Happy New Year All!

And here's to 2025! 

Here's hoping, for you all, it will indeed be the perfect year this time:

Normal service will resume on Thursday.

Absent Friends...

Raedwald 

Captain Ranty (Blog now sadly gone dark) 

Unenlightened Commentary 

Anna Raccoon 

Dracunculus 

Bystander, a sad loss to the world of profession-blogging. 

Peter Risdon (Blog also now sadly gone dark) 

Niall Kilmartin and Brian Micklethwait of Samizdata 

Frank Davis 

The incomparable Old Holborn

Mark Wadsworth.

Gone, but not forgotten.

Mr Ishmael

Haven't They Seen The NHS Poster Campaigns?

A growing number of doctors across a wide range of specialties have done away with routine patient weigh-ins...

What?! Why? 

...in an effort to avoid weight shaming, but others argue this obscures a critical health metric.

Well, d'uh!  

Patients are typically weighed as a first step at a routine doctor visit. But the standard practice is increasingly falling out of favor as more and more people say this makes others feel shame about their weight, which sends them running from the doctor, even when they’re having health issues.

Just not running very fast, or very far? 

Nowadays, patients can deny consent to be weighed, even handing over business cards with bold lettering saying, ‘Please Don’t Weigh Me Unless It’s (Really) Medically Necessary. ' This is an effort from an eating disorder advocacy group to empower patients.

Doctors simply need to say 'It IS medically necessary' and point to the medical diploma on the wall.

 Christ, what the hell is wrong with the medical profession? First they pandered to the men who think they are women, and now - despite the NHS obesity guidance that surrounds them in their working lives - they are pandering to the 'fat is beautiful' nutters too?

When the next pandemic hits, who is going to listen to a word they say?

With Neighbours Like These, You Probably Should Expect It Any Day...

A teenage boy fled from his home screaming 'he's stabbed me' in a Christmas Day horror that left two women dead and another man hurt.

No, not inner London.  

Officers were called to a block of flats on Santa Cruz Avenue in Bletchley near Milton Keynes by residents after they heard screams and saw the teenager covered in blood run outside calling for help. One local told MailOnline: 'I heard screaming and shouting looked outside and the boy was outside saying ''he's stabbed me''. He was covered in blood and had wounds to his chest and head.

'There was a woman on the balcony screaming for help and saying she couldn't breathe and then the guy who did it ran out of the flats, got into his car and drove off but police were there within seconds and we told them where to go and he was caught.'

Another neighbour showed MailOnline CCTV footage of what looked like a white pit-bull limping away covered in blood and police later said the dog was taken to a vet but did not survive.

Block of flats, differing generations living together with unassociated people, family 'pet' is a pitbull and murderer's name not the same as anyone living there..? Yeah, the only surprise is this isn't a trailer park.  

He added:'It's not what you expect around here, it's pretty quiet and not what you expect on Christmas Day of all days. It's really knocked everyone because it is so quiet around here.'

I expect it was before people like this moved in, yes. But now they have, the place has gone to hell.  

Everyone's A Victim To The Justice System, Except Their Victims...

A woman who abandoned a boy in a dark wooded area before claiming he had gone missing has avoided a jail sentence.

I guess the child must not have come to any harm, then? 

The nine-year-old was found with a brain injury, injuries to his chest and neck and evidence of alcohol and cocaine in his system by a dog walker who heard him crying.

Oh. 

McGovern, 31, was placed under supervision for three years and ordered to carry out 300 hours unpaid work after admitting wilfully neglecting the boy to his severe injury, permanent impairment and danger to life at the High Court in Edinburgh. McGovern, of Haddington, in East Lothian, also admitted attempting to defeat the ends of justice. She had been "unable to explain" why she left the boy in the woods.

Unable, or unwilling? 

During sentencing, Lord Young told McGovern she had admitted "extremely serious offences". He said she had suffered from clinical depression and anxiety linked to low self-esteem for many years but has made "great strides" towards getting her life together. Lord Young said a custodial sentence "would be the norm" but was persuaded that he could deal with her by the imposition of a non-custodial sentence.

Persuaded by what, exactly? Certainly cannot have been by the burden this case placed on the emergeny services!

About 80 police officers, the force helicopter as well as mountain rescue and the coastguard were deployed in a "significant search operation", the court heard.

All that taxpayer money down the drain, and she is treated as the real victim by a useless, toothless 'justice system'... 

Defending, John Scullion KC told the court McGovern "felt a sense of panic" and described feeling "something flipped in her mind" on the day of the offences. He said she had been introduced to cocaine at the beginning of the Covid lockdown and quickly became dependent on the drug. Mr Scullion said by September 2022, the drug had started to impact on her relationships with others.

He said she had taken steps to deal with her issues and added: "She has had mental health issues throughout her adult life, issues with anxiety and depression."

Surely, all the more reason she should be locked away where she can't harm anyone else?

H/T: Andy Bryson via Twitter 

And Yet, No One Is Concerned About The Cause Of This Rising Need…

More than £100m was spent last year by local authorities and the government on failed efforts to block support for children and young people with special educational needs in England, according to analysis by the Guardian. The enormous cost in legal fees and staff resources came after councils won just 136 out of more than 10,000 tribunals in 2022-23, a success rate of 1.2%, as record numbers of families took to the courts to challenge councils over agreements known as education, health and care plans (EHCPs).

Why is the cost rising? Well, believe it or not, the cause isn't the litigation, that's just a symptom... 

Experts said the surging numbers of appeals and mounting costs were evidence that special education provision was becoming an adversarial battle between cash-strapped councils and desperate families...

And are we having more of these cases? Reader, we are. 

The number of children applying for and being granted EHCPs has shot up in recent years as school and council budgets have dwindled, leaving EHCPs as the only way for families to get extra funding and support for a child and their place of education.

In fact, the number has risen to almost unbelievable levels: 

Department for Education (DfE) figures show that nearly one in 19 children aged between five and 15 in England now have an EHCP...

Why is no-one looking into this? Why is the legal battles it causes the focus instead?  

Reindeer Don’t Have Horns, ‘Guardian’…

The usual puff piece in the 'Guardian' about quaint folklore and conbservation of forest reindeer contains this howler:

The last wild forest reindeer was shot in the Koitajoki area in 1919. Its horns are on display in a local restaurant, not far from Matveinen’s house.

Its antlers, I think you must mean. 

No Ruby Slippers, Though?

Whoops, Ollie! A bit of Christmas overindulgence? 

H/T: Dave Ward via email

Sunday Funnies...

Maybe a few New Year resolutions would be in order...

A ‘Close, Successful Family’..?

A 20-year-old criminology student with a fascination for knives has been found guilty of stabbing a woman to death on a Dorset beach after spending months plotting the attack and quizzing university lecturers about how a killer would get away with murder.

Another wrong 'un who shouldn't be in the country, one may think? Oh, perish the thought!

Saadi, who is from a close, successful family who live in suburban south London, had no previous convictions and the prosecution suggested he had carried out the killing because he wanted to achieve notoriety as the star of a real-life crime drama he had directed.

I'm not sure why that's relevant, or why it's a reason he shouldn't be deported to his country of origin on release. Which will probably come far too soon. 

It can now be reported that he harboured strong misogynistic views, repeatedly telling fellow students at the University of Greenwich that women were weaker than men and should not work in certain jobs.

Pretty mainstream opinion in his country of origin, and one for which those of his heritage seemingly get a pass on from feminists. The same feminists who clamoured for more female judges to ensure crimes against women were treated seriously by the judiciary. 

How's that going, ladies?

The judge, Mrs Justice Cutts, told Saadi: “You have been convicted of the most serious of crimes.” She said he would be jailed for life with a minimum term of “considerable length”. She said: “He is a young man, I think 21 years next week. He is a young man who may have autistic spectrum disorder.”

And may not. May just be a typical product of his heritage.  

The judge said she would seek information from a neurodevelopment specialist before sentencing. The judge added: “It seems to me it is my duty to find out as much as I can about him.” Sentencing was adjourned until 28 March.

It's not 'your duty' to fall for every bogus excuse proffered by the defence, is it?  

One To Avoid....

Looks like Harper Collins has decided to make a New Year Resolution to lose money in 2025: 

Reni Eddo-Lodge, the author of the 2017 bestseller Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, has launched an imprint with the publisher HarperCollins. Monument Books will publish titles by writers “who can help us understand our past, navigate our present and map new futures”, said Kishani Widyaratna, publishing director at 4th Estate, the HarperCollins imprint with which Monument Books is being launched in collaboration.

And who will these world-straddling titans of literature actually be? 

The imprint will launch in February next year with a book compiled by Steve McQueen. Resistance, a photographic history of activism in Britain, also features writing by Gary Younge, Paul Gilroy and Shami Chakrabarti. It accompanies an exhibition at Margate’s Turner Contemporary which opens in February.

It sounds like a hardbound copy of the worst of the 'Guardian's' racebaiting columns to me. 

The name Monument is “derived from the idea of each work on the list standing as a new monument to ideas, stories and culture, as well as uplifting or refashioning past legacies,” said 4th Estate.

Translation: twisting the facts and the history until it paints a good light on the worst people. 

“At a time when the world feels increasingly polarised and uncertain, it is a privilege for us to be working with Reni Eddo-Lodge on an imprint that will help connect readers to the world around them and to each other,” said Widyaratna.

Increasing the polarisation seems a strange way to try to accomplish that, but, well, you do you, Harper Collins... 

We Built It, But They Didn't Come....

In a statement from Stagecoach, the consortium said: "We are proud to have achieved a world first with our CAVForth autonomous bus service, demonstrating the potential for self-driving technology on a real-world registered timetable in East Scotland."

Hurrah! How did it go? 

Built at an estimated cost of more than £6m, partly funded by the UK government, the fleet of five single-decker buses had the capacity to carry 10,000 passengers a week but needed two crew on board for safety reasons. In a brief statement, Stagecoach said that actual passenger numbers “did not reach expectations” and suggested this was a delay to the technology’s rollout rather than a setback.

Oh. Guess I shouldn't have asked. 

The Scottish government has set a target to cut car usage by 20% by 2030 but the latest data shows that is a long way from being achieved.

It'll never be achieved. It's King Canute legislation. But hey, the Sassenachs are paying! 

Why Are You Blurring His Face?

A distraught mum says they’ve lost “part of the family” after their dog died following a savage attack by another animal on a walk. Nat Williams’ teenage son Samuel 15, was walking his Jack Russell Charlie in fields near their home in Cliffe Woods when a second dog - believed to a Rottweiler - “pounced out of nowhere”.

Luckily, there's a picture of both perps. So they'll soon be caught. Right?

FFS! 

“He saw that Samuel was covered in blood and clearly very upset, but he didn’t ask if he was okay or if Charlie was alright.” Nat added that when her husband asked for his details he gave them a false name and contact details.

Never do, do they? Why does anyone think they will? 

Police have confirmed their attendance at 2.46pm to a report that a small dog and a teenager who was walking it, were injured by another dog that was off its lead. “The victim and their parent have been visited by the local neighbourhood officer and an investigation is underway,” a spokesman said.

Then publicise his face, it might help!  

He’d Probably Have Got A Lesser Sentence If He’d Been The One Who Killed The Biker

An Ipswich man who filmed the body of a motorcyclist killed in a crash has been ordered to pay out more than £1,300 and given six points on his licence.

Whut? Yes, Reader, I was a bit surprised too.  

Before Suffolk Magistrates’ Court on Thursday was Arturas Motuzis, of Chilton Court, Belstead Avenue, who admitted publicising the indecent footage and using a handheld mobile phone while driving. T

The court heard Motuzis, 38, was travelling back from work in Bury St Edmunds when he came across the scene of the crash on June 4.Kevin Doherty, 44, from Somersham, had been killed in the collision after his motorcycle collided with a car and a lorry on the A14 at Sproughton. The emergency services had not yet reached the scene and Motuzis filmed the prone body of the Mr Doherty. The defendant uploaded the footage to a travel and traffic information group on Facebook.

Didn't really need footage, just text, to warn other motorists but that seems to be the norm now. If it's not filmed, it's like it doesn't exist for the modern generation. 

A number of users responded to the post expressing their distress and asking for it to be taken down, the court heard. Police were "inundated" with complaints about the video and on the evening of June 5 the defendant was identified and arrested. In interview, Motuzis said he was remorseful and admitted both offences.

And yet, that remorse - while it may actually be true in these circumstances - didn't seem to attract the usual leniency from our debased 'justice system'... 

The Chair of the Bench said: "We have just heard of the vile actions you took on June 4. This is one of the most distasteful things we have heard for many years in this court."

Really? Blimey, it must be a crime-free paradise here then.... 

Motuzis was handed a fine of £750 for the indecent footage along with £150 for using a phone while driving. On top of these fines, a prosecution cost of £85 was imposed along with a victim surcharge of £360.

What would he have got if he'd been the one to kill the biker? Probably a hell of a lot less.  

Doesn’t Appear The Laundry Detergent Was for Personal Use…

Kyle Sherwin, 38, was arrested in April 2024 after officers in the Stanford-le-Hope town centre team mounted a plain clothes operation to stop him. Investigating officer PC Matthew O’Shea says Operation Charge was set up to target shoplifters and other prolific offenders in the town. He said: “We identified patterns in Sherwin’s behaviour and then it was a case of being in the right place at the right time. He was arrested within 15 minutes of us starting the operation.”

Well done, Matthew. Not exactly on a par with snaring the Brinks-Mat gang, though... 

Sherwin, of Dowland Close, Stanford-le-Hope, had admitted at an earlier hearing to stealing a total of £636.70 of meat, cheese and laundry detergent from the Co-op in Stanford le Hope High Street on seven occasions between April 15 and 28 this year.

Assuming the meat and cheese was to sell (who'd buy it? even from someone who looks familar with soap and water?) but laundry detergent? That's a new one on me! 

While in custody, the court heard, Sherwin also failed to comply with a requirement under Essex Police's drug test on arrest scheme to be tested for cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine.

Should probably have been tested for scabies too.... 

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

Normal service will resume on Boxing Day! 

When we remember the most glorious festive tradition of all...

No, Judge, I Don't Think So....

Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool used the right to keep evidence of Sara’s beatings ‘beyond the gaze of the authorities’ in her final months, the judge said. Yesterday the Government introduced a new Bill to Parliament which will block parents home schooling automatically if the child is suspected of being at risk of significant harm.

Yes, Reader, no doubt - like me - you’re astonished that this wasn’t already a factor. But it wasn’t. 

But the Children’s Commissioner said the proposed legislation must go further, as it would not have helped Sara in its current form.

What would, one wonders? Could it possibly have been 'public sector workers doing their jobs like they are supposed to'..?

Mr Justice Cavanagh said: ‘This case brings into sharp relief the dangers of unsupervised home schooling of vulnerable children.’ The Bill introduced in the wake of her murder will block parents’ automatic right to home school if they are subject to a child protection plan.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson described the Bill as a ‘seminal moment for child protection’. But Sara was not subject to social care intervention measures when she died, meaning it would not have blocked the home schooling.

/facepalm. Don't worry folks, we'll get the next one for sure!  

Dame Rachel de Souza said: ‘The Bill must therefore go further in protecting children like her, making it impossible for a child ever known to social care for abuse or neglect to be home schooled.’

We can call this 'stable door' legislation, Reader. 

Meanwhile, the judge in the trial has gone on an unhinged rant about the desire of the press to find out and publish the names of the public sector workers who failed this child. Because heaven forfend there should ever be consequences for screwing up! 

Hey, Williams, if they wanted iron-clad protection for incompetence, they could always go into the judiciary...  

How Many Of These Are They Sending Out?

The NHS is trying to recruit people for some research. And, since they have a bottomless pit of taxpayer money to draw on, why not carpet bomb a neighbourhood with 'to the occupier' letters?

 

To clarify - this is the fourth such letter I've had over a two week period. First class stamp costs £1.65 now. I know they will get some sort of discount for bulk mailing, but jesus! 

On The Twelfth Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

...that glorious moment when hope triumphs over experience and the evidence of your own eyes:

Not Sure This Is The Win You Think It Is, O2...

As part of their Databank promotion, where they gouge their existing customers like me to then make consessions for the 'data poor', they are sending out emails thanking you for being an (un)willing donor with a spinning selection of the people you've 'helped'...like this one.

 

You know, O2, if it's all the same to you, I would far rather not help more fake refugees to come here.

"Yes, It Worked! I Got The Attention I Was Craving!"

Nick Dumont is ready to speak about their coming-out journey after announcing that they are trans masculine nonbinary earlier this month.

? Me neither, Reader, me neither...

The Oppenheimer actor, who clarified that they now use they/them pronouns, spoke about how 'rewarding' coming out was in a statement to Out. Dumont, who has had small roles in the Paul Thomas Anderson films Inherent Vice and Licorice Pizza, also shared that they would continue using their birth name, Emma Dumont, for work projects, but they plan to go by Nick Dumont in their personal life.

How handy... 

'Coming out to myself as trans has been one of the longest challenges I've faced in life. It has also been the most rewarding by a mile,' they said.

You've clearly had quite the cossetted and easy life, then... 

'Now I'm out, have a life I could have only dreamed of as a kid, and I still get to play women at work.' Dumont proudly declared: 'I'm trans. I love being trans. We're here. We've always been here.'

But you've never been feted and tolerated like you are now, so it's really not so brave of you after all... 

They added that they were 'grateful' to live in the present and to have access to 'safe spaces and support' and to be able to 'go to the LA LGBT Center and get medical care without fear.'

By 'medical care', I think she means the opposite. And one day when we come to our senses, we'll look back on what doctors did to people like you the way we look back on Dr Mengele's 'work'.... 

'I didn't think I'd be out to everyone so soon but I made a promise to myself that if someone asked, I would share,' they said. 'Someone did ask and I shared…because I'm proud.'

If it's truly natural and your 'real self', what do you have to be 'proud' of, exactly? 

On The Eleventh Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

...advice that hopefully someone will take in the future, though the signs aren't good:

 

Even China Isn't That Heartless...

On point as ever, Matt! 

No Wonder The Train Timetables Are A Mess...

...TfL appear to have bought some dodgy Calendars from Del Boy! 

Sunday Funnies...

Something a little topical for the season...

On The Tenth Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

...an example of the complete and decisive victory in pictoral form:

 

Why Have You Told Us For Years That It Is, Then?

And more to the point, why are you telling us something different now?

The list of problems inherited from the Conservatives by Keir Starmer is long, but near the top is how to respond to record levels of net migration.

Is it because Starmer is now getting it in the neck? Well, that's one of the drawbacks of no longer being in opposition - the buck stops where now, Larry? 

Starmer has pledged to reduce the economy’s dependency on foreign workers, yet he will need them if he is to have any hope of hitting the government’s target of building 1.5m new homes in England in the current parliament. The construction industry says an additional 251,000 skilled workers will be required in the next five years and there simply aren’t enough UK-born plumbers, bricklayers and electricians to meet the expected demand. The same applies to the target that 92% of patients in England should be waiting no longer than 18 weeks for elective treatment. There is not the time to train more domestic doctors and nurses, so without the NHS being able to recruit from overseas, waiting lists will not come down as planned.

And are we to believe the government doesn't know this? So, they are lying, Larry. Aren't they?

It is because migration is so complex and contentious that those who highlight the possible downsides of migration need to have their voices heard.

Then why have you shouted them down with cries of 'racist!' for the last few years? And why have you changed your tune now? 

...the list of those concerned starts at the top with the prime minister, who said that the latest figures were “off the scale”. Starmer is right about that. If the OBR is correct, by the end of this parliament migration will have boosted the UK’s population by 4 million in just eight years. The idea that this can happen without economic effects, without political ramifications and without the public noticing is for the birds.

It's because Starmer's in trouble, isn't it? 

Surely They Should First Ensure That It Is..?

The government must urgently reassure consumers that feed additives given to cattle to reduce methane emissions are harmless, and a vital tool in tackling the climate crisis, the chair of an influential parliamentary committee has warned.

But is it? Is anyone who isn't already a die-hard 'anthropogenic global warming' fanatic claiming that it is?

Lady Sheehan, chair of the environment and climate change committee of the House of Lords, called on ministers to step up as a row has blown up over the prospective use of the additive Bovaer in British dairy herds supplying Arla, the dairy company.

“The government has the evidence it can use” of the product’s safety, she said. “I can see why the government wouldn’t want to throw its weight behind recommending one of the feed additive options out there because there are others, but the government can point to the evidence to date that the FSA has licensed it and has reassured [consumers] that it is safe.”

Unfortunately, love, the government insisting something is safe doesn't hold as much weight as it once did... 

She said seaweed, willow and maize added to cattle diets were also showing promise in reducing methane, and should be further explored.

So we no longer know whether our tea tastes funny because the milk's off, or it's got a tang of seaweed? 

Arla announced last month it would start trials of Bovaer in the UK, but an online backlash ensued with some people claiming they would boycott the dairy. Arla and the manufacturer of Bovaer, DSM-Firmenich, have been forced to make public statements that the additive – which has been developed over 15 years and was certified by the UK’s food safety watchdog over a year ago – is safe.

Consumers don't want to buy your product with this stuff in it. What's hard to understand about that?  

Sheehan put the row down to “misinformation and disinformation” spread on social media. She added: “The government needs to continue with the trials that it’s doing to stay on top of this, to make sure what the long term effects are.”

So if it's a 'trial' and they don't know what the long term effects are already, how can you claim it's safe? 

On The Ninth Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

...the 'Royal We' employed unironically...

 

There's An Easy Solution, And South Yorkshire Police Has Trialled It For You....

The cost of kennelling dangerous dogs has quadrupled to £1 million in the last year, the chief constable of Essex Police revealed yesterday.

Don't seize them alive then. What evidential value do they have, when they have attacked and killed another pet or human, despatch them then and there as dangerous.  

Ben-Julian Harrington Harrington said the huge cost was contributing to an £11 million shortfall that could see 200 fewer officers on the county's streets. It comes ten months after XL bully dogs were banned in the UK following a series of deadly attacks on people.

'We've got to look after these dogs, it's not their fault,' he said. 'But of course, it's another cost, another pressure taking away from other crimes.

'We've seized 145 dangerous dogs this financial year at a cost of nearly £1 million to house and kennel them.

'It's the right thing to do - we saw a tragedy in Essex where a woman lost her life to a dog attack, so it's right we investigate and keep the dogs safe and healthy, but it's a massive cost.'

Then don't do it! Good grief, why are we employing people this thick in the police farces? 

Earlier this year it was estimated that housing dangerous dogs would cost £2.2 million nationally each year, but based on the amount spent by Essex alone, the bill could be far higher. The National Police Chiefs Council said the total cost would not be known until February, which marks one year since the XL bully ban came into force, or the end of the financial year in April.

The final bill is likely to dwarf what was being spent a decade ago, when a BBC investigation found it was costing £1million a year for the UK's 45 police forces to hold dangerous dogs across the entire country.

Change the policy then.  

Who Is Bankrolling This?

Is it us, the long-suffering taxpayer? I bet it is....

Pub bosses and punters working at Saracens Head pubs across the UK have rallied around a landlord who is being taken to court by a convicted terrorist because he is 'deeply offended' by the name.

Khalid Baqa, who was jailed for four years for preparing Jihadi propaganda, has sparked outrage by trying to win nearly £2,000 from the Saracens Head Inn in Chesham, Buckinghamshire. He described the 'depiction of a bearded Arab/Turk' on the pub's sign as racist and also insisted the depiction 'incites violence'.

For once, they aren't rolling over for a quiet life.  

Pub landlord Robbie Hayes has vowed to fight back against the lawsuit - and he is being backed by other Saracens Head establishments across the UK.

Good for them! If only other organisations had done the same, maybe this cheeky little shit wouldn't be trying his luck. 

Baqa has filed a 'claim of money' form an application to county court for a sum of cash a person believes they are owed. His application was previously referred to a small claims court.

Why wasn't it simply thrown out then and there?

H/T: Macheath via comments 

On The Eighth Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

...yet another great Twitter riposte, if one only the British will understand:

 

There Is No Real Question

Like most hearing parents of deaf children, my first close relationship with a deaf person was with my child. Despite a relatively broad cultural education, I knew next to nothing about hearing loss or deaf culture. What little I had absorbed was an incomplete and almost entirely inaccurate patchwork of pop culture snippets – the mother’s horror when her baby doesn’t react to the fire engine’s siren in the film Mr Holland’s Opus (1995); Beethoven’s struggle to hear the first performance of his Ninth Symphony; the lift scene in Jerry Maguire (1996) where the loving boyfriend signs “you complete me” to his partner; Quasimodo’s apparent industrial deafness from the bells of Notre-Dame; and, worst of all, the appalling memory of my university housemate imitating a deaf accent for laughs.

This woman's dilemma is whether or not to put her child under the knife to install a cochlear implant that would allw them to hear. Why is this even a dilemma? 

But what I had experienced as a genuinely caring, evidence-based and pragmatic attempt to empower deaf children and give them the widest set of options had been singled out as an example of “audism” by influential deaf and deaf-adjacent critics – a sinister assimilationist model with paternalistic colonial overtones and a complicated history.

Ah. Yes. The nutters... 

Not only was it inaccurate (no hearing technology makes hearing easy or natural for deaf people), but it spoke of, at best, a normative desire to correct or fix something that was not in their view broken – only different.

Humans should be born with functional hearing - if they aren't, then it's a defect. Not a sign that they are part of a community with its own culture. 

It’s Up To Her, She Could Always Go With Him

A husband and wife face enforced separation because the Home Office wants to put him on a deportation flight to Pakistan on Tuesday, leaving his wife in the UK.

Give her a ticket too, problem solved!

The couple, both 37, have been together for 14 years in the UK where they met. They are fearful of being publicly identified as they say if the husband is forced on to a plane on Tuesday he would have to go into hiding, as he fled an arranged marriage in Pakistan and his intended fiancee then killed herself.They say that they will be at risk from both the man’s and the fiancee’s family if one or both of them is returned to Pakistan, their home country.

Thry are both claiming asylum on that basis. 

The couple both claimed asylum on the basis of being at risk because of the man fleeing the arranged marriage but their claim has been refused by the Home Office. The wife is a dependant on her husband’s asylum claim.

But Pakistan's cultural mores aren't our problem to fix, are they? It's not like they are likely to ever be an asset to the UK, after all: 

“We have not committed any crimes, we just want to be together. My husband ran away from an arranged marriage and we married for love. My husband has mental health problems and I have many physical health problems including diabetes.”

*rolls eyes* 

On The Seventh Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

...the best and quickest Twitter riposte since the classic Gerry Adams one:

 

The Sort Of People That Have These Dogs...

 ...are always showing us that they are the very last people that should have them.

Justin Allison's pet Rocco ran towards the youngster, 12, before sinking its teeth into her arm - leaving the bone and tendon exposed. The 37-year-old, from Blaenau Gwent, has admitted criminal offences following the dog attack in Nantyglo.

Did he help get his 'pet' off the girl? Reader, no... 

Prosecutor Lisa Lewis told Newport Magistrates' Court that the girl had been walking with her dad on October 7 when they heard shouting behind them.

'She saw a dog running very fast towards her and it reached her in seconds. As it got closer it began growling at her and she felt very scared and turned to run to her dad,' Ms Lewis said. The off-the-lead dog, Rocco, jumped on the girl's back and as she covered her head it latched onto her arm. The prosecutor said: 'It was on her arm for a matter of seconds.

'The next thing she could remember was her dad on top of the dog, wrestling it.

'She has then walked into the middle of the road to shout for help. The dog owner has then appeared. She said he walked over but didn't come close and wouldn't do anything.

'She described him as not being bothered to help her dad while she was shouting in the middle of the road. She managed to push her dad in the direction of the owner and he managed to put a lead on the dog.

Not clear who applied the lead, the owner of the dog or the dad, but we can say whoever it was, they didn't apply it to the throat tightly enough, or for long enough.  

'The owner, Allison told the girl and her dad that if anyone wanted him he would be at his home nearby. 'He did not offer any assistance at all,' the prosecutor continued.

If not for her father's actions, it seems likely she'd kave been killed by this thing. 

'The girl's mum arrived and had a go at the defendant asking why there was no muzzle on the dog. The dog then tried to go for her mum but thankfully the defendant told the mum to go away and pulled the dog back.'

Police have thankfully destroyed the mutt, but society is sadly stuck with the owner. 

Allison, of Lilian Grove in Ebbw Vale, admitted being in charge of a dog that was dangerously out of control causing injury, possessing a dangerous dog, and possessing an offensive weapon in a private place. He will be sentenced for those charges in January but the magistrates did impose a sentence over an incident in which Allison was caught drug-driving in Brynmawr.

Always other criminality with the owners of these things, isn't there? 

The defendant, who is single and unemployed, has depression and anxiety. He lives with his grandparents and receives £248 per fortnight in benefits.

We, the taxpayer, are paying his bills. Why? 

Arse Man And The Waspi Women...

No, not the next Marvel flop, this is once again a Starmer broken election promise:

Labour was accused of hypocrisy last night after abandoning a vow to compensate women hit by increases in the state pension age. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said government would not pay a penny to the 3.8million ‘Waspi women’ who were told they would have to work five years longer to receive their pension.Senior Labour figures, including Sir Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Ms Kendall, all backed the women’s campaign in opposition.

Well, of course they did. They wanted their votes. Now they've got them. 

In 2022, Sir Keir signed a pledge calling for the women affected to receive ‘fair and fast’ compensation. Last year, he said they had faced a huge injustice’. But on Monday, the Prime Minister said the Government could not afford the estimated £10.5billion cost – which would have seen a payout of up to £3,000 to each of the more than 3million affected.

Just like the pensioners who have lost their winter fuel payment, these women will hopefully never vote Labour again.  

On The Sixth Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

An even more delicious 'FAIL!' than the 'Guardian's' Clark County project!

 

Stop Infantilising Grown Women...

A 26-year-old woman died after she was subjected to a “frankly barbaric” Brazilian butt lift procedure without giving informed consent, a coroner has ruled.

Yes, you read it right - 26 years old. Not 16. 

Demi Agoglia travelled to Turkey for the operation after seeing celebrity endorsements for Istanbul-based Comfort Zone Surgery on social media. The mother of three was said to be “conscious about the way she looked” and was insistent on undergoing the procedure, which sees fat taken from elsewhere on the body and injected into the hips and buttocks.

And if you think that's a good idea, what's ever going to dissuade you? Certainly not a 'medical professional' from Turkey! 

It later emerged that the Comfort Zone staff who were called out to the villa were not qualified nurses. The inquest heard that their “completely bizarre” actions included trying to feed pieces of cucumber to Agoglia after she collapsed.

Dr Omar Tillo, a Harley Street consultant plastic surgeon, told the inquest: “The lack of proper care and response, particularly the failure to address post-operative complications, are likely to have played a significant role in Demi’s tragic outcome.”

You don't say? 

The Bolton coroner, John Pollard, ruled that the medical cause of death was a microscopic fat embolism in which tissue leaks into the bloodstream. Concluding that Agoglia had died as a result of misadventure contributed to by neglect, he said: “I find there was no proper informed consent in this matter, there was no proper pre-operative care and advice, and no proper post-operative care.

“All of this meant the care in total fell well below the standard expected of this type of treatment and the lack of care contributed significantly to Demi’s death.”

Well, it's a foreign country, so what on earth can anyone here do about it? 

Pollard said he would write to the health secretary, Wes Streeting, adding: “I do feel something further needs to be done to stop this frankly barbaric medical practice being conducted to such low standards that would certainly not be tolerated in the UK.”

Then isn't it the Turkish Health Secretary you should be whining to, and not the UK one? 

A Mind Is Like A Parachute, Chief Barnes. It Doesn't Work If It Isn't Open.

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes says it was not clear if Abundant Life Church School shooter Natalie 'Samantha' Rupnow was transgender and that it does not matter. Barnes slammed speculation over Rupnow's gender on social media after he was asked about it. 'I don’t know whether Natalie was transgender or not. And quite frankly, I don’t think that’s important at all,' he said. 'I don’t think whatever happened today has anything to do with how she or he or they may want to identify.'

Once, hearing of a school shooter or other spree killer being a female, you said to yourself 'How unusual!'. And now, you say 'Is she? Is she really?'.  

But not Chief Barnes, oh dear me no, despite the fact all there is for him to do now is look for a motive:

Wide eyed and clueless...

As usual, the Internet is all over the killer's social media before the diversity hire police farce have got theirselves into their squad cars and radioed the PR departmnent for something bland and comforting to say to the MSM...

On The Fifth Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

Someone who really should know better about the nature of the 'classy ladies' they are Tweeting about...

'No Consequences' Britain....

A 'veil of secrecy' was placed over the Sara Sharif scandal yesterday after a court banned the naming of a judge who placed the little girl in the custody of her murderous father. A High Court judge ordered that none of the professionals involved in the family court proceedings could be named, including social workers, experts and guardians.

Of course, they look after their own. They always have done...

They also included the family court judge who made the fateful decision to give Urfan Sharif custody before he beat the ten-year-old to death.

It should surprise no-one, of course, but there's room for some appalling chutzpah from our disaster of a prime minister: 

The extraordinary ban sparked a secrecy row yesterday as Keir Starmer said questions must be answered about the appalling case.

Really, Starmer? Now you think questions are warranted? 

The anonymity ruling effectively prevents full public scrutiny of those responsible for the key decisions which culminated in Sara's death on August 8 last year.

Rather like an injunction does. You know what an injunction is, don't you Starmer? 

Not that he's the only failed politician to decide the public have forgotten all about their previous screw-ups. Lady Dogshit decided to open her trap too:

Yesterday, former victims commissioner Dame Vera Baird KC said: 'This has placed a veil of secrecy over this case. I think it's appalling that we cannot know who was responsible for this obviously extremely damaging order which played a key role in the horrible death of this child.

'This is the judiciary protecting the judiciary. How can the public be confident that the family courts can protect future children if the public are denied the knowledge of who is making such decisions... The judiciary needs to be held to account for the decisions they make. This is an awful case, people got it seriously wrong and the public need to know the truth.' She added: 'It is sinister.'

Bit of a stretch to insist the judiciary should be held to account when you've never been, eh, Vera? 

Sometimes I Have Trouble Believing What I'm Reading....

Neighbours last night claimed the tragedy comes just months after the grey dog was reported to police and the city dog warden after the ‘aggressive’ animal attacked another pet in July.

And once again, the police have a death on their hands through inaction - at least this time it's only the brainless owner and not an innocent, as in Stratford.  

Dog owner Ryan Gray, 25, said he was out with his ten-year-old collie, Clyde, when Bailey lunged for his pet and punctured its neck, leaving him with a £180 vet bill. He said: ‘Even with a muzzle, he managed to get a grip of my dog’s neck. I really felt like that the dog was trying to kill him. I was really pleading with her to get him [Bailey] off.’ Mr Gray, who was also injured trying to prise the dog’s teeth from his pet, told how Ms McLeod struggled to control the muscular pet and would shout at him and others to keep their dogs away from him.

So why wasn't it seized then? Was it the attitude of the victim that stopped the police? 

But he said: ‘It is really horrible what has happened. No one deserves that to happen to them. I never wanted to see that dog put down – I would have liked to see it go to someone who could have controlled it better.

‘It was only a year-and-a-half-old, so just a pup. This should never have happened.’

Imagine what the thing would do fully grown! Who exactly was he hoping would come forward who'd be able to control it, Kraven the Hunter?  

On The Fourth Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

...someone  who has confused 'Americans won't vote for a woman' with 'Americans won't vote for this woman':

Christmas Promises...

🤣

Christmas Lists...

A double helping of Matt for Christmas! What could be better?

Sunday Funnies...

Finally, some actually useful and interesting science...

On The Third Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

...a delicious MSM meltdown on air:

But Without Enrichment, We'd Have Bland English Food, Right?

Kebab shop bosses have been ordered to pay over £10,000 after more than 50 customers were poisoned at their takeaway shop. Eleven customers - including an 11-year-old boy - were hospitalised after the contaminated kebab outbreak. Bosses Sami Abdullah, 46, and Hassan Saritag, 38, ran the Marmaris Kebab House in Abergavenny, South Wales, where dozens of diners fell ill.

I have never eaten a kebab of this type, and I never will. But it seems it wasn't the meat that was the issue, unappetising as it always seems, but the salad! 

Yes, I wasn't expecting that either, Reader.... 

The precise source of the outbreak could not be determined, but Newport Magistrates' Court heard that it was associated with a failure to separate washed and unwashed vegetables while preparing coleslaw. Takeaway director Abdullah and business partner Saritag both previously pleaded guilty to placing unsafe food on the market, failing to put in place food safety procedures, and failing to register new owners at the business.

Coleslaw! And it wasn't just British hygiene regulations they scorned, it was other business legislation too:

Scott Tuppen, defending Abdullah, said he had a long history working in restaurants with no previous hygiene issue. 'Mr Abdullah offers his deepest apologies to those affected and in particular those who suffered permanently,' he added. The kebab business was at some point handed over to Abdullah - but it was not registered.The court heard that they both accepted the suggestion to close the business after it was raised by the council.

Before the council stepped in and closed it for them? 

Judge Toms said Abdullah and Saritag have no previous convictions, she had been told that they are 'remorseful' and have co-operated. She added: 'Penalties you will face will be financial but I also appreciate you lost your good character and good names.'

So the judge just goes by what she's told? She doesn't actually judge whether they are remorseful?

They've Failed More Than One Family, They've Failed Society...

The pit bull’s owners were not home but a friend of theirs, a woman, was in the property at the time. She reportedly came out after hearing the child’s scream and threw water on the dog to get it off.

And called an ambulance? No, let the sobbing child run home covered in blood! 

Gillian rushed her crying daughter to hospital and police were called to A&E to note down a report of the attack.

But clearly, not to actually do anything about it. 

But the mum isn’t happy with how the case has been treated and is now hitting back at Police Scotland, saying they have “failed” her family. The attack happened on 11 September this year. Nearly two months later, on 8 November, the police went back to the family with an update.

She said: “Knowing that Rose is lucky to be still here makes me so angry. “[I am even] angrier that the police don't see this as serious as it is.

“The police said that they wouldn't be charging or having the dog destroyed as Rose wasn't in a public place, and the dog hadn’t attacked anyone before.

“No dog should be able to live after attacking anyone – even more so a child.

Quite! They've already had several attacks and one recent death to these dogs in Scotland so what the hell is with the nonsensical 'one bite' policy? 

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 8.40pm on Wednesday, 11 September 2024, officers received a report of a dog attack on Tresta Road, Glasgow.

"Enquiries were carried out and advice and assistance were given.

“No further police action was required.”

Oh, it was required all right, it just wasn't undertaken. Why not? 

H/T: Baz via Twitter 

On The Second Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

...a lot of people who aren't learning a thing from this, and this is just one:

 

In Case You Wondered Why Trump Won...

...wonder no further:

“Racism is designed in such a way to make you question your humanity, but sexism is also. Sexism is really a power move,” said LaTosha Brown, co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund. “When you combine those two things together, I think that that best explains what [Harris] experienced.”

Oh, right. It's not simply that she was a weak candidate, VP to a disastrous lame duck President? No, of course not. 

Throughout the 2024 election campaign, Trump and other conservatives launched an onslaught of racist and sexist attacks against Harris: repeatedly claiming that Harris “slept her way” into political power, was unintelligent and that she was not a Black woman. Such attacks are unsurprising given American’s history with racism against Black women, the call participants said. But what was especially frustrating were platforms Trump was given to spread disinformation, Crenshaw argued, specifically calling out Trump being featured at the 2024 National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention.

Perhaps that's because the most important word there isn't 'black' but 'journalist'.... 

Following the general election on 6 November, exit polling showed that 53% of white women voters still supported Trump, calling into question who the legitimate allies of Black women’s interests are, said Melanie Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.

“Donald Trump was the biggest beneficiary of identity-based preferential treatment in terms of his media coverage,” she said. “He was like a Teflon-coated pan. Unlike Kamala, who was rendered by the media like a static, clean repository, anything would stick to her over and over again. It’s hard to imagine anybody other than a wealthy white male claiming he could shoot someone in broad daylight and get away with it, and then prove to us that this is, in fact, virtually true.”

In what way is it 'virtually true'? He was the one who was shot! 

Rebuilding freedom schools – educational programs in marginalized communities – creating spaces of communication on social media, akin to “Black Twitter”, targeting disinformation being spread by artificial intelligence, and addressing ongoing attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion are just some of the potential strategies, said the speaker Fran Phillips-Calhoun, an Atlanta Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta.

“This really is not time for retreat or apathy,” said Phillips-Calhoun. “We really do have to turn inwards so we can build again.”

Build what, exactly? What is it - other than ghettos - you built the first time? 

And Now The Police Have To Defend Themselves....

...from the nutters that think these are suitable 'pets'.

Officers are searching for the victim of a reported XL Bully attack after a 'woman was bitten as she tried to protect her dog'.

Armed police were called to Dunella Road in Sheffield at around 1.10pm on Saturday afternoon following reports that an XL Bully had bitten a woman. It is believed that the victim was holding a small dog above her head for its own safety before a passer-by stopped to help, putting the woman and her dog into their car and driving them to safety.

And they feel they need her because the trout-pout chav owner is whipping up a mob on Facebook and demanding 'justice' for her mutt.

South Yorkshire Police have confirmed that the dog which launched the attack was destroyed at the scene.

Cop on video cool as any African PH, standing over it and putting in a finisher. Well done, South Yorkshire Police, and I don't say that too often!  

If only Kent Police had shown as much determination and acted, instead of backing off, a 8 month old baby girl might not be in a hospital right now, clinging to life.

On The First Day Of Trumpmas, Twitter Gave To Me…

...a typical left-wing journalist being wrong:

 

Confession: I was going to do a 'Tweet of the Month Election Special' with these, back in November, until I realised how many I had! 

I’m Not Sure Why She Needs To Go to School…

 …she looks a bit of a clown already!

What Happened To Science?

Betsy, seven, and five-year-old Lacie have a very special friendship. Despite living less than a mile apart in Bridgend, and attending the same school, they did not meet until April 2023. This was when they were both diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, (ALL) just three weeks apart. Since then both the girls and their parents have become like family.

Is anyone looking to find a common cause for this? Environmental, perhaps? Or....dare one say it, vaccination? 

H/T: IanJ via email

Or You Could Stop Cramming Them Full Of Boat People?

A majority of towns that saw rioting last summer have a “torn social fabric” and have been bearing the brunt of economic deprivation, according to a new report. The report was published by the charitable trust Power to Change, using a “social fabric index” produced by the Onward thinktank which looks at the changing nature of community in different parts of the UK. It found that 23 of the 27 places that experienced disorder last summer have a social fabric score that was far below the median.

And who tore that 'social fabric', and how did they do it? Maybe years of underinvestment and cramming them full of unwanted immigration? Well, then, I wonder what the solution is?

The Social Fabric Index, which has been produced by Onward every year since 2020, looks at an area’s economic value, such as employment rates; relationships, such as rates of volunteering; positive norms, such as the levels of education in the area; civic infrastructure, such as trust in government; and physical infrastructure, looking at data on local assets and green spaces.

I'd forget trying to fix the 'trust in government' bit, with TwoTier Kier firmly ensconced in No 10... 

The Power to Change report used the findings to develop 10 recommendations that call for an investment in cohesion so people have places to meet, empowering communities so they feel more control over their lives, and supporting community-led growth that can be seen and felt across the country.

But if you 'empower communities', aren't they more likely to riot when it becomes apparent to them that things aren't going the way they want and that, no matter what, the diversity keeps on coming? 

Can’t Do This In The Norfolk Farce…

....all the DNA's the same!

Around half of the Metropolitan Police’s 33,000 officers could be missing from its own DNA and fingerprint databases hampering efforts to weed out sex predators like Wayne Couzens. Scotland Yard bosses are planning a multimillion-pound 12-month project to retake staff biometric data, which is expected to face fierce opposition.

Oppose away! It's a condition of the job, and you've got away with it for far too long. 

It is understood as many as 16,600 current serving officers’ DNA samples and 19,100 fingerprints are not on the force’s systems.

Labour’s Dawn Butler, who wrote to Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley with concerns last October, is furious having been reassured that “the majority” of officer DNA profiles are stored.

Sack him, then, Dawn. The blighter's lied to you!

In a letter responding to her inquiry, the Met’s director of forensic services - who admitted “there is currently a gap” - told the Brent East MP: “We intend to establish a robust process to ensure samples are collected from those officers whose samples are not on the database and will seek to do this within 12 months.”

Another year to do what you lied to Parliament was already being done? 

When Is An Acquittal Not An Acquittal?

The answer would appear to be, when it's a 'offences against women' issue:

The change is part of the government's plans give more protection to victims of stalking in England and Wales - with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper pledging the government will use "every tool available" to take power away from abusers. About one in five women aged 16 and over in England and Wales have been a victim of stalking at least once, external, official figures show.

The news that the identity of the (often anonymous) stalker will be disclosed to the victim garnered all the headlines, but this bit is rather more sinister:

If an accused person is acquitted, courts will still be able to apply protection orders on them if there is sufficient evidence indicating they still pose a risk to someone.

If they have been acquitted, then the court hasn't proved that to the satisfaction of a jury, and therefore that should be the end of it.  

Quite Easily, It Seems…

Tim Worstall does a great job of fisking the article, which is just a lot of squealing that black racists are being held to the same standards as white racists, so I won't bother. 

I would just like to point out that if I ran a 'Blog Comment Of The Month' award, this would be a shoo-in:

And so do I, Simon, so do I...

And What Exactly Are ‘The Values Of The Royal Society'..?

A leading scientist at the University of Oxford has resigned from the UK’s national academy of sciences over concerns about Elon Musk’s continuing fellowship. Prof Dorothy Bishop, emeritus professor of developmental neuropsychology and a leading expert on children’s communication disorders, said she handed back her fellowship of the Royal Society last week.

Oh. Well, bit long in the tooth for a strop like a toddler denied a lollipop befor dinner, aren't you? 

Bishop told the Guardian her move was a gut reaction, adding she had met the president and the chief executive after indicating her decision to resign, who stressed the need to follow due process over Musk. “I just started to think, you know, the Royal Society seemed to be set up to make it very, very difficult to ever get somebody to resign or to actually get thrown out, and given all I know about Musk, it felt grubby, to be honest,” she said.

We aren't told what it is she 'knows about Musk' but what she says reveals a great deal about her...

“It just felt having him in the Royal Society seemed such a contradiction of all the values of the Royal Society. And I didn’t really want to have anything to do with it.”

The values of the Royal Society? Doesn't it honour entrepreneurs and showmen then? I mean, it honoured Michael Palin, and all he does is take holidays with BBC licencepayer money.

Bishop also pointed to the Royal Society’s code of conduct, which stresses the need for fellows to treat each other with courtesy. “What I said to them was, I’m not going to be polite and nice to Elon Musk I’m afraid, so I can’t keep to the code of conduct,” she said.

Imagine being a lady of a certain age, and admitting that you have no social graces and self control? 

"I Don't Believe It...!"

Well, actiually, I do. And I sympathise. Hasn't he heard of Internet shopping, though?

A man banned from shops in a Norfolk town has blamed his hatred of queuing for abusing staff.

Wonder why the photo comes from Esses Police? Yes. Me too. 

H/T: Dave Ward via email

Cheer Up, Starmer, Al Assad’s Having an Even Worse Time…

 

What Has The World Come To?

As I’m away this weekend, a double helping of Matt’s brilliance will have to tide you over.