Tweet Of The Month

Post Title Of The Month

Natalie at Samizdata gets to the real heart of the matter:

Quote Of The Month

Recommended by Dave Ward via email, this cracker from LegIron on vaccines for animals:

"The same is true of proteins. These are broken up into amino acids and reassembled into proteins your own body needs. If you are on a low-carb diet, some of that protein is burned for energy too. Eating a sheep does not turn you into a sheep. The education system does that."

Post Of The Month

Bill Sticker with an important list to bookmark... 

Well, We Could Lock The Little Thugs Up..?

At a meeting to discuss community safety following the deaths of Junior and Fares Maatou, resident Mohammad Uddin asked what happened when a young person is under threat.

He said: "It was just really strange for me and others to hear that [Junior] was let back into the community straight after he was attacked, even though he was vulnerable."

Mr Uddin asked: "What is being done to coordinate a response if something happens, if there is a threat or intelligence of an incident? How can people be taken out of situations which may be harmful for them?"

...but then I expect people like you wouldn't like that either.

A Met spokesperson said: "They were taken to hospital by paramedics where their injuries were not life threatening."

She added that both victims had decided not to support an allegation. Enquiries led to the arrest of a 29-year-old man on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent.

However, he was released with no further action.

What else can they do? 

If Junior was determined to keep his appointment in Sammara, who are the police to stand in his way? 

Keisha McLeod, mother of Corey Junior Davis who was killed in 2017, said the deaths of Junior and Fares made it feel as if she had lost her son all over again.

Ms McLeod said children in Newham have an embedded fear and distrust towards services.

It's not 'services' that are killing them on the streets, it's their own community! 

The police are, understandably, a little frustrated: 

Det Ch Supt Tucker replied: "I can understand why people don't get on with police because we are the enforcers.

"People going around killing people? There should be such a robust response. If you know something, you've got a duty as a citizen to tell the police.

"When all these children say they don't trust the police, do we challenge them? Why not? It's too easy to criticise."

Indeed it is. 

Three In A Row!

That's a hat trick in anyone's book!

Looks Like I Picked The Right Time...

...to rewatch 'Fringe' from the first season on StarzPlay!

Sunday Funnies...

Mother Nature's a bitch...and she never lets you forget it.

Disgusting Behaviour..? It Certainly Is!

Samiul Islam draped a Palestinian flag over his car bonnet before parking up outside the Kantor King Solomon High School - which is a state comprehensive - in Barkingside, east London.

Ten officers in six police cars later swooped on the Bangladeshi student and handed him a £90 fine for causing 'harassment and distress' in breach of a Public Order Act.

For once, I'm not going to complain over police overmanning. I'm just delighted that the Barkingside police aren't capitulating in the face of such blatent provocation like the police in Luton. 

Of course, this uppity little shit proclaims himself the victim:

Mr Islam said he was waiting in his car to pick up his siblings from the school when a man and a woman approached him and made offensive comments about Palestine.He described the situation as 'stupid' and 'disgusting', adding: 'How does someone with a flag on their bonnet cause the public a threat?'

'I've been harassed by three members of the public for sitting in my car and using the phone,' he claimed.

'But to them I'm a bigger threat because I have a flag on my bonnet which caused them to call for six other police cars to come.

'There were around 10 officers for what over a flag when they could be out there dealing with real criminals and crimes.'

Breach of public order is a crime. You want to protest about Palestine, Heathrow's over that way. Go protest there. 

And they sent so many officers because they know what the likely reaction will be to anyone trying to tell your sort to keep your primitive tribal hatreds under wraps in public...

He also vowed to fight the fine, adding: 'I most certainly am taking it to court. I'm not paying that never. Disgusting behaviour that is.'

You're right there. But it's not the police displaying it, it's you.  

Well, Of Course They Did...

The children’s commissioners of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have written to the UK government calling on it to scrap the controversial two-child limit restricting the amount that larger families can receive in social security benefits.

They want to ensure their jobs. So of course, they need to increase child misery, and what better way to do it than by fighting government plans to decrease it?

While the administrations in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast have put tackling child poverty at the top of their agenda, the control of benefits such as universal credit and child tax credit is not devolved, which limits their power to make changes that could help youngsters experiencing deprivation.

Sensible decision not to devolve it; the government clearly saw what would happen. 

The limit, which was introduced as way of cutting £1bn a year from the welfare bill, bars parents from claiming the child element in tax credits or universal credit for third or subsequent children born after 6 April 2017.

The loss of benefits is worth £2,900 per child per year. The open letter to Coffey claims the limit breaches children’s rights to an adequate standard of living and is contributing to a rising gap in poverty levels between families with three or more children and smaller households.

If anyone's 'breaching children's rights to an adequate standard of living', it's their parents first and foremost. And then the advocates for indiscriminate and irresponsible breeding.  

It also noted that the policy also has disproportionate impacts on social groups where larger families are more common, such as some minority faith and ethnic groups and in Northern Ireland, where families are larger than the rest of the UK.

Ah, if all else fails, proffer the Race Card.  

Strange How You Have To Go Back Decades Though...

Dr Nadira Mirza, who is also the deputy chair of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, says that last year's events - in which Floyd, a black man, was killed by white police officer Derek Chauvin - highlighted how "racism still seems to be ingrained in society".

Dr Mirza says that racism is not a new issue, adding that she faced her own struggles when she first moved to Bradford as an academic in the late 1970s - at a time when South Asian women like herself were "rarely seen" in higher education settings.

Surely if it's so prevalent in society you should have an anecdote or two from last month? 

Even last year? 

I'm Going To Let Gordon Handle This One...

Matt Hancock has pledged to improve access to GPs after family doctors complained they were being overwhelmed.

Doctors say they have been set an 'undoable' task by ministers, with pent-up demand from the pandemic creating a 'tsunami' of patients.

Gordon Ramsay Chef Ramsay GIF from Gordonramsay GIFs

The numbers visiting GPs increased by 20 per cent last month, according to analysis of NHS England figures by the Health Foundation.

Wait, despite this 'deadly pandemic' the population has increased by 20%..? Really? 

In the first year of the pandemic, 31million fewer GP appointments were carried out than normal... 

No, didn't think so! It's just the system reverting to normal, and the lazy bastards having to go back to working for a living!

...as patients put off seeing doctors over fears of catching Covid or burdening the NHS.

I'm pretty sure the majority of them didn't have a choice, as GPs closed up faster than speakeasy owners in 20s Chicago when Elliot Ness and his men hove into view... 

Yes, I Wonder Too...

Was sent this by a reader, who said:

"Went for a Covid Test here in Gloucester yesterday. They gave me a piece of paper (below) which presumably they have handed out to tens or even hundreds of thousands of people. I wonder what sort of "career" can do that."

Answers on a postcard?

H/T:Clive Day via email

Irony Writ Large...

As Tweeted by the Head of Neighbourhood policing for Lambeth and Southwark: 

Oh to be a fly on the wall in the Abbott household when that Tweet hit Twitter!

H/T: Melindi Scott via Twitter

The Do-As-You-Likeys Do...Well, You Know.

The 800 year old Wickham Horse Fair, which usually attracts thousands, had been cancelled for the second consecutive year to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Signage had been placed on all main routes into the village of Wickham, Hants, but that didn't stop dozens of travellers bringing their horses for the annual event.

Roads into the village were said to have been completely blocked as police tried to disperse the crowds which had gathered in the square.

And the locals are furious with the ...

Wait. With the cops? What?

Tina O'Nion, who owns hair and nail salon Wispers in the village square, said the 'frustrating' road closures had stopped customers turning up.

The 46 year old said: "The fair has been on for years and that's fine - I used to come down as a child.

"This is only our fourth week since reopening and as a business we have been shut for eight months out of 12.

"We had a notification that the fair was cancelled and that we could trade.

"My main issue is not with the travellers - I think it was a complete overreaction to close the roads leading to the square, and as a result we have lost our custom.

"I'm just so frustrated that here we are trying to get our business back on its feet and this was an inconvenience we did not need."

Don't blame the police for this! They are guilty only of being naive enough to think that a 'community' that makes a point of ignoring laws they don't feel apply to them would take the slightest bit of notice. 

"There must be about 150 travellers in the square now. They're not causing any harm, really, but there could have been some more planning on this."

There was 'planning', but clearly, it wasn't adhered to. So how exactly are they 'not causing harm'? 

Laura Haste is the manager of The Square Cow pub, which directly faces the crowds of travellers, kettled into an area just off the square.

The mother of three said: "We closed yesterday tea time. Once we realised the cancellation was going to be ignored, we decided to close for the day.

"We were in the midst of a national lockdown last year when the event wasn't on, but this year it was always going to be harder to stop people from coming.

"Some of the gypsies were in the pub last night, and they were pleasant enough.

"But it has affected trade in the square today. We have been really busy all this week before today - things were just starting to get going again.

"I think it was always inevitable that it was going to happen today, because they missed it last year and it's a tradition that has gone back centuries.

"We will open up tomorrow. I think it will be by then - we have a busy weekend ahead of us."

The fatalism of these people is astounding. 

This wasn't a natutal disaster like a flood or bad weather - it was a 'community' that decided the laws that had inconvenienced everyone else, but which they had put up with for the greater good (no matter how misguided those laws might be) didn't apply to them.

And the police, who must know in their hearts that their instructions would be ignored, tried to deal with it within the constraints the law allows them. And they are the target of the ire of the local businesses. 

H/T: ir.jackson via email

Keep Clapping For Them, Fools....

Mr Harriss recalled: “The ambulance crew were not very concerned about the dog bite, but they were concerned about her blood pressure and heartbeat. There was no obvious sign of infection and the wound was clean. They were particularly concerned she was very dehydrated after her sickness.

“It’s a very unusual occurrence. However, it’s concerning that A&E doctors are unaware that a dog bite which isn’t oozing pus or is a wound that needs stitches might still be a problem where the patient is exhibiting the signs of sepsis.

“The big question is bluntly: if she had been pumped full of antibiotics as soon as she got there, would that have made a difference? What is clear is that the hospital didn’t regard the dog bite as a problem. They were convinced at the time that she had died of Covid, and much of her treatment was Covid-related.

“The A&E and ICU doctors admitted they were completely unaware of this type of bacteria when I questioned them at the inquest. Not giving her antibiotics straight away seems to me ridiculous.”

Seems negligent to me. 

Kathryn Halford, chief nurse at Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust, which runs King George hospital, said: “This was a very tragic case and our thoughts are with Mrs Alexander-Harriss’ family.

“This Prevention of Future Deaths report, addressed to Public Health England, will play an important role in raising awareness of the organism Capncytophagia canimorsus, among health professionals across the country.”

How many years have dogs been around..? 

I'm Waiting, Channel Five...

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has admitted that casting Tilda Swinton in the 2016 MCU film Doctor Strange was a mistake.

In the superhero film — and later in Avengers: Endgame — Swinton, 60, played The Ancient One, a character that is portrayed in the comic books as an older Asian man.

Swinton excelled in the role, as did Ejiofor, playing Baron Mordo (who in the comics isn't black).  

'We thought we were being so smart, and so cutting-edge,' he said. 'We’re not going to do the cliché of the wizened, old, wise Asian man.'

So why is he expected to apologise for 'miscasting' fictitious characters, when elsewhere, others are being prortayed as 'stunning and brave' for miscasting a real historical character?  

Speaking with the magazine, new mum Jodie detailed how she overcame the backlash to her being cast by focusing on the bigger picture and motherhood.

There is no bigger picture here. There's just shock value and a gleeful disregard for the facts in favour of a thumb in the eye of the audience. When will these producers apologise? 

Why Do We Tolerate This?

A frightened mother was trying to protect her baby from a dangerously out of control dog, in what a court heard was not the first time it had attacked.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard this week how the mum was bitten as she protected her young child.

And now the reckless dog owner has been told his pet is in danger of being put down after the latest incident, the Daily Record reports.

Only 'in danger'? It should have been destroyed then and there on the spot! It is, of course, the usual breed:

Keith Smith, 55, had previously been warned over the behaviour of Star, his American Staffordshire bull terrier.

Since 2014, it turns out! 

Sentence was deferred until next month when the dog's fate will be decided.

Why the wait? What more is there left to decide? Why do we put up with this excuse for justice and public safety?

Another Headache For Kier...

Within 90 minutes, officers from Met police stopped 48 bikes in Tooting, south London, and arrested two people for immigration offences on Tuesday.

Met Police told the Evening Standard officers were carrying out a road safety policing operation in Tooting on Tuesday following concerns of dangerous and anti-social moped driving.

Hurrah! The police doing their job, in concert with other agencies! Who could obj...

Oh. Right.  

However, Tooting MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan condemned the Met for “stopping fast food delivery drivers and checking immigration status under the guise of ‘Covid compliance’.”

Speaking on Twitter, she added: “Covid compliance is crucial to stop the spread, but it doesn’t explain why Immigration Enforcement were in attendance. This looks like racial profiling.”

Dr Allin-Khan also expressed concern that the move “may amount to indirect discrimination due to its disproportionate impact on ethnic minority groups” under the Equalities Act 2010.

Poor Kier. One almost has to feel sorry for him, these days. Every time one of his MPs lets her brains fall out all over Twitter he must want to bang his head against a brick wall. 

In addition to the immigration offences, two riders were reported for driving without a licence and one man was found to have a number plate which did not conform to regulations.

That's your constituents that requested the police crackdown, Allin-Khan.  

The Rewilding Enthusiasts Must Be Fuming...

Two female brown bears have been shot and killed at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire after they escaped from their enclosure when strong winds toppled a tree.

The zoo’s chief curator, Malcolm Fitzpatrick, said in a statement that the tree fell in such a way that it formed a “bridge” between the brown bears’ pen and the fence of the neighbouring wild boar enclosure.

If I had my way, he'd be the ex-chief curator. 

This was a totally foreseeable accident; no trees capable of forming such a bridge should they fall should ever be near the inside or outside of an enclosure, and when high winds are forecast (as they were on this day), enclosures should automatically be checked for security. 

The two bears crossed into the enclosure, where they attacked a male boar. Fitzpatrick said the zookeepers had no choice but to euthanise the bears over concerns of an “immediate threat to human life”.

“As brown bears are strong and dangerous predators, our first priority is safety – we must quickly make decisions informed by our experience and expertise to protect our people, guests and our other animals,” he said.“No one wants to be the one to make that call, but when there’s an immediate threat to human life, the decision is made for you. ”

There's more than animal lovers who are going to be very, very unhappy about this, though. There's the enthusiasts for 'rewilding', who clearly want to see these 'threats to life' introduced:

If you go down in the woods today...

“We’ve managed to put a man on the moon, I don’t see why we can’t get wolves back in Scotland,” says Lister. Bears would also learn to specialise in killing deer, he believes, and would be an even more dramatic pull for visitors than wolves.

Maybe not, Mr Lister, maybe not... 

He Does It Again...

/applause

Oh, 'Mail', You Never Learn...

...water buffalo come from Asia, cape buffalo come from Africa,

Sunday Funnies...

Thankfully, in the UK, we mostly content ourselves with animated drinking straws...

"Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel..."

Protestors have held a vigil for...

Oh, oh! We know how these often turn out! 

...a runaway cow that was rammed and killed using a police van.

Oh. Well, that's all right then. But who organises a vigil for a cow?

The event was organised by the Vegan Action for Animals group.

Say no more... 

The force said the case would be passed to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC).

And they'll get away with it without condemnation from officialdom. The police do have form, after all.  

In a statement the group said: "The vigil was a powerful and passionate meeting of people who feel very strongly that the cow was wrongfully murdered.

"This vigil was not only attended in person by local people, but also online nationwide. We had a positive response from the local community, who have been shaken by the events of last week."

If they are 'shaken' now, wait until they get the bill, that'll shake them even further! 

Police and Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley Matthew Barber said he supported the actions of the officers, describing them as a "last resort".

Given how much it cost to repair the vehicle that was driven at a dog, we can only imagine how much it's going to cost for vehicles that rammed a cow repeatedly!  

H/T: Sobers in comments

That Diversity Hire Programme Going Well, Eh..?

A police officer has been struck from the force without notice following a fast-tracked misconduct hearing.

Oh, another one? They are like buses, aren't they? So, what did this one do to get fast tracked? 

Former PC Melissa Sanchez Marulanda, 29, was off-duty when she launched an attack on a fellow officer who she repeatedly struck in the face.

Ah. Yeah. That'll do it a lot faster than if she'd assaulted a member of the public! 

How'd this happen, anyway? Argument in the canteen over the last bacon roll?

Met Police were called to a property in Croydon, south London, after receiving a silent emergency call last July. They met the former probationer at the site, along with two other people, and explained that they needed to ensure the welfare of those inside.

However when they tried to enter, they were pushed and Sanchez Marulanda physically attacked one of the officers.

Curiouser and curiouser... 

“Although PC Melissa Sanchez Marulanda was only weeks into her career as a Metropolitan Police officer, her behaviour displayed none of the qualities we expect in our officers,” said Chief Inspector Matt Cox, from the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards.

“A lack of self-control, ill-discipline and a disregard for the law. She pleaded guilty to assaulting a colleague, and has now had to face the consequences of her actions; and an end to her policing career.”

Really? It sems to be the type you're planning on attracting these days.  

FakeCharities Never Went Away...

I was thinking just the other day how we haven't heard from our old enemy Sustrans lately, when an email dropped into my inbox from Fahrenheit211. 

It seems they are out of favour, and there's a new fakecharity on the block; this mob are aiming at schoolkids, promoting - with the full blessing of the teachers, naturally! - the national scheme called 'Walk to School Week' (run by an organisation that used to be called the Pedestrians Association and used to be a genuine charity in the old sense but has now been hollowed out by the Left, who are wearing it like a skinsuit and dubbing it 'Living Streets').

But Julia, you cry, isn't it a good thing? Well, maybe, except it's the usual rubbish about climate change and the obesity 'crisis' and how evil the internal combustion engine it. And you're paying for it.

Because just like Sustrans, it's getting its cash not from public donation, but by siphoning it direct from the taxpayer, via the Department of Transport. They have a three year strategy. Bit ambitious of them, the communists used to give themselves five!

I Think This Is What You Call 'A Clue', Isn't It?

Rioters have set vehicles alight and attacked police during a night of violence in Swansea - with officers threatening 'robust' action to bring the situation under control.

The trouble is 'ongoing' and South Wales Police are urging residents to stay indoors while officers try to safely deal with the situation.

Swansea..!? What's going on? 

Locals rushed to Twitter to blast the group for gathering during what was meant to be a 'nice send off' and balloon release for 19-year-old local Ethan Powell who died this month.

His cause of death is not publicly known.

Hmmm. How very mysterious. Can social media shed any light..? 

Sylvie Bennett wrote on Facebook: 'I am shocked at the disrespect shown to Ethan Powell tonight. '

'I never knew the lad but read how many people respect him.

'I bet he is looking down on you all with disgust. He wouldn't want this and neither do his family want this.

'So know that Swansea is not proud of you as you are all a disgrace. You have not done him proud you have dishonoured him. You're the scum of the earth.'

Tegan Davies added: 'The start was brilliant but this has gone way out of hand!

'I know Ethan loved an argument with the police but this has gone next level, kids and people living by are absolutely petrified!

'The videos I’ve been sent are disgusting, I know Ethan would never have taken it this far.

'Bikes and balloons we said, not a f***ing riot!'

Ah. Yes. Yes, it can.  

And once again, we see the influence of police 'softly, softly' approach to disorder in scum communities in the past. They now know that they can get away with anything, and not only that, but film it for the delectation of other scum communities around the country. 

Fight Back, And Win...

Open University criminology professor Jo Phoenix was booked to give a lecture entitled 'Trans rights and justice: complicated contours in contemporary sex, gender and sexualities politics when thinking about issues of justice and punishment' at the University of Essex in 2019.

But the Centre for Criminology cancelled the event a few hours ahead of it taking place, citing concerns that the 'open debate and discussion might be obstructed'.

Vice chancellor of Essex University Anthony Forster yesterday published the findings of a review into the lecture being cancelled, and issued four separate apologies to Prof Phoenix.

And no, apologies aren't enough. 

Prof Forster said Prof Phoenix would be invited back to campus to present her seminar.

I'm sure that's just an outbreak of common sense, and absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the Queen's Speech unveiling a new bill threatening institutions and student unions in England and Wales with fines of £500,000 if they bar controversial guests.

What Do You Call Someone Who Only Picks On The Minority?

The Government insists that hunters will face a total ban on bringing trophies of lions, elephants, rhinos and other endangered species back to the UK.

Campaigners fear a 'blood money' exemption could allow hunters to still ship trophies if they pay towards conservation.

But Environment Secretary George Eustice is said to have ruled that out and intends to introduce the 'toughest legislation in the world' later this year.

Hint: it's 'The British Government'.

To avoid a row with religious groups, the Bill will not cover religious slaughter in which the animals are still conscious when their throats are cut: halal abattoirs are exempt from the requirement to stun livestock first.

Last night, a spokesperson for Environment Secretary George Eustice said that officials were 'looking at a wide range of welfare and slaughter improvements that could be made'.

But a source said that while the Government 'would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, we respect the rights of Jewish and Muslim people to eat meat prepared in accordance with their beliefs'.

So much for 'the toughest legislation in the world', George. Little Denmark has you beaten hands down.  

We Can All See The Double Standards At Play Now...

Chief superintendent Mark Sutherland said: 'Due to the rising level of disorder taking place, and the threat to public safety, in George Square in Glasgow this evening, Saturday, 15 May 2021, Police Scotland will...

Well, since it's this Mark Sutherland, I assume the answer is '...bring them tea and biscuits and facilitate their celebrations'..? 

...make use of powers available to officers under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 to disperse those who have chosen to gather there.

'This decision has not been taken lightly, the senior police officer on the ground will give direct instructions to those gathered and anyone in George Square should leave immediately.'

Oh... 

"She is a doctor and did not think it would be an issue."

Then perhaps her fitness to practice medicine in this country requires some urgent scrutiny?

Mohamed entered the UK a year ago when her husband obtained a job here and she is also studying in this country.

Dr. Mohamed told the court: 'I know I am guilty, but I did not intend to do this, but I was in a rush to go to Egypt and that is why I did this.

'I wanted to make sure I was free of Covid and did that lateral flow test. I did not believe it was a very big issue like this.'

What else don't you believe is 'a big issue', I wonder? 

She was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment, suspended for twelve months and ordered to perform 60 hours community service and pay £85 costs and a £128 victim surcharge.

No-one should be surprised by this, not at this point in the continuing downward spiral of Britain's reputation... 

But He Is 'Upholding Trust In The Profession' - Unlike MMU...

A teacher trainee was hauled before a fitness to practise meeting after saying...

Wait, wait! *settles in with popcorn* 

...he 'would not hesitate' to use images of the Prophet Mohammed in a class - sparking a fierce backlash from freedom of speech advocates.

Good! It's about time someone started fighting back. Clearly, the Department of Education isn't up to it. 

The Batley, West Yorkshire teacher and his family are still under police protection, and the threat to their safety is judged as so severe that even their relatives do not know where they are now living, more than six weeks after fleeing their home.

That this can happen in 2021 in a functioning First World democracy is a stain on Britain's reputation. And that the establishment, in the form of the educational block, has decided to punish those who speak out against it is yet a further reminder of how debased it now is... 

The MMU student, who is set to complete his Postgraduate Certificate in Education course this summer, had written an email to his course leader on April 1 saying he worried about the 'cowardly response from the unions and other bodies connected to teaching', The Telegraph reports.

'I would like to know whether or not MMU is prepared to stand up for any student who finds themselves in a similar position,' he added, arguing that the protests which arose amid the row were a 'clear attempt to enforce a de facto blasphemy law on teachers and schools'.

Well, now you know! The answer's a resounding 'No'. 

The fitness meeting could result in a referral to a Fitness to Practise Panel following the MMU student's comments claiming he would be willing to show the picture of Mohammed in class, he was told.

The head of department told him it could be a breach of Teachers' Standards - which include upholding 'public trust in the profession'.

He's doing that. You're most definitely not! 

'Love Animals'..? Maybe. But Don't Understand Them.

A couple whose dogs became severely malnourished after they were kept on a vegan diet have been fined and banned from owning animals for three years.

It is actually possible to keep dogs on a vegetarian diet (though not advisable - if you want a vegan pet get a rabbit) so they must have been doing something wrong. 

James McKenzie and Megan Price, from Cow Bay in Queensland, were each charged with two counts of failing to treat an animal and one count of failing to comply with an animal welfare direction (AWD) between April and May 2020.

When the dogs were being seized, Mr McKenzie told inspectors: "You eat murdered animals, you will never be like us — we are vegans and love animals."

You might 'love them', but you clearly don't really understand them, do you? 

The couple said they could not afford a trip to the vet or dog food, so the puppies were being fed on rice and chickpeas.

Anyone who buys a pet they know they can't afford should receive an automatic disqualification... 

H/T: Longrider via email

Roll Call Of Shame...

Twenty-nine men have been charged with a string of offences - with 28 of those rape.

The allegations against the defendants stretch across a period from 2003 to 2010.

The vast majority of offending occurred in Calderdale, but some offences occurred in the Bradford District, police said.

All the flat cap and whippet type, perchance? 

Asad Ali, 37, of Brighouse, is charged with two counts of rape.

Ajmal Aziz, 39 of Halifax, is charged with three counts of rape and attempted rape.

Mohammed Jangier, 44, of Halifax, is charged with rape.

Mohammed Asif, 36, of Halifax, is charged with two counts of rape.

Harris Ahmed Butt, 37, of Halifax, is charged with two counts of rape and two counts of indecent assault.

Taukeer Butt, 36, of Halifax, is charged with three counts of rape.

Muitasim Khan, 40, of Halifax, is charged with rape.

Mohammed Hamza, 47, of Halifax, is charged with rape.

Mohsin Mir, 40, of Halifax, is charged with three counts of rape.

Javid Mir, 38, of Halifax, is charged with rape.

Haroon Saddique, 37, of Bradford, is charged with two counts of rape.

Zahir Iqbal, 41, of Halifax, is charged with two counts of rape.

Sarfraz Rabnawaz, 35, of Bradford, is charged with two counts of rape.

Wajid Addalat, 43, of Halifax, is charged with rape.

Sajid Addalat, 45, of Halifax, is charged with two counts of rape.

Nazim Hussain, 43, of Bradford, is charged with conspiracy to rape.

Nadeem Saddiqque, 43, of Sheffield, is charged with rape.

Saquab Hussain, 43, of Halifax, is charged with two counts of rape.

Sadakat Ali, 48, of Bradford, is charged with rape.

Ziarab Mohammed, 48, of Halifax, is charged with two counts of rape.

Imran Raja Yasin, 41, of Halifax, is charged with two counts of rape.

Zulfiqar Ali, 40, of Bradford, is charged with two counts of rape.

Malik Abid Qadeer, 64, of Halifax, is charged with five counts of rape.

Kamran Amin, 45, of Halifax, is charged with two counts of rape.

Mohammed Akhtar, 51, of Halifax, is charged with two counts of rape.

Ali Zulfiqar, 38, of Halifax, is charged with two counts of rape.

Shafiq Ali Rafiq, 40, of Dewsbury, is charged with two counts of rape.

Amir Shaban, 45, of Halifax, is charged with rape.

Sakeb Nazir, 36, of Halifax, is charged with two counts of rape.

What happened to Yorkshire? 

H/T: Pensievat via email

"Alexa, Define 'The Triumph Of Hope Over Expectation'..."

Yeah. That'll do. 

Amazing, isn't it, how the Met Police - so very speedy to yank an elderly Christian preacher off his pedestal when some snowflake complains that he's reading from the Bible - are absolutely invisible when disgusting antisemites drive all the way from Yorkshire to parade oh-so-slowly round the most Jewish areas of London for a few hours. 

Until the clamour on social media gets far too big for them to brush off.

Well, Patel, you're head of the Home Office. Don't keep expecting them to do their job. Make them do it.

When A Cartoonist Gets It Spot On...

...it's usually the incomparable Matt!

Can You Trust A Wildlife Policing Unit...

...if they can't even identify the birds they are supposedly protecting?

Sunday Funnies...

Ah, Slinky! Almost as much fun to push downstairs as Matt Hancock...

Maybe The Sunday Times Should Reconsider?

A student who said women were born with female genitals and claimed the difference in physical strength between men and women 'was a fact' is facing disciplinary action by her university.

You don't need to 'claim' a fact. A fact is a fact! 

Lisa Keogh, 29, who studies law at Abertay University in Dundee, Scotland, was reported to university chiefs by her classmates after she said that women were not as physically strong as men.

What sort of hellhole of woke intransigence is this place? Well, it boasts that it's a 'global hub for computing and gaming' so one wonders why she thought it was a good place to learn law.  

She told The Times: 'I thought it was a joke. I thought there was no way that the university would pursue me for utilising my legal right to freedom of speech.'

Well, on their website, they proudly boast that they are 'University of the Year for Teaching Quality' awarded by The Sunday Times Good University Guide. Maybe the Sunday Times should now reconsider the worth of that award..?

Pity Judge Emma Nott Didn't Oversee The 'Kid's Company' Trial...

Gilbert confessed she spent £28,238 on items for herself, causing her managers to question why budgets were so overstretched.

Defending Gilbert, Adam King said she needed to 'put food on the table' for her children.

...because she takes no shit from the defendant! 

But Judge Emma Nott said: 'This is much more than trips to Asda, she wasn't buying 20p tins of beans was she? It was for her children when it should have been for the young vulnerable adults she was looking after.'

Oh, well said! 

Judge Emma Nott said: 'Dimensions UK was your employer, a not-for-profit charity that provides essential services to vulnerable young adults with disabilities. From September 11 2015 to April 5 2019 you were stealing routinely and regularly putting your own family's needs first.

'The money should have been spent on essentials and the odd luxury for these young adults who had a background of poverty.

'Instead, you were taking your family to McDonald's, Nando's, and Pizza Hut, taking them to the cinema, Warner Brothers studios and tenpin bowling.

'You stole nearly £30,000 and all you have done since being exposed is attempt to avoid the consequences.'

A judge who isn't taken in by the usual sob story has a price beyond rubies... 

The judge blasted Gilbert for being 'full of self-pity' despite committing theft against 'the most vulnerable'.

And she still wasn't finished: 

Gilbert, from Bracknell in Berkshire, was sentenced to a two-year prison term, suspended for two years and she will have to pay back every penny of the money she stole.

'I do not care if it takes you 10 years,' the judge added.

We need more like her.  

The Customer Isn't Always Right...

Another day, another entitled snowflake bullying a company on social media...

A train operator has come under fire after it apologised over a complaint from a non-binary passenger because the conductor greeted customers by saying 'good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.'

London North Eastern Railway said in response to the complaint on Twitter that 'train managers should not be using language like this' before promising to take action.

No doubt believing that they were painting a good image of the company on social media, and failing utterly to 'read the room'. Because  

A colleague who was with Laurence at the time and is also believed to be a rail worker defended the complaint.

Jarley wrote: 'Both Laurence and I were customers of the railway - being rail staff does not absolve an operator from the duty of care or responsibility to be inclusive.

'I was sat with Laurence when this tweet was sent. Both of us are non-binary and we were both alarmed and uncomfortable by the lack of inclusion.'

You both need to grow up, then. Being 'inclusive' does not mean your particular delusions need to be catered to at all times. 

Columnist Paul Embery added: 'Utterly ridiculous. Do you have any idea how this kind of thing comes across to ordinary people?'

Another Twitter user added: 'Both WORK for the rail system... but they “won’t” listen to train announcements that don’t “apply” to them?

'This isn’t a ‘customer complaint’ from a member of the general public — it’s two transport EMPLOYEES pushing their own agenda.'

And despite that, LNER decided to double down. 

Hitting back at critics LNER confirmed that the member of staff was not going to get 'in trouble' and added: 'We're not bending over backward to accommodate any one person, we're doing our best to accommodate every person. There's the difference.'

You are making a rod for your own back, because you can never, ever 'accommodate every person'. Unless your train manager says nothing at all... 

And We Wonder Why Drugs Are Rife...

Oliver Cox has admitted being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs in Southend.

The 21-year-old was arrested and charged following police raids across the town on June 10 last year.

The raids were part of Essex Police’s crackdown on County Lines drug dealing in Southend and London. Cox admitted being involved in drug dealing from April to June that year.

Bang to rights, for once! 

Mitigating, Anthony Abell, said: “21 is very young.

“He has a very good chance to turn it around.

“He is a Christian, and he’s been studying that religion in prison.

“There is some good there in that way.”

Ha! Good luck with that old chestn... 

Judge Samantha Cohen...

Oh. 

...said: “You will be aware that Class A drugs are sold by organised criminal gangs and they bring with them violence and misery.

“They damage people’s lives.

“Another way the gangs work is by pressuring and coercing young people to become involved in their business and that’s what happened to you.

“You yourself were a victim of an organised crime gang who coerced you and pressured you to becoming involved in the drugs supply enterprise.”

/facepalm 

Judge Cohen said: “You are a young man, 20 at the time and you had your 21st birthday in prison.

“Mitigation says you are a bright young man and have lost your way, and you have capacity to find it again, and a guaranteed apprenticeship.

“It’s been organised by your older brother, who is putting his neck on the line for you.

“The pre-sentenced (sic) report says you got involved in debt in the gang and you had to pay it off.

“What you should have done is speak to people, speak to the authorities and go to your parents, who plainly support and love you.”

Cox, of Clifton Avenue, Benfleet, received two years in prison suspended for two years and a two month curfew from 8pm to 5am.

*sighs* 

Unless You Vaporised The Thing, Surely It Still Can...?

A man mauled in the face by a "pitbull-type" dog was attacked and injured by the same animal just hours earlier, a shocked neighbour has claimed.

It is said that the 50-year-old victim had wanted the dog seized by council wardens following the earlier incident at a home in Bolton, Greater Manchester.

The man, thought to be the dog's owner, suffered life-threatening injuries to his face and arm during a prolonged attack at the property in the Bolton suburb of Breightmet just after 1pm on Thursday.

He was due to undergo surgery on Friday, a Greater Manchester Police spokesman told the Mirror.

Good, the police are involved and will be charging him with...

Wait. What? 

The spokesman said the dog was "destroyed before its breed could be determined".

Errr... it doesn't have to be alive for that, does it? 

So, How's That Campaign Going..?

You know the one, aiming to get more urban people out into the countryside, enjoying the pleasures of nature. 

Especially from the BAME 'community', without which the country is somehow barren?

Oh...

The Owner Isn't The Only One That's Not Learning...

A Chippenham woman has been sentenced after her dog bit his third victim in two years.

Wait, what? Three times?

Ann Jefferies, 47, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court having pleaded guilty earlier this year to owning a dog that caused injury whilst dangerously out of control.

The court heard that the defendant, of The Butts, had received a community protection notice in April 2018 after her Patterdale Terrier bit a person. The notice required her to muzzle the dog, named Digby, in public places. Despite that, just six months later in October 2018, Digby managed to bit (sic) another victim.

How? Simple. She didn't muzzle the beast. 

As a result, Jefferies was issued a community protection warning – again with the condition to have the pet muzzled whilst out in public places.

Wait, is it me, or...? 

Crown prosecutor Keith Ballinger said that on 25 January last year, he struck again – injuring Emily Meehan who was taking part in the Monkton Park parkrun alongside 226 other people, including many children.

Hairdresser Ms Meehan consciously gave the dog a wide birth, but it pulled away and bit her thigh. Screaming and shouting, she tried to prize the dog’s jaw from her flesh with great difficulty.

Again, no muzzle. And not since, either.

Mr Ballinger told the court that the victim says she has since seen the dog without a muzzle, stating in a statement that this made her “extremely angry”, adding that the owner has “clearly not learned [her lesson] from the incident”.

 So, is it the needle this time? Or does she have a really, really good excuse?

In an interview with police, Jefferies accepted she knew the dog didn’t like children and was asked to leave a dog training class due to persistent barking.

She also admitted she often forgets the dog’s muzzle and didn’t have it on her at the time of this attack.

That'll be 'No' then... 

Clare Gooding, defending, said the client has “taken on board the obvious issues that exist” and there have been no further incidents involving Digby.

She told the court Jefferies suffers from “thinking deficits” and can’t easily find ways around problems. But since the incident, she has been using a harness for better control and calming aromatherapy oil.

These 'thinking deficits' are clearly contagious. And the magistrates have caught them: 

Following the recommendation of the probation service, Jefferies was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days. She must also abide by a curfew between 8pm and 4am daily – monitored by GPS tag – for three months.

Magistrates decided against the destruction of Digby despite this incident being the third occasion of him injuring members of the public. However, a contingency destruction order was imposed – meaning if Digby is involved in any further incidents, he will be destroyed. Conditions of this order are that Jefferies must keep him muzzled and on a short lead in public.

Conditions that she's shown she won't comply with! 

Jefferies must also pay Ms Meehan compensation of £100 along with a victim surcharge of £90. No court costs were imposed.

Why not? Why is this costing the taxpayer money, and not the criminal? 

H/T: Lord 'Arry's Dad via Twitter  

OK, Who Remembers These In The Manifesto..?

Hmmm....

via GIPHY

Someone Should Go To Jail...

Disabled children in Brighton and Hove were left with unsafe, or no transport to school after council officials changed contractors in 2019.

A review into the fiasco by an independent barrister was commissioned by the city council, with a promise that the findings would be made public.

And clearly, promises were made to be broken, in Brighton... 

However, when it was due to be presented in March this year, councillors voted to kick out the press and public before deciding its contents would remain a secret.

Why? Well, that's a good question: 

The Argus can now reveal the barrister's report concluded that the council had illegally handed out contracts, broke its own rules in the process, and risked being sued by companies who missed out on the £500,000 contract.

Fearful of the council facing legal action should said companies find out they have grounds to sue, councillors decided to renege on the previous promise of publishing the document.

They know now. Let's hope they take you to the cleaners. 

Is This Scaremongering Or..?

The former head of the civil service, economist Gus O'Donnell, has now warned the UK is "facing a literacy crisis".

Lord O'Donnell, chairman of Pro Bono Economics, told the Wake Up to Money programme it was "unacceptable" that several million adults had "very poor literacy skills", calling the issue a "long-term problem".

Oh, come on! What evidence is there for this? 

*reads Twitter* 

Never mind...

'Why are they telling my children this?'

Because a 'community' that by its very nature cannot reproduce, can only recruit:

In a statement, the school said of the newsletter, written by the LGBTQ+ student society, had the intention of 'communicating safety advice to young people who may be considering risky practices ... Interest and curiosity are not necessarily fixed to a specific age group.

'Information can safeguard children seeking answers to questions they may have that they cannot find safely in isolation.'

Think this is the only school where this happens? 

"Why Are The Police So Brutal With A 16 Year Old Boy..?"

A man who shot the video told The Standard: “I was worried because he was starting to sound in agony, they removed the cuffs because he was complaining of pain and he started crying which they ignored and continued.

“I was a little worried because of how his arm was bending and they were asking him to roll over at one point while one of the officers had their bodyweight all on his legs.

“I felt their actions were over the top. I don’t believe that they helped the situation with brute force. At one point the officer had his knee over the man's crotch.

“He brought out the pepper spray after he pushed a man down who hadn’t moved. I did at one point feel like he was going to pepper spray the vicinity.”

The big meanies, picking on a poor 16 year old lad, what possible crime could he have committed? 

What sort of threat could they have faced from him?

Homophones Strike Again...

What..?!?

No, It Doesn't Rhyme With 'Pringle'...

/facepalm

H/T: Stephen Brown via email

Sunday Funnies...

Human ingenuity translates well to cyberspace...

What's 'Difficult' About It?

Police have responded to criticisms of the way they handled an unauthorised horse and trap race on the A33, saying “ultimately these are the difficult decisions policing has to make every day”.

Eh...? People are breaking the laws of the road. You arrest 'em. What's so difficult about that? 

It shouldn't matter who they are, or why they are doing it! 

A spokesperson said: “We know there has been a lot of interest in our decision to close the A33 due to an unauthorised horse and trap racing event on the A33 this weekend. 

“This type of action is not exclusive to this event, as with any large gatherings we have seen across the country this past year, policing always has to balance whether allowing an event to happen, even if illegal, is safer than the risks of shutting it down.

“We accept that this caused some disruption to the road network, but we are doing all we can to manage the situation.

“This is an illegal sporting event, and we do not support or facilitate it...

Wait a minute, hold on... 

Whew! For a minute there I thought I'd been using that word wrong all my life! I think a few of these might come in handy in the office, eh?

...however our primary role as the police is to protect the lives and safety of those that we serve. In order to do this the decision was made to put lane closures in place on the A33 and this was done for road safety reasons only.”

Translation: "We bottled it because we knew they'd kick off and we didn't fancy a ruck.." 

And what happens when you fail to act? 

That's right. You get more of the same.

...speaking at Micheldever Parish Council's AGM, Winchester district inspector John Stribley said it is unknown whether officers will be able to prevent the dangerous sport.

"I don't yet know whether we will be stopping the event, this is now being dealt with at a higher level. When I have the answer, I will let you know. Of course in an ideal world I would like something in place to stop such disruption, but as I say that decision won't be made by me."

Let's hope it's to be made by someone with some balls and a spine, then. Maybe Priti Patel, fresh from Conservative success in the elections, would like to step in and point out who and what these morons work for? 

H/T: I R Jackson via email

But She's Not A Child, Judge...

Judge Rupert Lowe said: “From a great deal of what I’ve read about you it seems like you’re rather proud of that (criminal record).

“You like getting into the trouble and like getting the public to spend thousands and thousands of pounds on you, your friends seem to like it and that’s the way you’re living your life.

“People actually have a need for police when real crimes take place and children like you, who like to waste people’s time, make that impossible.

“You are effectively a badly behaved child.

"This is a troubled young lady who will need ongoing help and support.”

“I have no doubt your difficult background obviously plays a part in your bad childish behaviour, but what you will realise in due course is when you get past the age of 18 you are not a child anymore.

“There will come a point when you will have to become a grown up.

“I think you regarded that (Criminal Behaviour Order) as a bit of a game to play. You go round breaching it so you can get all the attention from the authorities.”

So how old is this lisping little moppet? 

Using fake names, the 19-year-old made 16 bogus calls reporting women carrying weapons and self-harming in public.

Err... 

Psychiatrist Dr Muzaffar Hussain told the court Williams, formerly from Medway and Kent Avenue, Canterbury, before moving to Basildon, Essex, did not suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder.

Her barrister Kerry Waite argued Williams is “a young person crying out for attention and help” who suffers “a great deal of immaturity”.

As the great Vampire Slayer once said "No, that's when you shout 'Help!' in a loud voice." 

Shouldn't These Questions Be Asked A Little Closer To Home?

Bryant's family lawyer, Michelle Martin, called for an investigation of the system and whether girls in the foster home were properly supervised.

'The whole world has placed Ma'Khia on trial based on this one incident,' Bryant's lawyer Michelle Martin said.

'But why 'aren't we looking further and figure out who were those girls?'

'How did this develop so quickly? What trauma was not being addressed within the home?' Martin said. 'I mean so many questions that have to be answered.'

Yes, indeed, and it seems you aren't asking the most important one: Why was she there in the first place? And not just her, either...

Ma'Khia's biological mother Paula Bryant, 42, told DailyMail.com that she lost custody of Ma'Khia along with three other children four years ago.

She didn't elaborate on exactly why, I note... 

'The foster care system in Ohio failed Ma'Khia on a number of levels,' said Dot Erickson-Anderson, administrator for the advocacy group Ohio Family Care Association.

'It's a system that has been struggling for a long time with our image of what a family is.'

Yes, I'd imagine it has... 

Where Now For The Labour Party?

Labour had been defending a narrow 3,595-vote majority in a town it has held since Harold Wilson was in Downing Street nearly 60 years ago. The byelection was called after Mike Hill, the MP since 2017, stood down over sexual harassment allegations, which he denies.

Williams, a local GP and former MP for neighbouring Stockton South, has sought to convince Hartlepudlians to give Labour another chance, arguing that the party is under new leadership both locally and nationally. He told the Guardian last month that its challenge was to convince people to trust Labour.

They can do one of two things. They can double down on their arrogance and hubris, insist that the problem is with the voters, and not them, and ditch Starmer to swing even further to the left. 

Or...they can offer the voters policies that they want. Policies they can't get from the Conservatives. 

What's it to be?

You're Asking It From The Wrong People...

In a powerful statement, his family say Ronaldo was a talented athlete who had simply gone out with a friend and never made it home.

Perhaps his choice of friend could have been better, then.  

"As a backseat passenger of his friend’s car, Ronaldo sustained serious injuries after their drive ended in a collision brought about by a police pursuit."

No, actually, brought about solely by the actions of the driver who ran a red light, then decided not to stop for police... 

"There is an investigation into Ronaldo’s death by the IOPC and as a family we hope the police officer and the driver of the car my brother was a passenger in are dealt with in accordance of the law."

Me too. I hope the driver has the book thrown at him, and the police officer is commended for doing his job in stopping this menace before he injured more people. 

You'll note there's no mention of the taxi driver and passenger who had to be cut free from the wreckage when they were hit in this 'powerful statement'. 

Maybe they don't matter? 

Not The Most Convincing Headline, 'Mail'...

Oh, a little robbery, eh? That's all? Why, let him stay!

He told the newspaper: 'I feel like I am being punished twice for a mistake I made years ago.'

'A mistake'..? You committed robbery! You didn't forget to put petrol in your car instead of diesel! 

'I take responsibility for my actions but, at the end of the day, I’ve served my time, have never reoffended and I’m not a threat to society.'

You're not an asset to it either.  

Mr Aristotles wrote a letter to the Home Office blaming institutional racism for his treatment.

When an Upper Tribunal judge ruled his status should be downgraded the court said his mention of racism 'undermined any suggestions at the appellant had come to terms with his offending'.

Yes! More of this, please! 

Musical Interlude - May:"It's a custom we have here. This is England, you know. And this is the season for gathering flowers."

What better musical for May than this? It's Joshua Logan's 'Camelot' (another Lerner/Lowe musical adaptation), with its stunning cast - Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero - and boasting an impressive list of awards, despite being a commercial failure. 

It's fair to say that none of the cast are great singers, but it almost doesn't seem to matter. None are dubbed (unlike 'My Fair Lady') and all give it their best.

This is my favourite track: 

I Think Cathryn Sutcliffe And I Have Very Different Views...

Mitigating, Cathryn Sutcliffe said: “He has accepted that he does have a sexual attraction to children.

“We all see people coming before these courts saying anything but having a sexual attraction to children.

“It means Mr Briggs can be properly rehabilitated.”

...especially on what form that 'rehabilitation' should take.

Ms Sutcliffe said that Briggs would no longer have a smart phone when released from prison, and that he would only use the internet from his nearest library. 

Really? But we already know how he treats court orders, don't we? 

The 50-year-old, of Tickfield Avenue, Southend, was given a sexual harm prevention order and a suspended sentence last year for identical offences.

Well, at least the justice system has learned a lesson on the futility of leniency? 

Recorder Leslie Cuthbert, sitting at Basildon Crown Court, gave Briggs a three-year community order with 60 days of rehabilitation.

*sighs* Guess not... 

It's No Surprise People Don't Wait For The Police To Act...

A car dealer has slammed thugs who smashed up his van in what is thought to be a revenge attack after a dog mauled two little girls in the same street.

Atif Kayani was left angered when he found the windows of his recovery truck, which was parked outside his Saltley dealership, smashed in on Monday evening (Feb 8).

Yes, it's this case. I wondered what - if anything - had happened to it in the meantime.

West Midlands Police has revealed they interviewed a 29-year-old man under caution on March 1 and are working with the RSPCA to find a second suspect they would like to speak to.

The dog, which is said to have escaped from a local business is still in police kennels.

The answer would appear to be 'not a lot' apaet from letting Fido soak up more taxpayer cash while it awaits the needle. 

But someone in that street knows where that dog came from... 

It Probably Cost A Lot More Than £300, But It's Worth It...

A taxi driver who refused to pick up an assistance dog and abandoned his passenger has had his licence revoked.

Sadly, it's only his taxi licence. Perhaps if it had been his driving licence as well, the news might spread amongst his 'community'..? 

Shamal Hussein Majid told the customer the dog could go in his boot but there would be an extra £10 cleaning fee, Wolverhampton City Council said. He also claimed he was allergic but did not have exemption paperwork and left the "vulnerable" customer, who is registered blind, at the roadside.

And despite this, he still chanced his arm at appeal. 

Mr Majid lost his appeal at Black Country Magistrates' Court on Friday.

Good.  

Mr Majid was also ordered ordered to pay £300 towards the council's legal costs.

Both trials would have cost far more. But it's a start. 

H/T: Ted Treen via email

This Judge Isn't Having Any...

Passengers were left “terrified” on board, with one saying the behaviour of Nolan and his family was: “Disorderly, erratic, it was like being at the zoo.”

He called his partner “f****** ugly”, a “fat b****”, and said “nobody likes you, not even your children like you,” and threatened to “smash her face in”.

At Lewes Crown Court Nolan admitted three charges of racist abuse likely to provoke violence and one count of being drunk on board an aircraft. He was jailed for 16 months over his “despicable” behaviour.

I rather suspect that if he'd been anywhere other than an airplane, the sentence would have been negligible, as it usually is. 

But it was nice to see a judge telling it like it is, for a change:

"It was claimed you have been bullied because of your cultural background. You were behaving in exactly the same way to other people.

"You were the type of passenger that all air passengers dread. Drunk, aggressive, racist, and violent."

Nolan, of Court Mead, Northolt, Ealing, claimed he has been the victim of anti-Traveller racism in the past.

He denied being a racist, and pleaded with the judge for a final reprieve, but the judge said only an immediate prison term could be justified.

/applause 

Sometimes You Read A Sentence In A News Item...

...that you can't quite comprehend. So you read it again. 

And you still can't quite take it in: 

Adding to their suffering is the fact that the driver they believe to be responsible, who lives in the same village, has still not been charged over the crash.

From his conversations with police, Chris believes the woman driver is ill — whether with a pre-existing condition, or as a result of the accident, he’s not sure.

Nevertheless, he’s been told she’s been seen driving around the village, making the possibility of meeting her face-to-face an ever-present, terrible prospect.

And frightening … although she’s ‘only’ in her 70s, it is still unclear whether she was medically fit to drive on the day of the accident.

How is it possible that a state's agents, that are so attuned to the delicate sensibilities of every snowflake and whiny crybaby out there that they will manhandle an elderly man preaching the word of his religion in public, will yet allow this woman to continue driving while they drag their feet over the investigation? 

Taking The Fight To The Enemy...

...at last!

It is understood that the government is increasingly blocking reappointments to public sector roles to bring in new individuals to organisations.

And the progressives are fighting back with all they pos...

Oh, wait. No, they aren't. They are flouncing out! 

Sir Charles Dunstone, the founder of Carphone Warehouse, reportedly resigned from the Royal Museums Greenwich board after the culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, refused to reappoint trustee Dr Aminul Hoque, an education academic at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Heh! Who knew it would be that easy?  

Following the Black Lives Matter protests last summer, Dowden threatened to cut funding to museums and galleries that removed statues associated with British colonialism. In a warning to institutions last October, Dowden wrote: “As publicly funded bodies, you should not be taking actions motivated by activism or politics. The significant support that you receive from the taxpayer is an acknowledgment of the important cultural role you play for the entire country.”

Gosh! Bare your teeth for once, and the opposition crumbles, or runs away! 

Peter Riddell said earlier this week that the government had “actively sought to appoint allies to the boards of public bodies” over the past 18 months. “This is not the first time this has happened. Such attempts tend to go in waves,” Riddell said. “What is different now is the breadth of the campaign and the close engagement of 10 Downing Street.”

Isn't it nice to be on the winning side for once?