What's in the News? 2.0

[Beorning]

For those interested in the women's situation in Poland:

Recently, a woman was declined abortion even though the foetus was diagnosed with acrania - meaning, there was no chance of the child's survival. In spite of that, the woman was told the pregnancy couldn't be terminated, as - since last year - abortion in Poland is illegal even in the case of a child's lethal defects. The woman was informed she had to carry the child to term - or, at least, until it died naturally in her womb.

The woman couldn't bear it and suffered a mental breakdown (reactive psychosis). Two separate psychiatrists provided opinions that continuing the pregnancy was a threat to the woman's health and even life. Terminating a pregnancy is still legal in such circumstances, but even then, the hospital declined. And cited an opinion of an influential fundamentalist organisation claiming that mental disorders can never be considered as a threat to a woman's life and, therefore, cannot be considered a reason for abortion...

https://notesfrompoland.com/2021/12/07/polish-hospital-refused-abortion-against-psychiatrists-advice-for-fear-of-prosecution/

This is absolutely disgusting  >:(

[Lilias]

Directing legend Lina Wertmüller has died.

[Lilias]

To my surprise, a story about something which happened 12 months ago has become a very big story in Britain.

12 months ago, just before Christmas, we were under severe restrictions, and people were not able,or supposed to be able, to meet family members  except on Christmas Day itself. However, the Daily Mirror broke a story a few days ago that there was a party in 10 Downing Street then which ignored the social restrictions which the Boris Johnson government imposed on the rest of us.  There were some odd statements from Johnson and his colleagues who said that no restrictions were broken although they did not say that any party had taken place. Some of the context, bizarrely, seems to be that it contained a "Secret Santa" which proved that it must have been planned.

Although Johnson, equally bizarrely, dressed up as an overweight policeman to promote his war on drugs yesterday to distract attention, it has now emerged, through ITV, that his staff have been filmed, a few days later last December joking about this party when no social distancing took place.

I really hadn't seen this coming, as it was a year ago, but it is becoming a very big problem for Johnson and his government.


https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/no-10-staff-filmed-joking-25641194

Coming back to this to show y'all this gem. (For context, Jed Mercurio is the screenwriter and showrunner of Line of Duty a BBC drama series that follows those hunting down corrupt cops.)

[Iniquitous]

https://wgntv.com/news/josh-duggar-found-guilty-in-child-pornography-trial-faces-20-years-in-prison/

Josh Duggar, of the 19 Kids and Counting fame, has been found guilty of one count each for possessing and receiving child pornography. He faces 20 years in prison and up to 500,000 for both counts.

Can't say I am sad about this news.

[Mechelle]

It's been an incredible few days for Boris Johnson, and not in a good way, for the most part.

After his cosplay of dressing as a policeman , his former press officer Allegra Stratton resigned in tears (very quickly to be fair) after her jokes about the  10 Downing Street Christmas Party during lockdown were caught on camera and released. There are rumours of further parties having taken place at Conservative Party HQ during lockdown.

Then, he suddenly gave a press conference to announce more covid restrictions, at least for ordinary people, although the new omicron variant seems less lethal. He has previously mentioned his admiration of a Conservative strategist, who would throw a "dead cat" on the table. i.e. do something which would attract attention away from a bad story, in what is generally seen as a diversionary tactic. Incidentally, one of the  ill-thought restrictions is that you are advised not to go to work in an office, but can go to an office Christmas party... The right wing economist, Christopher Snowden described him as never a libertarian, always a libertine.

Now his wife Carrie has given birth to a daughter, who,  in the initial words (later changed) of the Daily Mail is "at least his seventh child."  I have heard it seriously suggested that she may have been induced to give birth early, such is the lack of trust in the government. He had previously been planning to halt Parliament early so he would no longer face questions, not least from rebel Conservatives.

He will be spending more time with his family and new baby, he says, but will still play a part-time role in government for now. His hold on power seems very insecure, particularly as the Conservatives are ruthless about getting rid of leaders who are no longer vote-winners.

[Keelan]

Jussie Smollett has been found guilty on 5 of the 6 counts he was charged with: https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/jussie-smollett-trial-verdict-watch-12-09-21/index.html

[Humble Scribe]

It's been an incredible few days for Boris Johnson, and not in a good way, for the most part.

After his cosplay of dressing as a policeman , his former press officer Allegra Stratton resigned in tears (very quickly to be fair) after her jokes about the  10 Downing Street Christmas Party during lockdown were caught on camera and released. There are rumours of further parties having taken place at Conservative Party HQ during lockdown.

Then, he suddenly gave a press conference to announce more covid restrictions, at least for ordinary people, although the new omicron variant seems less lethal. He has previously mentioned his admiration of a Conservative strategist, who would throw a "dead cat" on the table. i.e. do something which would attract attention away from a bad story, in what is generally seen as a diversionary tactic. Incidentally, one of the  ill-thought restrictions is that you are advised not to go to work in an office, but can go to an office Christmas party... The right wing economist, Christopher Snowden described him as never a libertarian, always a libertine.

Now his wife Carrie has given birth to a daughter, who,  in the initial words (later changed) of the Daily Mail is "at least his seventh child."  I have heard it seriously suggested that she may have been induced to give birth early, such is the lack of trust in the government. He had previously been planning to halt Parliament early so he would no longer face questions, not least from rebel Conservatives.

He will be spending more time with his family and new baby, he says, but will still play a part-time role in government for now. His hold on power seems very insecure, particularly as the Conservatives are ruthless about getting rid of leaders who are no longer vote-winners.

I'm slightly amazed that after everything he has said and done it's taken this to puncture his bubble, but here we are. I mean some of us thought he was a lying, lazy, feckless, hypocritical, incompetent chancer well before he got anywhere near Number 10, but even his bluster, bullshit and bonhomie can't worm their way out of this one. But then what? I mean the Conservative party has been purged of anyone vaguely competent or sensible because of Brexit, so who do we get next? Michael Gove? Dominic (God help us) Raab? Jacob (surely not) Rhys Mogg? Priti (the bully) Patel? Liz (NO! GOD NO!) Truss? Jeremy Hunt is maybe the best of a bad bunch, or perhaps Rishi Sunak - at least he'd be our first PM of Indian origin.

[Lilias]

I'm slightly amazed that after everything he has said and done it's taken this to puncture his bubble, but here we are. I mean some of us thought he was a lying, lazy, feckless, hypocritical, incompetent chancer well before he got anywhere near Number 10, but even his bluster, bullshit and bonhomie can't worm their way out of this one. But then what? I mean the Conservative party has been purged of anyone vaguely competent or sensible because of Brexit, so who do we get next? Michael Gove? Dominic (God help us) Raab? Jacob (surely not) Rhys Mogg? Priti (the bully) Patel? Liz (NO! GOD NO!) Truss? Jeremy Hunt is maybe the best of a bad bunch, or perhaps Rishi Sunak - at least he'd be our first PM of Indian origin.

Note for our overseas friends that Dominic Raab has said, on the record, that he doesn't believe in human rights. As for Priti... she's an all-around terrible person (she's my MP, I know her better than I ever wanted to), but her rise at least clipped Rhys-Mogg's wings a little. A full-on clown car, the lot of them.

[Mechelle]

I'm slightly amazed that after everything he has said and done it's taken this to puncture his bubble, but here we are. I mean some of us thought he was a lying, lazy, feckless, hypocritical, incompetent chancer well before he got anywhere near Number 10, but even his bluster, bullshit and bonhomie can't worm their way out of this one. But then what? I mean the Conservative party has been purged of anyone vaguely competent or sensible because of Brexit, so who do we get next? Michael Gove? Dominic (God help us) Raab? Jacob (surely not) Rhys Mogg? Priti (the bully) Patel? Liz (NO! GOD NO!) Truss? Jeremy Hunt is maybe the best of a bad bunch, or perhaps Rishi Sunak - at least he'd be our first PM of Indian origin.

I know. I did post something to that effect a couple of days ago, when I was staggered to see how this story, a year old, had made such a break through after all his other escapades. I forgot to mention too, that the Conservative Party were fined by the electoral commission today over improperly declared declarations over the refurbishing of Boris Johnson's flat. Labour are finally starting to take a lead in the polls too.



As for his successor, well, with his baby and Christmas, he may just hope that there is time for this all to blow over, while he takes a bit of a back seat, and it could do. If not, of the Cabinet members, I think it would be between Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak currently, although I don't rule out someone from outside like Tobias Ellwood, who keeps on appearing on television and seeming principled and decent, coming  in  as a wild card if the Conservatives try to disassociate themselves completely from the sleaze and incompetence of the Johnson government.

To add to Lilias' point, Dominic Raab, who was once amazed to learn how important the English Channel was for trade with the continent, recently stated that the police don't investigate crimes which have happened in the past (this was referring to possible offences involving Conservatives). He is now the Justice Secretary....

[TheGlyphstone]

Clearly now is the time for Lord Buckethead to sieze the reigns of power.

[Thufir Hawat]

Clearly now is the time for Lord Buckethead to sieze the reigns of power.

I dunno, how about Zombie Churchill ;D ?

[ShadowFox89]

I dunno, how about Zombie Churchill ;D ?

He's just racist enough to win.

[Twisted Crow]

Jussie Smollett has been found guilty on 5 of the 6 counts he was charged with: https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/jussie-smollett-trial-verdict-watch-12-09-21/index.html

Hm. I do remember calling it this way a couple of years back.

[Humble Scribe]

To add to Lilias' point, Dominic Raab, who was once amazed to learn how important the English Channel was for trade with the continent, recently stated that the police don't investigate crimes which have happened in the past (this was referring to possible offences involving Conservatives). He is now the Justice Secretary....

I wouldn't put it past Priti Patel to instigate a Pre-Crime division.

Although I think the Met actually said yesterday that they didn't have enough evidence to investigate whether a crime might have occurred, which again seems to me to be not how criminal investigations work, but hey.

[Mechelle]

There was a rather strange take on Boris Johnson by Nigel Farage and Tucker Carlson who said that he had been feminised by the influence of his wife Carrie and as a result of catching covid himself....



https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/nigel-farage-and-tucker-carlson-suggest-covid-feminised-boris-johnson-304304/

[Oniya]

There was a rather strange take on Boris Johnson by Nigel Farage and Tucker Carlson who said that he had been feminised by the influence of his wife Carrie and as a result of catching covid himself....



https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/nigel-farage-and-tucker-carlson-suggest-covid-feminised-boris-johnson-304304/

So this is yet another reason for those 'manly-men' on the far right to step up and get vaccinated, right?  Right!?!?   XD

[Mechelle]

Maybe. It also came at about the same time it was ammounced that Boris Johnson had become a father for "at least" the seventh time!

[TheGlyphstone]

So this is yet another reason for those 'manly-men' on the far right to step up and get vaccinated, right?  Right!?!?   XD

Nah, they'll just up their daily dosage of horse dewormer.

[HairyHeretic]

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/us/capitol-attack-panel-sees-powerpoint-that-set-out-plan-for-trump-to-stage-coup-1.4753250

I'm surprised no one has made mention of this in the last day or two.

[Oniya]

A statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest has been removed from near I-61.  I've chosen this particular link because it's fairly neutral and shows the best picture of the statue.  Dear god, you have to see this thing.

[Laughing Hyena]

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/us/capitol-attack-panel-sees-powerpoint-that-set-out-plan-for-trump-to-stage-coup-1.4753250

I'm surprised no one has made mention of this in the last day or two.

I personally do not like 45 and how he tore families apart amd stuck his head in the sand when we had a real emergency rather than feeding narratives and making a state of emergency a political wildfire. As much as I would want this to be true and concrete, to me it is too good to be true. It could easily be fabricated and unfortunately that was no court or charges made. Last thing America needs is to feed that narcissistic man more attention. I'll take him falling into obscurity as a punishment at this point.

What is worrying for me is Dr Oz trying to become a senator. I've seen several ads already of him campaigning for the Senate on Covid-19. But as for why I am against him is his endorsement of alternative medicines with a dash of snake oil. John Oliver did a full episode on him on top of this. He rings too much like 45 and too me he promoted dangerous thinking in just his 30sec ad.

And at the cost of messing my YouTube algorithm up... here's his ad.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YjJbQQZQcaA

[Azy]

And interestingly enough, even though I don't think he has ever lived in Pennsylvania, that's where he's running.  I believe he's after Pat Toomey's seat.  And honestly I think that kind of messaging has a good chance of working here, because that's how a lot of people feel. 

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/06/pa-lawmaker-introduces-resolution-to-impeach-gov-tom-wolf.html

This happened last year because the state GOP thought the shut downs were a little much.  They didn't succeed, but they had voter support. 

[Azy]

And interestingly enough, even though I don't think he has ever lived in Pennsylvania, that's where he's running.  I believe he's after Pat Toomey's seat.  And honestly I think that kind of messaging has a good chance of working here, because that's how a lot of people feel. 

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/06/pa-lawmaker-introduces-resolution-to-impeach-gov-tom-wolf.html

This happened last year because the state GOP thought the shut downs were a little much.  They didn't succeed, but they had voter support.

https://wjactv.com/news/local/pennsylvania-high-court-throws-out-mask-mandate-for-schools?fbclid=IwAR0KepmpR_JyzTkTictI2poFWKzp5kpnk1H9ofwf-rtsUAiUeJ8zpwJQ4hM

And now this.  Sometimes I hate this state. 

[Laughing Hyena]

https://wjactv.com/news/local/pennsylvania-high-court-throws-out-mask-mandate-for-schools?fbclid=IwAR0KepmpR_JyzTkTictI2poFWKzp5kpnk1H9ofwf-rtsUAiUeJ8zpwJQ4hM

And now this.  Sometimes I hate this state.

Used to live there for a majority of my life until a year ago so I deeply understand this sentiment. It pains me to think I cannot vote there anymore because I am of two minds on Dr Oz.

Part of me hopes he learned a good lesson wheb he was audited for his antics and pandering on his television show but my hunch is he'll hinder the ability to stop the C-19 mutations rather than help quash them if voted in. Especially if he is in favor of "giving freedom back". I'd have to see what his stance on Covid-19 was and if he has vouched for stricter protections rather than lighter practices.

[TheGlyphstone]

A brief google scan says he's definitely not going to be a proponent of increased protections.