workers to hand out on the spot fines for littering, and then it'd pay for itself!

Meanwhile, down on the beach:
Volunteers showed up in their droves to help clean Brighton beach during Pride weekend.
But they were shocked by the number of laughing gas cannisters they found strewn across the pebbles.
By 10am yesterday several large bin bags had been filled with rubbish including a large number of sacks filled with the small metal containers.
Just what is this to be 'proud' of...?

Dog Bites Man...

...man kicks dog. Wait, did I say 'man'?
Dr Jatinder Dhami twice kicked and stamped on Staffordshire bull terrier, Sasha, after she bit him when he gave her an injection in November 2017.
A receptionist, at Vets4Pets in the Pets at Home in the Springfield Retail Park, Leicestershire, told a committee that she saw Dr Dhami attack the dog.
It's taken two years...?
But the committee ruled that Dr Dhami would be suspended for four months over the incident, rather than being struck off because he provided good references.
*blinks*
Dr Dhami defended his actions, describing them as ‘irrational’ and ‘adrenalin-fuelled’ but denied they were premeditated.
He added that he and his family had been racially targeted since the case.
Ah, the Race Card. Always the card of last resort.
The report read: ‘The committee was particularly impressed by the evidence of a registered veterinary nurse who has worked with the respondent for about 12 months.
‘She had no doubt about the respondent’s professionalism and care for animals.’
In its report, the committee said the suspension would be sufficient ‘to protect the welfare of animals, maintain public confidence and to declare and uphold proper standards of conduct.’
I can but hope he never works for Vets4Pets again.
Two other allegations relating to a kitten and a Jack Russell dog were rejected.
Utter scum.

Wednesday 7 August 2019

And...That's Different To Now, How?

Basu said: “We have done a lot of contingency planning to put things in place. But there are some things you can’t put in place. So there is no contingency planning for not being given passenger name records.
“It would create an immediate risk that people could come to this country who were serious offenders, either wanted or still serial and serious offenders committing crimes in this country, and we would not know about it. ”
So, it'd be just like it currently is, then? And it'd still take us ages to get rid of them? Especially if they claimed asylum...
“As an organisation we have prided ourselves for a very long time … of being an organisation that wants to be anti-racist, inclusive, wants to be diverse.
“What we must not do at any point, now or in the future, is lower our standards in terms of integrity and professionalism, diversity, inclusion.”
You've already lowered them. To the point that the public wonder now if you even have any standards.

"Sure, I like dags. I like caravans more."

A police officer made a "racially inflamed comment" moments before his dog bit a traveller, a court has heard.
Goodness me!
A jury at Birmingham Crown Court was shown CCTV of the moment the 50-year-old's dog bit Andrew Cash's leg.
I hope they served popcorn!
Mr Shaw told jurors the racially aggravated part of the charge related to a word used by PC Birch when he called for back-up.
"It is the prosecution's case that this was a racially inflamed comment," Mr Shaw said.
I think we can all guess, can't we?

H/T: Ted Treen via email

Tuesday 6 August 2019

Wait, Don't They Know Who Was At The Scene?

A former carer who worked with the young man, told The Sun: 'He's one of the most difficult and challenging mental patients I've ever encountered.
'He suffers from schizophrenia and has a tendency towards violence. He is stockily built — about 5ft 10in tall — and gets angry when he is denied something that he wants or is told what to do.
'Something must have gone seriously wrong at the Tate because he's not allowed out unless accompanied by at least two support staff. There will have to be a serious inquiry into what he was doing there.'
Yeah, so the NHS mental health service can 'learn lessons'. Again
Police are investigating whether the teenager escaped from his secure unit or managed to get free of one of his carers, and have confirmed mental health was being explored as a line of inquiry.
They don't know yet? Surely that's the sort of thing that they could find out in 5 minutes?

More Of This, Until They Get The Message...

A taxi driver who refused to take a blind woman and her guide dog was caught as part of a huge crackdown on cabbies breaking the law.
You'll never guess....
Qurban Hussain was booked by a test purchaser carrying out checks on private hire drivers for Kirklees Council.
Well, well, well...
The operation came following reports that there were taxi drivers in the area refusing to pick up disabled passengers and their assistance dogs. The 47-year-old, who works for Pennine Heckmondwike Cars, was booked for a pickup from Morrisons in Heckmondwike at 1pm on June 23 last year. 
At last, councils actually doing their duty!
Gareth Henderson-Moore, prosecuting, said: "On that date Kirklees Council was conducting a covert operation which involved an officer from the council making a booking for a taxi.
"When the taxi arrived she was accompanied by a member of the public who is registered blind and needs an assistance dog to identify whether drivers would accept the booking."
"He attended at the pickup location and there was no issue with accepting the booking until he saw the assistance dog whereby he refused the booking and said he didn't take dogs and told her to get in the car behind."
Heh! Busted!
"I said it's part of his licence under the Equality Act to allow the dog into the car because it's a working dog and he still said 'no'."
She said that once it was clear that Hussain was refusing to take the dog she made the agreed hand signal to two enforcement officers who then came over and spoke with him.
I bet that concentrated his mind somewhat. Though clearly, he thought it was worth pleading ignorance/
Hussain, of Thomas Street in Heckmondwike, pleaded not guilty to failing or refusing to carry out a booking for a disabled person accompanied by an assistance dog.
His solicitor Khalid Hussain said that there was no evidence that the call taker asked Hussain to pick up Ms Wood-Brignall.
"Whether or not he takes the dog is of no consequence. He made it clear he was not the driver allocated."
Luckily, the magistrates weren't having it.
...magistrates found the case proved against Hussain due to the credible evidence of the witnesses and fined him £120. He was ordered to pay £700 towards prosecution costs and £30 victim surcharge.
He should also be barred from applying for a private hire licence for life.

Monday 5 August 2019

Don't You Find It Weird...

...that the people who always rush to declare that the Koran's instructions on gays and infidels have absolutely no bearing whatsoever on the actions of Muslim terrorists are also the same people who are absolutely convinced that a politician's words on immigration are what definitely drove someone to mass murder?

I do.

Finally, Answers...

Speaking after his death, Mr Ashworth's family described him as "sensitive and compassionate".
"Our entire family are still reeling from the shock of Spencer's tragic death and would ask for complete privacy now and around the time of the forthcoming coroner's court proceedings," they said in September 2018.
"Our next statement will be at the conclusion of the coroner's court."
How did this 'sensitive, compassionate' man die?
Firearms police were responding to reports of a motorist travelling on the M5 with a handgun when Mr Ashworth was killed on the A369 Portbury Hundred, Portishead, North Somerset.
According to reports at the time the motorist had allegedly threatened another driver and Mr Ashworth died from gunshot wounds in a red Suzuki Swift.
Ah.
Today (February 11) - almost a year and a half since Mr Ashworth was shot - the IOPC confirmed it had completed its investigation.
However, its findings will not be published until they form part of the inquest hearing into Mr Ashworth’s death- a date for which has not been set.
One to watch.

Sunday 4 August 2019

Otherwise Known As 'A Rifle'...

During the episode, the cooking specialist went hunting to follow the tradition of the Maori people. In one scene, Gordon shot dead a goat on a hill with a rifle-styled gun...
/facepalm

This Is Something My Hunting Games Never Tackled...


...just what sort of calibre do you need to down a 75 ton Scania..?

Sunday Funnies...

Isn't it about time scientists stopped doing stuff like this and got on with designing flying cars?

Saturday 3 August 2019

Don't Mention The War The Immigration Problem...

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer issued a statement condemning 'this appalling act in the strongest terms' and cautioning against drawing conclusions before more is known.
Heh! Good luck with that. We already drew them. And the picture they painted isn't very pretty.

Drawn, as it is, in blood:
How much more to come..?

Are You Having A Laugh?

A window displaying a “stop Brexit” poster was smashed by a thug in an act of “physical retribution”.
The home of former Lib Dem councillor Jean Howes, and Liberal Democrat secretary Bob Howes, was targeted on Tuesday night at 10pm as a “curb-stone” was thrown through the window.
Drunken yobs have been throwing bricks at people's windows since bricks (and windows) were invented.

Why does she think the poster had anything to do with it?
Jean said: “It is a sign of intolerance, and this is what happens when society begins to breakdown, people think they can act this way.
“We live in a democracy....
Errr....yes. We do. We had a vote. A democratic one. Your poster wants to halt the result of that vote.

Here, love. Look up 'democracy' in this:


...and we have been expressing our opinion, we haven’t forced it on anyone, we simply have a poster up.
“It is upsetting, it is sad that people feel the need to do that in such an aggressive way.”
If you were genuinely targeted due to the poster, you really only have yourself to blame. 

Friday 2 August 2019

Lammy: Always Reliably Wrong...



And in the process, David, ensure more innocent motorists suffer instead?
McErlean was later found to have 3.5 micrograms of THC (the active chemical in cannabis) per litre of blood in his system - almost double the legal limit of the active ingredient of cannabis.
'He admitted that he regularly smoked cannabis and had done so since the age of 15,' Ms Broome said.
'He didn't view it as a problem as he passed his driving test under the influence of cannabis.'
What's Lammy under the influence of, though, that's the question...

They Lie. It's Just What They Do.

Priory School in Lewes forced all pupils to wear trousers in 2017 after “concerns” were raised over the length of skirts and to cater to their transgender pupils.
The decision bans all female pupils from wearing skirts. At the time, the school said that only new students would be required to wear the new uniform.
And you believed them?
But it has now announced that all students, not just newcomers, will be required to wear the “gender neutral” uniform.
And parents aren't happy. This is extra expense they haven't budgeted for.
Parents of year 11 pupils are frustrated that they will have to pay out for the new uniform. It is expected to cost about £90 and pupils will wear it for 150 school days.
So there's a bit of a revolt happening. Maybe too little, too late, now, however.
An online petition to “stop Priory school from forcing everyone to wear trousers” has been signed by 132 people.
A legal letter, which has been sent to the school, is threatening to take the decision to Judicial Review.
Shouldn't you have done that from the start?
The Argus contacted the school for comment on the last day of term but the school did not reply.
Heh. All too demob happy, I suspect.

Thursday 1 August 2019

Well, Well, Well...

An 18-year-old convicted of a city centre stabbing will now be locked up after a judge ruled his previous sentence was "too lenient".
Edi Gomes, of Springhead Court, Bulwell, was convicted of a stabbing in Burton Street on March 8 after he pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possessing a bladed article.
On Friday (July 26), the Court of Appeal ruled his previous non-custodial sentence was too lenient and he should be locked up.
That's a nice surprise. It's usually the other way around!

I Think We Know What You Mean...

The furious victim even contacted News Shopper to express her annoyance after being targeted at Croydon Road Recreation Ground.
"Children as young as eight had ran and snatched my bag on a lovely hot day with tonnes of children enjoying the day," she wrote.
The woman left her name but preferred not to be credited for her story. She said she found one of the little culprits who "admitted it was in the bush".
"I got my bag back but unfortunately the phone was gone. The children were of Irish kind and had no supervising adult."
Police have issued a Photofit: