Paul Schoon

Politics latest: US State Department highlights 'significant human rights issues' in the UK A new US State Department report identifies "significant human rights issues" in the UK, pointing to "credible reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression" as a key example.

news.sky.com/story/politi... I’m not sure we should be taking lessons on human rights from a country with ICE snatch squads, the National Guard on the streets and alligator Alley. Never mind cancelling Stephen Colbert because he poked fun at the hypocrisy of the US government.

It fits perfectly with the tastelessness of the Oval Office and explains why Apple products are so expensive.

Minister defends proposals to ban over 70s from driving if they fail new compulsory eye tests Ministers have pledged to "restore order to the road" by introducing a series of tougher rules for drivers, including tougher penalties for those without insurance.

news.sky.com/story/over-7... What a load of nonsense. Nobody should drive with defective eyesight. The biggest danger on the roads are over-confident young male drivers, but we can’t go after them as it would be a vote loser.

Now Trump has politicised the criminal justice system and federalised DC he’s not tiptoeing toward dictatorship - he’s broken into a Usain Bolt style sprint.

I find it astonishing that an intelligent man - he’s got a PhD for goodness sake - has abandoned analysis and conclusions based on evidence in favour of blind loyalty and conspiracy nonsense. It’s absolutely terrifying.

“Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts; nothing else will ever be of any service to them.”
Charles Dickens, Hard Times.

I’ve just caught up with the Lucy Letby documentary and after three decades working in the Criminal Justice system I thought I was unshockable, but this smacks of a state-orchestrated cover up.

Talks held over making Trump first US president to be given Freedom of the City of London - The Independent
Have we gone stark raving mad?

It’s a good read.

Happy Yorkshire Day from t’Independent Republic.

You could apply that thinking to quantum physics. Using figurative language doesn’t mean your argument is correct. Like everything in history, it is an opinion. You don’t like it; I do. That’s the beauty of the subject: it has a big enough playing surface that we can all exist without colliding.

You’re not a fan of quantitative history then?

Colbert for president.

Today’s competition.

My egg and salad cream sandwich is channeling Donald Trump’s make up.

Who are all these young women suddenly wanting to follow me? And why have they forgotten to put their clothes on?

6223 words written this week and kept (for now), and probably twice as many written and disregarded. I should really keep going but it’s Friday night and I’m desperate for a beer.

When did Britain start ‘reaching out’ instead of contacting? Soon it will be ‘dove’ instead of dived or the awful ‘gotten’. It was bad enough when the style guide of a prominent UK journal insisted on ‘z’ instead of ‘s’. I felt a bit sick making the changes.

When did books get so expensive? £25 for a novel it will take me two days to finish.

Yes, I had a breakfast table rant, as it allowed my wife to beat me in the daily competition. Stupid word!

I don’t recognise the US anymore.

WGA statement on Paramount’s decision to cancel the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

The local Sainsbury’s muscled out all the local businesses, then over time systematically got rid of their cafe, bakery, butchery, fishmonger and pharmacy from their store. We are left with little choice in a store clearly in its death throes. I wish it would die and put us out of our misery.

Trump Reacts to ‘Late Show’ Ending: “I Absolutely Love That Colbert Got Fired” The president mocks Colbert for CBS' decision — and takes shots at Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon too.

www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/t...
Trump loves the first amendment when it allows him to spout his nonsense, but woe betide you if you poke fun at him. He seems to be one of the most charmless, graceless and insecure men on the planet. And he’s definitely on the Epstein list!

Don’t get me started on reducing the franchise. Lots of adults are poor decision makers but that doesn’t mean we should compound the problem.

I anticipate that the under-18 vote will be polarised, with the bulk going to Reform or Green. If that’s the case they could hold the balance of power at the expense of the traditional parties. We should prepare ourselves for Prime Minister Farage and Trump’s UK franchise.

Thank goodness. Anyone with children, or who works with children knows that their decision making abilities at that age are not the greatest. At my son’s school, Reform won a recent mock election by a landslide.

Who’s next? Stewart, Myers, Kimmel?

It is deeply disturbing that Stephen Colbert’s Late Show has been cancelled just a few days after he mocked Paramount’s $12m settlement with Trump. This is so clearly political. If anti-Trump commentators are now being targeted, the country is completely down the Swanee.

I’d also add Jon Stewart and Seth Myers - all required watching in my house to keep up with the chaos that is US politics.