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Ahahahaha

He went on to suggest his son was “treated differently” because of his father’s status.

“The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election. Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unravelled in the court room – with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.”

Even the damn judge couldn’t swallow the deal. Because it tried to contain a resolution of everything he could possibly be charged with, ever, for anything up to that date. A plea deal that had just covered roughly and approximately the things alleged and things connected would almost cerrtainly have sailed through. But everything? Nahh……

A resolution of everything drugs, guns, taxes and tarts could have been achieved. One that covered all of Burisma – whether or not there will be charges there etc – and Ukraine and China and….by dint of pleading guilty to drugs and guns and taxes? Nope.

Assisted Dying – Thoughts

The UK’s decision to legalize the righto die has reignited debate over autonomy, ethics, and the state’s role in life-and-death decisions. For libertarians, this policy is both a victory for personal liberty and a cautionary tale about the risks of state overreach. The issue highlights core principles of individual freedom and raises important questions about safeguarding vulnerable populations.

Libertarians often champion the right to die as an extension of personal autonomy. Decisions about life and death, particularly for those suffering from terminal illnesses or unrelievable pain, are deeply personal and should not be dictated by the state. For advocates, this legislation affirms human dignity, allowing individuals to reclaim control over their lives when suffering undermines their quality of life.

The policy also challenges state authority. Libertarians argue that governments should not impose moral or religious values on private decisions. If individuals are free to refuse medical treatment or make other life-altering choices, they should similarly have the right to choose the timing and manner of their death. From this perspective, the UK’s legislation is a significant rollback of state control, signaling respect for individual sovereignty.

However, the policy raises concerns about implementation and unintended consequences. Libertarians are wary of how the state regulates access to assisted dying. While safeguards like independent medical reviews and eligibility criteria aim to prevent coercion, they also grant the government power to determine who qualifies. Critics fear this could lead to bureaucratic overreach, where the right to die expands beyond its original intent or becomes normalized as an expectation rather than a choice.

Another concern is the potential for societal pressure. Vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly or disabled, might feel coerced into choosing assisted dying due to systemic issues like healthcare costs or insufficient palliative care. Some libertarians worry this policy could create a “slippery slope” where economic incentives, rather than true autonomy, drive decisions. Additionally, there’s a risk that normalizing assisted dying could devalue life itself. Opponents argue that legalizing this practice might reduce societal investment in improving the quality of life for those in distress. Margaret Thatcher once stated, “Watch your thoughts, for they will become actions. Watch your actions, for they will… shape your character. And your character will determine your destiny.” While not directly addressing the issue of assisted dying, her focus on individual responsibility and moral reflection offers a framework for considering the broader societal implications of such policies.

Libertarians who support this policy stress the need for safeguards to ensure that offering the right to die does not erode efforts to support and care for vulnerable populations. The UK’s decision represents a significant cultural shift, emphasizing individual choice in one of life’s most intimate decisions.

For libertarians, it is both a triumph and a challenge—proof that personal liberty can triumph over state control, but also a reminder of the vigilance required to prevent misuse. As this policy unfolds, its success will depend on balancing autonomy with protections for the vulnerable, ensuring that the right to die remains a deeply personal choice rooted in dignity and freedom.

Jobsworths

A “five minutes to pay” parking rule has left a woman facing a £1,906 bill.

Rosey Hudson is being taken to court by the operator of a car park in Derby for not paying her tickets within five minutes of arrival.

She said poor signal on her mobile phone meant she had to use Wi-Fi at her place of work to purchase tickets on an app, paying £3.30 each day starting in February 2023.

But she has since been sent 10 penalty charge notices (PCNs) worth £100 each for not paying for parking within five minutes.

Excel Parking, which runs the Copeland Street car park, is demanding Miss Hudson pay £1,905.76 to clear nine outstanding PCNs, which includes a £70 “debt recovery” charge for each one, eight per cent annual interest and £195 in court costs.

Now, so far as we’re told at least, the lady paid for her parking. Every day. She claims – claims – that WiFi at the parking lot was bad. So, she got to work then used the WiFi there to do so.

They’re now charging her all the penalties for not having paid within the 5 minutes.

There’s some cretinous jobsworth behind this:

In a statement, the spokesman said: “The signage at the car park made it clear that it was ‘Pay on Entry’ and that there was a maximum period of five minutes to purchase the parking tariff.

“This is one of the specific terms and conditions for use of the car park. It is the driver’s responsibility to read and understand the terms.

“It seems that Miss Hudson is the author of her own misfortune.”

Murder’s too good for that sort of person, no?

This could be true of course

Gregg Wallace has claimed allegations made against him of sexually inappropriate conduct have been made by a “handful of middle-class women of a certain age”.

Wallace, 60, has been accused by multiple women of inappropriate conduct, including mimicking a sexual act on a member of staff.

It might even be a valid defence. Not that it’s going to be in this modern world….

So, who reallocates to what?

They are fundamentally running a parasitical operation that extracts value rather than adds value. The city likes to claim that it adds £97 billion of value to the UK GDP, which actually isn’t that big when the total UK GDP is over two and a half trillion, which is £2,500 billion, which puts the £97 billion in context, But, even if that was true, that they added £97 billion, they have not counted the negatives.

They’ve only counted how much they were paid to extract value, when in fact, if the resources, those young people, those able people, those well-paid people, were reallocated within our society, to do something that was much more useful – anything from teaching, to innovation, to managing services that provided care, or whatever it might be – we as a society would be much better off.

Of course, the Potato knows!

As opposed to the other 8 bilion people on the planet who really rather like there to be an international financial centre.

Honeytraps – how to know when you’re unimportant

The Metropolitan police revealed the names of alleged victims of the Westminster “honeytrap” scandal in an accidentally sent email, it has emerged.

A police officer emailed some alleged victims updating them on the case, which is due to be heard in court, but inadvertently revealed their names and contact details to each other.

The police are investigating a case of someone who posed as a person called Charlie or Abi who tried to get information out of about 20 people, including MPs, parliamentary staff and political journalists.

So they’re handing out free sex in order to gain information from important people.

You’re not offered any free sex.

You are not important.

It’s a corollary with fame. The famous get groupies. You’ve not got groupies? You’re not famous – QED.

Jesu, the idiocy

Telling someone with a foreign accent you can’t understand them could be racial harassment, a senior tribunal judge has said.

Commenting on or criticising the way someone from another country or ethnic group speaks could breach employment law, Judge James Tayler said.

Wimmins drivers, eh?

A New Zealand naval ship that sank after smashing into a coral reef in the South Pacific was left on autopilot, an inquiry has found.

An interim report into the incident said human error was to blame for the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui, the first ship that New Zealand has lost since the Second World War.

Yvonne Gray, the vessel’s British-born captain, is originally from Harrogate, Yorkshire, and previously served in the Royal Navy before moving to New Zealand with her wife.

She became the target of online trolling in the wake of the £48-million ship’s sinking on Oct 5, prompting New Zealand’s defence minister to criticise “armchair admirals” and stress that Commander Gray’s gender was not to blame.

However, the report has revealed that the crew failed to realise the vessel was on autopilot. They wrongly believed that its failure to respond to direction changes was because the thruster control had failed.

Sigh.

Granny Strangling will, after all, be cheap

MPs on Friday voted in principle to allow the terminally ill to get help ending their lives, with 330 MPs backing the move and 275 voting against in a historic decision.

An impact assessment will now be conducted by the Government, with two opponents – Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, and Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary – expected to play key roles.

The Telegraph understands that the knock-on effect on court backlogs, NHS waiting lists, the quality of palliative care and wider pressures on doctors will all be scrutinised.

It’s going to sail through that. Sail. Simply because killing people is cheap.

After all, the reason the Nazis started all that killing – at Pirna and the like – was because it was cheap.

Ghastly sentimentality

Saplings from the felled Sycamore Gap tree are to be planted across the UK, including next to one of London’s most famous roads, at a rural category C prison and at a motor neurone disease centre opening in the name of the late rugby league star Rob Burrow.

The National Trust on Friday announced the recipients of 49 saplings it has called “trees of hope”.

On the other hand from the point of view of the genes of the tree it getting sliced down was the best thing to ever happen.

Eh? What happened here?

Ulrika Jonsson says Gregg Wallace was forced to apologise after making a “rape joke” during the filming of an episode of Celebrity Masterchef.

Jonsson, a contestant on the hit programme, said another female contestant became “really distressed” after the presenter allegedly made the inappropriate remark.

The Swedish-born television personality, best known for working as a weather presenter and appearing on Shooting Stars, said she saw another contestant walking off the set.

She said that when she followed her to find out what had happened, she was told Wallace had made an offensive joke.

“She then told us that Gregg Wallace had made a rape joke,” Jonsson alleged. “She was really distressed about it.”

The contestant then “retold” the joke to Jonsson before speaking to a producer about what had allegedly occurred.

“They then went off to speak to Gregg,” she said. “After a while he came up…and he apologised.”

“He could hardly get his words out,” she said. “He was apologising, and he had tears in his eyes.” She said the other contestant “accepted his apology”.

No, not the joke, whatever it was.

You make a mistake, you apologise for it and at least attempt not to do it again. End of matter.

What the hell happened to society where that’s not how things work?

We back in – mythical, obviously – Victorian times whre the mention of the word ankle leads to permanent ostracisation from polite society?

Seriously?

Sky News reported two sources alleging that Haigh had made the report in order to gain a newer handset from her employer. A source close to the transport secretary said that was “absolute nonsense” and it was an honest mistake.

Haigh disclosed the conviction to Starmer when she was first appointed to his shadow cabinet and sources said he was supportive of her. As the conviction has now been spent it is no longer on her record.

In a statement, Haigh – who was a special constable in the Metropolitan police between 2009 and 2011 – said: “In 2013 I was mugged while on a night out. I was a young woman and the experience was terrifying.

“I reported it to the police and gave them a list of what I believed had been taken – including a work mobile phone that had been issued by my employer.

“Some time later I discovered that the mobile in question had not been taken. In the interim I had been issued with another work phone. The original work device being switched on triggered police attention and I was asked to come in for questioning.

“My solicitor advised me not to comment during that interview and I regret following that advice.

“The police referred the matter to the [Crown Prosecution Service] and I appeared before magistrates. Under the advice of my solicitor I pleaded guilty – despite the fact this was a genuine mistake from which I did not make any gain. The magistrates accepted all of these arguments and gave me the lowest possible outcome [a discharge] available.”

1) There’s something dodgy to the story.

2) You can get a criminal conviction for not recalling exactly what was in your handbag when it was stolen.

I’m aghast at either answer.

Sure

Richard Murphy says:
November 27 2024 at 11:49 am
If I have to fund £100 in a year and the interest rate is 0% the cost of paying in a year’s time will be £100 now

If I have to fund it but the interest rate is 100% then I only need put aside £50 now because I can earn the other required £50 in interest over the next year

So, if the interest rate is higher the amount I need to put aside for a future bill is lower

Does that make sense?

Except it doesn’t make sense from the man who has been squealing that we should never use discounting….

Now, let’s say you asked him….

….Free trade is the answer then, yes?

So, what is Trump doing by declaring trade war in this way? He’s going to unleash mayhem. Why is he going to do that? Because a tariff increases the price of goods imported from these countries into the USA. And the USA is heavily dependent on imports from China, from Mexico, and from Canada.

Betcha he’d say no, no, it isn’t…..

El Twatto is, yes, Twatto

The first was an article in the Guardian on what it calls ‘The Great Abandonment’. This is how it describes the process of people withdrawing from the habitation of areas that previously supported human occupation. They noted:

Since the 1950s, some scholars estimate up to 400m hectares – an area close to the size of the European Union – of abandoned land have accumulated across the world. A team of scientists recently calculated that roughly 30m hectares of farmland had been abandoned across the mainland US since the 1980s. As the climate crisis renders more places unliveable – too threatened by flooding, water shortages and wildfires to build houses, soil too degraded and drought-stripped to farm – we can expect further displacements.

This does, of course, highlight my concern about climate migration. But, it also makes clear just how significant the process of climate change already is. Change is happening.

It is, of course, fuck all to do with climate change. It’s economic growth making people rich. So they no longer live like – as – peasants. This is factories and towns and industrial farming being more effieicnt – thereby freeing up 400 million hectares of land for nature to reclaim. With, you know, those lovely effects of rewilding *reducing* climate change.

Seriously, how can someone get this shit so wrong?

Yer wha?

Today it is an annual five-day festival at Eastnor Deer Park for 20,000 people, a beloved Herefordshire fixture that has seen the likes of Tom Jones and Manic Street Preachers grace the main stage. Year on year, our audience comes to enjoy over 200 bands, down 50,000 pints of cold beer, eat 30,000 tonnes of food and flatten 50 acres of grass.

20k people eat 30k tonnes of food over 5 days?

Wha?

1.5 tonnes of food per head over 5 days, that’s 300 kg of food a day.

It’s a joyous weekend and a major cultural date for the West Country.

And since when in buggery has Herefordshire been part of the West Country? It’s the fields bit of the West Mindlands.

Fun number

Since the 1950s, some scholars estimate up to 400m hectares – an area close to the size of the European Union – of abandoned land have accumulated across the world.

This is just people leaving the peasant villages and going to live in greater density. Effectively, what happened to New England a century back. I see it in parts of Portugal. I’ve seen it up in Czechia.

It’s also an interesting counterpoint to that idea that we’re ripping up the natural world ever more when, in fact, we’re retreating from large land areas.

Apparently they’re going to hang the European Commission

Donald Trump’s US election victory is a “wake-up call” for Europe to slash red tape and boost defence spending, three of the bloc’s top officials have warned.

Germany and France’s central bank governors said a trade war that triggered the collapse of the Franco-German axis would be catastrophic for the single currency bloc.

Now, opinions could vary on whether that hanging would be a good thing or not – some would start to claim that capital punishment is immoral and all that – but that does seem to be what is being asked for. If we are to slash red tape then we do, rather, need to get rid of those who impose it.

By the way, this is not hang the commissioners – this is hang the whole Commission, that entirety of the Brussels machine. You do, after all, have to burn out the entire nest of vipers.

That we here, this band of brothers, have been soarguing for decades is one thing. But when it’s the proposed policy of those as boring, placid and taciturn as central bankers you know there’s a certain verve to the idea, right?

The worst is that if you asked he’d deny

Ministers might well, of course, seek to highlight the significant increase in the apparent interest cost arising during the course of the year. However, whilst it is true that the costing question rose, that is offset because the cost of financing future pension obligations fell very dramatically because of the increase in interest rates, which therefore meant that a much smaller provision is required for such costs, meaning that in overall terms the government actually had, in a proper accounting sense, net financial income rising during the course of the year of in excess of £140 billion.
….
The critical figure to look at is net public sector pension liabilities as shown under non-current liabilities, and as is clear, this potential cost fell from£2,639 billion to £1,415 billion during the year, or a decline of £1,224 billion – or almost half the UK’s annual income.

What is more, the total UK government deficit fell from £3,875 billion to £2,389 billion or by £1,486 billion (or, near enough £1.5 trillion) in total, or well over half the UK’s total annual income for this year. And I stress that this happened in a single year, and all because interest rates rose so much that future pension costs are now considered to be vastly more affordable.

The good news is that the UK is now, near enough, £1.5 trillion better off than it thought. That money should, as a result, now be available to be spent on making sure that those pensioners for whom the provision is being made might have a country in which it is possible to live in their old age.

This is from the man who insists that discounting future cashflows is a very naughty idea. Yet, when changes in the discount rate favour his ideas he shrieks that there’s another £1.5 trillion that can be spent.

But then who expects logical consistency from a potato?

Yes, OK, they are

Writers and publishers are criticising a startup that plans to publish up to 8,000 books next year using AI.

The company, Spines, will charge authors between $1,200 and $5,000 to have their books edited, proofread, formatted, designed and distributed with the help of AI.

Independent publisher Canongate said “these dingbats … don’t care about writing or books”, in a Bluesky post. Spines is charging “hopeful would-be authors to automate the process of flinging their book out into the world, with the least possible attention, care or craft”.

“These aren’t people who care about books or reading or anything remotely related,” said author Suyi Davies Okungbowa, whose most recent book is Lost Ark Dreaming, in a post on Bluesky. “These are opportunists and extractive capitalists.”

They’re extractive capitalists.

And?

If readers buy and enjoy these books then that’s an increase in human happiniess. If they don’t it’ll all soon go away.

And?