James Chalmers

I suspect your average user is probably going to trust facial scanning systems more on the basis they can run without providing ID, logging into official websites etc. This may not be what they should trust!

You need no technical knowledge at all, but you need to trust that the person telling you that is telling you the truth.

No you cannot! A human has to make the decision to use the process and they have to trust the process however much you say “this process you don’t have the technical knowledge to fully understand doesn’t require trust, trust me on this”.

You can’t design the protocol in such a way that doesn’t require a level of trust in either site unless your intention is that it not be used by human beings.

I think most people, general public or not, would surely regard “log on to gov.uk if you want to view this adult website” as completely crackers however much you reassured them about the tech which you *absolutely* can trust both parties to have implemented properly and fairly.

Are you thinking about crisps again?

Product #1 of research leave: new edition of Walkers on Evidence now submitted to the publisher. 600+ pages of all your Scots law evidence needs, such as they may be, coming your way this autumn. www.bloomsburyprofessional.com/uk/walker-an...

It comes down, I think, to the fact that there was an long period where they won nearly everything - every slam, every masters, including a three year period where it was every single one bar one masters (which Wawrinka won). You need the four for that dominance of titles even if they’re not equal.

in this week's newsletter! one of my hideously personal essays, on my long journey towards loving people and why I'll never take human connection for granted, and I don't think you should either: youngvulgarian.substack.com/p/a-pro-huma... [free to read! and I'm running a subscription sale!]

One thing I do see is a lot of conversations along the lines of "you could just put solar panels on your roof and install a heat pump so it's not a big deal" and, tenement dweller that I am there are problems here! (Maybe we can stick panels on the roof and air condition the stairwell as a refuge?)

I’m sure those people are there! I just seem to have neatly fitted myself into the Pragmatic Realists (rallying call: “well it’s not great but what can you do?”) corner of the internet.

Proof the filter bubble is real: I have seen dozens of posts saying aircon is essential in high temperatures and we shouldn’t moralise about it, against zero posts moralising about it (I know they’re out there, just like the heat outside is real even when you’re relaxing in a stream of cool air).

BASIL FAWLTY VOICE: So you’re saying that you started it?

A lot of 'you can't say X any more' claims do have some tenuous link to reality but is there really *any* situation in which you're not allowed to talk about these? Even on Supremely Woke Radio 4 it is more or less a running gag on The Unbelievable Truth to remind Henning Wehn just who won the war.

I choose to believe that when Rupert Lowe says you can't mention the war or England's 1966 win, "particularly in any musical version" he is seething that the woke establishment refused to finance his sure-fire hit 'TWO WORLD WARS AND ONE WORLD CUP' West End musical.

I have a childhood memory of seeing a wallaby - an albino wallaby! - on a holiday in Scotland. (Although I also have childhood memories of sinking in quicksand that it took me years to realise were presumably just nightmares caused by TV, so decide for yourself how much weight to put on this.)

I think I already have adult content blocked (not sure why) and I very occasionally see that a post is labelled as adult content and I can't see the content. But it's extremely rare so either the bar is very high or I'm following the wrong people.

OK I can't remember the best DM I got on Twitter but it was *way* less cool than that whatever it was!

Tumbleweed

Suspect I will end up not bothering with verification so: last chance to slide into my DMs I guess?

Bluesky is rolling out age verification in the UK Bluesky users in the UK can verify their age using their face, ID, or payment card.

What matters more, I think, is that it looks as if you won’t be able to use DMs unless you verify (for whatever reason I’ve ended up barely using them on here compared to Twitter but others’ experiences may differ). www.theverge.com/news/704468/...

Just seen a viral post saying “Bluesky is going to make UK users verify their age!” followed by a second very much less viral “and if you don’t you can still use Bluesky but not see adult content on it” post.

I just struggle with how people can be this wedded to political partisanship. Maybe the answer is in part that there are always *some* people whose views are that firmly entrenched and it’s a big country, but still…

I’m sure you can make the usual arguments about the importance of party discipline and the whip etc but if they end up with you picking a public fight with one of your own frontbenchers over the choice between abstaining and voting against a doomed Conservative amendment that does seem baffling.

If Arpineh Masihi could vote, she would have cast her ballot for Donald Trump. She's a devout supporter of the US president – even now that she's locked up as an illegal immigrant. "He's doing the right thing because lots of these people don't deserve to be here," Arpineh told the BBC over the phone from the Adelanto immigrant detention centre in California's Mojave Desert. "I will support him until the day I die. He's making America great again."

Trump was elected in part because of his promise to "launch the largest deportation programme of criminals in the history" - a promise Arpineh, her husband and mother say they all still believe in. Yet her family says they have faith that Arpineh will be released, and believe that only hardened, dangerous criminals will actually be deported. "I don't blame Trump, I blame Biden," Arthur says. "It's his doing for open borders, but I believe in the system and all the good people will be released and the ones that are bad will be sent back." While many of those detained do not have criminal records, Aprineh is a convicted felon, which makes her a prime target for removal.

A woman on a green card commits a felony in the US; is allowed to stay on human rights grounds by a judge; is detained by ICE; tells the BBC she will support Trump until she dies; she and her family believe only “criminals” will be deported; husband blames Biden. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This is very good indeed. The point about reviews is well made - New Labour, David Cameron and Theresa May all used reviews to win consent and to explain why they wanted to do things. Essentially the only part of this government that does that is Shabana Mahmood at Justice:

Universal Suffrage? The problem of low and unequal turnout and the case for compulsory voting  - The Constitution Society An authoritative new report from Dr David Klemperer advocates for the introduction of compulsory voting at UK general elections.

My new Constitution Society report on compulsory voting has now been published.

I argue that low turnout has left the UK with an unrepresentative electorate. This is creating warped incentives for politicians, and contributing to low growth, high inequality, and rising democratic discontent.

DUNE: LOOK AT ME I’M SANDY THREE

"It has been stated by at least one important member of this House that if the vote were given to the young women they would invariably vote only for the best looking candidate. On looking round this House, Mr. Speaker, I cannot see that there is any need for hon. members to be worried, but I take it that we shall see in the division Lobby those members who are not quite sure of themselves in this respect."

Ellen Wilkinson was such a good parliamentary performer.

Here she is in 1925, arguing for votes for women at 21 (rather than 30, as previously).

Lots of interesting discussion on here about jury trial reduction and reform making me think of what John Langbein demonstrated so beautifully in his book; that the development of adversarial criminal trial has never been on the basis of principle.

The Independent Review of the crim courts part 1 is here. Some of the major recs from the review: 🧵
1. Rather than intermediate courts, the review recommends a "Crown Court (Bench) Division)" consisting of a judge and two magistrates to hear cases of sentences of max 3 years removing juries.