When The Chips Are Down…

A school has admitted removing chips from its menu after they become too popular at lunchtimes.

 No, I know what you're thinking. But this isn't another 'obesity' panic.

King Edmund School, in Rochford (Ed: yup, that one!), has confirmed it has temporarily removed the potato snacks from its lunchtime menu due to the high volume of pupils using the canteen during the two 25-minute breaks they receive.

One student who approached the Echo stated that the change to the menu was the result of a “chaos” breaking out in the canteen queue.

How so?

He said: “The school would always sell chicken and chips or fish and chips every Friday which were undoubtedly the canteen’s most popular item. Around 600 to 800 students would pass through the canteen every Friday purchasing chips.

“However, on February 1, within minutes of break time starting, students were grabbing one another, jumping against each other and even shoving each other over just to get to the front.”

That's undoubtedly a behavioural issue, but trying to serve 800 students in 50 minutes? McDonald's would struggle with that!

Why such a short break period?

The spokesman added: “Students currently receive two 25-minute breaks during the school day, during which they can access the canteen and purchase food.

“They are also able to purchase food from the canteen at the end of the school day at 2.10pm.”

2.10! Things have changed since my day, that's for sure!

You Broke The Law, We'll Tell You Not To Break It Again...

Catherine Akehurst was killed when she was crossing outside her home in Old Shoreham Road, Hove in September 2017.

The 85-year-old had waited until a safe moment to cross, and had nearly reached the other side, but was hit by “idiot boy racer” Adrian Fasan in a Toyota Celica who was speeding at 45mph in a 30mph zone.  

Yes, It's taken 17 months to bring this case to trial. Truly, the wheels grind slowly in our 'justice system'.

And some may wonder if they are even turning at all.

Fasan, who had previous convictions for drink-driving and speeding, had been at a party the night before the crash, and admitted causing death by dangerous driving. He still had high levels of amphetamine in his system, and traces of cocaine.

He's going down for a long stretch, then?

At Lewes Crown Court the 40-year-old was jailed for five years and banned from driving for the next nine years.

He won't serve five years, nothing like it. And since speeding and drug driving are already illegal, what's the betting he ignore his ban when he is released?

Some Ministers Have Balls, Then...

The report, from the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) body, said there had been an increase in hate speech and racist violence in Britain between March 2009 and March 2016.

That old canard again?

No, there had been an increase in reports of hate speech and racist violence. And as Tim Newman points out, the rate of hoaxes and false claims is pretty damn high in these cases.

In an audacious move, the report recommends the British media be barred from reporting the Muslim background of terrorists.

And it comes after multiple terror atrocities by Muslim extremists across Paris, Brussels, Munich and other German cities over the last year.

Over the same period, there have been no major terror attacks in Britain.

I admit, I fully expected our useless notTories to fold like a wet paper bag. But no!

...UK ministers firmly rebutted the remarkable demands, telling the body: 'The Government is committed to a free and open press and does not interfere with what the press does and does not publish...

Hurrah! Well done!

...as long as the press abides by the law.'

That better not be a way of saying 'It's OK, we'll soon change the law to make it illegal'!

H/T: Legiron via Twitter

Well, Yes, Yes, We Would, Actually...

In a series of tweets before the show, Dr MacKinnon wrote: 'I will not participate in a discussion panel that takes them seriously and gives them a platform.

'Would you expect a black person to actively 'debate' a KKK member on civil rights? That's analogous to what you're asking me.'

Because how else can this argument go forward, if you fail to argue your case on its merits?

And it's not quite as ridiculous an ask as you seem to think it is:

Daryl Davis, an R&B musician, has spent decades engaging with the Klan and has evidence he's helped turn hearts away from hate. Davis says he has befriended 200 klansmen over the years who have subsequently left the group. More than 40 of them did so with a simple gesture and a powerful symbol: they relinquished their KKK robes to Davis.

If they can do it, when their opponents have actively murdered them, rather than simply pointed out biological reality, why can't you?

The BBC's editorial guidelines say that guests do not have the right to stop other panelists from appearing on shows or in discussions.

Guidelines the BBC clearly feel are made to be broken...

The BBC said Dr William's invitation had not been withdrawn and that she had instead been asked to appear later on the show, according to The Times.

A BBC spokeswoman told newspaper: 'We invited Dr Williams to appear on the programme and after initially agreeing to join us at a later point in the show she subsequently declined. The offer remains open.'

Weasel words. The only sort we are ever likely to see on this 'debate'.

2019's VirtueSignalling Olympics - The Competition Hots Up!

Refugees were left with tales to tell after a walk on the wild side in Hay-on-Wye.

The Hay Theatre Group ensured the visitors enjoyed their trip to the border town's primary school when they put on a play.

There was also face-painting and craft workshops for the guests at the event organised by the Hay, Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees (HBTSR).

I wonder if this is a regular occurrence. Do they normally do this sort of thing for lonely pensioners or families caring for the disabled?

Supporters and the local community were again on hand to provide food and essentials, and visitors left with a boot-load of food and toiletries not only for themselves but also for the other refugees and asylum seekers served by Unity in Diversity and Swansea Asylum Seekers Support groups.

More fakecharities, no doubt!

One of the refugees said he was so amazed by the beauty of the countryside and the warm welcome received that, if it were possible in the future, he would move to Hay.

If they do, one wonders how long it will be before the Hereford Times has more vibrant and diverse news stories to report on than bingo, birdwatching and artisan bakeries...

H/T:@Fahrenheit211 via Gab

No, It's Not The Police Who Failed...

In the six years before Ms Gazzard's death, Maslin was arrested 23 times for a variety of offences, including domestic violence, criminal damage, possession of Class A drugs and theft.

He was also involved in 24 violent incidents - three involving Ms Gazzard, 12 involving one former partner, two involving another ex, three involving his mother and four against other unconnected people.

Police apologised after a homicide review revealed that numerous agencies knew about his violent history but didn't share information.

And would it have made the slightest bit of difference if they had? Because I think the answer's 'No'...

Many of his victims routinely refused to support action against him and this may have masked the number and the seriousness of his harassment, threats and violence towards them.

As long as some women are attracted to these types, like moths to an open flame, this will go on and on and on.

He Ran A What...?

*boggle*

My Geography Lessons Were Wrong...

...they taught me Africa was a lot further away than that!

Sunday Funnies...

Clearly, the US Postal Service was a great fan of 'Fahrenheit 451'...

Getting A Foot In The Door...

Sat in a studio at London College of Fashion, surrounded by faceless mannequins, bent coat-hangers and ripped fabric, Ammar Alsaker grins indefatigably as he recounts his journey from his home of Damascus to these most unlikely of surroundings.

He has a lot to grin about.

After enduring three years of conflict in Syria, he fled Damascus alone for London, a journey that took nine months and saw him negotiate with people-smugglers, pass through Lebanon, Turkey, Greece, Belgium, Spain and Scotland, and earn thousands of euro as a translator for the world’s media – all as a teenager.

How heartwarming. If you ignore the fact that he was breaking immigration laws.

Once he was granted refugee status, he continued to strive to realise his dreams, applying to universities and repeatedly turning up at Topshop HQ to demand the attention of its most senior executives so that he might land a role with the retailer.

Now 23, in the second year of his bachelor’s degree and working for Topshop, he is focused on his next challenge – to persuade the UK government to relax restrictive rules so he can reunite with his family – including the two-year-old brother he has never met.

I don't understand, what's stopping him? Have we confiscated his passport?

Alsaker hopes sharing his story might challenge negative stereotypes of asylum seekers and refugees and win support for calls to change immigration rules that only allow adult refugees to apply for their spouses or children under 18 to join them.

Ah. Silly me. He doesn't want to visit them. He wants them to come here. Permanently.

“Some might say ‘well, not all refugees have vision and goals,’” he says. “I just want to say that at the end of the day we are not copies of each other, we are different. People like me came here to be productive and benefit this country.”

By first breaking immigration laws, then demanding that we change our laws to benefit you. So we can get the fashion designers we clearly desperately need in the UK.

I don't see much benefit in that deal for me. Does anyone else?