Tweet Of The Month

Unfortunately my desktop is ill and currently in the repair shop, and I hadn’t loaded up the images to this draft! 

So I’ll repost as soon as I get the desktop back, assuming they are still on it! 

Post Title Of The Month

A welcome return to blogging for DumbJon, on the strange silence of footie slebs...

Quote Of The Month

Farenheit211 on the blogger to watch on Islamic threats in the UK:

The videos and other material below come mostly from the Twitter account called Habibi. I know of this poster and he (I’m assuming it’s a ‘he’) has I believe posted on and contributed to the Harry’s Place blog, criticising Islamic extremism. He’s been one of those who although seemingly hailing from the centre Left, has consistently called out Islamic extremism over a period of many years. Basically if Habibi is pointing something out then we should be wise to listen.

Post Of The Month

 Head Rambles on getting the hump…

‘So, Mr Izzard…’

‘… what first attracted you to a script where the protagonist changes who they are by virtue of a magic potion?’

Hint: Better Not Listen To Rap Music....

Former Manchester City footballer Benjamin Mendy swapped 'misogynistic' messages with his 'friend and fixer' referring to young women who came to his parties as 'b******', it can be revealed today.

...if you consider this a 'revelation'.

The French World Cup winner exchanged the text messages with Louis Saha Matturie, 42, who has been now cleared of rape and sexual assault charges after a police investigation lasting almost three years. The messages were never produced to juries at three separate trials involving 28-year-old Mr Mendy and Mr Matturie over allegations of sex attacks at parties held in the millionaire footballer's £2.2million Cheshire mansion and at Mr Matturie's flat in Salford.

For good reason? Well… 

They were ruled inadmissible after defence lawyers successfully argued that they would be prejudicial.

At the time, Judge Everett said all 'right-thinking' people would disapprove of the messages, which did the defendants 'no credit.' But he stressed that the issue in the trial was not 'whether they had entrenched views about sex' but whether the women had consented to sex. As a result, he ruled that they should not be shown to the jury.

Looks like he was right. So little point in anyone getting their knickers in a twist over them now, surely? 

Andover Men Of Action…

Andover Town Council has proposed to take action to remove scaffolding that has been blighting the high street for 16 months.

And what form will this 'action' take, I wonder?

Now, Andover Town Council has brought forward the matter to be discussed at its next meeting on Wednesday, November 22.

Oh. 

H/T: Ian J via email

I’m ‘Wandering’ If Anyone At The ‘Daily Mail’…

 

…knows how to spell? 

If 72 Of These Comments Aren’t ‘Buy Trousers, Love!’…

...then I'll have lost my faith in social media comment sections. On the other hand, at least the kids can read.

Sunday Funnies...

The stiff upper lip is always preferable...

When You Really Should Have Heeded The Warning…

Tantra describes itself as “elevated” Indian cuisine, and the front of the building has the word “PROGRESSIVE” emblazoned across it, maybe as a warning to hang on to your pants, because these guys really mean business.

Ooh, I'm off to Edinburgh shortly for a break, is this an establishment to look up, despite the warning, I wonder?  

It’s not an eatery or street-food joint; rather, it is “a streetery”. It’s also a cocktail bar that serves the likes of a Queen of the Dragon, brimming with Midori, Cointreau, prosecco and something called “perfume myst” that comes with a lime-flavoured replica dragon’s tail poking out of a cloud of dry ice. Tantra loves dry ice, and it never knowingly misses an opportunity to open a cloche and waft some of the stuff your way...

Oh. Maybe not. 

The place is as cavernous as an old-school The Hitman and Her-style “niteclub”, painted mostly black and with an interior design theme fever-dream that could be more accurately described as Funkadelic-era George Clinton. There are flashing neon blue lights, patches of plastic greenery hanging from the ceiling, paisley wallpaper and mirrored walls.

Sounds delightful, doesn't it? Usually that sort of theatricality is hiding a deficit in the kitchen department. Is this at least an exception to that rule?  

Less modern streeteries might at this point have offered some poppadoms, but Tantra furnished us with a “crisp board … with progressive regional dips”. This turned out to be seven shards of poppadom in various colours, one of them luminous green, that were plated on blobs of pickle and raita, so some of them had gone soggy.

That's a 'no' then... 

 

“Tantric lamb cutlets” came next, and were so called, I think, because the chops had had a long, hard session under a hot grill and were extremely well done. Like almost everything at Tantra, they were served on a black plate with a flamboyant garnish...

Strange How This Is One Thing Rishi Doesn't Have To Worry About, Isn't It?

A follow-up to this:

Labour MPs have been offered increased security after facing direct threats from constituents over the party's stance on Gaza. Frontbenchers say there is a 'real fear' that a 'lone wolf' could be pushed over the edge by the continuing tensions and commit an act of terror.

Could it be that there aren't any fanatical voters who feel betrayed by him? Or, just not on this particular issue? 

Pressure has continued to build on the Labour leader to shift his position on the conflict, holding crisis talks with Muslim MPs on Wednesday amid reports that some were considering resigning. Yesterday shadow minister Imran Hussain became the first frontbencher to sign a motion demanding an immediate ceasefire and an 'end to the total siege of Gaza'.

The Early Day Motion is now signed by 39 Labour MPs, while a further six have publicly called for a ceasefire.

Lie down with dogs, Keef, expect the fleas to start making demands when you wake up… 

Integration? What Integration…?

Jurors were told the defendant was born in Somalia and moved to Kenya at the age of eight during the civil war in Somalia. She was 16 when she came to the UK and was later granted British citizenship. 

The defendant described what had been done to the girl as “Sunnah”, meaning “tradition” or “way” in Arabic, and said it was a practice that had gone on for cultural reasons for many years.

She's 39 years old. And it's as if she was still in her backward original country and not England....

How Many More Of These Are There..?

A man who used a letter from the UK Border Agency to create a false identity and claim £349,000 in benefits has been jailed for fraud. The Crown Prosecution Service said Hossein Ali Najafi received a letter to Hussein Ali Nagrafi in 2010.

No checks on accuracy before they pay these huge sums out, then? Clearly not. It's only taxpayer's money, after all....

Prosecutors said his claims for employment support allowance, disability living allowance, personal independence payment and housing and council tax benefits included stating that he had extensive physical disabilities, "which surveillance disproved".

I wonder what prompted the surveillance? And why there's no mention of asset recovery?

He was also found to have 26 bank accounts in his two identities.

/facepalm 

H/T: Ian J via email

Is It The Ides Of March Already?

It seems to come around so quickly...

Four Labour shadow cabinet members are on resignation watch tonight after Keir Starmer failed to quell Labour wrath over the Israel-Hamas conflict - as the party faces a possible implosion following the leader's silence on Gaza at PMQs.

I can't say that I'm not amused, despite the despicable reason they give for it, because it couldn't happen to a more deserving chap, could it?

Sir Keir seemed to be desperately trying to avoid inflaming the issue at today's PMQs, using all his six questions at the weekly Commons clash to target Rishi Sunak on domestic issues. But his tactics were immediately undermined when shadow equalities minister Yasmin Qureshi stood up and demanded: 'How many more innocent Palestinian people must die before this prime minister calls for a humanitarian ceasefire?'

You wanted these people in your party, you courted them, you promoted them, and now they have shown you what they were all along. They're yours. Own them.

Why Not Go The Whole Hog...

...and ask them to put some herbs and flowers in their pockets too, to ward off the plague?

A hospital trust has asked staff, patients and visitors to return to wearing face masks due to a rise in Covid and flu cases.

But if they might work..? 

No. We know they don't.  

The measures applying to all hospitals and community hubs covered by the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were described as 'precautionary' and came into effect last Friday.

Remember when adults were in charge, and decisions were based on something other than empty gestures? Me too... 

But It's For Gaia!

So why wouldn't you risk your child's health? Ah, if only there had been some warning it was a big scam...

Oh, wait! 

The bamboo “eco-cups” are promoted as helping to protect the planet, but are usually non-recyclable.

See, anyone with their head screwed on would smell a rat at this, surely? 

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said it had advised retailers to withdraw products in June and any further sales would be unlawful. Despite the ban, the bamboo and plastic products are still widely available online, including children’s cups and plates.

What sort of rapacious capitalist businesses would rather harm the kiddiewinks than forgo that filthy lucre, then? 

WWF-UK, the wildlife charity, was last week selling a reusable bamboo cup for £7.50, which it says “helps protect our planet”.

Ooops!

It's Called The Third World For A Reason...

An inquest into his death heard that Mr Brown had electrocuted himself while attempting to steady himself using an overhead cable - which he was unaware was live.

Yikes! Where? Not England, which is a bit of a clue... 

Mr Linder said: "We were just a couple of septuagenarians backpacking across India to discover the history, culture and geography of a fascinating country - although in reality we were staying in hotels and driving.

"As we were leaving our hotel we found the most stunning view and asked our driver to pull over.

"Ivan was always in pursuit of the perfect photograph and reached up on a cable not realising it was live."

Fascinating it may be, but H&S isn't part of the culture. 

H/T: Dave Ward via email

Why Would They Ever Be Able To..?

The government watchdog called on ministers to set out how they plan to convince the public to take up a smart meter after a “troubled” rollout that began in 2011.

They could always ask these guys for advice?  

The government has pushed back the date by which it hoped that all homes and businesses would have a smart meter three times since it first proposed a deadline of 2019.

Meg Hillier, the Labour MP who is chair of the committee, said: “Some 15 years later and four years after that missed target, and its vision of access and support for every household to control their energy efficiency remains a distant one.”

Because it really means someone else controls it, Meg...

Late last year it emerged that firms had been remotely switching customers on to pay-as-you-go tariffs through their smart meters. Separately, energy firms have been temporarily banned from physically fitting prepayment meters under warrant.

Only temporarily? Until when, I wonder... Still, as Longrider points out, it's a good way to stick it to the government good and hard.

Hadn't He Heard Of JustEats Then..?

A love of fried chicken caused a man to breach a curfew stopping him from being on Prince of Wales Road after dark, a court heard.

It's great, they bring stuff right to your door! But clearly all their advertising is in vain... 

H/T: Dave Ward via email

Why Would You Want To Represent Them?

Labour councillors are said to be very uneasy over the protest ban, with one saying: “How do we show solidarity to the communities who voted for us to be their voice and represent them?”

You're Labour councillors - ignoring the wishes of your constituents is usually second-nature, so why should this be any different? 

Delivering a speech at the University of Leeds on Thursday, Lady Warsi said the response to recent protests was an example of how Muslims are “judged by a harsher standard” and made to feel that they “don’t matter” in society.

That's why they are never out of the papers whinging about stuff, I guess. 

She warned that the lack of action over the issue could lead to devastating outcomes, citing recent government figures on hate crime showing that “once again Muslims are the most targeted religious group”.

Gosh, I wonder why that could be? If it's even true. 

The Guardian has seen another letter to Starmer from at least 72 Labour councillors who are facing pressure from their local communities to resign over the party’s stance. Remaining anonymous over fear of losing their positions, they told the leader, “we respectfully urge you to recognise the Palestinian struggle and the root causes of this ongoing conflict” otherwise “Muslims will not vote for the Labour party in the next election should you remain leader”.

Who are you going to vote for, then? 

'Out Of Character', Eh?

Not for the dogs, and certainly not for the owner, either:

A woman was attacked by two XL Bully dogs after they ran up to her in the street and tried to grab hold of her puppy. The owner was disqualified from owning dogs and got rid of the XL Bullys before they could be disposed of by the authorities.

Once again, we see the utter uselessness of these banning orders, if no-one ever monitors them... 

Marcus Walsh, 41, was not present when Rachael Millard was attacked by the two dogs in Barry on March 20 last year when they escaped from his partner's home and darted for the victim. She was left with puncture marks to her leg and finger, after placing herself over her Boxer puppy.

She was lucky to get away with that. Was it because bystanders stepped in to help? 

She was screaming out for help and people looked on but did not intervene, the court heard.

*sighs* 

Prosecutor Roger Griffiths said the attack lasted around seven minutes until she was able to get up and run from the dogs, adding whichever way she ran, the dogs ran after her. The woman was able to seek refuge after a work colleague called her name and invited her into her house, as others tried to get the dogs back in the property they came from.

Why? Call the police, and they should turn up and shoot these mutts! 

After the incident, Walsh’s partner contacted the complainant’s partner and asked how she was. The defendant messaged apologising and told her not to ring the police. He said: "Hiya love, so sorry this has happened. My daughter feels terrible for opening the door. Please don’t ring the police, I haven’t got the dogs now to stop them from being put down, it breaks my heart and the kids’. If you need help let us know."

Typical mutt, totally typical owner... 

Walsh later attended her property bringing flowers and apologising, saying there was concern around him being on licence and having been banned from owning dogs. He said it was "pointless" contacting the police because the dogs had been given away. The defendant, now of Plantation Close, Penydarren, Merthyr Tydfil, attended a voluntary interview with police and made no comment. He later pleaded guilty to being the owner/in charge of a dog dangerously out of control. The court heard Walsh has 121 previous convictions, including an identical offence in 2016 when a dog he owned named Otto injured a person trying to stop the dog from attacking his dog, resulting in puncture wounds to his hands and wrists, and a cracked rib.

One wonders why a man with a record would want weapon dogs, unless it was to protect something in the house. 

Tough one for the defence, you'd think. You'd be wrong. 

In mitigation, Victoria Maud said her client is a "hard working" man and was not present when the dogs escaped from his partner's house. She said the animals acted "out of character" and said the incident "came out of nowhere". The barrister said the defendant accepts the incident could have been "much worse than it was" and he has shown "great remorse". When asked by Judge Daniel Williams if Walsh would divulge the location of the dogs, Ms Maud said the defendant believes one of the dogs is being put down and the other dog is living with a friend in "the Valleys" and would be willing to find out the address. The judge said: "He's had ample time to do that."

Heh! At last. a judge not swayed by the story told by the defence.  

Walsh was sentenced to a total of 18 months imprisonment. He was also disqualified from having the custody of a dog for 10 years.

Well, that'll work this time, right? Or do we go for 'best of three' at some point in the future? 

A Sticky Situation, 'Mail', To Be Sure...

...but, really?!

Diversity In Microcosm...

You can rely on Matt to see the funny side.

Sunday Funnies...

If at first you don't succeed...maybe try something else?

Well, At Least They Can Do No Further Harm...

Lee added: 'The first thing he said when he woke up from surgery was 'everyone is safe now' after hearing the news about the attack.

'His first thought was to ensure everyone was safe and that the dogs could do no further harm.'

This is the tragic end to this case.

‘The two dogs were totally crazed. The owner was standing to one side and running around and shouting at the dogs but was unable to get them to stop attacking the man.

‘It seemed to go on for ages. I ran back home to see if someone had called the police and when I returned he was still be attacked (sic). They wouldn’t let him alone. He was covered in blood. I thought he was going to die.’

He didn't, but only thanks to the police who shot the dogs and the surgeons who did their best, but were unable to prevent him from ending his years with fewer limbs than he started with... 

A 29-year-old man from Bognor Regis was arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control. He was bailed until November 16, pending further enquiries.

One to watch. 

Not The Demographic I'd Expected...

A man accused of a series of violent carjackings on the A127 has claimed he is “possessed” and can’t be held accountable for any crimes, a court has heard.

Ah, another enrichment case, I suspect. Who else believes in possession and drive like maniacs? 

Levi Whalley, 33, ...

Oh! 

...is standing trial at Basildon Crown Court and allegedly threatened to stab a victim after stealing a car and attempting to steal others. The incidents took place on the A127 on September 26 last year and Whalley was eventually detained by members of the public on the busy road before being arrested.

I think we may be dealing with someone from a very unexpected demographic here... 

Following the cross examination, Whalley asked Judge Ian Graham if he could put forward his defence. Whalley added: “My life has turned out to be different from everyone on this planet, all the human beings. “I’m a little bit different and basically when I was a little nipper I was gifted but I didn’t realise it.“I’ve got a mind that is possessed, and because it is possessed I can imagine there are certain people that consider me dangerous but I am not. “I have never hurt anyone in my life, if I do stab or hurt someone it is not because I am dangerous, it is because I am possessed which is not my fault sir.”

Yup, another Caravan Utilising Nomadic Traveller, I think.  

He Was Breathing Just Fine, Though...

During the video, the teenage boy's mother can also be heard hysterically in the background shouting 'what the f*** have you done to my son?' She adds: 'Watch his asthma, his asthma, look he can't breathe, he's a child.'

...when he was getting into a ruck with neighbours and police.

West Midlands Police said they were originally called to a 'neighbour dispute' and the boy was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an officer, and criminal damage. Officers said 'several residents' had been arguing and there were 'allegations of physical violence'.

That's Hull for you! 

Lose Your Life And Your Name...

...all to protect the real 'victim':

The manslaughter, which took place in West Sussex, was a “failure of the system as a whole” the report - a child safeguarding practice review by Birmingham and West Sussex authorities - found.

And we all know that no-one will lose their job over it. We won't even know their names. Or that of the murdered man, astonishingly. 

The girl, referred to as Child A, killed the man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the teenager, in October 2020 in a part of the county The Argus is choosing not to name.

The sympathy is all for her... 

Child A had spent most of her life in Birmingham and had only moved to West Sussex in April 2020. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter due to diminished responsibility in July 2021.After she had killed her mother’s partner, she said that she saw him as a positive influence in her life.

What would she have done if she'd seen him as a negative one? 

The report reads: “On the one hand what happened to Adult A is immeasurable because his life was taken, but Child A is more than a perpetrator of a terrible crime.

“She is also a vulnerable child who has been a victim of significant and horrific trauma and abuse in her short life.”

Everything after that 'but' is just sophistry. 

A spokesperson for West Sussex County Council said: “Our sympathies and condolences are with the family and friends of the man who died.

“It is extremely rare for a child to cause the death of an adult, as the report makes clear. While in no way diminishing her actions, the perpetrator was, and remains a child who had experienced trauma and abuse throughout her young life while living in Birmingham.

“We welcome this report which looks at the involvement of multiple agencies, including our children’s services when the child moved to West Sussex, seven months before the incident. Our involvement included regular, face-to-face contact from our staff during the Covid-19 pandemic. As the report acknowledges, our staff who supported her and recognised the huge trauma she had suffered and the impact this has had on her life.”

She still has one, though. The murdered man doesn't even have his name. 

Finally, A Column In The Guardian I Can Agree With Wholeheartedly...

When I was a child, I imagined that the best thing about being an adult would be going to bed whenever I liked, but in fact, it’s breaking off both ends of a baguette and buttering and eating them, and not being told off when someone later finds the middle folded inside the bread bin.

It's been a long time coming, I know. 

No Professional Courtesy For Bloodsuckers?

Oh dear, how sad, never mind...

And in other pest-related news:

A flea-infested courtroom has halted the murder trial of a man who was strangled to death in his own home for a year.

The trial had already been going on for a month when the tiny biters invaded the space and the jury has had to be discharged.

Horrible creatures that prey on the weak are everywhere these days, it seems. 

Six men are accused of murdering Ian Staves, 44, after he was found dead in his own home in September 2022.

Prosecutors claim he had been strangled by men planning to steal drugs from him at his home in Wooton, near Hull.

The court heard that the self-employed car sprayer - who lived next door to his mother - was a drug user who was being investigated by police. Half a kilogram of cocaine and a cannabis grow were found during a raid of his house.

See what I mean? 

If It’s So ‘Vital’, What Have You Done With It?

On Monday, the EU commissioner Olivér Várhelyi unexpectedly declared – in a social media post – a freeze on EU development assistance to the Palestinians worth €690m. The scale of terror against Israel was “a turning point”, Várhelyi wrote. Providing around €300m annually, the EU is the occupied territories’ largest international source of aid.

Of course it is...I mean, why shouldn't Hungarians and Poles be taxed to pay for Muslims in another country? It makes sense, right? 

The Hungarian commissioner’s solo, and seemingly unauthorised, move was later reversed after a backlash from several governments, along with objections from the EU’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, and the European Council president Charles Michel. The EU will now review its aid, not formally suspend it.

As expected from this wretched institution, which every days proves how right we were to come out of it... 

That suspending aid was even considered, and remains a possibility, is mind-boggling. If the goal is to punish Hamas, stopping European aid makes no sense. The EU and its member states do not fund Hamas. Freezing assistance would instead punish the EU-backed Palestinian Authority (PA), which is Hamas’s chief rival.

Sure, sure...so, what has the PA done with all this largesse? 

As Israel now proceeds with an all-out military retaliation against the Gaza Strip, resulting in yet more civilian bloodshed and destruction, Palestinians urgently need more aid, not less. The EU’s money funds teachers, doctors and other public servants employed by the PA in the West Bank.

Which it why it rivals Israel for the infrastructure and facilities it provides for its citizenry, right? Oh, wait, my mistake. Of course not.  

Gaza has been driven into a state of high dependency on international support – more than 80% of its population rely on humanitarian aid to meet their basic needs – mainly as a consequence of an ongoing 16-year blockade and a series of devastating Israeli military offensives against Hamas in the densely populated enclave.

Yes, yes, it's all the fault of you know who. They have prevented you from building infrastructure to reduce that dependency. 

Should They Be Renamed?

Because it seems they can't be trusted:

A staff member at an animal rehoming centre was taken to hospital following an incident with a dog.

Yes, yet another XL Bully, allegedly... 

The incident in Nevendon Road, Wickford, saw a canine carer at Dogs Trust Rehoming centre suffer several injuries at around 4.41pm on October 5. The carer was attacked by a dog named Klay who was allegedly an XL Bully put down after the incident. Klay was put down following discussions between Dogs Trust leadership and the staff member was discharged after recovering from the attack.

Why did they need to discuss anything? 

A spokesman for Dogs Trust said: The safety and welfare of staff, volunteers, and all members of the public who come into contact with the charity is of the utmost concern. Dogs Trust is conducting a full investigation of the circumstances leading up to and surrounding this incident and we are in contact with the Canine Carer who we offer our best wishes and support.’

But in the comments, a slightly different - and worrying - take on the Dogs Trust and their regards to safety: 

 

'Adopt don't shop' is a noble thing, no doubt, but can you be sure that you aren't getting a potential killer?

The End Of Discernment...

I was rather surprised to read this Tweet in the week: 

Surely not? Thinking there was some error, I clicked the link. And...worse was to come:

Journalists, broadsheet papers and magazines have a duty to widen their coverage, to review and write about all books not just the literary, niche non-fiction titles. Whether a book is reviewed or featured, for good or bad, implies that this book is worthy of note, this book was worthy of editorial space. Making a conscious effort to widen book coverage is a win-win situation, inviting readers in, establishing a larger audience, rather than pushing them away. Visibility is supreme and the media, and journalists, are key in upholding this principle.

So, that copy of 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' has just as much worth as Shakepeare or Ibsen. Really? That's the hill you want to die on? 

Reading is a subjective activity, bound by personal taste, and it is also an intimate one. Invading this space with prejudice and snobbery corrupts the choice in such a matter. Whether something is “highbrow” or “lowbrow” should not be an issue and these labels ought to be made redundant; it is if books are being picked up, freely, that matters.

Shall we extend this extraordinary outlook to other media, then - the collected works of the Spice Girls is of equal value as Wagner's Ring Cycle? McDonalds is equally deserving of a Michelen Star? 

Oh, wait. We already have.

Another Triumph For Diversity Hiring Practices!

Ofcom's online safety supervision director has been suspended after anti-Israel comments were posted on her private Instagram account.

Gosh!  

Screengrabs published by the Guido Fawkes website appeared to show posts from Fadzai Madzingira's account describing Israel as an 'apartheid state'. She is also claimed to have liked a post criticising Israel and the UK for forming a 'vile colonial alliance'.

One wonders how she came to be in such a job, eh, Reader? If only there had been some warning...

Ms Madzingira describes herself as a 'Zimbabwean, a black feminist, a student of decolonisation and a deep believer in liberty for all' in the Instagram story obtained by the political website.

*sighs* 

Well, Yes, Criminals Always Have Excuses, Akiko

It would be hard to find a more stark illustration of the cost of living crisis than the fact that one in 10 young people say they have shoplifted to cope with rising costs. In one London borough, Calpol is the most shoplifted item. Elsewhere, parents say they are having to steal formula milk to feed their babies.

Yes, I expect they do. They are hardly likely to tell you what they are really using it for, are they? And why does no-one ask what they are spending their child benefit on, if not their child?

But rather than offering families the support they need, the government is instead increasing the use of invasive facial recognition technology to track shoplifters. This feels like an attempt to criminalise poverty.

No, it's an attempt to catch - or prevent access to - those who are already criminals. No matter who they are. 

Last month, Project Pegasus was launched. Ten of the country’s biggest retailers are planning to tackle the rise in shoplifting by handing over their CCTV images to the police, to be run through police databases using facial recognition technology.

I'd hate to have to point out that if they actually turned up, they'd catch them red handed, but...oh, I just did, didn't I? 

The plans have been fronted by the policing minister, Chris Philp, who also has his sights on setting up a national shoplifting database which can be used by police and retailers nationwide. Such a database could include the passport photos of 45 million adults in the country.Place this in the context of plummeting trust in UK policing and the picture gets ever more bleak. Not only is such technology ripe for misuse, history tells us surveillance tech will always be used to monitor and harass minority groups, and particularly people of colour.

How will it? It's going to be used to target criminals. Surely you can't be saying that minority groups contain more criminals than other groups, can you? 

Using our passport photos – something we’ve submitted for the purposes of travelling – to track us when we go to the shops to buy a pint of milk is an extreme invasion of our privacy.

I've just renewed my passport, as it happens, and I've no qualms whatsoever about my photo being used in this way. Can you guess why? It's not because I'm white. 

The challenges that shoplifting creates are best addressed by understanding the impact rising costs and poverty are having on people across the country, who are are struggling to pay their bills and feed their children.

No, it's not the case that people are stealing to 'feed children' - they are mostly stealing to feed their own greed or a drug habit. 

"...it is unfortunately far too common for young men to drive in this way."

Is it, judge? Is it really? All young men? 

The court heard he had both hands off the wheel and while holding his mobile phone to film the video with one, he used the other to inhale balloons filled with nitrous oxide. He was found 'dazed and confused' in the wreckage, while his two passengers were unconscious. Nobody was wearing a seatbelt, the court heard.

*sighs* 

The judge said that had Jillani not admitted his crime and the case and gone to trial, he would have imposed a sentence of 14 years.

In effect, cause the CPS less work and they'll cause you less punishment for your crime. Who voted for that? 

He said that while Jillani is 'intelligent, well thought of' and comes from a 'highly respected family', Judge Conrad slammed him for having 'a degree of arrogance, selfishness and insensitivity about you still in the way you regard yourself'.

The judge also said Jillani had made 'tasteless' online postings since the tragedy causing further hurt to Ms Yusuf's family.

I guess he didn't get a discount for non-existant 'remorse' at least. Which is a nice change.  

Errr, No, They Only Provide Your TV Picture...

Homophones are deadly, like kryptonite for local newspapers...

H/T: Dave Ward via email

A Tautology...?

...or, in today's trans cult world, a necessary clarification?

Sunday Funnies...

Sadly, this only works in America...

"There is no excuse for staff, including third-party contractors, in public service to be unaware..."

Indeed so, perhaps it's time it resulted in instant dismissal, then? 

And this was even worse than the usual chain store or high-street restaurant. This was a hospital.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, she wrote: 'Tonight a hospital security guard tried to stop me entering urgent care with @GuideDogAva & my poorly baby.

'We kept walking after firmly saying 'this is a guide dog'.

'Very grateful to the members of the public who also shouted him down and the nurse on the reception who had words.

'As a mother with an ill child I should not have to also deal with the additional fear and stress of an access refusal because of my guide dog. The law has existed for over 25 years.'

Well, yes. And what's changed in those 25 years that we are seeing these reports? 

I can't remember seeing them growing up, can anyone else? Everyone knew that guide dogs were an exception. It didn't need to be spelled out to people. 

A spokeswoman for Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said that they had reached out to Dr Kavanagh and the issue had been 'raised at the highest levels' of the trust.

'We are taking this incident seriously, our organisation is fully committed to providing accessible services for everyone in our community, in a safe and welcoming environment,' she said.

'We have contacted the patient to offer our sincere apologies and importantly, to ensure that appropriate action will take place following an immediate internal review.'

Why the need for 'a review'? What, exactly, will you be reviewing? 

When Is Empty Virtue Signalling Not 'Appropriate'..?

Ah. I see. And I can guess we can draw our own conclusions as to why not...

England fans have also been warned that Israeli flags will be ripped off them at the turnstiles as the FA - which has been branded as 'spineless' by Jewish supporter groups - faces questions over its slow response to the terror attacks by Hamas. The Three Lions boss said that he recognised how 'difficult' the FA's decision was, and that while he was not involved in the discussions, he and his squad will get behind the stance which comes with 'good intentions'.

You do know which road you're on, then, Gareth? 

Lord Mann said that the 'FA have let down the Jewish community', adding: 'It's a failure of leadership at the top of football and their arguments to Parliament about a football regulator and not needing one or that the FA should be the regulator are dramatically weakened by it.'

It should scupper any chance they had. But since the government is equally weak and spineless, it probably won't. 

You're Missing The Point, Jeremy...

...those coming across the Channel in dinghies are doing it FROM 'a place of safety'. Unless you believe France is a war zone?

Time These Judges Suffered The Consequences Of Their Decisions...

A foreign rapist branded a 'danger to women' has been allowed to stay in the UK – because he might not be given proper medical treatment in his home country.

Joachim Cardos, 43, was an illegal ­immigrant in Edinburgh and dealing drugs when he raped a woman at knifepoint and left her fearing for her life. After serving a jail sentence for what a judge described as a 'violent and persistent' attack that had a 'devastating' impact on his victim, he was ordered to be sent back to his native Gambia.

But of course, there's always a 'human rights' argument to be made, with taxpayer money, of course! 

In a move that justice campaigners have called 'an insult to his victim', an immigration tribunal ruled in favour of letting ­Cardos remain in the UK. Last night critics said the case showed the immigration system was putting the rights of foreign criminals ahead of public safety or the feelings of victims.

I think they believe that's their actual role... 

The Home Secretary appealed the decision but the challenge was rejected last month. Justice Dame Henrietta Hill said: 'The Secretary of State for the Home Department fails to establish any proper basis to ­interfere with the decision.'

Wouldn't it be terrible if the judges who take these decisions were refused service everywhere, and shunned by the people who pay their wages? If they won't protect society, why should society protect them?

A Question Of Grammar....

I think it should be 'IS not permitted'. What say you, Reader?

Who Are You 'Protecting And Serving'..?

A banned dog called Blaze has been saved from being destroyed after police obtained a court order exempting it from legislation.

Wait, what?! 

The two-year-old Pit Bull was seized by police from a house in Norwich on March 3 after being suspected of being an illegal breed. It has now been returned permanently to its owner Laura Baluch, 20, after Norwich Magistrates’ Court was told it did not pose a risk to the public. Magistrates approved a police application for the family pet to be placed on the index of exempt dogs.

Oh, FFS!  

PC Annelly Miles, Norfolk and Suffolk police dog legislation officer said after being seized Blaze had been identified to be a Pit Bull type. Owning a Pit Bull Terrier has been illegal since 1991 under the dangerous dogs legislation.

“Blaze was purchased by Laura about a year old having been advertised as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier but obviously this wasn’t the case,” said PC Miles. “He lives with Laura, her parents and her 12-year-old sister. He is very much a loved family pet.

“He has not shown any aggression to other dogs or people and I don’t believe he poses any danger to the public.”

She said the dog was “quite boisterous and full-on” but was still young enough to continue good behaviour training.

Why take the risk? Shoot the thing and tell them to get a nice Labrador instead... 

H/T: Dave Ward via email

Why Are We Sending Our Dumbest To University?

A former student carried out sexual assaults at a Scots university after claiming to be conducting radiation testing for the Ministry of Defence.

Wait, what? And who on earth believed him? 

John Beaumont subjected victims to fake medical examinations and even got one to sign the ‘Official Secrets Act’. He convinced three fellow students – two males and a female – the procedures were necessary as they may have been affected by the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in 1986.

/facepalm 

Mr McElroy yesterday told the Edinburgh hearing one of those targeted in St Andrews ‘went online and noted the accused had been convicted for offences that mirrored what had happened to him.’ The matter was then reported to the police.

University clearly wasn't for them, was it? 

This Shames England...

The scenes in London were bad enough, with the Home Secretary having to issue orders to the police that a), they shouldn't have needed, and b) they appear to have ignored. 

...last night, Suella Braverman urged officers to use the 'full force of the law' against shows of support for Hamas or bids to intimidate the UK's Jewish community. She issued a warning to police chiefs that the waving of Palestinian flags and chanting 'may not be legitimate' if it is deemed to be a show of support for acts of terrorism.

But this! This is practically a declaration by the police that they are perfectly fine with support for terrorism on the street of England. 

Police said 'minor disorder' ensued as they tried to disperse the crowds, meaning the suspect and another man were able to escape and are now being looked for.

This was not 'minor disorder', this was a declaration by a hostile foreign power that we have allowed into our country and that now acts as a fifth column on our streets, openly. Without hinderance from those we pay to prevent such displays.  

It Seems They Are Happy To Charge A Fortune To Stitch Up The Victims, Though...

This was Tweeted by a vet who then whined like an abandoned cocker spaniel puppy when she got blowback. 

Because if vets are crying into their cappuchinos over having to put 'Killer' down, why haven't they been raising a fuss over having to stitch up Killer's multiple victims? Is it because they can earn multiple amounts from treatment for them, when it's a non-repeating fee for euthanasia?

Either way, it's hard to see that the welfare of the animals is uppermost, isn't it?

How The BBC Spends The Licence Fee…

...and who'd ever have predicted it would be 'paying for mistakes made by an employee meddling in a murder case'?

The BBC has reached a settlement and further apologised to the mother of the murdered schoolgirl Karen Hadaway, who claimed that Martin Bashir took her daughter’s clothes and never returned them.

I expect the BBC bosses were happy to do so once assured it wasn't for a sexual purpose! 

In 1991, Michelle Hadaway said that the former BBC reporter asked for her daughter’s clothes for DNA tests for the BBC Two social affairs programme Public Eye. The investigation was never aired, with Hadaway saying that her calls to the broadcaster were ignored.

In 2021, the BBC conducted a review of the case in a fresh effort to try to locate the clothing. The BBC director general, Tim Davie, said the corporation’s investigators had spoken directly to Bashir but he had said he “doesn’t know where the clothes are”.

Davie apologised to the family but said “regrettably 30 years on, little more can be done to find the missing clothes”.

Let's hope at least the BBC has learned that when one of its employees asks 'Hey, can I play at being a forensic expert?' the answer should be 'NO!'... 

Move It Monday: October

Now here's a real blast from the not-too-distant past (OK, OK, the Eighties, for all you young 'uns!). 

It's the Style Council, with 'Shout To The Top'.

 

While Politicians Are Still Ducking The Real Issues...

Hundreds of people gathered in south London for a candlelit vigil close to where a 15-year-old schoolgirl was stabbed to death.

Yes, this one. 

Rev Denzil Larbi, Elianne’s cousin, led people gathered outside the shopping centre and bus stop in prayer on Wednesday, one week after the killing. He spoke in front of a makeshift shrine to Elianne, featuring balloons and flowers.

A friend of the family, Gloria Twumasi Danquah, said she was still devastated at Elianne’s death. “It’s such a terrible tragedy, she was such a beautiful girl,” she said. Danquah said she hoped Elianne’s death would act as a wake-up call for young people, showing them that actions can have devastating consequences.

“I hope young people will see that what you do actually has an impact on your future as a person and also those around you.

“You can’t not be mindful of what you do and you have to have some control over the way you behave as an individual.”

I notice no-one here is demanding action from anyone but the actual perpetrators and their parents. Which is a nice change. 

Rev Paul Akinola, from St George’s Church in Southall, also led the crowd in prayer and spoke about how mature and ambitious Elianne was.Akinola said he hoped Elianne’s death would lead to more conversations about knife crime and how to tackle it within the police force, but also with parents and their children at home.

Because that's where the action needs to be taken.  

Well, Stop Paying For Them!

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has axed its Christmas lights display...

Wait a minute, wasn't that the one featured just a few days ago in this very blog? 

Yes, Reader. Yes, it was.

...despite spending £32,000 on beach art which was later removed.

*sighs* 

Tobias Ellwood, the Conservative MP for Bournemouth East, said the decision to scrap Christmas lights was 'short-sighted and damaging' and called the council's decision making 'bizarre'.

He said: 'Much as we all enjoy public art, I suspect, given the choice, local taxpayers would prefer to see the Christmas lights continue rather than spend most of its budget on a seafront art exhibit. It is an illustration of the bizarre financial decision making in BCP Council.

'This approach is extremely short-sighted and will damage our local economy in the long term - subsequently placing greater financial strain on the council.'

Perhaps it's time for a ratepayer strike? 

Spot On, As Always....

Matt always is, isn't he?

Seems Appropriate, Today...

I nearly cancelled my usual humourous Sunday posts, in view of the news yesterday. But then I remembered this one: 

I hope they are swift and terrible. And they finally lance this Iran-backed boil once and for all.

Sunday Funnies...

Nothing new under the sun, eh, Facebook and Instagram?

A Culture Clash In The Wings…

Nearly two-thirds of bosses believe that workers will return to the office five days a week within the next three years, while a majority of company leaders think pay and promotions could become linked to workplace attendance, according to a survey.

Oh, OK, well. they are entitled to believe that. What do the actual workers believe, though? 

Multiple employee surveys in recent years have shown that most workers have no desire to return to their desks full-time, with some saying they would quit their jobs if current workplace flexibility was taken away.

Well, we're going to live in interesting times then, aren't we?  

More Of This, Please!

The video, which has now gone viral, shows a confident Trudeau waving at supporters who had lined up to meet him as he marches up to greet them with his security guards standing just yards away. The 51-year-old shakes someone's hand and waves at a child in a stroller before attempting to shake the hand of another crowd member who says: 'I'm not shaking your hand bro, you're a f***ing piece of s***.'

One wonders what he was doing in the crowd. Waiting for this chance? 

And of course, with the typical arrogance of the politician, Trudeau stops to argue. After all, he can surely get the better of his heckler, can't he?

Trudeau looks visibly taken aback and asks; 'Why's that, sir?' The man replies: 'You f***ed up the entire country.

Trudeau then asks: 'How did I mess up this country?' The man replies: 'Can anybody afford a home?' He starts ranting about carbon taxes asking what the people are getting charged for. Trudeau calmly explains that the government is putting the price on pollution and 'returning it to families like yours'.

'You're sending it over to Ukraine, right?' the man counters. 'You're sending it over to the guy you were with who slaughtered his own country.'

So, how does a world leader, a man supposedly selected for his quick thinking and mature outlook, handle this?

Before walking off, Trudeau says: 'You've been listening to Putin have you?'

'You know a lot of Russian disinformation.'

Yes. Like a five year old losing a playground spat. What a statesman! 

A Joke Of A Country...

Chris McEleny, the general secretary of the rival pro-independence Alba party, said he had reported Sunak to Police Scotland for contempt of court allegations, as the prime minister’s comments come amid a live police investigation. McEleny said: “Operation Branchform should be free to pursue its investigation fearlessly without interference from Rishi Sunak.”

The 'interference'? A simple joke.  

In his conference address, Sunak claimed the union between Scotland and the rest of the UK was “the strongest it has been in a quarter of a century”. He added: “Nicola Sturgeon wanted to go down in the history books as the woman who broke up our country. But it now looks like she may go down for very different reasons.”

Joke's on the independence movement, Chris, eh? 

I Guess The Police Would Rather Hunt Foxes..?

A woman has called for urgent police action after a bully-type dog bit her on the leg in Paignton. The victim limped home alone after the owner of the dog ran away from the scene near Oldway Mansion. She needed hospital treatment to stitch the bloody wound inflicted by the animal. The 55-year-old nurse says she was terrified by the incident, which happened on Thursday of last week, and fears other people could be hurt unless the owner and dog are traced.

Hurt, or even killed. 

Paramedics called police on her behalf but she says nobody has visited her and her calls to 101 have received no follow-up.

"They haven't really helped," she said. "I called for update and the police said they couldn’t do anything. My worry is that the dog might do it again. There must be cameras in the area that police can check."

Police can't worry about dogs, they have bigger game to pursue:

The pretence of the arrest is “conspiracy to commit criminal damage.”

One can only assume this is related to this week’s interview with @MaajidNawaz, where they discuss ULEZ Blade Runners.

Laurence has not yet done any Blade Running. This is a pre-crime.pic.twitter.com/kYoWcExvjc

— Dcn Calvin Robinson (@calvinrobinson) October 4, 2023

What's more of a danger? Dogs, or people refusing to be cowed by political edicts? I guess we know now.

H/T: Ian J via email

More Bollocks Than An Abbatoir’s Waste Bin...

Yes, you know from the description it's another Frances Ryan column:

Shipped in from Manston – the overcrowded Kent asylum centre – last November, the 55 residents housed in this processing centre run by a private company have severe or life-limiting disabilities. Some have lost limbs, others are deaf or blind. Half a dozen are paraplegic. Some have been disabled since birth; others were maimed in the war zones they’re now fleeing from.

There are war zones in Calais, Frances? 

The centre has security guards but no trained care workers. Instead, disabled residents are left to fend for themselves.

Well, if they've managed to get in a makeshift dinghy or break into a lorry and cross the Channel how much 'care' can they really need?  

Only a few months ago an Iranian man living in the centre died. Doctors had repeatedly said he needed a wheelchair, but he never received one. It’s thought he suffered a fatal stroke. “We’re essentially waiting for the next [death],” Maria says. “And it will be because of a lack of care.”

Ah, I just knew there'd be a fakecharity at the heart of this... 

Try the food in the Essex accommodation and it’s tellingly prison-like: a falafel squashed in a slice of white bread, or a pile of beans in a polystyrene box. I’m told, three residents have become diabetic since arriving at the centre– one has lost two toes.

I'm sure the food would have been better in France... 

As we finish talking, Maria asks me not to publish the location of the centre. She says that an elderly resident has recently been attacked in the street, and there are fears of further hate crimes. “He was speaking in a foreign language on his phone … That was enough.”

Blimey, if that was a cause for assault, there'd be blood running down my Tube carriage every morning... 

Yes, Of Course, He's The Real Victim...

A rapist who avoided jail because of his young age suffered a 'very significant miscarriage of justice', appeal judges heard yesterday.

Who's surprised? Not me. The chutzpah is strong in this one...

Hogg's lawyer, Donald Findlay, KC, told judges Lady Dorrian, Lord Matthews and Lord Pentland at the Court of Criminal Appeal yesterday that his client had been being (sic) wrongly convicted.

Mr Findlay said Lord Lake did not properly follow the correct legal procedures used in Scotland to establish the guilt of a rapist. The defence lawyer told the court that the complainer whose evidence led to Hogg's conviction had to have her account of being sexually assaulted corroborated.

Isn't that something we usually deride about the Islamic system of 'justice'..? 

Sauce For The Goose, Leroy...

What I found utterly amazing were these acts of solidarity across the country, made by individual officers and their staff associations and the UK Police Federation, but based on scant information about the Chris Kaba killing. Policing is supposed to be evidence-based, however a critical mass of armed officers put their rational thinking to one side and joined this mass hysteria of handing back their firearms authorisation.

...after all, how many of the black mobs that gather outside police stations when some gangster has been taken out stop to 'consider the evidence', eh?

What this showed me was the toxic culture of some in the firearms fraternity.

Is that more or less toxic than the knife and machete fraternity, then?

...I hope each and every officer reflects seriously on why they carry out their role, and reminds themselves of the rewards and risks that apply when first they seek to join the firearms command, things that are reiterated to them during training. The reward, for some, is the glamour of carrying firearms and the associated paraphernalia; the risk is the scrutiny that follows the discharging of a firearm and the possibility of ending up in court to defend their actions as proportionate and necessary.

Even when that's already been decided, Leroy? 

Here We Go Again...

A man has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after a dog attack on a North East housing estate this evening (Tuesday, October 3).

The accounts were horrific on social media, with people reporting he needed 40 minutes of CPR (and some reporting he's died). Police turned up ready for this one at least: 

Police have confirmed the dog was destroyed at the scene "to ensure the safety of the public" following the incident Maple Terrace, Shiney Row.

Or to assuage their consciences, perhaps?

It won't be the first time lack of prompt action has caused a far worse problem. And until they start treating these attacks and the precusors to them seriously, it won't be the last, either.

This Is Why I Love IT...

...it shines a light on 'unacceptable reality' that the progressives desperately want to ignore, but really can't. 

They do try, though, even if it's futile:

Gloria Morrison, a co-founder of Jengba (Joint Enterprise Not Guilty By Association), which brought the legal action that led to the prosecutions being monitored for racial bias, said: “The data has proven that joint enterprise charging is not simply disproportionate against black and working-class defendants, it is a useful tool to gather up as many convictions as possible using what is clearly a racist doctrine that has no place in the British justice system.”

No, sweetie, that's not what it shows at all. And you know it.  

It's The Judge Who Needs A Wake Up Call,,,

..in fact, it's the entire justice system:

Grinning from ear to ear, this was the reaction of a thug spared jail for stabbing a complete stranger moments after a court was told of his 'genuine remorse' for his actions. Issac Francis, 22, ran up behind a man who was being set upon, and despite not knowing anyone involved, knifed him twice in the buttock. Yet despite having a previous conviction for robbery and possession of a bladed article, Francis walked free from court after a judge was told the offence had been the 'wake-up call he needed'.

The only thing he's 'woken up to' is the uselessness of the justice system. And I suspect he already knew that.  

Representing Francis in court, Nicola Carroll said he had 'genuine remorse' for his actions and the offence had been the 'wake-up call he needed'. She said the thug - who was supported in court by his mother - had 'complex psychological needs' and had got involved in the fight due to a 'misplaced sense of loyalty to those involved'.

How, since he didn't know any of the people involved? 

Passing sentence, Recorder Alexandra Simmons said she was 'satisfied' Francis was remorseful, and acknowledged his young age and psychological needs.

Don't those make him more dangerous, then? 

Stop Demanding New Laws!

Start demanding that the existing ones are used properly. 

The retailers, who also include the bosses of Aldi, Primark and Superdrug, call for the creation of a new UK-wide aggravated offence of assaulting or abusing a retail worker – as already exists in Scotland – which would carry tougher sentences and require police to record all incidents of retail crime and allow the allocation of more resources.

You're all idiots. Have you any idea how long it takes to get new legislation passed? Most of your shops will have closed down by the time it's on the books. 

“The police consistently tell us that a lack of data about these offences means they have no visibility about the nature or scale of the issue,” the letter says.

Well, they are clearly lying, aren't they? As their own data shows:

Meanwhile, the police’s own data for one major retailer shows that forces failed to respond to 73% of serious retail crimes that were reported...

What that letter should be urging is for them to start using the laws they already have. Not requesting new ones for them to ignore.  

Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the BRC, which helped organise the letter to Braverman, said: “It is vital that action is taken before the scourge of retail crime gets any worse. We are seeing organised gangs threatening staff with weapons and emptying stores. We are seeing violence against colleagues who are doing their job and asking for age verification. We are seeing a torrent of abuse aimed at hardworking shop staff. It’s simply unacceptable – no one should have to go to work fearing for their safety. We need government to stand with the millions of retail workers who kept us safe and fed during the pandemic – and support them, as those workers supported us.”

All of those things are already crimes. Making them 'extra special super duper crimes' will take too long and still not help.  

You want to force the government's hand? Stop paying the bastards. No more cushy sinecure jobs for ex-Ministers or MPs. No more donations to the party. Starve them. 

To Paraphrase Lydia Grant: "Woke Costs..."

Suspended GB News TV presenter Reverend Calvin Robinson has won an out-of-court settlement from the Royal Academy of Dance after he was sacked from a senior role for opposing a drag queen storytelling session for children.

Mr Robinson, 37, was awarded £8,000 after the RAD removed him from its education sub-committee for protesting against what he believed to be the sexualisation of minors.

"...and right here's where you start paying!"

You've Got Enough Problems, TfL...

...don't compound them by hiring signwriters from the 'Grauniad'.

Whut..?

/facepalm

H/T: The Jannie via email

Sunday Funnies...

And the UK is No 1 (for a change)...