Seen in the News

[Stanley]

I wouldn't argue with you Ma'am......

[Wendyf]

Why does my tablet think it can correct my grammar? Dales became Dale's without me noticing the change.

[Stanley]

Because it's arrogant and doesn't know as much as we do....

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report o0f the plight of the postmasters ruined by the way the PO administered the Horizon computer programme. While Johnson and his backers trash democracy in Parliament the PO bosses still lead comfortable lives without sanctions and these victims suffer. As I am sure you know, some are beyond suffering having taken their own lives. It is a disgrace, one of many that are ongoing because Parliament isn't doing its job.

[Tizer]

The Telegraph this morning leads with what it claims is an `Exclusive': France and Germany evaded arms embargo to sell weapons to Russia. Paris and Berlin sent Moscow £230 million of military hardware, including bombs, rockets and missiles, that is likely being used in Ukraine.
`France and Germany armed Russia with €273 million (£230 million) of military hardware now likely being used in Ukraine, an EU analysis shared with The Telegraph has revealed. They sent equipment, which included bombs, rockets, missiles and guns, to Moscow despite an EU-wide embargo on arms shipments to Russia, introduced in the wake of its 2014 annexation of Crimea. The European Commission was this month forced to close a loophole in its blockade after it was found that at least 10 member states exported almost €350 million (£294 million) in hardware to Vladimir Putin’s regime. Some 78 per cent of that total was supplied by German and French firms.'...

The Telegraph should take a look at the National World news web site for 25th February...
`Does the UK sell weapons to Russia? Arms exports to Putin’s regime revealed amid Ukraine invasion' National World
`The Government gave the green light to UK companies to export millions of pounds worth of arms and military goods to Russia after it annexed Crimea in 2014, NationalWorld can reveal....according to data compiled by Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), UK companies were granted 30 licences to export £3.7 million worth of goods classed as for military purposes to Russia between then and 30 September 2021, when data was last released. This included £1.4 million worth of components for military aircraft, helicopters or drones, and £1.2 million of ammunition.

Not on the scale of France and Germany but the same problem of giving priority to money over peace.

[Stanley]

Peter, is it surprising that arms traders grab every chance they get to make money? Private Eye constantly points out the arms fairs held regularly in London and attended by buyers form all over the world.

[Stanley]

So nice to see that nice man Mr Rees Mogg in the news! (LINK) His initiative to incentivise civil servants to return to their desks has not gone down well.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report of the row triggered by the Mail on Sunday reporting that some Tory MPs believed that Angela Rayner had been distracting the PM by repeated crossing of her legs a la Basic Instinct. This is the worst form of gutter journalism and quite rightly has generated protest from both sides of the House.

[Big Kev]

It's certainly doing the rounds on the satirical websites.

Screenshot_20220425-164834_Facebook.jpg

[Stanley]

I must admit that was my reaction when I heard that Johnson had commiserated with Angela Rayner.

[Tizer]

From front page of the `i' newspaper today, 26/4/22 - they always pack a lot into their front page!

[plaques]

A screen shot of Boris trying his peeping tom act, Not very successfully unless he has X-ray eyes.
But there someone doing a good man-spreading act on the end seat.
.

angela.jpg

[Stanley]

A circular seating plan would solve all the problems..... Or is that too simple for MPs to understand.

[Stanley]

We are going to see many more stories like THIS but they are not making the news and being debated in the House. Instead the Mail on Sunday is ignoring the Speaker's invitation to discuss the ethics behind the Angela Rayner story.

[Stanley]

See THIS for BBC evidence that the Chancellor is well on top of his brief. Only problem is that that brief doesn't include any protection or compassion for the plight of the poor.
I listened to the chair of the Resolution Foundation saying yesterday that he didn't understand why the vicious inflation rate wasn't being tackled using an increase in benefits. For reasons I didn't understand he said that this is a no-cost solution. Sunak isn't interested in this, nor is he swayed by the fact tax receipts are at an unexpected high.
Vote for the Tories..... Good with money!

[plaques]

Rishi Sunak does not feel the time is right to be imposing a windfall tax on energy profits. On the face of it a 54% rise in energy prices would equate to a 54% rise on their profit margin without having to put extra work by increased staffing levels or infrastructure, no doubt the bonuses will have increased in line with this windfall. The background logic seems to be if he imposes a windfall tax now he will have to do it again later in the year. Better to wait to see how loud the pips squeaks before upsetting the party donors that feed them.

[Tripps]

It puzzles me, and I think worth pointing out that current news stories such as Angela Rayners legs, girls not really favouring science subjects at school, and Boris's birthday party are taking up roughly the same column inches and especially radio air time, as Putin threatening to launch hypersonic nuclear missiles at us.

Do they have equivalence?

[plaques]

Angela Rayner's legs is a story concocted by an anonymous Tory MP. possibly to placate the pono viewing element in the Conservative party.

Liz Truss is doing her best to stoke up a full scale war with Russia, what we need is a tough Prime Minister, while they in turn threaten the UK with advanced missiles. Unfortunately Russia will not sue for peace until they reach a point where they realize they can't win. Lets hope there are better politicians out there than we've got,

The right-wing media are promoting any story that may detract from the Partygate and the cost of living crisis. Anything will do, the Queen, Prince Andrew, Mehgan Markle or whatever her proper married name is, even Katie Price, equivalence doesn't come into it as long as detracts from what really matters.

[Stanley]

David, yes I have noted the strange mix of stories fed to the media and passed on to us. And I believe that is exactly what is happening, Ken is right, equivalence doesn't matter and I know that you know that. This is all part of the old conjurer's ploy, distraction. Even courting the disaster of nuclear war is better in Tory eyes than admitting that the High Court was right, that the 'Left Wing' accusations of monumental mismanagement of the Pandemic were valid and that it was probably one of the biggest public health disasters of all time, to be ranked with Thalidomide and contaminated blood products. They have even duped the cross party women MPs into aiding and abetting by associating the Rayner story with the built-in misogyny of the House. All designed to deflect attention from the proven dishonesty and corruption that riddles the upper ranks of the Tory Party.
I can remember a time when government behaviour like this was always seen as a hallmark of the Balkans, today it's the UK disease.

[Tizer]

Lets hope there are better politicians out there than we've got.

Both countries need a regime change!

[Tripps]

Does this make sense to anyone? Virtual finance.

Does it bear any relationship to real currencies?

[Stanley]

Like you David, I am totally perplexed by all forms of crypto currency in general and Non Fungible Tokens in particular. This caught my eye.... "if a user runs out of money while paying the transaction fees, the transaction fails, but the fees aren’t refunded.". And later examples of transaction fees 100X the value bought. Could it possible be a scam to part fools from their money?
More interesting news to me was the fact that Ronnie won the World Championship last night. I stayed with him until 8PM but went to bed. I'll watch the last frames on catch up tonight.
Later.... Reports that the Supreme Court in the US is about to strike Roe v. Wade down. This is the decision that allowed abortion in the US. This means trouble and could lead to changes in the Supreme court.

[Tizer]

Other than the crypto aspect it's just another case of selling `virtual' stuff. Gamers have been buying virtual `people' and `weapons' for their games for many years now. Some `platforms' even have children buying virtual characters using their parents' credit card details.

A lot of the carbon credit tree planting looks like being virtual. We predicted on OG that much of the forests would fail or get chopped down too soon. Now it seems that many have already disappeared or don't exist...
`How phantom forests are used for greenwashing' LINK

[Stanley]

Right from the start the foresters were pointing out that tree planting isn't simply a case of shoving a whip in the soil and standing back. Like all growing plants, these trees need care and attention and as was pointed out, there simply aren't enough competent people to do it. Factor in that our workforce is notoriously shy of working outside with plants. That's why many crops that are labour intensive are not getting planted and later this year we will reap the results of this stupid policy.

[Tripps]

Whilst we are messing about with such schemes - which are surely making the 'landed gentry and doubtless the monarchy even richer. I read at the weekend that the Chinese have increased their target for mined coal to twelve million tons per day. They are just building more coal fired generators all over Asia.

Remember COP 26 in Glasgow? Was it only last October? The Minister made his reputation, and was in tears wasn't he? Not long ago and a complete waste of time and effort.

I'm tired of it all - I think I'll just switch off. Literally and metaphorically. Climate emergency my a**e as Ricky Tomlinson used to say.

I saw a map last week showing most of The Fylde underwater by 2030! I don't believe it - (c. V Meldrew) - at least I won't until Blackpool Tower gets its feet wet.