That Definition Of Madness Again...

A pre-inquest review hearing was today (Monday, March 27) held at Bolton Coroner's Court.

The hearing was told that there was still some evidence yet to be submitted in the case. And Emily's father Mark Jones said: "I just find the process very frustrating. Deadlines are set and are never adhered to. It's like groundhog day coming her all the time."

Mr Jones made the comment after correspondence he sent to the coroner's office airing his frustration was referred to by the coroner.

Understandably so. And how did the coroner deal with it? 

Senior Coroner Timothy Brennand said to Mr Jones: "I am sorry you saw fit to communicate in those very clear and upsetting terms."

Yes, I just bet you are... 

He added that he wanted to address Mr Jones' concerns as he didn't want him to feel there were 'in any way being swept under the carpet'.

He already feels like that, and it's no surprise... 

He said the coroner's service always tried to work 'collaboratively with families' and to 'manage expectations' however he said Mr Jones had made it clear that in his case he did not feel they were being met.

"All I can do is apologise," Mr Brennand continued. "Your experience is your experience and I am not going to in any way quibble with it."

Because you can't. So...how are you going to deal with his belief that the case is being delayed unnecessarily by people who don't adhere to deadlines? 

Mr Brennand set deadlines for the disclosure of remaining evidence and legal submissions ahead of the inquest at the short hearing.

*sighs* 

I Don't Think You're Making The Argument You Think You Are, Laila...

If insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, then perhaps coming to the Baftas looking for diversity is an exercise in madness.

Well, yes, Laila, since it's just a luvvie's award show. If you want diversity, trip down your local enriched high street (if the cops haven't sealed off the road for another machete attack) instead and marvel...

...awards are fundamentally subjective exercises. Trying to get film fans to unanimously agree that Cate Blanchett was more convincing as a lecherous conductor than Deadwyler as the bereaved mother of a lynched child, or vice versa, is a fool’s errand.

And yet here you are, a fool... 

Some of our best filmmakers, such as Terence Davies and Joanna Hogg, are studiously ignored by Bafta voters, and Black British directors Menelik Shabazz, Horace Ové and Ngozi Onwurah innovated without the support of many of the bodies that purport to champion British film.

Excellent! They can be scrapped then. Since they are obviously not required. Eh, Laila..? 

Awards are only as prestigious as the public perception of them, and by the time the Bafta inclusivity targets are met in 2025 it may be too late to claw back any cultural relevancy.

Guess the public have spoken. 

Yes, It Is Broken, You're Right There...

One Eritrean asylum seeker who reluctantly agreed to move from the Greenwich hotel to the one in Bedfordshire, and did not join in with the protest, said he was distraught about the enforced move but felt he had no choice but to go.

“We came to the UK looking for freedom but the reality is not like that. I’ve lost my friends, my community, my college with this move. I’ve lost everything. The system is broken.”

A system that houses asylum seekers who come in illegally from safe countries, in the most expensive part of the country, and allows their claims to drag on for so long they put down roots, all at the expense of the poor bloody taxpayer, is irretrievably broken. 

When is someone going to fix it? 

I'm Really Glad To Hear It, Ehwi...

Ehwi, who lives with his wife and young daughter in Cambridge, sends money to Ghana, and is facing the squeeze. His monthly electricity bill has more than doubled, and he has had to limit the amount he spends on “luxuries” such as taking his wife out to eat.

“The frequency I’m sending money home is increasing because the economic situation in Ghana is worse than the UK … [but] I’ve received practically nothing to help deal with the cost of living here.”

Because why should they, if you have enough excess cash to send it to people abroad, rather than spending it in this country? 

“Sending money home is something I have to do, it’s not an ‘I would like to do this,’” says Toyin Oshinowo. A project manager who moved to the UK from Nigeria when she was one, Oshinowo, 42, remits money between her “two homes” to support friends and family and pay bills in Nigeria.

One year old. And as soon as she starts earning, she's expected to support moochers abroad. Christ, what a 'culture'... 

Those flows of money are hugely important for developing economies, vastly outweighing foreign aid sent by governments.

Let's stop all foreign aid then! It clearly isn't needed.