[Oldmanmatt]

Its a bit scary really...

Actually, the one service I think that could do with a real kick up the arse and some major re-structuring (not sure how that figures with privatisation) is the Police.. they still have this ancient pseudo military structure (e.g. rank, salutes, marching etc..) which I'm far from convinced is required in todays world.... I'm sure all of this breeds a too tight a group who would rather protect their own than do the right thing (as we have seen quite a few times recently). I shall see pigs flying first.

God!
Never say that to a Copper.
Don't form an opinion based on the MET, they've been despised by other coppers for , well, always.

Coppers are Warranted. They have autonomous powers and are legally allowed to tell a superior to sling it and they often do. It's not as you see on TV.

Not all, some are tossers that give the rest a bad name.

I'm not a cop.

[tomtom]

and they get to retire on full pension after 30 years... just saying....

[Oldmanmatt]

and they get to retire on full pension after 30 years... just saying....

Ah yeah, sorry, wrote that in a hurry and had to cut it short too.
Came across much more curt and reactive than intended.
Really it's the public misconception of a quasi-military organisation I was trying to rebut...
TV dramas always seem to follow this assumption and I'm aware how much that winds up the average plod. There are far more "rural" coppers than city and they have a pretty hard time of it.
I was brought up amongst them and several old school friends took that route.

As I understand it they are generally retired at 55, because they are basically worn out by then. Very few, get to draw their full pension at 65 (they are on a preserved pension, so they are put out to pasture at 55 but don't get full pension until 65), most are dead by then.

Check out the NARPO site for stats on early death rates amongst ex PC's.

[dave]

Day of mourning for UKB

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/shark-found-dead-in-blaze-at-bungalow-1-4317585

[Jaspersharpe]

Did someone mention the Met?

This is pretty amazing stuff:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/the-copper-the-lawrence-killers-father-and-secret-police-files-that-expose-a-corrupt-relationship-7537762.html

And.....

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/police-told-to-reopen-inquiry-into-bent-lawrence-detective-7542444.html

[Oldmanmatt]

Yep, as I said.
Commonly referred to as Maximum Earning Tossers, by other forces.
Didn't one of the Yorkshire forces have a similar rep in the '80s?

[Jaspersharpe]

No no. Yorkshire coppers all clean as a whistle.......

[slackline]

Vodafone Switzerland run by a book-keeper (and it only takes up 5% of his time) 

[Jaspersharpe]

An interesting different take on "lobbying":

http://motherjones.com/politics/2012/03/project-primary-mayhem-leo-linbeck

[Jaspersharpe]

Totally heartbreaking:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/08/japan-tsunami-one-year-parents-children

 

[aLICErOBERTSfANkLUB]

Yes!!

[mrjonathanr]

'Not economically viable'.

Am I watching Falling Down or the jokers who are supposed to manage our country for the common good?

[Oldmanmatt]

'Not economically viable'.

Am I watching Falling Down or the jokers who are supposed to manage our country for the common good?

That is truly Pythonesque!

Just a hint of sarcasm from the board of Remploy, maybe?

"It's all right, you know, we're only firing you so you can find a job..."

[slackline]

'Not economically viable'.

Am I watching Falling Down or the jokers who are supposed to manage our country for the common good?

Don't think Falling Down has anything to do with it. 

[slackline]

Far out

I propose a mini trial at this evenings #ukbpissup half take drop a tab of acid, half don't then record alcohol consumption over the next year. 

[mrjonathanr]

That is truly Pythonesque!

Just a hint of sarcasm from the board of Remploy, maybe?

"It's all right, you know, we're only firing you so you can find a job..."

Hypocrisy without scruple

Perhaps IDS should spend some time out of the segregeated bubble he so comfortably and complacently inhabits.

[aLICErOBERTSfANkLUB]

That is truly Pythonesque!

Just a hint of sarcasm from the board of Remploy, maybe?

"It's all right, you know, we're only firing you so you can find a job..."

Hypocrisy without scruple

Perhaps IDS should spend some time out of the segregeated bubble he so comfortably and complacently inhabits.

IDS of course once famously asserted that his constituents couldn't get council houses because "there were too many immigrants".

Nothing to do with selling off the housing stock under Thatcher then?

[mrjonathanr]

Freedom of Information request from Yvette Cooper on police numbers:

The number of police dealing with 999 emergencies has fallen by more than 5,000 since the last general election, according to new figures compiled from responses to freedom of information requests from all 43 forces in England and Wales

Nick Herbert's previous reassuring words gross insult our intelligence:

Last year the police minister, Nick Herbert, said: "We believe that by controlling costs, cutting bureaucracy, making savings in force back and middle offices, and improving productivity, the police service for the public can be maintained and improved even as funding is reduced.

See for yourself

[aLICErOBERTSfANkLUB]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/10/us-iraq-emo-killings-idUSBRE8290CY20120310

(Reuters) - At least 14 youths have been stoned to death in Baghdad in the past three weeks in what appears to be a campaign by Shi'ite militants against youths wearing Western-style "emo" clothes and haircuts, security and hospital sources say.

"We strongly warn you, to all the obscene males and females, if you will not leave this filthy work within four days the punishment of God will descend upon you at the hand of the Mujahideen,"

Un. Fucking. Believable

[Jaspersharpe]

Chick lt millionaire Tory MP Louise Mensch and professional dickhead (I think that's the correct title) Luke Bozier have set up a company together as they are both massive experts with regard to social media (*vomits*).

Unfortunately they're actually not at all as they forgot to register @menschbozier before announcing the creation of the company:

http://www.totalpolitics.com/blog/313052/louise-menschs-social-media-speculation.thtml

https://twitter.com/menschbozier

RO & indeed FL. 

[mrjonathanr]

Tweeting from Mensch House Une by proxy indeed.

[Oldmanmatt]

That was hardly worth Menschioning, I don't know why you Boziered...

[aLICErOBERTSfANkLUB]

"Red meat increase risk of death", apparently.

So it's 110% certain now, is it?

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/w_DietAndFitness/red-meat-tied-increased-mortality-risk/story?id=15901365

[slackline]

Thats been known for some time.

But you also have to account for other risk factors, for example red meat eaters are also more likely to smoke & drink, and exercise less than non meat eaters, all of which contribute to wards increased risk of mortality.

Living in an area where cattle graze near bracken doubles your risk of colorectal cancer (the spores are carcinogenic), but its okay, instead of a risk of 1 in 100000 its 2 in 100000.  So relatively a doubling in risk, but the absolute risk still isn't that high.

So it's 110% certain now, is it?

No.

BBC slides on understanding risk < This explains it simply & in about 20 seconds. The rest are more detailed...

British Medical Association - Risk : Whats your Perspective?

David Speigelhalter has a good blog called Understanding Uncertainty and has proposed an interesting concept called microlives.  A short video...

[aLICErOBERTSfANkLUB]

Except the headline on there, and as put out by the radio this morning is that "red meat increases the risk of death".

I do know what they really mean - which is why I didn't use the link to the BBC item on it as it phrases the thing differently - i.e. correctly.