Tweet Of The Month

C'mon, who didn't hear the music, reading this one?

And this is just brutal!

The man who would be our next Prime Minister has some strange policies in store:

Post Title Of The Month

LegIron on the eco-nutters: 

Quote Of The Month

Fahrenheit211 on Oliver Kamm's takedown of the late John Pilger:

"Everyone who writes or creates has biases. We can do our best to keep these biases in check or try to give both sides of a story or to point out when stories are nuanced rather than black and white, but Pilger did none of this. If a story fitted Pilger’s worldview, even if it meant defending awful authoritarians, he was on it. If Mr Kamm is correct then Pilger’s post mortem reputation will most certainly not match the plaudits that Pilger received in his early life."

Post Of The Month

Longrider on how subservience to the trans cult has resulted in a shock (but well deserved) defeat for Labour...

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree...

...does it?

The rapper son of London Riots gangster Mark Duggan has been arrested at an airport over firearms charges. Tottenham based Kemani Duggan, 22, styles himself as Bandokay and performs as part of a group which has featured on the BBC.

But of course it has... 

Duggan was arrested at Gatwick Airport on Saturday 13 January and appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court last Monday. He was charged with possession of a handgun and ammunition without a licence, although the charges were unrelated to any incident at the airport itself.

He is charged with having a Tokarev Zastava Arms model M57 self-loading pistol and 23 rounds of ammunition in Hackney between Feb 19 and March 21 last year.

Wait, why has it taken so long to lock this miscreant up? Are the CPS that scared or impotent? 

Duggan is set to appear at Wood Green Crown Court on February 13 after being remanded into custody. He has yet to enter a plea.

I expect he'll plead 'racism'... 

Well, Maybe There Really Aren't Any?

Under an opaque policy condemned as discriminatory and “inhumane”, the government has refused dozens of visas for children of migrant single mothers, many of whom came to work in the NHS or social care, saying there are “no compelling reasons” to grant them.

Do they really 'come to work in the NHS or social care', or do they come to get a foot in the door?

The women left their children – some as young as two – in the temporary care of relatives or friends while they moved to Britain from countries including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, South Africa and India. Before leaving, they say, they had been reassured by their employers that their children would be able to follow, in line with current immigration rules permitting healthcare workers to bring close family members.

We are continually told the NHS needs these people, as workers. But are they workers, or the vanguard of an invasion? 

In refusal letters seen by the Observer, the Home Office questioned why the children could not stay permanently with their grandparents or other relatives. In other cases, it said there was no reason why they could not go to live with their fathers, even though their mothers had sole custody or the fathers had not seen the children for years. Many of the letters, addressed directly to the children, conclude: “It was your mother’s personal decision to depart for the UK and you have not provided sufficient evidence to grant your visa on serious or compelling grounds.”

Yes, it was. She gambled. She lost.  

Patricia Chinyoka, chief executive of the Women of Zimbabwe project, which is supporting many of the women, described the refusals as “absolutely appalling”. “Some of the women have supplied an amazing array of proof and then they still get a letter saying: ‘We don’t believe you.’ They have sold properties, left jobs – they’ve sold up and come here and this is what they are now faced with,” Chinyoka said. “They don’t know what to do.”

Go home to raise their families in their own countries.  

Well, Of Course They Fired Your Dumb Ass, Felicia...

Felicia Nicole, a Walmart worker (Ed: accuracy in reporting, please! It's 'ex-Walmart worker...) who confronted the mother along with other shoppers, said she was sacked after five years of service for posting video of the boy online.

'I don't feel sorry for her, she needs to be in jail... she shouldn't have done that to her baby,' she told DailyMail.com about the charges against Darby.

'Walmart doesn't care about their employees! I was only trying to help.'

Honey, if there's no clause in your contract that forbids workers from posting pictures of customers online for likes rather than contacting the relevant authorities, I'd be astounded. 

After she was released on bail, Darby wrote an 656-word Facebook post defending herself, claiming she was being 'done like Jesus was'.

Attached to the post were 54 photos of her children that she claimed proved she was a good mother and not 'neglectful' or 'mentally ill'. They included two of her kids at Disney World, posing with presents under a Christmas tree, and sitting on pumpkins on a farm.

IQ is real, folks... 

Maybe They Shouldn't Act Like That's Exactly What They Are, Then?

...the phrase “gender identity ideology” is actually nothing to do with gender, as in masculinity and femininity, and how this shapes our identities. Instead, it is used to imply that trans, transgender and gender non-conforming identities are a new fad, and that the longstanding social justice movement for trans rights is really a recent conspiracy of nefarious elites.

Well, Finn, maybe if they don't want to be considered as such, maybe they shouldn't spend all their time infiltrating organisations and changing their rules, eh? 

The real gender ideology is the binary sex and gender system that requires all of us to be either male-masculine-heterosexual or female-feminine-heterosexual; and which attaches harsh penalties to those who deviate from this script.

Go blame Mother Nature for that. Railing against this is like railing against gravity. 

...in its guidance, the Department for Education states that gender identity is a contested belief, and that many people don’t consider themselves to have one at all. They define gender identity as a person’s sense of their own gender, which may or may not be linked to their biological sex. In the document’s explanation of pupils’ “social transition”, this is described as using different names, pronouns, clothing or facilities from those provided for their biological sex. What all of us should read here, not in between the lines so much as actually in the lines, is the bizarre claim that things like this have a biological sex in the first place. How can names, the fabric of clothes, or the porcelain of toilets possibly have a biological sex?

Maybe ask the French? 

"He was probably attacking because he was hungry and scared."

No, because he's a pitbull. That's just what they do.

Dozens of appalled neighbors were powerless to stop the two beasts from ripping 'chunks' out of the victim in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

I find it very hard to believe that no-one in Florida had a gun! 

The victim, known as 'Smokie', was dragged over the sidewalk as onlookers honked their car horns and one edges his semi-trailer towards the bloodthirsty hounds.

'Everybody was gathering around, you know 20 or 30 people, throwing things and that worked for a while,' one neighbor told local10.

What would have worked was running the damn things over, not fruitlessly honking the horn!

The two animals were seized by officers from Miami-Dade County Animal Services which is considering whether to destroy them.

They have to consider this? 

And It Promises To Be Even More Vicious...

Good old Matt...finger on the pulse as always!

I Wander What The Monkey Was Wondering About..?

H/T: Rob via email

Sunday Funnies...

Cool, now do government initiatives!

You're Angry With The Wrong Person...

...blame the council for their H&S rules!

JK Rowling has earned the ire of neighbours after gardening works to her Edinburgh home led to a road closure - causing some children to be late for school, their parents claim.

She didn't personally demand the road be closed, did she? No, Reader, of course she didn't. 

The Harry Potter creator, 59, has required access to the road next to her £2.2million home to be restricted for up to a week as the leylandii hedge is cut back. The trimming, which occurs roughly every three years, has led to temporary four-way traffic lights outside the author's house in an affluent suburb of the city, The Times reports. Sections of the road will be closed while workers use a cherry-picker.

And the council demand that in order to do so, the road must be closed. 

One parent said: 'Why can't they do it in the February breaks? They have hours through the day when the roads are quiet. 

'No-one else gets the street shut down to cut their hedge.'

Yes, they would, if a cherry picker was required to do so.  

Priorities...

The Metropolitan police have urged the public to refrain from making “unnecessary and unhelpful” comments about a newborn found alive in a shopping bag last week.

The force used its latest appeal for information to say those commenting had no idea what the baby’s mother was going through​...

To hell with her. Those people are imagining what the newborn went through, discarded in freezing temperatures like rubbish. This isn't a third world country where we expect such things to happen. There are plenty of services available for women in these situations.

And to hell with you too, Chief Superintendant Crick. You're an example of why we no longer respect the police.

“Lastly, I’d like to say that although comments online have been largely incredibly kind, supportive and understanding, there have been a small number of abusive and negative comments that are both unnecessary and unhelpful. All of us are looking at this from a position of privilege in that we have no idea what baby Elsa’s mother is going through.”

That 'long march through the institutions' has given us this. No wonder London is an absolute tip. 

Not A Pet, A Weapon...

The dog attack unfolded at just before 5.50pm on Saturday, December 2 when Aroriode-Francis’s XL Bully charged towards a dog in Cheshunt High Street, Hertfordshire.

Emergency services were called, but Aroriode-Francis, 27, left the scene before the police could arrive. The victim of the dog attack later died from its injuries.

Another day, another killer mutt owned by the sort of person who shouldn't be allowed a goldfish. Not that this was a pet, per se, as it turns out... 

Magistrates ordered Aroriode-Francis to pay compensation to the dog owner and cover kennelling costs; he was also given a six-month jail term, suspended for 18 months.The XL Bully was also ordered to be put down.

A Nigerian thug with a record get a suspended sentence for a weapon dog, but a white middle class woman with an elderly terrier loses her job? What are they smoking in judge's chambers these days?  

Separate counts of making off without paying for £286.91 of petrol and driving a BMW without insurance were also levelled at Aroriode-Francis, who admitted both charges.

Nor is that his only brush with the law... 

H/T: ProtectOurPets via Twitter

And Did Elizabeth Sennett Take A Shorter Time To Die...?

Probably not, since you stabbed her eight times in the chest and once on each side of neck. For money.

He was sentenced to death in 1996 for the murder-for-hire slaying of a preacher's wife in 1988, where he was paid just $1,000 for the hit.

And this wasn't his first rodeo, as it turns out: 

...his previous scheduled execution in November 2022 was called off after painful hours of botched attempts to inject him with an IV line.

Following the failed execution in 2022, Smith sought his subsequent execution to be carried out via nitrogen hypoxia - in an apparent gamble that officials wouldn't follow through with the untested method.

Well, it's tested now! 

Maya Foa, director of human rights organization Reprieve, told DailyMail.com: 'They said lethal injection was humane - that was a lie. They'll claim this execution was humane, and that is a lie, too.

'The whole purpose of these methods is to hide pain. How many more prisoners must die agonizing deaths before we see executions for what they really are: the state violently taking a human life?'

You seem OK with citizens doing it and facing no penalty, Maya... 

A Recipe For Disaster…

Ofsted is to urge schools to “pause” inspections that appear to be damaging the mental health of their staff, as part of its formal response to the death of headteacher Ruth Perry.

One mentally-unstable woman kills herself over a trivial matter, and suddenly the whole world stands still? 

But Perry’s family and school leaders said they were disappointed that neither the Department for Education’s nor Ofsted’s responses addressed the use of single-phrase judgments such as “inadequate” to grade schools, which they said was an impediment to real reform.

You can't appease these people, and you shouldn't even try... 

“As the new chief inspector, I am determined to do everything in my power to prevent such tragedies in the futures,” said Oliver, who took over as head of Ofsted in the new year. He added: “We must carry out our role in a way that is sensitive to the pressures faced by leaders and staff, without losing our focus on children and learners.”

You've made yourself a hostage to fortune, because you can now be delayed by claims that you cannot disprove, because even asking for medical evidence of any 'stress' will be seen as exacerbating it.  

Both the National Association of Head Teachers and the Association of School and College Leaders said Ofsted’s proposals were positive steps but did not fully address their concerns.

“This must be the beginning of a process for Ofsted and the government to improve the way in which schools and colleges are inspected – one that makes the system fairer, less punitive and more supportive,” said Geoff Barton, ASCL’s general secretary.

In any grading system, someone has to come last. I suppose it was inevitable the 'all must have prizes!' ethos would be used for the teachers as well as the pupils. 

Who Says You Never See Anything Worthwhile In Social Media Advertising?

I shall buy two!

H/T: CJ Nerd via email

Why We Can’t Have Nice Things Pt 4792587

The bell-ringing ritual is a familiar sound in many cancer wards — there are now 427 end-of-treatment bells in hospitals across the UK — but while for some it marks an important milestone, for others it’s an unwelcome reminder that they will never be able to celebrate the ‘end of treatment’, as their condition is incurable and the end of treatment means doctors have run out of options.

Remember when we allowed people to do things that made them feel better about their situation, and if it didn't make you feel that way, you just kept quiet out of respect for their choices? 

Me too. It was a nicer world, wasn't it? 

Meanwhile, even those who take part can be left with negative feelings about the experience. A study of 200 cancer patients, published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology in 2020 found that patients who rang the bell reported more distressing and longer-lasting memories of treatment than those who didn’t. Researchers suggested the sound could create a ‘flashbulb’ event, locking in bad memories and creating false hope.

Silly me, I though cancer researchers just researched ways to defeat cancer... 

Now there is increasing patient-led debate about the value of the end-of-treatment bell ceremony, with some campaigning to scrap the practice in the UK entirely — this has already led to some hospitals, such as Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, removing the end-of-chemo bell from the Lingen Davies Oncology Centre after complaints from patients.

This must be the only sign that the NHS actually cares about patient's wishes. 

That Accident North Of The Wall Is No Longer Waiting To Happen...

...it's happened: 

A man is fighting for his life in hospital after being savaged by an 'out-of-control' XL bully-type dog that had attacked another man in the street minutes before.

The man was attacked by the 'bulldog-type' animal in the area of Tinto View, Hamilton, Scotland at around 5pm, prompting Police Scotland to send armed response officers to the scene who subsequently shot the animal dead.

The blood's on your hands as well as the idiot owner, Siobhian, if this turns out to be true:

The Record understands the canine had been rescued from England. Police say inquiries to establish the animal's breed are ongoing.

I've had a quick glance at social media, which is exactly as I suspected, full of smooth-brained 'animal lovers' claiming 'any dog can be savage' and 'it's the owner, not the dog' and 'why did the police not tranquilise it' as they always do in these instances. 

At least the Scottish taxpayer's not on the hook for the mutant mutt's long stay in kennels until a judge finally signs a destruction order so well done, Police Scotland, well done indeed.

Bribing Us With Our Own Money!

And why? Because it works.

Jeremy Hunt has dangled the prospect of big tax cuts in his March budget, in what is seen as one of the last opportunities for the Conservatives to claw back Labour’s huge opinion poll lead.

'Elect us again, and we'll steal less from you!' Well, it's a slogan for the times, I guess...

In his first public comments on his budget strategy, the chancellor made clear that only unexpected bad news would prevent him from answering the call from Tory MPs for a substantial giveaway before an expected autumn general election.

And where did he make this pronouncement? From No 11? Or from the real seat of power in the UK? 

Speaking in Davos, where he was attending the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum...

Thought so.  

One senior Tory MP suggested that Hunt could focus on cutting national insurance.

I'd be satisfied with him just renaming it. Since it's not insurance at all.  

But If He'd Stabbed Her...

...you'd order the knife melted down without hesistation.

Judge Johnson adjourned the case, asking prosecutors for more information about how the dog has behaved since the attack before she rules on its fate.

It's a weapon. Treat it as you would any other weapon. 

Is It 'Green' Because It's Hardly Ever Working?

A school has been forced to close six times in three months because its new £358,000 air source heat pump system keeps failing.

Oops! 

The “green” energy source was installed at Kingsnorth Primary in Ashford over the summer as part of a government initiative to help schools cut carbon emissions.

Another example of government initiatives being forced on organisations by bribery, then... 

The school is part of the Aquila, Diocese of Canterbury Academies Trust, which runs 16 schools in Kent.

A Trust spokesperson said: “We apologise for the inconvenience and disruption caused to Kingsnorth Primary School’s pupils and families and we want to assure the community that we have been, and are continuing to, do everything within our power to rectify this situation as quickly as possible.”

You could always rip the damn things out? 

“Our priority has always been to keep Kingsnorth open, but there have been occasions where we have had no choice but to close due to a complete failure of the heating system, electrical power issues and the associated wider safety concerns.

“Unfortunately, the response and site attendance by contractors hasn’t been as quick as we have needed it to be and we have continued to apply pressure and emphasise that the issues need to be addressed urgently.

“We have had electrical and mechanical engineers on-site testing electrical load capacities, as well as finding an alternative option to have a more robust temporary heating solution in place.”

Maybe they'll suggest installing woodburners... 

H/T: farmergeddon via Twitter

She Deserved Jail Time...

Costello, a mother-of-three from Ferndown, pleaded guilty to being the person in charge of a dangerously out of control dog causing injury.

District Judge Orla Austin gave Costello a 12-week suspended prison sentence and ordered her to pay £85 costs and £154 victim surcharge.

Despite pleas by Ms Costello to spare her dog Frank's life, Judge Austin ruled that it was a dangerous dog who posed a risk to the public and made a destruction order.

And since she didn't get any, the victim didn't get justice. Which is becoming a very common thing these days.  

She Should Have Ordered The 'Death By Chocolate' Instead...

Or...maybe not!

Don't Forget The 'E's...

No, not an instruction to a teenage Friday night party planning session...

*sighs* They can't make the effort to proof-read even the good news stories, can they?

H/T: Dave Ward via email

Sunday Funnies...

As a great philosopher once said: "Do, or do not. There is no 'try'..."

You Don't Have To Be Mad To Work Here...

...oh, but it seems you are:

Donna Maxwell, 47, from Irvine, claimed she was attacked by a mentally unwell patient outside Ailsa Hospital in Ayr in November 2018. The horror incident sparked a huge police probe resulting in an innocent woman - who has since died - being hauled in front of a court before being cleared.

Donna Maxwell's job? Glad you asked, Reader. She's a NHS health worker.

...the NHS health worker's web of lies came crashing down when the jury saw CCTV of her buying the weapon from Tesco.

Maxwell continued to insist she was the victim of a 'random attack' during a four-day trial at Ayr Sheriff Court. But today a jury found her guilty of telling a pack of fibs after hearing evidence that she made internet searches for 'claim compensation' before plunging the knife into her own abdomen.

Physician, heal thyself indeed... 

Stop Calling Them 'Activists'...

...and call them what they are: criminal supporters.

The Florida teacher filmed being beaten senseless by a 270 pound student last year has refused to support a lighter sentence for the teen. Matanzas High School's Joan Naydich, 58, made the declaration Friday, as activists continue to fight for lesser sentence for the autistic high schooler, 18-year-old Brendan Depa.

I don't know how anyone who watched that footage could want a lesser sentence... 

The footage quickly upset much of the nation, and is set to be used as evidence this month when Depa stands trial. He will be tried as an adult, with punishments ranging from probation to 30 years of jailtime.

But the usual suspects are determined that his behaviour should be excused on the grounds he's not mentally competent. Which seems to be a factor for the adults in his life, too... 

Since the attack, Leanne Depa has fiercely maintained her son's actions were not his own fault, but the school district's - since his Individualized Education Plan (IEP) specifically stipulated he shouldn’t have had an electronic device at the time. That's because the youngster would likely rage if such an item were taken away - a forecast that unfortunately came to fruition this past February 21.

So the item was taken away. How can he not have an item and yet have it at the same time? It's not Schrödinger's Nintendo Switch!

Why is the mother a lily-white willowy American, and the teen in question a hulking black boy, anyway?

She adopted Depa when he was just six months old, though only started giving him medication a few years ago - after several manic outbursts.

Ah... 

But his condition only worsened with the new substances, she said, telling the Post that the-then 14-year-old's behavior quickly became a nightmare.' This led Leanne to place him in an autism hospital in South Carolina in late 2019, where he was was ultimately discharged roughly a year later.

However, citing the teen's unpredictable behavior, Depa said she was hesitant to bring him back into her home, due to her husband having serious heart issues at the time, leaving him at particular risk if the teen ever snapped. That led her to drop him off a Palm Coast group home in November 2020, where he remained for more than a year until the home elected to send Depa to a traditional public high school.

So everyone in this case is 'not responsible' for what happened. Strange, because to me, the only person truly not responsible for what happened is the victim. 

Where Are They Going To Find The Time..?

Keir Starmer has said he is “up for the fight” of defending the “nanny state” as he announced plans to improve child health under a Labour government, including supervised toothbrushing in schools.

What are they going to drop from the national curriculum to shoehorn this in then? I bet it isn't going to be any of the diversity bollocks or the eco-brainwashing...

The Labour leader said that children were “probably the biggest casualty” of the Tories’ sticking-plaster approach to politics over the past 14 years, adding that, if the government were a parent, they could be charged with neglect.

Why not charge the actual parents with neglect, then?

Labour’s action plan includes a 9pm watershed for junk-food ads, banning vape adverts aimed at children, a free breakfast club in every primary school, better access to mental-health support, cutting waiting times for hospital care for children, and guaranteeing more dental appointments.

Might as well promise a pony for every child as well... 

Protecting And Serving Whom..?

Not the general public, that's for sure...

The majority of police forces allow trans-identifying biologically male officers to strip-search women, research has found.Of the 43 forces in England and Wales, at least 34 have either implemented the policy or intend to, a report from the Women's Rights Network revealed.

Which as many have pointed out is against the law. Self-ID does not count here, yet those sworn to uphold it are so in threall to the Stonewall trans cult they are prepared to break it.  

The feminist group's founder, Heather Binning, said the guidelines would lead to 'state-sanctioned sexual assault', and police leaders had failed the public by pandering to vocal lobbyists.

'Self-identification is not UK law and women should not be paying the price for policing beyond the law,' she said.

They shouldn't but it seems they will. Why is the Home Office not weighing in on this? 

The Path Of Least Resistance

Three schoolchildren today pleaded guilty to killing a dog walker after a 'vicious' assault in a park. John Hackett, 36, died hours after he was said to have been 'choke slammed' to the ground and then repeatedly punched and kicked by a group of teens on Camp Hill Road, Nuneaton.

Feral 'children' killing an adult. It's something we've seen far too much of lately. And with this response from our so-called 'justice' system, it's something we will see more of: 

Mr Grieves-Smith told Judge Andrew Lockhart KC, the Recorder of Coventry, that anxious consideration had been given to the issues in the case before deciding not to proceed to a trial on the murder charge.

'The family of John Hackett have been spoken to and they have understood our decision. The pleas are acceptable,' Mr Grieves-Smith said. Judge Lockhart then told the defendants: 'What that means is this - you three, having pleaded guilty, will not be tried for murder.

'But in due course you will be sentenced for the offence of manslaughter, which is unlawful killing.'

A weaker sentence, one easier to prove so the CPS doesn't have to work so hard, and these feral scum can be treated as victims, instead of as perpetrators. 

Will we have to wait for a smash ITV drama to uncover the injustice of these cases? It seems all we can hope for these days. 

We can't even hope that these killers are off the streets, amazing as that sounds:

Renewing conditional bail for all three teenagers, the judge added: 'You have pleaded guilty to a really serious offence here today. But you will get credit for that plea of guilty, which will reduce the sentence that would otherwise have been passed upon you. Your sentence will be reduced by an appropriate margin that the judge will decide.'

Why not give them a handful of change from the poorbox (do we still have those?) to buy sweeties on the way home, judge? 

John's mother Christine Smith found him dead at the top of the stairs after he had collapsed at their home in the Warwickshire home. Following the attack, John staggered back and alerted police to the attack which the teenagers filmed and posted on social media.

We are doomed as a functioning society, aren't we? 

Maybe Neutering And Muzzling The Owners Would Be A Good Next Step...

A suspected XL Bully breeder who gave a vet a 'punishment beating' at his surgery for failing to save the dog's life has been jailed.

Arbaz Hamza Hamid, 24, (Ed: Eh..?) punched Stephen Stead so hard he was left with a bloody nose and his glasses left an imprint in his skin.

The animal - the four legged one - was imported from the States. For breeding. 

York Crown Court was told Hamid and four others arrived at Stead's surgery in two cars at around 4.15pm on January 16. Hamid's barrister Rachel Webster said the dog was ill and needed two-hourly injections and around the clock care from the five joint owners.

Not really able to claim the beast was a 'family pet', though it didn't stop her. 

Hamid, of Rotherham, South Yorks,. previously pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and was jailed for seven months.

At least he'll see jail time. 

Unforeseen Consequences...

...I wonder what that phrase is in Welsh?

Residents in a Denbighshire village say they feel like they are being "cut off" after their local bus service provider told them their stop was being axed following the introduction of the 20mph speed limit.

You'd need a heart of stone, wouldn't you? 

Arriva Wales will no longer serve the village of Llandegla from 14 January after reviewing its timetable and service provision in North Wales. This will have a "huge impact" on everyone who relies on the service, according to Councillor Gwyneth Dillon, from Llandegla Community Council.

I wonder what they thought about the absurd 20mph limit proposal. Were they in favour?  

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We have been clear we will continually monitor any impacts of the new default 20mph speed limit on bus services."

Think you need to do a bit more than just 'monitor'... 

They Can Police When They Want To...

 

In a highly targeted operation, undercover officers were sent to streets known to be hotspots late at night where they quickly fell prey to robbers, who were unaware that they were the real targets.

The innovative tactic is said to have led to robberies halving in some areas as prolific attackers have been taken off the streets.

This is all the more remarkable because of the demographic being targeted in this operation: 

So, a welcome return to proper coppering in London? I'd like to think so...

'Forced' But Paid..?

'Forced' clearly means something quite different in 'Daily Mail' land...

Make up your minds!  'Slaves' aren't paid eye-watering sums, are they?

Better Rebrand...

...as 'GoBack':

A fleet of electric buses has been taken out of service after a doubledecker caught fire in south London this week.

Transport for London (TfL) said the electric buses had been “temporarily withdrawn” by operator GoAhead.

As Longrider points out, these EVs seem to be contributing more emissions than the manufacturer's claims would have one believe...

Yes, They Are Called 'Consequences'...

The mother of a university student who killed herself in prison said her daughter was 'terrified' the last time she visited her, an inquiry heard yesterday. Katie Allan, 21, took her own life within months of being sent to Polmont Young Offenders Institution, Stirlingshire, for dangerous driving. Her mother had told a prison officer Ms Allan 'was being berated by fellow inmates' on the day of her death.

You know how not to get berated by other criminals? Don't drink/drug drive and get caught. 

Are we supposed to have sympathy here? Why?

In a statement outside court, the families' solicitor Aamer Anwar urged First Minister Humza Yousaf to work to remove Crown immunity, which means the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) is exempt from prosecution for the deaths. Ms Allan's parents, Linda and Stuart, stood with Mr Anwar as he said they want the First Minister to hold the SPS to account.

For doing its job and keeping the Scottish public safe from dangerous drivers?

Well, This Government Is Fond Of Legislation On The Hoof...

Last night, Home Secretary James Cleverly furiously lambasted 'do-gooders' who attempt to block the deportation of foreign criminals.

'The vast majority of the British people think convicted, violent thugs should be deported,' he told the MoS. 'My mission is to keep the British people safe. We must be able to remove offenders from our country without interference from misguided and ill-informed do-gooders.'

...so why not bring in jail terms for those who do this? Since it seems you can't rely on the airlines to take action.

A source close to the Home Secretary indicated the Government is examining new measures to stop passengers blocking deportation flights and to speed up removals.

'This is an outrageous situation,' they said. 'We will be looking at new ways to handle this issue.'

Just ensure any airline that refuses to fly them out loses their license to operate, James. Job done!

Laughing Past The Graveyard...

...so very nearly! Trust Matt to find some humour in the situation though.

Fruit, Or Ten-Pin..?

A truly awful howler from the 'Mail':

Sunday Funnies...

Remember, people, monsters aren't real....

I’ve No Doubt, But It’s What She Was Doing That Proved Her Downfall…

Nice subheading. Let's try that another way, shall we? 

"The amazing patio work done by Fred West should not be buried by controversy." Hmm, no, doesn't really work, Libby. Does it?

I visited regularly over the years, first as a journalist researching my book about modern childhood and later as a volunteer. Back then, despite the chaos and the flares of violence, there was a heady sense that behind those double doors something magical was happening – and that mustn’t be forgotten in the controversies that surrounded the charity’s collapse a decade later.

If by 'magical' you're referring to sleight of hand on donated taxpayer cash while journalists clapped like demented seals, I guess... 

Batmanghelidjh believed profoundly that love is a doing word. Hot meals, routine, a safe space to come and be listened to, clothing and daily necessities. And hopeful, inspired staff who could do the work they had trained for, free from the numbing constraints of mainstream care policy.

Turned out there was a really good reason for those 'numbing constraints', Libby. 

Let's Start Cutting The Child Benefit Payments Then...

A baby born in the midst of the Covid pandemic is now three years old. Just think of those crucial first years of a child’s life: meeting family, forming attachments, learning to walk and to talk, making your first friends. During successive lockdowns, many of these children missed these crucial experiences. It’s no wonder that headteachers have spoken of children arriving at school who are still wearing nappies, whose communication abilities are limited, or who are still unable to use a knife and fork.

...after all, if they aren't parenting, why should they be paid for it?

Prevention is better than cure, which is why we need to intervene early to prevent educational gaps from developing before they can grow.

Yes, this is another Labour push to claim that they, and they alone, have the answer to this.  

Transformation is an overused word in public policy. But it is not hyperbole to use it here. It will take transformational change, along with a relentless focus on driving high and rising standards for every child, to achieve Labour’s ambition for half a million more children to meet the early learning goals by 2030.

While still paying the useless 'parents' their taxpayer cash. So they'll keep voting for you, eh? 

Seeing Sense...

Humza Yousaf made a ‘humiliating U-turn’ on XL bully dogs yesterday, promising to ban them amid concerns about the numbers being brought to Scotland.

The First Minister said legislation would be introduced to replicate measures introduced by the UK Government south of the Border.

A situation that could have been avoided easily, if only the SNP cared more about the welfare of native Scots than about grandstanding and hurling insults at 'the auld enemy'...

The U-turn came just six days after Mr Yousaf said a ban was not ‘required or needed given the strict regime we have in place’.

No wonder his nickname is 'Humza Yousless'...

Community safety minister Siobhian Brown is due to give more details of the legislation in a statement to MSPs next week. Ms Brown previously shared a social media message from the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals which contained a picture of an XL bully dog alongside the text: ‘Dangerous breed? Nope. Breed-specific legislation? Nope.’

'Humiliating U-Turn? Yep!' 

Mr Yousaf denied his government had mishandled the issue, and claimed the UK Government announced its legislation ‘without any consultation with the Scottish Government’.

But it is understood that three separate letters were sent to SNP ministers by the UK Government ahead of its legislation coming into force.

Did they get lost in the post, Humza? 

If You Can Go To The Polls, That IS Democracy...

...it's when you can't go to the polls, that democracy is in peril. Look, don't take my word for it:

See? What you really wanted to write was 'The people might get to speak. The bastards.' but you didn't have the courage.

Because That's Why The UN Appointed Him, Of Course!

And you can stop being part of the problem:

Before using hormones to transition and undergoing facial feminisation surgery, Munroe Bergdorf was a young man called Ian who attended an all-boys school in Bishop's Stortford, in Hertfordshire, where she excelled at sport.

Stop referring to a man as 'she'. That would be a start.  

Probably, But So What..?

A former Crown Prosecution Service chief has warned Rishi Sunak his new law to quash Post Office Horizon convictions en masse will see some guilty people exonerated.

Have you forgotten a long-held tenet of our justice system, then, that it's better for 10 guilty men to go free? 

It's called 'Blackstone's Ratio, I'm sure you must have come across it, even in an organisation as debased as the Crown Prosecution Service had sadly become...

Legislation will be introduced within weeks to enact the blanket overturning of convictions - which crucially clears names entirely, unlike a pardon. Lord Macdonald gave a word of warning as he told Times Radio the move was 'constitutionally awkward'.

I share some of the unease with how the government is pandering to the publicity raised by this drama series too, but this is just pure sophistry:

'... and secondly it will mean, I think, that some people who are in fact guilty will be exonerated,' he said. 'That's the price the government is prepared to pay and that's really I think a political judgment as much as anything else.'

No, it's not. It's something your own organisation should have had at its heart. But it colluded with the Post Office to hound these people unlawfully. So you can warn all you like, no-one's listening, and that's on you. 

Unexpected Benefits...

A dad held a one-man protest over new XL bully laws by drinking in his local pub with a muzzle on.

Eamonn Mcgeady, 51, and six-month-old dog Lexi wore matching protective guards on their visit to the Straw Hat in Ellesmere Port. Once inside Eamonn sat down at the bar, ordered a pint - and drank it through a straw.

Proves what I've always thought - the IQ is higher at the lowest end of the lead... 

His daughter Elle, 19, said he did it to make a point about new legislation on the breed - and left her feeling proud.

Idiocy runs in the family, clearly.  

Pretty Soon, You Won’t Be Able To Give Them Away…

The number of new cars registered in the UK has jumped by nearly 18% but electric vehicle demand is flatlining, prompting the industry to call for a VAT cut to stimulate sales.

The lacklustre growth in the electric vehicle market comes despite a government goal to totally phase out petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles by 2035, albeit one that was diluted by Rishi Sunak last September from an original target of 2030.

And it's still not enough. So, scrap it, or try even more desperately to ram these things down the throats of reluctant consumers? 

Mike Hawes, the SMMT chief executive, said: “Government has challenged the UK automotive sector with the world’s boldest transition timeline and is investing to ensure we are a major maker of electric vehicles.

“It must now help all drivers buy into this future, with consumer incentives that will make the UK the leading European market for ZEVs.”

*sighs* 

“Is It Us Who Are Wrong? No, It’s The Rest Of The World!”

The Mayor of Drugstown:

In the Netherlands, we used to look on the international “war on drugs” with a certain amount of disdain. Its solutions were prohibition, criminalisation, stiff penalties and sentences; our national drug policy, on the other hand, focused for decades on reducing the health risks for users – and was relatively successful. We are lenient on soft drugs such as cannabis, allowing for personal use under specific conditions. Hard drugs are technically illegal, but possession of small amounts (like half a gram of hard drugs or one ecstasy pill) is often not prosecuted. Police cracked down on the largest drug traffickers, who mainly operated locally. There was drug crime and even killings, but these remained traceable and largely manageable. Drug trafficking hardly affected our economy or daily life.

And is it still a befuddled paradise for stoners and normal folk alike? No, Reader, it is not...

That is no longer the case. Spurred on by globalisation and the international criminalisation of drugs, the illegal drugs trade has become more lucrative, professional and ruthlessly violent. The effects have been disastrous. In the past decade, the port of Rotterdam, the largest port in Europe, has become a global transit hub for cocaine. The Dutch authorities have increased their efforts to combat drug trafficking, but they have not turned the tide.

Our current approach in the fight against drugs is like mopping with the tap running.

So will you be abandonging your approach? 

The challenges we now face in the Netherlands are not an indictment of our liberal drug policy.

Oh! There's a surprise, Reader... 

What the Netherlands’ problems reveal is the need for a global shift in the current approach. It’s not a matter of retracting our user-centred policy, but rather advocating for international recognition that the war on drugs is counterproductive.

To spare your blushes, the whole world must turn to your approach? I would ask what you've been smoking, but... 

When Will The SFO Start To Take Notice?

GP surgeries in Sussex could be receiving payments for almost 150,000 "ghost" patients, new figures suggest.

No, I know what you're thinking, this is not, however, patients that GP incompetence has killed off! 

This is when more people are registered with GP practices in an area than the estimated population.

So those dragons guarding the front desks at GP practices aren't even doing the basic job of keeping proper records, are they?

The Royal College of GPs said practices "try hard to keep their patient lists" up to date and are not deliberately profiting by keeping more patients on their lists than are registered there. Some of the disparity could be down to changes in the local population, such as people moving away.

Which is a problem with all services, of course. But we pay GPs by the number of patients on their books.  

The Taxpayers’ Alliance said the public is unfairly subsidising GP practices for patients who may not exist. It called for lists to be amended accordingly if the unknown users cannot be found.

And if they aren't, given we are talking about our money, perhaps stronger action is required? 

Always Picking The Wrong Side...

Sadiq Khan has refused to use new minimum service laws to keep the London Underground running during next week's major strike.

Who could genuinely claim surprise at this? The strike has been called off at the last minute, but not - of course - because this little weasel has decided to act.

The Tube will have 'little to no service' from Monday until Thursday next week with members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union working on different parts of the network set to strike on separate days between tomorrow and January 12.

Susan Hall, the Conservative London mayoral candidate, today slammed Khan for 'inflicting mayhem on our city'.

He's done that ever since he was elected, why expect him to stop now? 

Earlier this week, Sadiq Khan was urged by the Tories to use new minimum service laws to keep the Underground running during the strike.

It comes after the first regulations aimed at ensuring minimum levels of service during strikes were brought into force by the Government on December 8.

City Hall Conservatives transport spokesman Keith Prince told MailOnline: 'Sadiq Khan needs to decide if he is the Mayor for Londoners or the Mayor for trade unions. The Strikes (Minimum Service Level) Act gives Sadiq Khan the power to intervene in next week's strikes to ensure minimum service levels on the Underground network.

'Sadiq Khan is both Mayor and chairman of TfL. Londoners will know who to blame when the Tube network grinds to a halt once again.'

Londoners always do, but when enough keep voting for him regardless, what's the alternative? 

"Do You Feel Lucky, Punk?"

"Well, do ya?"

An Absolute Corker!

Thanks no doubt to predictive text:

"The U-246 lies around 30 miles off the coast between the island and Anglesey and was sunk on 17 March 1945. She was discovered after the crew mistakingly revealed their location to a British ASW trawler called HMS Lady Madeleine."

"This resulted in various personal items being discovered including socks embroiled with a name of one of the crew members, confirming it was indeed the U-246."

A good poof-reader would have caught that one... ;) 

H/T: The Jannie via email

A Nicely Topical One To Start Off 2024

You can always count on quality from Matt...

Sunday Funnies...

Oh, people, you just ruin everything, don't you?

Oh, Gosh, It's Another Hard-To-Fathom Puzzle...

...surely the answer can't just be 'because they aren't very bright' again, can it?

With the announcement this week of her death at 61, the mystery remains of just how she enthralled prime ministers and princes, celebrities and the gullible rich who were all seduced by her crazily flamboyant outfits and equally fantastical claims about her charity.

David Cameron was said to have been inspired for his famous 'hug a hoodie' declaration by her work and she became a symbol of his Big Society concept. Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were both fans. Cherie Blair and Samantha Cameron, who named her as her Inspirational Woman of the Year, lent their support from Downing Street. The then Prince Charles was another fan.

Oh, I guess it can. 

Miles Goslett, the journalist who first raised concerns about Kids Company in print in 2014, told how two former staff members said drugs and designer clothes were often purchased with these cash handouts. 'The people who were being given the money were the very opposite of the picture most charitable people would form in their mind if they heard the words 'vulnerable children',' he said.

The picture that forms in people mind's when they hear that phrase these days? Well, actually... 

You Know What Else 'Wouldn't Have Happened'..?

Afriyie’s legal claim did not go into race discrimination but he said before the high court hearing that police in the incident “treated him like a wild animal” and that it would not have happened if he was white.

It's that police wouldn't have treated him like that if it weren't for the fact that so many of his fellows actually do act like wild animals when stopped by police... 

Could They Maybe Confine Themselves To Reality?

...I mean, it's not like there's not enough real life actual rapes to worry about, is there?

Police are investigating the first case of rape in the metaverse after a child was 'attacked' in a virtual reality video game.

I guess if the cyber-rapists used Muslim avatars, they'll be in the clear? 

The headset-wearing victim did not suffer any injuries as there was no physical attack.

No kidding...? 

Police leaders are now calling for legislation to tackle a wave of sexual offending in such a sphere, saying officers' tactics must evolve to stop perverts using new technology to exploit children.

Get back to proper policing, of actual real crimes, you lazy bastards! 

You Could Have Just Asked Me, Love...

...I'd have translated it into 'attention-seeker' for you.

‘When did you decide this? Is this even a label – I’ve never heard of it. I support you, obviously, but this doesn’t sound real.’ Just some of the words that greeted me when I came out as abrosexual to a close friend, back in 2020. Needless to say, we’re not friends anymore.

That must come as a welcome relief...to the close friend, that is.

Yes, It Is...

A woman has been sentenced to four months in prison after a XL bully mauled a dog owner and killed another dog in two horrifying attacks just two weeks apart. Jade O'Brien also verbally abused the owner of the dog that died, telling him: 'It's not my f****** fault.'

...sadly, we can't put you down as well, and save the taxpayer even more money.

The court heard that O'Brien has eight previous convictions for battery, excess alcohol and criminal damage. She was also banned from keeping dogs for three years in March after she failed to get treatment for her puppy's wounds leaving it in agony - instead asking her gardener for help.

Can afford expensive-to-feed large dogs she can't control AND a gardener as well? Strange we aren't told what well-paying job she has, eh, Reader? 

Jonathan Condor, defending, told the court that Narla wasn't her dog and its owner, O'Brien's ex partner, was currently on remand in prison for allegedly assaulting her. He said O'Brien had been the victim of domestic abuse and had also suffered a stroke in 2018 but she accepted she was responsible for the two attacks.

I guess Jonathan managed to convince her that telling the police and the judge to 'Fuck off, dickhead, it's not my fault!' wasn't a winning strategy... 

District judge Thomas Mitchell said he had considered O'Brien's circumstances and that she had 'to some extent been imposed upon' by her ex and wasn't the 'best person' to look after dogs.

Jailing a sobbing O'Brien for four months, he said it was a serious case' that could only be dealt with by immediate custody. He also banned her from owing dogs for five years, handed her a £154 victim surcharge and made a destruction order for Narla.

Once again, we see the reason this ban had to come in - the very sort of people drawn to these beasts are exactly the sort that shouldn't have them.  

H/T: BullyWatch via Twitter

Did She Fly..?

Network Rail's managing director for the Wales and Western region, Michelle Handforth, has resigned.

It came just days after infrastructure problems left hundreds of passengers stranded in carriages for hours in the dark in west London.

Ms Handforth was paid a £330,000 salary and commuted to work from Aberdeen.

After all, the train service is sooooo unreliable, isn't it?

A rail insider said she had made the decision to resign before the west London incident, after recognising the challenges of the role.

To be more accurate, recognising that she wasn't up to them, surely? 

H/T: IanJ via email

Streaming TV: The Crown (NetFlix)

There's no doubt that streaming TV has been the premier entertainment breakthrough of the...what are we calling that decade? Well, 2010 onwards, anyway. 

And NetFlix was orginally the brand leader here, and this one was the jewel in its, well, you get the drift!

I was a bit sceptical at first, despite the stellar casting, but long before the mid-season episode, I was hooked. I did wonder how they were going to deal with the passage of time, but I shouldn't have worried; each change of cast seems to have been spot on. 

And the stunning opening titles really set the scene.

It’s ’Guess The Redacted Word’ Time Again!

                                 

Oh, this one's easy, it could only be 'modern society', right? 

Or maybe even 'trans ideology'? 

Sorry, Reader.

*boggles*

Don't They Love Their Scaremongering?

I'm willing to bet everyone was fine and avoided salmonella, and - apart from the very north of Scotland - blizzards were conspicuous by their absence...

H/T: IanJ via email

Those 'Benefits Of Diversity' Again, Eh?

A teenage groom was among five people injured after a car ploughed into a crowd as his wedding celebration turned into a 'bloodbath', leaving a 'Good Samaritan' neighbour who tried desperately to help the wounded dead, MailOnline can reveal.

Newly wed Hasan Khan, 19, suffered stab wounds and his father Riasat Khan, 42, received head injuries, his mother said today.

Lovely. It's usually traveller weddings that end like this. 

A visibly shocked Mrs Khan, speaking to MailOnline, said: 'I am the groom's mother. He was hurt and so was my husband.

'We don't know why. We are a good family. It started as a happy day but things got out of hand.'

Ya think!?! 

She declined to discuss the bride or her family or the events leading up to the horror as a female police officer inside her house advised her not to talk about the devastating events.

Can't silence everyone, WPC... 

Among tributes placed beside a smashed street sign where the horror had occurred was one one saying: 'Chris taken from us to soon by a mob of savages'.

I bet the police have removed that one by now.  

Forget 'Bangkok Rules'...

...'Basingstoke Rules' are much tougher!

H/T: IanJ via email