It Would Be Funny If It Wasn't Such A Disaster...

Eco-friendly light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs used in streetlamps produce more light pollution and are killing off insects, a new study shows.

Maybe they should have made the study before rolling them out everywhere...?  

They're often energy-efficient, cheap to run and brighter with more blue wavelengths, but this means they're also likely making insects more exposed to predators. The insects could also be getting killed from coming into contact with hot lights, which may also deter them from laying eggs.

Moths are important because they're pollinators, hosts for parasitoids and prey for vertebrates like birds and bats and invertebrates like spiders, the experts say.

*sighs* Once again, just as with diesel vehicles, the 'sage experts' have proven to be not worth their hire.

But since 'science' got us into this, maybe it can get us out? 

Boyes told MailOnline that minor tweaks that could be made to LEDs that could minimise their negative impacts on insects without comprising on energy efficiency, such as reducing emission of blue wavelengths.

I wonder how much that'll cost? And who'll pay..?

Bringing Back The One Drop Rule...

One of Britain’s greatest painters has fallen victim to woke culture, as art-lovers are being warned not to ‘idolise’ J. M. W. Turner because he once held a single share in a Jamaican business that used slave labour.

One share. One... 

During his lifetime, the artist was a liberal and an abolitionist, and his iconic painting The Slave Ship captured the horror of the trade in human lives. But a new exhibition of his work at Tate Britain comes with a warning that some of his pieces could be considered problematic.

To whom? To the real 'general public', or to the tiny but loud minority of woke activists? And if tenuous  slavery links weren't enough... 

The gallery’s director, Alex Farquharson, even warns that Turner’s depictions of steam power are linked to climate change.

*sighs* 

Mr Farquharson says: ‘We should not idolise Turner. His investment in 1805 in a Jamaican cattle ranch worked by enslaved labour suggests he had reset his own moral compass by 1840 when he painted Slave Ship as an indictment of the slave trade.’

The painting was inspired by the Zong massacre of 1781, in which a captain of a British ship ordered 133 slaves to be thrown overboard when drinking water ran low so he could claim insurance money.

Mr Farquharson describes The Slave Ship as salient today because ‘Black Lives Matter demands we confront histories of enslavement, exploitation and genocide whose legacies live on’, but says some critics ‘see its visual splendour as mitigating the horror of its subject’.

Probably the sort of 'experts' who fawn over modern 'art' like this... 

Michael Daley, the director of ArtWatch UK, said it was wrong to impose modern values on historical figures, adding: ‘The trouble is that everybody in the arts wants to play politics and not talk about art.’

Spot on, Mr Daley, and it suffers as a result. 

The episode could expose the Tate to allegations of hypocrisy – ancestors of founder Sir Henry Tate made their fortune from a sugar empire built on the slave trade.

Good. Let them be hoist by their own petard. 

This'll Go Down Well At Friday Prayers...

Teachers can help counteract the rise of the “incel” movement and the dangers of misogyny with school lessons on respect for women and healthy relationships, ministers believe.

Start with the mosques, shall we? 

A government source said that Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, expects teachers to be able to tackle the risks from incel culture through the relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) curriculum within schools.

Ah! No danger of shaking anyone's worldview then, since they probably don't let their children attend these anyway... 

It follows concerns sparked by Britain’s worst mass shooting in over a decade, in which Jake Davison, 22, killed five people including his mother and a toddler in Plymouth last week.After the attack, it emerged he had shown interest in the incel – or involuntary celibate – online culture fuelled by misogyny and abuse of women. Police are investigating whether this was a motive for the shootings.

Going to run up against the thorny issue then, that he didn't solely target women, aren't you? 

On Thursday, an inquest heard that he argued with his mother, for whom he expressed hatred online, before the killing spree.

He's dead, she's dead...how do they know?

But maybe I'm making light of a serious issue, and there's lots of Jake Davisons out there (thanks, GPs!)? Are the people who make a living off this sort of thing seeing a lot of cases? 

William Baldét, a Prevent coordinator and practitioner in countering violent extremism for 10 years, said: “I’ve not personally seen anyone coming through who was explicitly driven to violence by the incel community but we have seen an increase in people engaging with those subcultures. It may be because we are better at recognising it, it may be because of an increase, or both.”

Ah. And if he can't manufacture it... 

He added: “It’s clear that misogyny as a concept runs deep through a lot of extremist ideologies. Incel is different in that it’s built around a hatred of women and feeling of inferiority, rather than bringing about societal change, but there’s a related need to tackle misogyny across society. That should be part of the whole system, at every level, and not just framed trough (sic) counter-terrorism.”

Of course, he can. They always can, can't they? 

Is This Really The Message You Want To Send..?

Racists have been warned to stay away from Ben Nevis after a far-right group unfurled a...

Message banner saying 'Darkies Go Home'? A flaming cross? 

...“white lives matter” banner at the top of Scotland’s highest mountain peak on Sunday.

Wait, what? In what possible universe is that controversial? 

Politicians, anti-racism campaigners, environmentalists and mountain rescue experts united to condemn the action by Patriotic Alternative, a UK white-nationalist group founded by Mark Collett, the British National party’s former director of publicity.

Hang on, I see all the usual pearl-clutching suspects there, but .... mountain rescue experts!? What the hell has it got to do with them?

John Stevenson, the leader of Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team, which covers Ben Nevis, said: “We don’t need this type of political protest on the mountain – especially when it reflects such appalling views. ”

Hang on, chum, you're not there to criticise people's political opinions! And what's so 'appalling' about this message? Do you believe that white lives don't matter?

That'd be a strange thing to believe, wouldn't it?  

Nav Bakhsh, the co-founder of the Glasgow-based Asian hiking group Boots and Beards, which aims to “bring colour to the hills”, said the weekend’s events had made members very uneasy. “Since we set up five years ago, our challenge has been to encourage the BME community to go out and explore Scotland,” said Bakhsh. “Now people are not only worried about health and safety in the hills but whether they will get abuse thrown at them. We’ve tried to calm nerves and explain this is a very small group.”

If they need their nerves calming because someone expresses the view that white people matter too, then there's more wrong with society than I thought... 

Bakhsh also raised concerns about the many foreign tourists at the summit who may have seen the banner. “What message does that give about Scotland, to say that the country is only for white people? We need tourists, especially now.”

That banner doesn't say that, does it, though? It has done an admirable job of smoking out racists, mind you.

Just...not the ones these people imagine. 

Surely The Bigger Question Here Is...

A convicted terrorist has been sent back to jail after hiding his job as a lorry driver from police.

Andrew Rowe, 50, failed to declare the vehicles he was driving while employed by Serco as a rubbish collector in 2019, in breach of a notification order.

...why the hell is Serco employing convicted criminals to drive their vehicles? I thought we had a plethora of post lockdown job-seekers?

Prosecutor Peter Ratliff said: 'This defendant lost his job as a consequence of these proceedings.'

Why was he even given it in the first place? Doesn't anyone think before they employ people any more? 

Or is there some quota for employing ex-cons that gets companies grant money or kudos from the government?

They Aren't Here To Protect You...

A man will appear in court charged with criminal damage and dangerous driving weeks after video emerged of a parked car being tossed into the air by a digger after it was left blocking a farm gate.

Good! Maybe next time the scum will think twice about blocking the...

Wait, hang on, surely not...? 

The 57-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident at a farm in Teesdale, which went viral last month.

Yup! The cops arrested the farmer driven to this act by the selfishness and arrogance of the scum who repeatedly block his property. 

And why not? Look at it from a lazy modern cop's point of view; here's a suspect who has filmed his actions, is easy to locate, is almost certainly admitting to it, even proud of it, and well, you're supposed to be non-judgemental about concepts like 'right and wrong' these days, or so Hendon teaches you...

The force said a 20-year-old arrested on suspicion of assault during the same incident on June 5 has been released under investigation while inquiries continue.

While someone who won't admit any wrongdoing and could disappear is too much trouble. 

And still they ponder why they are losing the respect of every law-abiding man, woman and child in the country... 

What Would We Do Without 'Experts'..?

Replacing pointed-tip kitchen knives with rounded blades could help reduce knife crime and prevent serious injuries within the home, according to research at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).

Wait, haven't we been here before? Reader, yes. Yes, we have... 

In a study led by senior lecturer in Forensic Science at DMU, Leisa Nichols-Drew, five kitchen knives – each with a different type of blade tip – were used for ‘stab tests’ on items of clothing, to examine the damage caused by each knife.

In collaboration with DMU’s Dr Rachel Armitage and Dr Kevin Farrugia, University of Leicester’s Professor Robert Hillman and Northumbria University’s Dr Kelly Sheridan, Leisa conducted 300 ‘tests’ using a single downward stabbing motion on four garments, including a t-shirt, a pair of denim jeans, a long-sleeved jumper and a faux leather skirt – all made from different materials.

Your taxes undoubtedly went - somehow, probably grants - towards three 'scientists' stabbing clothing all day. This is why we don't have flying cars yet! 

“We want to remove the need for pointed knives. The majority of fatal injuries are caused by penetrative stabbings,” she added.

Prior to joining DMU, Leisa was a practitioner for the Home Office’s Forensic Science Service, working on some of Britain’s most notorious major crime cases. She later worked as a trainer for the police, judiciary and Crown Prosecution Service to improve their forensic awareness.

“My time in case work definitely inspired me to want to do this research,” she said. “I remember thinking at the time that there had to be a way to lower the risk of these terrible crimes from happening.”

And all it'll take is for everyone in the UK to change their entire kitchenware! Dream big, girlie. 

If Only We Still Had Hanging...

...because I can't think who deserves it more:

A man who beat his elderly neighbour to death with a cricket bat while she picked herbs for her Sunday roast has been jailed for life.

He tried the 'not guilty 'cos I'm ill, see?' but the jury rejected it. 

Defence barrister Lionel Blackman told Judge Alexia Durran that Unmack had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2008 and had been under the care of the Reigate Community Mental Health team.

And we can see how effective that was. As always. 

The family also revealed their anger over mental health services which had not managed to prevent Unmack from attacking the pensioner.

Ms Zachery explained: 'It should not have happened and the circumstances should be considered so that it does not happen again.

'Surrey Police and Surrey and Borders Partnership could have done much more to stop this and we hope that no other family will experience what we have again.'

Sadly, it's almost inevitble that they will, because all that happens is the authorities squawk about 'learning lessons' and then go right back to doing what they want to do, which is cooing over the dangerously mentally ill and prioritising their right to freedom over the rights of others... 

The court heard that Unmack had attacked women before, including an elderly woman with who he had previously struck up a relationship.

Even the judge couldn't help himself: 

Sentencing Unmack, Judge Durran told him: 'The jury rejected the defence that you were experiencing a psychotic episode but I accept that a mental disorder has affected your life for over 20 years.'

Wrong, judge. It's affected innocent people. That's what you should concentrate on. 

Sometimes The Jury System Produces The Right Result...

...but Reader, this is not one of those times:

A knifeman accused of threatening to kill a man before stabbing him reacted after “abuse was shouted at him”, a court heard.

The trial of Allan Lindsay entered its second day at Basildon Crown Court yesterday with the 56-year-old taking to the witness box to give evidence.

Lindsay denies intending to cause the man grievous bodily harm in the stabbing on May 2 last year at the junction of Victoria Avenue and Queensway in Southend.

Lindsay was grilled by prosecuting barrister Karl Volz, where he claimed he started to follow the pedestrian because he had abused him.

Yes, you heard that right. The accused pursued the victim with a knife.  

The jury previously heard the victim had been walking when Lindsay had shouted abuse at him, saying he should “go and die”.

He is then alleged to have approached him before producing a knife and stabbing him, which the court heard narrowly missed the victim’s heart.

And hence, the CPS clearly thought "Well, this is open and shut!" 

The trial of Allan Lindsay, 56, of Marine Parade, Southend, concluded at Basildon Crown Court today with the jury unable to decide if Lindsay had intended to cause his victim serious harm.

The jury acquitted him on another charge of making threats to kill by majority verdict.

A provisional sentencing date has been set for July 19 for the charge of unlawful wounding. The Crown Prosecution Service will be considering over the next week whether a retrial will be sought.

For Lindsay, or for the idiot members of the jury on grounds of being idiots? 

Misjudging The Public Mood

Freddy McConnell fights a rearguard action for beleagured Stonewall in the 'Guardian', and this caught my eye in the closing paragraphs:

Instead of denigrating my trans sisters in the name of straw-man arguments about “male violence”, journalists at our national papers might pay more interest in trans lives; they could have reported on the recent death of Sophie Gwen Williams. Williams, a musician and artist from Northern Ireland, co-founded We Exist, an emergency healthcare fund for trans and gender-nonconforming people across the UK. She was said to be in despair about being on an NHS waiting list for several years. As those close to her put it in a memorial note: “Losing Sophie is a personal tragedy, but it’s also a public disgrace.”

Really? Tell it to these people, Freddy. I'm sure they'll agree with you that it's a tragedy.

"I'm Only Interested In One Thing..."

Detective Sergeant Caroline Brannan was found to have breached Kent Police's standards of professional behaviour, which amounted to gross misconduct, at an online hearing.

And what did this one do? 

Earlier this month a panel heard how the officer, who has served at both Northfleet and Medway stations, tasked junior officers with "improper" personal errands.

On one occasion in February 2018 she instructed DC Max Bresnahan to drive 20 miles to take her mobile to the Apple store in Bromley and to bring it back once repaired.

According to the statement given by the former officer he was told by DS Brannan that she had a job for him and was given the keys to a police vehicle.He was told that, if quizzed by store staff, he should say he was the officer’s husband.

Ah. That's the sort of integrity we've come to expect from the crop of diversity hires that have plagued the farces for the last 30 years, isn't it?

Did she have a defence? 

In her response the officer said that she had no clear recollection of these events and she believed DC Bresnahan either volunteered to take the phone or she had asked him to reasonably as he was making inquiries in the area.

That'll be a resounding 'No!' then... 

Then on a separate occasion the following year DS Brannan tasked another officer – PC Patterson – with accompanying her to the Wickes store in Maidstone to collect some flooring she had purchased.

The junior colleague was required to accompany the officer in collecting the order and then drop this off at the officer’s home address, taking him away from his duties for a significant period.

Nor was this the only thing they had on her! 

During the misconduct hearing DS Brannan also faced allegations that she had claimed for hours not worked and at an accelerated rate. Between May 2019 and November 2019 it was claimed the sergeant had made 12 overtime claims that were not legitimate.

This was on the basis that the hours claimed were not or could not have been worked and an overtime rate was falsely claimed.

But clearly it's not just the CPS that prove hard to convince...

But in its conclusion the panel decided, on the balance of probabilities, this allegation was not proven.

Ah, well. They have still other charges! 

However, in another serious allegation, the panel heard how on four separate occasions the team supervisor was found to have disclosed confidential and sensitive information to colleagues concerning investigations into serving police officers.

That's got to be it for her, right? Wrong! 

They said she also demonstrated "genuine remorse for what had occurred" and had undergone additional training.

As a result DS Brannan was not dismissed but handed a final written warning, to remain on her file for 18 months.

*sighs* 

Free Speech For Me, Never For Thee...

Mike Roper, the headteacher of Allerton Grange high school in Leeds, was forced to apologise after he claimed in an assembly that some people saw the flag as a “symbol of antisemitism”.

Video of the speech was posted online, going viral and prompting a backlash and protests, with extra police having to be posted outside the school.

'The flag' being the Palestinian flag, of course. If he'd said the same about the Union flag the 'Guardian' would probably be giving him a guest writer's spot...

The assembly was intended, the school said, to address tensions within its multiracial student community caused by the situation in Israel.

But instead the speech brought accusations of “blatant Islamophobia” and staff being instructed to help students into and out of school safely following the furious response.

In other words, teachers had to plan for the usual screeching outside the school gates from the usual mob. 

Similar disputes have occurred in schools across the UK since the latest deadly violence in Israel and Gaza, with questions raised over why children expressing support for Palestine are being accused of antisemitism and in some cases subjected to disciplinary action.

So they are being disciplined for expressing an opinion? 

No. Don't be silly. That only happens to the staff!

During a protest at Clapton girls’ academy in east London, students sat down and chanted “free Palestine”, refusing to return to lessons.

See? They weren't disciplined for having an opinion at all, but for their actions in refusing to attend school and learn something other than the tribal hatreds they undoubtedly learn at home, or at the local mosque. 

The Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer said: “Imagine being a Palestinian kid at this guy’s school, being told your national flag is inherently hateful. Absolutely outrageous.”

We get told ours is that all the time, usually by morons like you. We just laugh and shrug it off. 

The author and Cambridge University academic Priyamvada Gopal also reacted with dismay to the video.

Oh, well, this'll be good! 

She said: “Young people can be taught about the evils of antisemitism, and they can learn about the Palestinian flag and its importance to a people’s struggle for self-determination. We are all capable of holding more than one thought in our head at the same time, and students should not be patronised by pretending otherwise.”

There's no evidence you can manage even one, love. 

Daniel Kebede, a senior vice-president of the National Education Union, said schools should be a safe space that allowed young people to explore difficult subjects.

It should. But it should be the same for the staff, too. And it's not, is it? 

Then Sack The Ones Who Couldn't Follow The Guidelines, pour encourager les autres...

Nearly one in five pregnant women in the UK were forced to wear a face covering during labour, according to research by a charity, despite official health guidance saying they should not be asked to do so.

Strange that people so keen to follow official covid guidance to the letter don't seem to have read this far, eh? 

The guidance says that women should not be asked to wear a face covering of any kind during natural labour or during caesarean births because of the risk of harm and complications. Rosie, 39, from London, said she felt as if she was dying because she was in so much pain during advanced labour with her third child, born in December. Yet maternity staff instructed to keep on her face mask.

And of course, she's not allowed anyone with her, under covide guidance, so she's at their mercy... 

“I was frightened that amongst everything else that was happening I was then going to be sick inside the mask,” added Rosie, who has a condition called emetophobia, which is a fear of vomiting. At one point she ripped off the mask but was told to put it back on.

Nor is her's an isolated case. Far from it: 

“Someone put the mask on me and I said: ‘You can’t be serious’, and she replied: ‘Yes’, and then I remember having a contraction,” said Titherington, who has flashbacks of her traumatic birth and has been unable to wear a face covering since because it triggers the memory of struggling to breathe.

She ended up having an emergency caesarean and was told to wear the mask during the entire surgery, which goes against the official guidance.

So...what does the professional body have to say about this? Well, as expected, weasel words and excuses: 

Dr Mary Ross Davie, director of professional midwifery at the Royal College of Midwives said since the start of the pandemic health professionals have had to respond to rapid changes in guidance. “For many on the clinical frontline they have found it really difficult to keep up to date with what the latest guidance is,” she said.

Have they? Oh, the poor dears! Just like...well, everyone else. 

“I think sometimes what has happened is that some health professionals may not have understood when someone is in labour they should be exempt from wearing a mask.”

Then perhaps calling them 'health professionals' is a bit of a misnomer, eh? 

An NHS spokesperson said: “Guidance to hospitals has been absolutely clear that women who are giving birth are exempt from wearing a facemask, and every hospital in England should be following this.”

Well, they aren't. Time to make an example of them.