General News Thread

[leicsmac]

28 minutes ago, bovril said:

No! No nuance! Only generalisations! 

 

1 hour ago, FoxesDeb said:

It's perfectly possible to be a monarchist but still abhor Andrew for being a contemptible individual 

A little thought on this:

 

The kind of power-imbalanced system that a monarchy (or an autarchy, or any other similar system of rulership) embodies, easily creates, along with an apparent sense of belonging that many people appear to feel, the kinds of situation where such terrible abuses of that power can occur. 

 

It's fine to value the institution and the system, but let's not pretend that firstly the power disparity it provides has not been abused in the past and secondly that those who have abused that power haven't "gotten away with it" on a great many occasions. 

[Sampson]

Right now, I’ve got to say I’d much rather have a constitutional monarchy than an American or French style republic 

[bovril]

5 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

 

A little thought on this:

 

The kind of power-imbalanced system that a monarchy (or an autarchy, or any other similar system of rulership) embodies, easily creates, along with an apparent sense of belonging that many people appear to feel, the kinds of situation where such terrible abuses of that power can occur. 

 

It's fine to value the institution and the system, but let's not pretend that firstly the power disparity it provides has not been abused in the past and secondly that those who have abused that power haven't "gotten away with it" on a great many occasions. 

I realise I'm picking and choosing facts that don't really refute the point you're making (which I find pretty vague anyway) but 4 out of the top 5 countries for gender equality are monarchies and 4 out of the top 5 in the economist's democracy index are also monarchies. 

[leicsmac]

5 minutes ago, Sampson said:

Right now, I’ve got to say I’d much rather have a constitutional monarchy than an American or French style republic 

 

2 minutes ago, bovril said:

I realise I'm picking and choosing facts that don't really refute the point you're making (which I find pretty vague anyway) but 4 out of the top 5 countries for gender equality are monarchies and 4 out of the top 5 in the economist's democracy index are also monarchies. 

Such monarchies at least appear to have limits on their executive power, which is good. The same point could easily apply to a republic like the US where a President apparently has a massive amount of executive power. 

 

To reduce the point simply: hierarchies with big power gaps are bad, mmmkay?

[bovril]

Just now, leicsmac said:

 

Such monarchies at least appear to have limits on their executive power, which is good. The same point could easily apply to a republic like the US where a President apparently has a massive amount of executive power. 

 

To reduce the point simply: hierarchies with big power gaps are bad, mmmkay?

bad things are bad, more at 10

[Sampson]

3 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

 

Such monarchies at least appear to have limits on their executive power, which is good. The same point could easily apply to a republic like the US where a President apparently has a massive amount of executive power. 

 

To reduce the point simply: hierarchies with big power gaps are bad, mmmkay?

As said yesterday. My general opinion is that corporations are on the verge of usurping nation states and tech CEOs will become more powerful and more important than kings, dictators, presidents, prime ministers and general secretaries of communist parties within a generation at any rate.

Edited 19 February by Sampson

[leicsmac]

11 minutes ago, bovril said:

bad things are bad, more at 10

Apparently that remains news rather than olds in some cases, though. 

 

9 minutes ago, Sampson said:

As said yesterday. My general opinion is that corporations are on the verge of usurping nation states and tech CEOs will become more powerful and more important than kings, dictators, presidents, prime ministers and general secretaries of communist parties within a generation at any rate.

There is a big chance of full on sci-fi novel dystopia, I agree. Different heads, same problems. 

 

Honestly, I'm not singling out monarchy as a singular problem here, but it's the current topic and it can be and has been one of them. 

 

Finding a solution that is in any way ideal or workable, though... that's the real issue. Thanks to the very human flaw to bend at the knees. 

[bovril]

England tried being a republic once and it ended with banning Christmas and killing a fifth of the population of Ireland, not sure we can really be trusted to do it again. 

[leicsmac]

3 minutes ago, bovril said:

England tried being a republic once and it ended with banning Christmas and killing a fifth of the population of Ireland, not sure we can really be trusted to do it again. 

That's true, Cromwell was a proper bastard with his power, too.  

[Lionator]

35 minutes ago, bovril said:

England tried being a republic once and it ended with banning Christmas and killing a fifth of the population of Ireland, not sure we can really be trusted to do it again. 

There’s literally nothing stopping us from having an equivalent of the French system. 

[Lionator]

Marco Rubio is really annoying because he’s emotionally intelligent and very in tune with things which is rare these days, but holds some absolutely stupid foreign policy views. 

[Foxdiamond]

44 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

That's true, Cromwell was a proper bastard with his power, too.  

If only Charles the first was not such an idiot

[Robo61]

7 hours ago, st albans fox said:

 

We don’t have the resources to do both to the level required.  There are millions of Epstein docs (and millions more to come). 

im not saying dont attend the the Epstein stuff. - just don’t pour in too much resources when there are kids being raped and abused today which should be the priority.  

Should we alsp stop investigating murders that happened yesterday in order to move resources to stopping murders happening tomorrow.  We should most clealrly be doing both in each case,  ensuring justice is seen to be done is one of the biggest deterrents to future crime we have.  

[Corky]

19 hours ago, Sampson said:

If I were a traditional print journalists regardless of the political spectrum be it Guardian or Daily Mail I’d be rallying like crazy against AI and shilling for any party who wanted to properly regulate it: It will take all their livelihoods away from them.

Rather difficult for them given their relentless bashing of the unemployed as feckless, lazy tossers.

[FoxesDeb]

2 hours ago, leicsmac said:

 

A little thought on this:

 

The kind of power-imbalanced system that a monarchy (or an autarchy, or any other similar system of rulership) embodies, easily creates, along with an apparent sense of belonging that many people appear to feel, the kinds of situation where such terrible abuses of that power can occur. 

 

It's fine to value the institution and the system, but let's not pretend that firstly the power disparity it provides has not been abused in the past and secondly that those who have abused that power haven't "gotten away with it" on a great many occasions. 

I'm not sure that anyone is doing either of those things though are they? I'll be honest, I love the monarchy as an institution, particularly Charles and the work he has done over his lifetime to highlight, among other things, climate change and the absolute need for young people to have some kind of purpose. In his case, at least as far as I'm aware, any 'power' he has has always been put to good use.

 

I'm sure there are plenty of examples of abuse of power within the monarchy, but Andrew aside I'm not certain it can be said of any of the existing monarchy, so I don't see why we need to dwell on what has happened in the past.

 

As an aside and more relevant to the thread I'm happy with Charles' statement, regarding Andrew, let the justice system do it's work

[leicsmac]

13 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

I'm not sure that anyone is doing either of those things though are they? I'll be honest, I love the monarchy as an institution, particularly Charles and the work he has done over his lifetime to highlight, among other things, climate change and the absolute need for young people to have some kind of purpose. In his case, at least as far as I'm aware, any 'power' he has has always been put to good use.

 

I'm sure there are plenty of examples of abuse of power within the monarchy, but Andrew aside I'm not certain it can be said of any of the existing monarchy, so I don't see why we need to dwell on what has happened in the past.

 

As an aside and more relevant to the thread I'm happy with Charles' statement, regarding Andrew, let the justice system do it's work

Not at all, it's more a warning of thought rather than an accusation. I've clarified things a bit further down. 

 

I guess I'm leery of any institution that has a power imbalance in the way monarchies have in the past because I've seen what that power does to far too many people, and as such I worry (probably too much) about any possible hints of a slippery slope towards that, even unintentional. I absolutely agree though that as far as can be ascertained the current power is (mostly) being used wisely, is (at least mostly) accountable, and that the justice system should be allowed ru do its job. 

[Foxdiamond]

Not sure it makes sense to have TV news reporters outside Buck House. Not like the King is likely to pop out for a chat about you know who

[Clogger_]

Strikes me that it'll be hard to treat Mandelson and Andrew M-W differently in the eyes of the law. Personally I'm expecting Mandelson to get a loooong spell in the clink. If that happens it sets a very clear precedent for anyone guilty of similar offences

[Trav Le Bleu]

As I understand it, he was just going to sweat it out, but that didn't work.

[Free Falling Foxes]

57 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

I'm not sure that anyone is doing either of those things though are they? I'll be honest, I love the monarchy as an institution, particularly Charles and the work he has done over his lifetime to highlight, among other things, climate change and the absolute need for young people to have some kind of purpose. In his case, at least as far as I'm aware, any 'power' he has has always been put to good use.

 

I'm sure there are plenty of examples of abuse of power within the monarchy, but Andrew aside I'm not certain it can be said of any of the existing monarchy, so I don't see why we need to dwell on what has happened in the past.

 

As an aside and more relevant to the thread I'm happy with Charles' statement, regarding Andrew, let the justice system do it's work

 

37 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Not at all, it's more a warning of thought rather than an accusation. I've clarified things a bit further down. 

 

I guess I'm leery of any institution that has a power imbalance in the way monarchies have in the past because I've seen what that power does to far too many people, and as such I worry (probably too much) about any possible hints of a slippery slope towards that, even unintentional. I absolutely agree though that as far as can be ascertained the current power is (mostly) being used wisely, is (at least mostly) accountable, and that the justice system should be allowed ru do its job. 

Any excuse to post this.....

 

[SkidsFox]

The good thing about all this AI stuff is it's stopped people (some of them) moaning that migrants were taking their jobs. The tech billionaires are introducing robots and AI that could possibly take ALL our jobs. Few seem bothered by this though.

[Parafox]

Back to Epstein. For those, like me didn't know the full history of how he was outed and how the authorities were initially so lenient with him.

 

Both articles are an interesting read:

 

Jeffrey Epstein: Timeline that led to sex-trafficking charges : NPR

 

Jeffrey Epstein's Criminal Case Closed After His Death Derailed Prosecution : NPR

Edited 19 February by Parafox

[leicsmac]

32 minutes ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

 

Any excuse to post this.....

 

"Help! I'm being REPRESSED!"

[Wymsey]

8 hours ago, Tinman said:

Bet he’s sweating now.

What a great birthday for him..

[Parafox]

42 minutes ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

 

Any excuse to post this.....

 

Watery Tart

Moistened Bint

Help, help I'm being repressed

 

Classic Python. I love this film almost as much as Life of Brian.