General News Thread

[CornwallFox]

5 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

It's possible the data is tainted, but then equally it may not be.

 

I would still hypothesise that right now overall is a less violent UK than even a few decades ago.

I feel like this. 

Less drunk and drugged up kids in the world, they're all far better behaved and body conscious.

I don't think you see anywhere near as much violence now. 

Probably more shop lifting how much that's social media I don't know.

[kenny]

4 minutes ago, CornwallFox said:

I don't know the answer so this isn't a loaded question, but is there any research showing this either way? I thought the studies I'd seen had shown improvements, though I'm not sure if they were unbiased, fair and transparent assessments. 

There are some sources that say that crime is less often reported.

 

All the crime stats are down though, we just hear about everything.

 

I suspect the majority of crimes didn't make it past the local paper traditionally, whereas now everything is national.

[danny.]

47 minutes ago, kenny said:

There are some sources that say that crime is less often reported.

 

All the crime stats are down though, we just hear about everything.

 

I suspect the majority of crimes didn't make it past the local paper traditionally, whereas now everything is national.

Unless you need a crime number for an insurance claim there is little point reporting crime like vandalism/theft etc. these days as nothing is done about it. So it makes sense that people don't bother.

[leicsmac]

31 minutes ago, danny. said:

Unless you need a crime number for an insurance claim there is little point reporting crime like vandalism/theft etc. these days as nothing is done about it. So it makes sense that people don't bother.

On this topic, I wonder what the cleanup % of cases for things like vandalism and theft is now compared to 30 years ago, for instance. 

[bovril]

I imagine also the median age in the UK is not insignificantly higher than 40-50 years ago which would suggest lower crime numbers. 

[fox_up_north]

1 hour ago, Tommy G said:

That is a fair point and I'm with you on valuing time - out of interest are you at the start of your career or towards the end? Depends how financially independent people are, some people might be required to take that job for £5K more a year to feed their 3 kids and pay their high mortgage

Closer to the start than the end. I'm mid 30s. I made choices to not pursue careers that involved moving to the links of London and have favoured a cheaper lifestyle. I spent about 6 years not going on holiday to save up  

[slymunn]

1 hour ago, JonnyBoy said:

 

Were there children getting stabbed back in day? genuinely not sure as I was born in the 90's. Because it happens daily now 

 

This has historical data on general levels with knives, but its hard to find data from 30 years ago about attacks with just them. There was always kids with penknifes and other weapons etc, rather than a full on kitchen/ghost knife though.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42749089.amp

 

The point I was trying to make was more about the whole awareness of these problems. I wouldn't know if someone tried my car door, without a ring doorbell for example..or someone getting stabbed in Portsmouth when I live in Yorkshire. But I can be made aware now due to social media and advancements in technology since I was a teenager.

[leicsmac]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clydlwldkvko

 

US President Donald Trump has criticised European leaders as "weak" and suggested the US could scale back support for Ukraine.

In a wide-ranging interview with Politico, external, he said "decaying" European countries had failed to control migration or take decisive action to end Ukraine's war with Russia, accusing them of letting Kyiv fight "until they drop".

He argued that Russia held the "upper hand" and urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "play ball" by ceding territory to Moscow.

In the UK, Downing Street rejected Trump's claim that Europe had failed to act, citing the UK's leadership on sanctions and reiterating support for the US-led peace process

 

As if there were any more proof needed about which "side" the US is on. 

[nnfox]

1 hour ago, slymunn said:

This has historical data on general levels with knives, but its hard to find data from 30 years ago about attacks with just them. There was always kids with penknifes and other weapons etc, rather than a full on kitchen/ghost knife though.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42749089.amp

 

The point I was trying to make was more about the whole awareness of these problems. I wouldn't know if someone tried my car door, without a ring doorbell for example..or someone getting stabbed in Portsmouth when I live in Yorkshire. But I can be made aware now due to social media and advancements in technology since I was a teenager.

Overall violent crime is down but when violent crime occurs, people (young people in particular, both genders) seem to be willing to very quickly escalate it to an extreme level of violence. 

 

There's generally a lower value on other people's lives now and easy access to images and audio that normalise extreme violence.

 

The days of a punch up and shaking hands afterwards seem to be firmly a thing of the past.

[Md9]

49 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clydlwldkvko

 

US President Donald Trump has criticised European leaders as "weak" and suggested the US could scale back support for Ukraine.

In a wide-ranging interview with Politico, external, he said "decaying" European countries had failed to control migration or take decisive action to end Ukraine's war with Russia, accusing them of letting Kyiv fight "until they drop".

He argued that Russia held the "upper hand" and urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "play ball" by ceding territory to Moscow.

In the UK, Downing Street rejected Trump's claim that Europe had failed to act, citing the UK's leadership on sanctions and reiterating support for the US-led peace process

 

As if there were any more proof needed about which "side" the US is on. 

The damage this mentally unstable man will do to everyone that used to be close to USA will take a while to fix once this idiot is dead and buried 

[CornwallFox]

6 minutes ago, Md9 said:

The damage this mentally unstable man will do to everyone that used to be close to USA will take a while to fix once this idiot is dead and buried 

Half the US follow him. We have our own idiot version over here. They exist elsewhere. I can understand not believing in left wing politics. I can't understand falling for the likes of trump or farage, both very obviously grifters.

[Spiritwalker]

The leaders in Europe need to stop pandering to the narcissistic cvnt, it just makes him worse.

[Lionator]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clydlwldkvko

 

US President Donald Trump has criticised European leaders as "weak" and suggested the US could scale back support for Ukraine.

In a wide-ranging interview with Politico, external, he said "decaying" European countries had failed to control migration or take decisive action to end Ukraine's war with Russia, accusing them of letting Kyiv fight "until they drop".

He argued that Russia held the "upper hand" and urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "play ball" by ceding territory to Moscow.

In the UK, Downing Street rejected Trump's claim that Europe had failed to act, citing the UK's leadership on sanctions and reiterating support for the US-led peace process

 

As if there were any more proof needed about which "side" the US is on. 

Trump backs winners. Russia is ‘winning’ if it can be called that, though at an atrociously high cost. When Zelenskyy went to him at the UN in September, he told Trump they could win land back. Since then they’ve lost more combined land since 2022. 
 

Merz, Macron and Starmer are all lame ducks, their populations HATE them. I was saying this a year ago and it’s only got worse for Ukraine. If they reject what Trump is offering them, and Ukraine are well within their rights to do so, it’ll only get worse as they literally have no one left to mobilise. Of course we could join the fight but I highly doubt that will happen or be popular. 
 

 

[Lionator]

Just now, Spiritwalker said:

The leaders in Europe need to stop pandering to the narcissistic cvnt, it just makes him worse.

Rutte calling him ‘daddy’ for him to throw the crap 3 months later is one of the most humiliating things in the history of this continent. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 hour ago, leicsmac said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clydlwldkvko

 

US President Donald Trump has criticised European leaders as "weak" and suggested the US could scale back support for Ukraine.

In a wide-ranging interview with Politico, external, he said "decaying" European countries had failed to control migration or take decisive action to end Ukraine's war with Russia, accusing them of letting Kyiv fight "until they drop".

He argued that Russia held the "upper hand" and urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to "play ball" by ceding territory to Moscow.

In the UK, Downing Street rejected Trump's claim that Europe had failed to act, citing the UK's leadership on sanctions and reiterating support for the US-led peace process

 

As if there were any more proof needed about which "side" the US is on. 

It's the equivalent of a pro boxer and an amateur boxer watching someone getting a kicking in the street and the pro boxer saying to the amateur, "why don't you do something?"

[Sampson]

56 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Trump backs winners. Russia is ‘winning’ if it can be called that, though at an atrociously high cost. When Zelenskyy went to him at the UN in September, he told Trump they could win land back. Since then they’ve lost more combined land since 2022. 
 

Merz, Macron and Starmer are all lame ducks, their populations HATE them. I was saying this a year ago and it’s only got worse for Ukraine. If they reject what Trump is offering them, and Ukraine are well within their rights to do so, it’ll only get worse as they literally have no one left to mobilise. Of course we could join the fight but I highly doubt that will happen or be popular. 
 

 

No offense (actually some offense intended) but you really do sound like Russian bot most of the time on here.. Literally all you ever do is rant about the UK, Europe, Starmer, Merz and Macron or the “Liberal dictators” as you called them. Even with the Trumpian esque capitals on “their populations HATE them” (also fishy you’re saying “their” and not “our”) 

 

The 28 point peace plan literally says that Europe has to pay to rebuild part of Ukraine and give the prophits to the US. It also literally says that Europe cannot have planes and defences in Poland or near the border and Ukraine has to massively limit its army, leaving it liable to be rolled over in the future. 

 

The peace plan is the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact part 2 between Trump and Putin - it’s designed so America and Russia can carve Ukraine up for profit in a few years and make the UK and the rest of Europe pay for it.

 

It’d be absolutely absurd for Europe to just sign up to this. It’s all well and good Trump and Vance saying Europe needs to defend themselves, but this isn’t even throwing us in the river and saying “learn to swim”, it’s throwing us in the river rolled in a carpet with a 500tonne lead weight attached and then turning to the media and saying “we’re just giving them swimming lessons, it’s for their own good”, it is solely about Trump making money (as most of his intentions are). This peace treaty doesn’t even allow us to grow a defence and it makes us do all the rebuilding work and America gets all the money of that rebuilding for some reason, so we can’t even pay for our defence at a time when Russia is literally sending threatening drones and making very thinly veiled threats as far west as Denmark 

 

This isn’t a plan which allows Europe to build up a defence network in Europe - it’s a plan which actively *stops* and *hinders* Europe building a defence network, that’s why we will obviously never support it if Ukraine itself actively rejects it and I find it a bit odd that you seek to come on here every week demanding that we should just do that tbh.

 

Wasn’t only a few months ago you were chiding anyone saying Putin is the new Hitler because Putin can’t even take Ukraine? Now you’re saying he is going to roll through Ukraine and changing your tune about how it’s suddenly over for them?

Edited 9 December 2025 by Sampson

[leicsmac]

1 hour ago, Lionator said:

Trump backs winners. Russia is ‘winning’ if it can be called that, though at an atrociously high cost. When Zelenskyy went to him at the UN in September, he told Trump they could win land back. Since then they’ve lost more combined land since 2022. 
 

Merz, Macron and Starmer are all lame ducks, their populations HATE them. I was saying this a year ago and it’s only got worse for Ukraine. If they reject what Trump is offering them, and Ukraine are well within their rights to do so, it’ll only get worse as they literally have no one left to mobilise. Of course we could join the fight but I highly doubt that will happen or be popular. 
 

 

I'm not going to go full-bore like Sampson above here, but I will say this:

 

A world with the philosophy of "winners" like Putin and Trump embody only ends one way - with everyone losing. You know that because you're smart, so please don't chat as if what's going on now is either desirable or inevitable unless you're so nihilistic that you think that outcome is inevitable too.

 

1 hour ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

It's the equivalent of a pro boxer and an amateur boxer watching someone getting a kicking in the street and the pro boxer saying to the amateur, "why don't you do something?"

And all the time, prime Mike Tyson is rapidly finishing his warmup and is ready to take on every single comer who is causing him grief. And even those that aren't.

[Md9]

1 hour ago, CornwallFox said:

Half the US follow him. We have our own idiot version over here. They exist elsewhere. I can understand not believing in left wing politics. I can't understand falling for the likes of trump or farage, both very obviously grifters.

You just have to Listen to them to know they are talking shite . Anything trump says usually means the opposite every time as well and half the US population are gullible enough to think he is smart or right. 

[Lionator]

1 hour ago, Sampson said:

No offense (actually some offense intended) but you really do sound like Russian bot most of the time on here.. Literally all you ever do is rant about the UK, Europe, Starmer, Merz and Macron or the “Liberal dictators” as you called them. Even with the Trumpian esque capitals on “their populations HATE them” (also fishy you’re saying “their” and not “our”) 

 

The 28 point peace plan literally says that Europe has to pay to rebuild part of Ukraine and give the prophits to the US. It also literally says that Europe cannot have planes and defences in Poland or near the border and Ukraine has to massively limit its army, leaving it liable to be rolled over in the future. 

 

The peace plan is the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact part 2 between Trump and Putin - it’s designed so America and Russia can carve Ukraine up for profit in a few years and make the UK and the rest of Europe pay for it.

 

It’d be absolutely absurd for Europe to just sign up to this. It’s all well and good Trump and Vance saying Europe needs to defend themselves, but this isn’t even throwing us in the river and saying “learn to swim”, it’s throwing us in the river rolled in a carpet with a 500tonne lead weight attached and then turning to the media and saying “we’re just giving them swimming lessons, it’s for their own good”, it is solely about Trump making money (as most of his intentions are). This peace treaty doesn’t even allow us to grow a defence and it makes us do all the rebuilding work and America gets all the money of that rebuilding for some reason, so we can’t even pay for our defence at a time when Russia is literally sending threatening drones and making very thinly veiled threats as far west as Denmark 

 

This isn’t a plan which allows Europe to build up a defence network in Europe - it’s a plan which actively *stops* and *hinders* Europe building a defence network, that’s why we will obviously never support it if Ukraine itself actively rejects it and I find it a bit odd that you seek to come on here every week demanding that we should just do that tbh.

 

Wasn’t only a few months ago you were chiding anyone saying Putin is the new Hitler because Putin can’t even take Ukraine? Now you’re saying he is going to roll through Ukraine and changing your tune about how it’s suddenly over for them?

Russia won’t roll through Ukraine obviously, but they’ll likely get the Donbass though at an outrageous cost. Certainly not in a fit state to take on nato even if they wanted to. 

[Sly]

Trump needs to pick a bloody side and draw a line in the sand.

 

He’s only looking after self interest unfortunately. 
 

I sort of wish he’d keep out of it and keep his orange coloured and shaped head on his side of the pond out of the way.

[leicsmac]

11 minutes ago, Sly said:

Trump needs to pick a bloody side and draw a line in the sand.

 

He’s only looking after self interest unfortunately. 
 

I sort of wish he’d keep out of it and keep his orange coloured and shaped head on his side of the pond out of the way.

Yeah, but he won't. 

 

And as an addendum, people like him and their consequences are the logical outcome of nationalist sentiment, given enough time for it to grow.

 

A glance at history shows, time and time again, that such sentiment, with just enough people either believing in it or simply enabling it, nearly always leads there. 

[Sly]

Just now, leicsmac said:

Yeah, but he won't. 

 

And as an addendum, people like him and their consequences are the logical outcome of nationalist sentiment, given enough time for it to grow.

 

A glance at history shows, time and time again, that such sentiment, with just enough people either believing in it or simply enabling it, nearly always leads there. 

Yes, it’s the scary reality of where this road leads unfortunately. 

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, Sly said:

Yes, it’s the scary reality of where this road leads unfortunately. 

The scariest thing is, for me, the amount of people either in denial about that or actively wanting to see it. 

[Tommy G]

35 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

The scariest thing is, for me, the amount of people either in denial about that or actively wanting to see it. 

A lot of people are in denial about Karoline Leavitt… the downside being she shares the same views and trump but you can’t  deny she’s got some cracking hooters. It’s a dilemma every time I see her addressing the media 

Edited 9 December 2025 by Tommy G

[leicsmac]

49 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

A lot of people are in denial about Karoline Leavitt… the downside being she shares the same views and trump but you can’t  deny she’s got some cracking hooters. It’s a dilemma every time I see her addressing the media 

Mate, we've gone over your sociopath kink before. I've already said I'm not going to judge you