In the news

This is ... well, good would be the wrong word.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/02/post-office-scandal-key-takeaways-latest-court-hearings

Highlights--logic challenge:

“The principle of reasonableness in relation to disclosure to the inquiry – even if operating at the more stringent end of the spectrum – does not, and cannot, require POL [the Post Office] to leave every stone unturned,” wrote the Post Office’s lead legal representative, Chris Jackson, a partner at the law firm Burges Salmon LLP. “Such a standard is impossible for POL to realistically comply with.”

Indeed, it's hard to see how anyone could possibly leave every stone unturned. It might look like not really trying.

(I assume that's quoted correctly.)

Also:

Grant was legally forced to give testimony at the public inquiry into the Horizon IT scandal. He provided the barest bones of a witness statement, at just over two pages, criticising the inquiry for not giving him enough time to do more because it clashed with his Christmas plans.

[...]

[...] he was not the only former investigator who appeared to believe that some post office operators who have now been cleared were nevertheless up to no good.

Tbf it doesn’t help the cause when applications such as his are approved.

It’s an own goal, isn’t it?

Tbf it doesn’t help the cause when applications such as his are approved.

There are always going to be asylum grants that with hindsight aren't great. Kind of like there are dodgy MPs, police officers, etc.

I agree.

However.

I think such delicate matters should be dealt with in as bullet proof manner as possible. Granting asylum to someone, who committed a sexual offence while the application was pending, because a Priest was convinced they’d converted to Christianity (so fucking what!?) is weak.

Minimum 22 and 20years for Jenkinson and Ratcliffe.

I pruned an aged Newton Wonder apple tree.

I've been pruning this tree for 5 or 6 years now.
Owner is happy with pruning for fruit, and opening up the canopy a bit most years.

2 Attachments

converted to Christianity (so fucking what!?)

Converting from Islam to Christianity is a hanging offence in some parts of the world. So if they have converted with our current policies they can't be sent back. Perhaps he shouldn't have been granted asylum but if he also can't be deported it is difficult to do very much.

if they have converted with our current policies they can't be sent back

It gets better.

Nemo auditur propriam turpitudinem allegans. One’s own volitional acts going against one’s own interests should not constitute a defence under law. A foundational precept at least a couple of millennia old.

In the specific case, a twice-denied asylum applicant who goes out of their way to commit an entirely free and non-essential act that could predictably endanger their life should they be returned to their country of origin, as is planned, should not be afforded the benefits deriving from their act. That’s without even considering the obvious possibility of malicious forethought.

It’s not that Human Rights are an issue; the issue is in the interpretation and application of the law.

It is, however, very clearly in the interests of the factions represented by the Conservative Party to lay the blame for these situations at the foot of the Human Rights conventions that hinder them from enacting more hostile social and economic policies and legal frameworks. So they have every incentive to facilitate outrage and perverse situations like this.

an entirely free act

Clearly you haven't let Jesus into your life. Or something.

Edditted

Any thing like this, always brings this adage out.

More than an adage, it’s a cornerstone of Roman legal tradition and a recognised general legal principle.

My apple trees were pruned last year, and then bore no fruit (having had loads the year before). They now look like your second (presumably before) photo, with all the new vertical shoots. Should I reprune? Goals: mad apples for days for cider.

Ps Imbolc sásta

Prune new leaders (vertical growth) to within a couple of buds of last years wood. Preferably to a bud pointing away from the centre of the tree (crown), which aims the new growth in that direction. These won't fruit next year anyway.

Why is this tree waffle not in the gardening thread?

Thank you. I don’t know, but carpe diem etc

Presumably about now is a good time to be doing it?

Yep, before the sap rises for Spring, prune stone fruits like cherries and plums after the buds have opened.

In other important World news, I had a really good shit earlier this evening.

Done! Was news to me

Pedal Me recently went into administration. But a group of shareholders has done a buy-out. The service hasn't been interrupted and the company may go on to have a bright future. No jobs lost. Road.cc has covered it https://road.cc/content/news/pedal-me-goes-administration-due-huge-debt-306553

The buy-out doesn't include the small investors who bought in via Crowdcube. We've been informed that our investment is "worthless in cash terms".

There is often a bit of a feast/famine cycle. That's why people often recommend pruning the fruit early if you've got a lot of fruit coming.

I saw the notice. Sounds like you and the other investors need to lawyer up. It may be a (very) poorly worded email, but it seems odd that a director can just announce that a subset of shareholders had bought the ailing company’s assets (seems like they bought the whole operation?!), presumably without notice to the other shareholders and for a reduced price, and they were saddling remaining investors with the entire loss.

Not advice, I am not an expert in this, but I’d start a crowdfund for shareholders and stakeholders to obtain a qualified legal opinion on the matter.

I didn't put my 50 quid in to get rich, I did it to help nudge London towards bicycle taxis and delivery services. I'm a bit glum about being pushed out but I still want PedalMe to succeed. I hope the other Crowdcubers don't sue them.

edit: There are Crowdcubers on Reddit who claim to have put in £500 or £1000. No mention of legal action yet https://www.reddit.com/r/londoncycling/comments/1ah656k/pedal_me_going_into_administration/

Those shareholders who bought the assets will have still lost their investment though.

They'll have had to commit new money to buy those assets. It may pay off, it may be good money after bad.

Sounds like the main issue was money owed to HMRC so whatever the buy out was it must have been acceptable to HMRC.

Fair enough. If the company’s value was effectively wiped out by tax debts before the sale, then there’s not much to do.

Police: Alkali attacker last tracked heading southbound on Victoria line from KX.

Still unmistakable look, and probably an unpleasant smell from the chemical burn. Reckon he has a day or two before nasty infections take hold.

In slightly good news, the two kids he attacked are reported to be in better condition than initially feared.