A Political Thread pt. 2

[BrokenWing]

"Fleet Street legend" or "Horrid lying cretin"

 

[Saintjay]

Use the SAS. Blokes a clown. Clearly no idea of the history of the SAS and foreign soldiers fighting for them. They even have a statue of Talaiasi Labalaba at Stirling lines. A true hero.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Not sure if this is the best place, but seeing as governments make laws etc...

Eleanor Williams jailed over false rape claims

The judge said Eleanor Williams' claims she was trafficked by an Asian gang were "complete fiction".

www.bbc.co.uk

8 1/2 years feels extreme considering the starting point for actual rape is 5 years. Don't get me wrong, she should be punished but this feels disproportionate.

As someone who stands up for Paddy Jackson's right to be treated as a citizen with no criminal convictions and potentially innocent of anything other than poor judgement, even I think 8.5 years is severe, even if they evidenced she helped orchestrate the campaign of racist hate (I'm not sure she was involved in that, its not a case I've followed).

As I've mentioned before here, research showed 8% of rape allegations in the UK are identified after investigation as being invalid and being withdrawn (the only reason to withdraw is to avoid an 'attempt to pervert' charge). Whether it's actually 1% or 10%, my point is this is not infrequent and those responsible routinely don't even get investigated for essentially the same crime. Let alone charged. Let alone sentenced to 8.5 years. Sure, this horrible individual had an extreme case of premeditation that puts it right to the top end of the scale. But any false allegation of rape directed at an individual is absolutely horrific and potentially life destroying for the recipient.

It's always the same with the law. If your offence garners media attention a judge will more likely than not hand out a disproportionate sentence.

On a tangent, apologies if I posted this one before. I still can't believe the polis up here found the backbone to comment on matter in a factual way that can debunk a social media myth.

Police Scotland say no cases of spiking by injection identified

A senior officer says she believes the reporting of the incidents was fuelled by media attention.

www.bbc.co.uk

I have a friend who works in a police forensic lab and they advise spiking is as close to non-existent as you can get, let alone some weird way of doing it with a syringe. But say a word about 'avoid mixing drinks' and you'll have the natives at your door with pitchforks.

 

[Saintjay]

As someone who stands up for Paddy Jackson's right to be treated as a citizen with no criminal convictions and potentially innocent of anything other than poor judgement, even I think 8.5 years is severe, even if they evidenced she helped orchestrate the campaign of racist hate (I'm not sure she was involved in that, its not a case I've followed).

As I've mentioned before here, research showed 8% of rape allegations in the UK are identified after investigation as being invalid and being withdrawn (the only reason to withdraw is to avoid an 'attempt to pervert' charge). Whether it's actually 1% or 10%, my point is this is not infrequent and those responsible routinely don't even get investigated for essentially the same crime. Let alone charged. Let alone sentenced to 8.5 years. Sure, this horrible individual had an extreme case of premeditation that puts it right to the top end of the scale. But any false allegation of rape directed at an individual is absolutely horrific and potentially life destroying for the recipient.

It's always the same with the law. If your offence garners media attention a judge will more likely than not hand out a disproportionate sentence.

On a tangent, apologies if I posted this one before. I still can't believe the polis up here found the backbone to comment on matter in a factual way that can debunk a social media myth.

Police Scotland say no cases of spiking by injection identified

A senior officer says she believes the reporting of the incidents was fuelled by media attention.

www.bbc.co.uk

I have a friend who works in a police forensic lab and they advise spiking is as close to non-existent as you can get, let alone some weird way of doing it with a syringe. But say a word about 'avoid mixing drinks' and you'll have the natives at your door with pitchforks.

The main drug involved by a long way is alcohol followed by recreational drugs. As far as I'm aware now the law sways to you can't consent if drunk. I'd advice anyone to be mindful if going home with someone from a club etc.

 

[Saintjay]

Barrow MP calls for calm after protests over rape claims case

Woman, 19, arrested for breaking bail conditions after being accused of lying about sexual assault

www.google.com

Looks like she caused absolute chaos in Barrow.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Just very odd and destructive why she would make up such lies:

Why did Eleanor Williams frame innocent men for rape and trafficking?

Psychiatrist speculated she had PTSD from childhood trauma but trial offered few clues

www.theguardian.com

 

[General Melchett]

The main drug involved by a long way is alcohol followed by recreational drugs. As far as I'm aware now the law sways to you can't consent if drunk. I'd advice anyone to be mindful if going home with someone from a club etc.

Even walking up to a girl in a pub/bar is way more taboo than it used to be. Street harassment is a growing problem for women and girls.

 

[ncurd]

The main drug involved by a long way is alcohol followed by recreational drugs. As far as I'm aware now the law sways to you can't consent if drunk. I'd advice anyone to be mindful if going home with someone from a club etc.

Its complicated I believe just being over the limit isn't enough, you literally need to drunk enough that cognitive impairment is enough that you can't consent. So if the person your chatting up is having a complex conversation with you you can reasonably sure they have capacity to consent. If their so drunk they can't stand they probably don't. Obviously there's a grey area in between that would be left to the jury and it would purely up to their judgement rather than a hard and fast rule.

Rape and Sexual Offences - Chapter 6: Consent | The Crown Prosecution Service

www.cps.gov.uk

 

[Reiser99]

Even walking up to a girl in a pub/bar is way more taboo than it used to be. Street harassment is a growing problem for women and girls.

Tbh I never got the whole go up to a girl in a bar and chat them up thing anyway. Guess it worked for some people, but I reckon 95%+ of events only lead to sex and never a more meaningful relationship. While people should be free to have sex if they want, the culture of going out, getting wasted and have sex definitely seems outdated.

Its complicated I believe just being over the limit isn't enough, you literally need to drunk enough that cognitive impairment is enough that you can't consent. So if the person your chatting up is having a complex conversation with you you can reasonably sure they have capacity to consent. If their so drunk they can't stand they probably don't. Obviously there's a grey area in between that would be left to the jury and it would purely up to their judgement rather than a hard and fast rule.

Rape and Sexual Offences - Chapter 6: Consent | The Crown Prosecution Service

www.cps.gov.uk

I know some men have suggested getting written consent beforehand, but if a girl is drunk then surely that can't be valid either as they weren't in a competent state when signing.

 

[ncurd]

Tbh I never got the whole go up to a girl in a bar and chat them up thing anyway. Guess it worked for some people, but I reckon 95%+ of events only lead to sex and never a more meaningful relationship. While people should be free to have sex if they want, the culture of going out, getting wasted and have sex definitely seems outdated.

My entire success rate is zero although being an introverted probably autistic nerd trying to talk anyone I didn't know on a night out was not something I ever did regularly. Certainly a few near misses where I couldn't read the signs or someone else's judgement got in the way.

I know some men have suggested getting written consent beforehand, but if a girl is drunk then surely that can't be valid either as they weren't in a competent state when signing.

Those people are either idiots or overly worried. Most girls would run a mile the second you suggested it as they'd definitely think you were a rapist. As long as your a 'nice' guy who doesn't try to push the situation I don't think you have anything to worry about. I've certainly never heard of a story where a person was prosecuted for rape where the other party involved capacity was in grey areas just rumours it could happen. Everything I've heard is when they were clearly wasted beyond capacity.


This all said drinking culture is rapidly changing in Britain from binge in young people.

 

[Saintjay]

Its complicated I believe just being over the limit isn't enough, you literally need to drunk enough that cognitive impairment is enough that you can't consent. So if the person your chatting up is having a complex conversation with you you can reasonably sure they have capacity to consent. If their so drunk they can't stand they probably don't. Obviously there's a grey area in between that would be left to the jury and it would purely up to their judgement rather than a hard and fast rule.

Rape and Sexual Offences - Chapter 6: Consent | The Crown Prosecution Service

www.cps.gov.uk

They might well appear to a person chatting them up to have capacity to consent. Unfortunately if it all goes south in the cold light of day. Leaving it down to 12 men and women good and true is best avoided. Drunk one night stands are always going to happen but it's something to be mindful of i guess.

 

[Welsh Exile]

People in general are very poor at communicating sexual boundaries/needs/preferences which also doesn't help.

Enthusiastic consent is the term hear these days which is good obviously but as I say people are pretty bad at communicating anything around sex that it makes it a minefield sometimes.

Luckily as a reincarnation of Don Juan I've never had to worry about any of this unless it's fighting off the flocks of women at my feet

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Federal investigators examined Trump Media for possible money laundering, sources say

New York prosecutors expanded criminal inquiry of company last year and examined acceptance of $8m with suspected Russian ties

www.theguardian.com

He just can't help getting linked to Russia.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

The main drug involved by a long way is alcohol followed by recreational drugs. As far as I'm aware now the law sways to you can't consent if drunk. I'd advice anyone to be mindful if going home with someone from a club etc.

Agreed. I'm mildly paranoid. I've always avoided being left alone on a night out with a lass as if they are tipsy you feel torn between ensuring they get home safe and putting yourself in a position where your conduct may be questioned. CCTV of getting into a cab with a woman in heels struggling on crap uneven pavements with a few drinks in them could leave you wide open to complete misinterpretation but will meet the threshold of 'evidence'.

I've never give a woman more than a phone number after first meeting on a night out. Not even a peck on the cheek. If I hadn't started my career in the justice system I might have been far more conventional and proactive although I've also been mildly terrified of making an impulsive drunken decision I may regret for the rest of my days, so maybe not.

Going further off topic, I had a period in my late 30s of out of the blue getting a fair bit of female attention that followed 20 years of that being anything but the case. I don't know if it's an age thing with women in early to mid 30s or a cultural thing in relation to guys being more passive/distracted and females being more comfortable taking the lead. Nothing about me had changed but I'd get more female attention in some months than I'd had in an entire previous decade.

But now none of this is an issue as personally lockdown taught me the pleasures of voluntary celibacy and the free time, relaxation and affluence that comes with it. And I've always had zero interest in flings. Unless I stumble across someone who knocks my socks off I consider settling down an optional life goal and a lot of the unhappiest and most stressed guys I know are married fathers. If only I could travel back in time to tell the singleton me in my late teens / early 20s to not worry about it - it's not the be all and end all. Looking at global birth rates and cohabitation rates I think celibacy will lose its stigma before long and people who live like me may be considered less unusual.

Rising Share of U.S. Adults Are Living Without a Spouse or Partner

On key economic outcomes, single adults at prime working age increasingly lag behind those who are married or cohabiting

www.pewresearch.org

It's a sign of the times that complaints about male conduct increase in the media at a time when male interest in sexual intercourse and relationships is arguably at its lowest in human history.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

More on how the UK government interferes with market forces to favour further fossil fuel usage over a transition to the renewable energy transition that is almost literally a licence to print money given the climate and geography of the UK. Absolutely maddening conduct from the part of the 'free market'.

Britain's tax take risks blowing green energy off target

A cap on revenue and the lack of the kind of incentives offered to oil explorers are blocking the development of renewable energy in Britain, say industry officials who are pressing for changes ahead of this week's budget.

www.reuters.com

Why this matters so much is primarily methane. Utterly lethal to the environment and if man made global warming continues to heat the Russian and Canadian permafrost we will lose control of global methane levels as this will be released from the ground through thawing with no direct human involvement. This isn't even factored into most calculations on climate change and even the most negative people weren't anticipating summer temperatures in Siberia and British Columbia reaching a baking 48 degrees Celsius. Yet this is becoming a not infrequent occurrence annually.

Arctic fires, thawing permafrost pose growing threat to climate -study

The warming Arctic tundra will make it harder for the world to curb climate change, as thawing permafrost and wildfires release greenhouse gases that are not fully accounted for in global emissions agreements, a study said on Monday.

www.reuters.com

Research now also shows warmer climates lead to microbes in mammals producing more methane, so all those cow farts will increasingly provide more bang for their buck in a smelly feedback loop.

Revealed: 1,000 super-emitting methane leaks risk triggering climate tipping points

Vast releases of gas, along with future ‘methane bombs’, represent huge threat – but curbing emissions would rapidly reduce global heating

www.theguardian.com

I've no plans to have kids and think I'll be dead before climate change impacts majorly on quality of life in Scotland (which ironically may continue to experience colder winters). I'd never considered myself an environmentalist and I'm even fairly comfortable with some degree of animal extinction in response to climate change. Species die, new ones evolve to fill niches etc. But people really should be aware of what is around the corner if people and governments don't change their ways. Watching humanity casually give in to fossil fuel lobbies is like watching a cow whistling merrily as it saunters into a slaughter house.

I'll end on a 'fun' video of what total ice melt and a 216 foot water level rise looks like.



Thankfully rising water levels disproportionately impacts on eastern and southern USA, China, India, Bangledesh and Brazil/Argentina. Places where nobody lives, so need to lift a finger to avert it.

Thanks to anyone who took time to read some of the links above.

 

[Gavin]

 

[ncurd]

snip

A lot of right wing libel going on recently.

 

[Gavin]

A lot of right wing libel going on recently.

At any other time in UK modern history, has there been a worse bunch of people elected as MPs?

 

[ncurd]

At any other time in UK modern history, has there been a worse bunch of people elected as MPs?

My wife tells me early modern history begins in the 16th century ish. (History Student) so yes definitely worse. Since universal suffrage probably no.

 

[BrokenWing]

Is her favourite Prime Minister Lord Palmerston or Pitt the Elder?