This is Northumberland Calling 13.09.24
The a female impersonator loses job a Friday the 13th edition
Hello America (Particularly Central Ohio) this is Northumberland Calling
Kemi Badenoch has made it through the second round of voting. Jenrick continues to have the most MP support but Badenoch picked up the most. James Cleverley and Tom Tugendhat are the other two contenders. Not that many people are paying attention. The Conservatives do not have much power and no real idea about how to get it back. https://www.thetimes.com/article/2a6df737-2d77-4b0e-b24a-b40f957a7662 or https://archive.ph/LdLFo
However they may have opportunity, if they can turn themselves around as Labour appears to have made an own goal with the withdrawal of the winter heating allowance for all pensioners (now only those pensioners on guaranteed credit will get it). To add insult to injury the change was announced on the same day that they announced huge sweeteners to the unions. There was a minor rebellion this week, but the measure passed. Reeves, the chancellor has said that 800k pensioners who are entitled to Guaranteed Pension Credit but haven’t claim should do so. If they all do, Reeves will have spent more than she saved on axing the winter fuel benefit. This past week I have been listening to the Rest is History’s series on 1974 (which was a bonkers year and it does demonstrate what can happen if one puts in ‘sweeteners’ and other price controls – really worth a listen, if only for the various murder plots – the Conservatives were the only party not to have a leader somehow implicated in a murder plot) https://www.thetimes.com/article/719e2a22-1448-4cb0-806d-53e450c0ed7e or https://archive.ph/MGdCP
This is an op-ed from the Telegraph on the subject: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/13/pensioners-shouldnt-be-left-to-die-to-appease-the-young/ or https://archive.ph/bRCkF
Bridget Philipson is having a ‘rethink’ about the Free Speech Act which she axed. 7 Nobel Laureates have condemned the move as has Jonathon Sumption who is exceptionally clear minded about civil liberties. The Free Speech Union are taking the government to court over the move. https://www.thetimes.com/article/a44c4080-1182-4e52-b831-f5bc937a55d2 or https://archive.ph/WCKdD
If you have not read Lord Moulton on Law and Manners – a speech first given in July 1924 and reprinted in the Atlantic in July 1942 for the benefit of new readers, it is worth a read or indeed it is worth a re-read. He divides human existence into three spheres – positive law at one end, free choice at another and the third is the realm of manners. Manners are things people do not because the law demands but because they feel it is the right and proper thing to do (i.e. women and children first into the lifeboats on the Titanic). It is sometimes called duty or responsibility. It is the dividing lines which get blurred and lately, particularly in the UK, there has been a move to have more under the realm of ‘positive law’ rather than manners (ie the non crime hate incidents – which are still being recorded despite police officers being told not to do it) You can find the speech here: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1942/07/law-and-manners/654181/ or https://archive.ph/5Sw23
One of the people who posted incendiary messages on Telegram during the riots has pleaded guilty to ‘inciting racial hatred’ and can expect a lengthy jail term. Turns out it was an Asian (Eshan Hussain) masquerading as a white supremacist ( he gave the fake name Chris Nolan) . https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/09/12/asian-ehsan-hussain-fake-name-telegram-riots-race-hate/ or https://archive.ph/9eXfb
The census made a mistake on the gender identity question and thus overestimated the number of people who are trans. The Office for National Statistics has now said that people should not rely on that figure (which was much lower than Stonewall had predicted before it came out btw) as it mostly likely far too high. It is thanks to the work of various statisticians like Prof Michael Biggs of Oxford that this error was uncovered. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/sep/12/official-estimate-trans-population-england-wales-ons?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
The Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre was heavily criticised in an independent report (basically not fit for purpose). Today the male who has no GRC but claims to be a woman resigned as the CEO (ie he impersonated a woman as he is not legally a woman). Wadhwa has been on leave since the ERCC lost its employment tribunal in May. This is the ERCC’s statement https://www.ercc.scot/statement-from-edinburgh-rape-crisis-centre-board-of-directors/ Note the people who put him there and assisted in the failure remain in place. This is the report (read the executive summary of the failings, the entire report is 93 pages long) https://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/resources/ERCC-Review-Report-FINAL1-.pdf
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/mridul-wadhwa-edinburgh-rape-crisis-centre-sw5fpfzql or https://archive.ph/3D6W2 is the Times take on it all. There are quotes from Joanna Cherry and other women who have long raised the alarm about the ERCC.
Prince George is taking flying lessons. Both his parents were there to watch his first lesson this morning. I suspect it must have been scary for the Princess of Wales even if Prince George will have been very excited. As I tell my children – Part of a mother’s job is to worry so you won’t have to. It is one thing to do it yourself as you are in charge. It is quite another to allow your child to do something inherently dangerous. There are photos (for Chana) including the Princess of Wales. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2024/09/13/prince-george-flying-lessons-west-london-aero-club-piper/ or https://archive.ph/nViXr
Here I have been picking apples and trying to use my apple press to make apple juice. Contrary to popular belief, you need to scrat or crush the apples before you press them. I do not currently possess a scratter so I have been chopping and then hand-crushing with a mallet. The resulting apple juice is gorgeous, but I can understand why the hand-cranked scratter was invented! And I know why everything is now mechanised… Still it is good use of apples which are too small to be peeled etc.
My writing is going well. I signed the deal memo and now have a deadline of 30 Sept for the proposal and 15 Dec for the full.
Paddy has been enjoying being able to run around the garden once again. He is coming back when called. He is ever hopeful of catching another rabbit. Basically I am hoping that the rabbits decide to move somewhere where they are not encountering a young spaniel and therefore leave my vegetable patch alone.
Next week I will try to harvest the honey (but doubt that there will be much as the summer has been so poor). It is cold in the mornings, and you can really tell that autumn is now upon us. No idea if the winter will be cold or not.
Hopefully everyone else’s week was a good one. I look forward to seeing you in the comments.
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And I forgot this Public Service Announcement -- it is US Absentee Voter week. If you are a US citizen who lives abroad (like me) you can vote in the Federal elections, but you do need to fill out the paperwork.
From the email from the US embassy: "Voter registration deadlines vary by state. Some states require voters to be registered 30 days before an election. Check the Federal Voting Assistance Program website (www.FVAP.gov) to find more information on the deadline in your state. Whether you are a first-time voter or have voted absentee in previous elections, you should complete a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) each year to ensure you are able to participate in elections as an overseas absentee voter. "
Love the apple press. There is a resurgence here to return to making basic foods. I think it’s the combination of high prices and the low quality of most of our packaged goods. I’m learning how to can. My family did it for years but I never learned. Also making pasta, sourdough bread and yogurt.
Adorable photo of Paddy!
There is a rumor flying around X that in England they’re letting people out of jail before their sentences are complete in order to put people in who wrote things in Facebook. Is this accurate?