sadoldgit

For those who do not trust ChatGPT, here is a more in depth look at the “far right” ideologies. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d8b882740f0b6098d33fefa/Joe_Mulhall_-_Modernising_and_Mainstreaming_The_Contemporary_British_Far_Right.pdf

Is it wrong? It takes information from elsewhere and it no different from other definitions elsewhere. As for being a fool, I will let the guy who takes our philosophy class know that he is a fool as he uses ChatGPT to précis points of Plato’s Republic for us.

Not all cases are tried by our peers so where do you draw the line?

Exactly. Anything that speeds up the process and fewer trials by jury will do that. Putting a jury trial together is a very time consuming process administratively. I know, I used to manage the process. Multiply that by 8 to 10 courts every day with 12 jurors in each. There hasn’t been a trial by jury in Northern Ireland for decades, for obvious reasons. The justice system still works there. The legal system in this country in very averse to change and it is no wonder there is a measure of resistance. When we worked for the CPS my wife was responsible for implementing the use of electronic files in court in the SE Area (Kent, Surrey & Sussex). It was long overdue but the resistance from the courts, chambers and a number of our own lawyers still gives her nightmares years later. For those who think that the jury system is sacrosanct I suggest that they watch The Jury: Murder Trial. The only thing you can be sure of with a jury trial is that there will be a verdict (unless there is a hung jury of course). It will not necessarily be the right verdict and I will refer back to the OJ Simpson verdict as evidence that even the most clear cut case can produce the wrong verdict by jury. Juries are fallible. Judges are fallible, but have a much greater depth of experience. To look at it simplistically we are actually taking 12 fallible components out of the trial process in not so serious cases and replacing them with one not so fallible component. ………….. How long before AI gets involved?

It’s a start and something has to be done. As we know, no one is going to take to the streets and demand that we all pay more taxes to pay for these things so the money isn’t there to do what needs to be done to make up for 14 years of neglect. A very experienced appeal court judge put these recommendations to Lammy so it comes from inside and someone who knows the system well. In fact Lammy rowed back on one recommendation which was 5 years sentences and less rather than 3 and less for doing away with the jury. Doing away with the either way option was a good move. Defendants used to think that they stood a better chance with a jury so usually chose that. If you are innocent you should be confident of proving that in court whether it is a magistrate, judge or jury. The jury system is far from perfect. There is no perfect system. It is admin heavy and long over due for reform. The reforms may not please everybody, but something had to be done and the Tories did nothing but let the system decline for years.

Here you go Ralph. I wouldn’t normally spend an evening giving someone homework, but I think you need educating. I asked ChatGPT to give me a definition of far right ideology in the UK and this is what it says:- Core characteristics - The belief that political power and national identity should be centred around a particular ethnic, cultural or “native” group. Often opposes immigration and multiculturalism. Favouring strict law enforcement, strong state powers and sometimes a belief in natural social hierarchies. Claiming that the country is threatened by corrupt elites, global institutions or minority groups. Opposition to Liberal democratic norms such as minority protections, independent institutions or equal civic status for different groups. Hostility towards specific groups which may include xenophobia, Islamophobia or anti immigrant sentiment. In extreme cases it includes racial supremacy or overt racism. Tick many boxes? No surprise to see a laughing emoji from nic. He ticks some of these boxes. 😂

I do understand what far right is. You seem to have a problem with it though. People like Tommy Robinson and Katie Hopkins have far right agendas. If you don’t understand that then you need to do more research. You don’t have to wear black and wave flags with swastikas on them to be “far right” in your opinions. If people defend them and make excuses for people like Farage, why would they do that if they weren’t sympathetic to their agendas? I have voted for the Liberal Democrat’s for most of my life and as I have explained before, I only stopped doing so when Clegg chose to go into coalition with the Tories. I voted Labour tactically in the last 3 elections to get the Tories out, although the last time I was happy to vote for Starmer as he is clearly centre left. You don’t call me far left because I am clearly not. Liberals are not Lefties. Liberals are liberal. There is a reason why Lefties are called Lefty. It is because their views are well left of the centre. Liberals are centralists. This stuff is all very basic. Which of my views are extreme in your view? I have never posted against basic capitalism and don’t have a problem with the creation of wealth. If I am a Leftie I am not very good at it.

I think that anyone who supports those kinds of views or speaks out in support of the people who support those views should expect to be tarred with the same brush. You weren’t here when this happened, but hypochondriac used to have Pepe Le Frog as his avatar. An image that is used by the alt right. When I read your (all three of you) posts I see sympathy with views expressed by people who identify as “far right.” All of you draw fire from posters in here who would probably identify as liberal with a small L. I would include myself in that definition. Draw your own conclusions.

Some sort of centrist. What is that? 😂 You seem to suffer from the same cognitive fog that he has too. “Socialism is dangerous” is his refrain. He conflates Socialism with Stalin and Lenin, bless him. As I have tried to explain to your other half (nic). Being apposed to far right ideology does not make you a Marxist or a Communist. It just makes you a reasonable, decent human being.

He is constantly supporting people whose politics are far right. Why would you do that if you weren’t sympathetic to them? Of course you have a favourable view of him. You share his opinions. Define far left? Being opposed to far right opinions? Given I have voted for the LibDems in most elections I don’t think that qualifies as being “far left.” By the way, it is very difficult to see any difference between you and nic.

When you get support from hypochondriac you need to start worrying. He is very quick to support people like Farage, Robinson and Hopkins yet gets shirty if you accuse him of supporting the far right. Throughout this episode Farage has, not once, taken the opportunity to condemn anti-semitism and racism.

I didn’t say it was just you saying it. It is very clear but at the same time the new government have inherited a car crash. Listen to what the victims of his actions and words say. The problem with Farage is that he has not changed. There is a saying, if someone shows you who they are, believe them. He is no different to Trump. Neither have grown into better human beings. The Labour Party are different under Starmer. I also think that a lot of people conflate being pro Palestine with being anti Semetic. Most people understand that is nonsense. So you fob off Farage’s vile opinions just as his followers always do. Just look at the organisations that he has been associated with over the years and the people he consorts with if you need any more evidence of who this person is. We both know that if these allegations were made against Corbyn the mainstream media wouldn’t stop until he was political toast. I have no doubt that you would be all over it like Trump over a schoolgirl. But here we are in 2025 and they are still given Farage an easy ride and people like you are happy to support him politically.

I don’t disagree with the problems within the CJS, but when they are booking trials in for 2030 something needs to be done.

Circus, compared to the last 14 years this is a walk in the park. Does it not bother you that over 20 people have come forward and given in depth accounts of his clear anti Semitic and racists remarks when he was a young man?

Keep the Tories “true” to what exactly? True to looking after the rich? When I use the word “serious” I do so in the way that Logan Roy used it in Succession. I don’t see them as a serious political party. I see them as a bunch of incompetents whose only driving force is tribalism and looking after their fellow grifters. I do see them as a serious threat as things stand. I can’t see the LibDems getting enough votes across the whole country so am pinning my hopes on a Labour/Lib Dem coalition. Still, there is a long way to go until the next GE so it is too early to make any meaningful judgements.

Lots of discussion about the proposed changes to the jury system in this country, driven by the huge, unmanageable backlog of court cases. I would probably have argued against any changes previously, but having watched The Jury: Murder Trial, I am not so sure. If you haven’t seen the programme it ran a previous murder trial using actors and the actual court transcripts and presented the case to two new juries. I won’t give a spoiler but the process throws in to doubt the process of how different people process the same information and how those people can influence other people. Of course, we already have a two tier system depending on the seriousness of the crime so not everybody is tried by their peers as things stand. The mooted change will not effect the most serious crimes. So, good thing or not?

I live in hope that the Great British Public have been pushing Reform up the polls as a protest vote and will vote differently at the next GE. Then again, millions of American voted for the non serious option, so who knows?

There was talk a while back of relocating Parliament to the Midlands, maybe Birmingham?

Just another day in the Land Of The Free. Free to ignore international law and kill who you want when you want with no accountability. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/drug-boat-second-strike-white-house-b2875966.html#

Most of the time on here a flawed belief = someone else’s opinion that you don’t agree with. No one ever wins an argument as they are usually circular with opinions being repeated, flawed or not, until someone gets bored. The protagonists tend to fall into two camps, those with empathy v those without much empathy. It has nothing to do with finding truth and everything to do with expressing displeasure at those who see things completely differently.

A while back Farage put out a promotional vid saying that you can’t trust a Tory. He is happy to welcome into his party people he says that we can’t trust.

I’m sorry to hear that Winnersaint. Deepest condolences for your loss. We have recently lost a good friend/neighbour to this dreadful disease after a long fight. It started as breast cancer but gradually spread through her body. She never complained about issues with her treatment which she had been having since before the pandemic. . Mrs. SOG’s niece’s parter was diagnosed with testicular cancer a few weeks ago and had it removed last week. Fortunately no further signs of cancer and no further treatment needed. We also heard recently that a previous work colleague of my wife is spending this Christmas with her new born son in Great Ormand Street Hospital, the baby having been diagnosed with brain cancer. In the last two cases the treatment apparently has been dealt with in a very timely fashion and has been first class. Walking through Canterbury hospital yesterday we were surprised at how little activity was going on at the weekend in such a large hospital. We assumed that it would be fully operational 7 days a week.

Not so tough on crime after all. I wonder what’s in it for Trump? https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15340547/amp/David-Gentile-Trump-pardon-investor-fraud.html

More dregs from the Tory Party jumping ship https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/reform-conservative-defect-jonathan-gullis-b2875581.html#

My wife suffers with sleep apnea. She had some tests done in June 2024. She has waited all this time for a follow consultation and was finally given an appointment today (Sunday). The nurse apologised profusely for the very long delay and explained that they had a massive backlog and had been prioritising the more serious cases. When I asked why the appointment was made on a Sunday she explained that Wes Streeting had green lit funds for overtime to help deal with the backlog. Just another example of Labour having to spend money fixing issue left by 14 years of underinvestment in public services.