Mandy Lifeboats

Wife beating was never acceptable. I said it was accepted.

It’s hard to find a graph that doesn’t show massive reductions in pollution since 1970.

Pollution in the 70s. Cars ran on lead petrol. Asbestos was common. Factories still billowed out black smoke. Electricity was produced mainly from coal. Smoking tobacco was widespread. Passive smoking was widespread. Plastic was the new wonder material and we started using disposable nappies and throw away shopping bags. The majority of household rubbish was burnt. Acid rain. We started using aerosols which went on to destroy the ozone layer.

I don't agree with the "Good Old Days" nostalgic view on life. In comparison to today, life in the 1970s were awful. Being able to play football in the streets until dark did not compensate for the massive levels of pollution, unhealthy diet, overt racism, overt homophobia, wife beating being an accepted part of society and all the other ills in society.

No. It might save you £500 on gas this winter. It could cost you far more than that in the long run.

Definitely. I have written about this many times before. The first country to launch is guaranteed to lose. The world is immediately against them. Russia launching nukes at Ukraine to keep Crimea makes as much sense as the UK launching nukes at France to keep the Channel Islands.

No. I am not sure what you think a tactical nuke is. Its not a nice little explosion that kills the enemy and then goes away. Its going to spread radioactive material into Belarus, Russia and Crimea. It will probably spread it into a NATO country and prompt a conventional retaliation greater than anything seen before. If Russia uses a nuke - they lose.

Not sure if this is serious or the start of a Monty Python sketch?

They will come crawling back eventually. New York will be renamed Bridlington-Upon-Sea and we’ll open a Wetherspoons in every county.

Execution.

1. Two many big wurds. 4. I grew up in the 70s. Everyone smoked. Those who didn’t still had to sit in smoke on buses, planes and in restaurants. Asbestos was everywhere and really kept my hot water tank warm. Seatbelts were dangerous because it was safer to be thrown out of the car in an accident. Children’s playgrounds were concrete. Miners spent all day breathing coal dust. I am slightly magnetic due to all the lead I breathed in from petrol fumes. The NHS seemed to cope with that. 10. Immigrants bring too much of their culture to the UK. We should stick to keeping British Traditions for British People. Truly British things like Christianity, the Mini the royal family and sitting on your veranda on an autumn day around the Chimera drinking a nice Chardonnay or a cup of tea. British inventions for British people to enjoy.

Yes and no. There is huge waste in government. I see it every day. But people consistently vote for people who make totally unrealistic promises. People want a great NHS, strong military, well maintained roads, old aged pensions, to be free from crime, care when they are elderly, low interest rates for loans but high interest rates for savings, cheap electricity and much more. Any political party that delivered a truthful and realistic manifesto would never be elected. People like to hear “Build Back Better” or “Make America Great Again”.

Personally I would introduce sentences based upon unpaid work. Someone who committed a minor offence would do work similar to Community Service. Someone who committed serious crime would be placed in a secure room with a task to complete. If they undertook the required task to the required standard it would be a day of their sentence served. If not, no time has been served. If they co-operated they would be given more interesting tasks that would build their employment skills. Good behaviour and genuine progress towards rehabilitation would be rewarded with a day of work being credited as more than 1 day of time served.

Agreed. Money is to blame. People don’t want to be a victim of crime. But not do they want to pay the taxes to fund prisons, rehabilitation and psychiatric care. The UK is one of the safest countries in the world. But it has no right to be. We just seem lucky.

I once heard an humorous theory regarding a referendum on the death penalty. If we impose a death penalty we accept that there is a possibility that an innocent man will be wrongly killed. Therefore we allow a referendum but anyone voting for the death penalty could be held responsible for any wrongful death. This would take the form of a death lottery where one of those who voted for the death penalty is executed for allowing the murder of an innocent person. This is clearly ridiculous. But it does fell right that those who vote for a particular action should bear responsibility for its consequences.

What is “questionnaire.” No like big words.

I agree with your sentiment. But lying is very, very rarely a crime.

But seriously, the remain vote was 48% of those who voted. Neither option had the back of the majority of the population. I didn’t vote because neither option was correct (in my opinion). The referendum was akin to asking people if they wanted to buy a house but you don’t get to know anything about the house or the price until after you decide.

We let the stupid vote. I am not saying that we should stop this. Nor am I criticising any particular party. But modern politics is seemingly a series of catchy phrases that hook the attention of people who don’t really understand the full consequences of that action. Linking Brexit to saving the NHS was a perfect example. It was a hollow promise lacking any substance.

1. 49.9% of any population has below average intelligence. Where are we drawing the line? 2. Prison is for people who are a danger to society. Does a 99 year old gangster really pose a threat in most cases? What about 98? 97? Where are we drawing the line? 3. Where are we drawing the line? I’m just popping to Tesco to pick up a 6 pack of Heroin and Vodka Cocktails garnished with a rock of crack cocaine. 4. It is being intentionally destroyed. That’s not failure. 5. Religion is humanity’s worst idea. 6. Nope. Renault 5 in beige with a velour interior. 7. Totally true. 8. Both are enjoyable. Neither is a classic. 9. No. A talented man with severe mental illness who was self medicating unfortunately killed himself. 10. What’s this “Brexit” you speak of? Never heard of it.

Ukraine has moved the front line a significant distance further east than it was a few months ago. That has lengthened their supply lines. They will repair and improve those supply lines. They will also move their newly acquired air defences into the right areas.

During the Cold War Pepsi had one of the largest navies in the world. The USSR paid them in scrap metal because their currency was worthless outside of the USSR. Pepsi got 20 assorted warships and submarines.

Double jeopardy was scrapped for a small number of very serious criminal offences if certain other criteria are met. I don't think Pepsi committed a crime. It was a civil matter and therefore double jeopardy applies but so do many other criteria.

Russia has banned the promotion of LGBT lifestyles. Their supporters on Twitter get very angry when you "accidentally" tweet photographs of Freddie Mercury and claim its Stalin.

There's no Wales in Qatar. Sorry.........3 days too early.