I read the news today oh boy! Page 1,569

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2628032/Orphaned-elephant-refused-leave-dead-mothers-side.html

:(

It's like the Baby Mine scene in Dumbo. I think I've got something in my eye...

How can Public Interest Lawyers sleep at night?

I really hope that some mysterious people visit them at the dead of night.

Accusing the country you live in of War Crimes could be seen as brave and necessary sometimes but were we really any worse in this war than World War 2. You have to sometimes do things not quite legal to get the result you feel is right.

Quote: Ben @ 14th May 2014, 6:11 PM BST

Since the smoking ban, the smell of smoke has become somewhat foreign to me as very few of my friends smoke. When I smell it now, I just thing "ugggghhhh". I'm also glad that my clothes don't stink after a night in the pub.

That's so true. I have one friend who smokes and although she doesn't smoke while she's visiting, the room reeks for hours after she's left purely because her clothes stink (and she's not in any way a dirty person).

If it's any consolation, I just had a massive barney on Facebook with one of my brother's 'lefty' friends about being allowed to smoke in a handful of pubs for 6 months of the year.

Just like on here, they brought out all the usual tactics people do when they can't win an argument - 1) Pedantry - 'You said it was 20% but the latest figures put it at 18.5%', 2) Emotive anecdotes involving friends, family members and even Roy Castle and 3) Personal attacks.

Just once I'd like to have a debate with so called 'intelligent' people without them trying to derail the argument through underhanded, petty and pointless tactics.

People depress me a lot.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ 14th May 2014, 8:33 PM BST

If it's any consolation,

We don't need consolation 'cos we're right and you're wrong.

That OK for a reasoned and intelligent debate?

Quote: Oldrocker @ 14th May 2014, 8:46 PM BST

We don't need consolation 'cos we're right and you're wrong.

That OK for a reasoned and intelligent debate?

Nope, that's what I would call...a load of poopeys.

In other news, a Labour MP Tweeted that the Pfizer takeover was like rape. Loads of anti-UKIP leftys remain unbelievably quiet over the matter - as expected, the hypocritical douche canoes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27411712

Well it is Austin Mitchell.

Sad shaking of heads more in order.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ 14th May 2014, 8:33 PM BST

If it's any consolation, I just had a massive barney on Facebook with one of my brother's 'lefty' friends about being allowed to smoke in a handful of pubs for 6 months of the year.

Just like on here, they brought out all the usual tactics people do when they can't win an argument - 1) Pedantry - 'You said it was 20% but the latest figures put it at 18.5%', 2) Emotive anecdotes involving friends, family members and even Roy Castle and 3) Personal attacks.

Just once I'd like to have a debate with so called 'intelligent' people without them trying to derail the argument through underhanded, petty and pointless tactics.

People depress me a lot.

Heh.

This reads as 'If it's any consolation, I think people on places other than here are also idiot-dicks.'

Err... thanks..?

Quote: Matthew Stott @ 14th May 2014, 8:55 PM BST

This reads as 'If it's any consolation, I think people on places other than here are also idiot-dicks.'

Laughing out loud

I wouldn't have put it quite like that, I am a diplomatic soul, but yeah, I thought the level of debate expressed on here was 'special'. It turns out I was wrong.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-27403902

To be honest it is about time roscoff stopped getting the kids to call him 'miss'.

Quote: Tursiops @ 14th May 2014, 9:42 PM BST

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-27403902

I was going to take the bait on this story, but realised it's just the opinion of one cranky feminist who needed to churn out some rubbish to keep her job. She could have written something useful, a paper that had some real insight or advice for improving education in this country. But that's like work...and it's hard.

What IS going on with Rolf Harris?

Is sending someone a postcard with a dog on it, a few innuendos and a few refs about being pissed meant to be a come on? Who'd send that to someone they'd fancy? Should be chucked out of court.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ 14th May 2014, 10:54 PM BST

I was going to take the bait on this story, but realised it's just the opinion of one cranky feminist who needed to churn out some rubbish to keep her job. She could have written something useful, a paper that had some real insight or advice for improving education in this country. But that's like work...and it's hard.

Pointless pontification from second rate academics. I went to an interview for lecturing post in Carlisle and the insightful opening question was 'Do you think school sport should be called 'Sport' not PE and Games?' My response after travelling half the length of England to get there was less than complimentary...I didn't get the job as you would imagine.

Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 15th May 2014, 11:10 AM BST

What IS going on with Rolf Harris?

Is sending someone a postcard with a dog on it, a few innuendos and a few refs about being pissed meant to be a come on? Who'd send that to someone they'd fancy? Should be chucked out of court.

No, what's happened is that someone has made an allegation about him sexually assaulting them. What they are doing now is having a trial to see if it is true or not.

I can't cope with all this 'should be chucked out of court' nonsense that people spout. The point of court is to get to the truth. We examine everything in detail and the jury decide. If they decide "not guilty", that doesn't mean the process has been any less valuable.

I have always wondered how these historic trials get to court, and I don't mean in a 'How did this bloody get to court, it's a shambles' sense. I mean what is the actual process.

If, for example, I said that Floelle Benjamin gave it a dead leg at a Play-School-a-thon in 1979, what then happens before it get's to court, especially given a time frame where facts are difficult to come by and verify memories aren't always reliable.

Some types of newspaper would have you believe that all you need do is accuse someone but I would imagine that there is a lot more involved in that, as far as I understand the crown doesn't prosecute unless they have a fairly good case. How to you seek to prove stuff that happened 30 odd years ago?

NB I would like to state that I have never met Baroness Benjamin and am sure she has never purposefully given anyone a dead leg, even if they really deserved it.