desensitized43

The difficulty I have is that while the accusers have the right to go to the police and for what are very valid and understandable reasons to seek justice they’ve chosen not to do so. What instead has happened is that Brand has been named in the media and is being judged in the court of public opinion. He’s not been afforded the anonymity his accusers have and his career is now probably over. That’s not justice. I don’t think channel 4 should have aired this (at least not with the Brands name) unless the women were willing to go to the police first. I hope that we now see some kind of police investigation of this but it feels the wrong way round to me. Fwiw I do believe their accusations. I’ve never liked brand and his kind of disgusting, unfunny and pretty disrespectful routines about sex and treatment of women. I definitely think he’s “the type” who wouldn’t take no for an answer. He’s also a massive idiot who’s definitely not as intelligent as he thinks and we’re all told he is, as evidenced by his ridiculous social media conspiracy theorists nonesense.

Up until this point the one thing you could really praise Southgate for has been his handling of the media but he's read this so wrong. The way he's coming across with the handling of the Maguire (and to a lesser extent the Phillips) situation is looking like gaslighting. These players clearly aren't worthy of a place in the squad. They aren't the best players available, they aren't in form, they can't be match fit, they don't play enough football. Certainly in the case of Maguire I "get it" from Southgate's perspective. They've been together a long time and from his side Maguire hasn't ever "let him down" and there's an element of loyalty. However, if Southgate really wants to be a top manager he needs to get over this. Wenger didn't show any loyalty to Viera when he decided his time was done. Ferguson did it multiple times. Pep certainly hasn't. I thought Dunk looked excellent last night and when Stones is fit those 2 should definitely be the partnership.

Obvious red card for basically exactly the same thing as last night but of course there’s no action taken. England definitely being judged by different criteria at the moment. Reputation which has been entirely earned through some pretty poor discipline in recent times but it’s frustrating nonetheless.

Had the same in Florida in late October. Mid twenties kind of heat so was just about comfortable in shorts and T-shirt but the locals were in sweaters and complaining how cold it was. Mental what people get used to. The heat in this country just hits different though. Our buildings aren’t designed with it and the lack of air con is the main thing here. Took a drive earlier and had the air con turned up and when I got out I got that heat blast you get when you’re abroad…was delightful.

I agree the whole thing is such a con. If it was really about the environment they'd just straight up ban those cars not introduce a charge for it.

Or the brown people in them but they've worked out you can't be racist against a boat, just it's occupants.

I'm not sure I necessarily agree that this is precisely what's happened. Not all problems have to be solved in their entirity over the life of a single government as long as there's a pathway to it being dealt with in sufficient time. Hypothetically (and I'm not saying this happened because I don't know) a Tory government in 1995 identifies a problem with 1000 schools and decides to fix 50 schools a year for 20 years, presumably having taken advice that the stuff is safe to wait that long in the most extreme case, Labour comes in in 97 and continues at that pace, but billy bob bellend Osborne and his lot come in 2010 and decide that on a purely financial basis to cut all the work. So who's fault is it? It's a problem that predates Sunak but that's really not an excuse is it?

That's the Sunak way really, isn't it? What's a budget for if not to be cut?

Because (as I understand it) in the 1990s the substance had already been in use for 30-40 years so the very earliest generations started to show signs of deterioration and subsequently it stopped being used for new construction with the understanding that the existing stuff would be removed but (in fairness to the Tories) successive governments failed to get all of it out and now we've run out of road. That's the bit that's generous to the Tories. The non-generous bit is that there was a plan to refurb a bunch of schools but Tories gonna Tory, so they'd rather give it the money to people like Michelle Mone who, lets face it, deserve it way more.

Hell no. Seen him play for spurs and was not impressed at all.

Got to be some way to stop paying them while they’re refusing to be footballers

The man is clearly an elite tier manager. Needs to be backed by the owners the way they have so far and he will definitely deliver top 4 and a trophy.

I assume there’s more completely batshit stuff in there but the clip I saw of dorries I kinda agreed with her…and now I feel unclean. Basically that Sunak has no democratic mandate and hasn’t been elected by anyone, including the Tory membership. He’s basically a lame duck until he goes and gets some kind of mandate from the British people for his (pathetic) agenda. The fact it’s come from Dorries, who has completely shat all over the principles of our democracy by leaving her constituents unrepresented for months does seem to dilute the message somewhat!

I would guess that it's an attempt to maintain any value he has left.

Greenwood's statement perpetuating the lie that he was "cleared of all charges"...no mate, they were dropped and we all know why. If the alleged victim had decided to go to court and tell the truth of what happened and then you'd been found not guilty by a jury of your peers, then you'd have been cleared. At this point you're guilty of nothing and innocent of nothing, that's the problem. At this point the argument is moot anyway. There's plenty of countries where it's completely fine and legal to beat and rape your Mrs so I'm sure he'll play again and make a lot of money if that's what he wants to do.

I suspect they won't be able to take her off suicide watch tbh.

Finished 1923 today. Absolutely magnificent. Hope they sort this strike out because I can’t wait for season 2. Harrison ford was good, Helen mirren was just brilliant. Give her the awards right now.

I guess the difference is that his case was actually tested in court. You kind of have to just accept that justice can work both ways. With Greenwood it didn't go to court because he's managed to worm his way back into the girls life and avoid the consequences.

Technically speaking it didn't even go to court. Not because the CPS didn't want it to but because the key witness, for reasons that have been the subject of a great deal of speculation, decided she wasn't willing to go to court. I think you have massively misread the mood among a lot of football fans but I don't think that will factor much at all. The sponsors and the money will drive the decision.

Well this is my second fixed rate. When we first moved in we were at 4.5% and we thought that was low at the time. If it settled back to that level I'd be happy.

I was gearing up to take a hit next December when I thought my 1.99% mortgage deal expired but just checked my account for the first time in over 12 months and my deal actually expires December 2025...happy days. Let's hope someone competant gets a grip of this shit in the next few years.

https://news.sky.com/story/the-big-short-investor-michael-burry-bets-1-6bn-on-stock-market-crash-12940826 Well this is slightly concerning but I have to say I’m not surprised. Definitely feels like we’re coming to the edge of a precipice.

Disgusting.

Gutted for the guy. Got to wonder if that's the last time we'll see him in a Villa shirt. I really hope not but given his age a 15 month lay off then the time it takes to get back what you've lost in terms of fitness and match sharpness I have serious doubts. He's been such a presence for the club on and off the field and such a great ambassador for the game with his kids academy I hope the club does right by him.

Was that a shot of Bamburgh castle getting exploded at the start!?