On The Dark Lord, Peter Mandleson.

Keir Starmer is trying to load the blame for appointing Perter Mandleson as Ambassador to the US firmly at the door of.... Peter Mandleson.

Despite warmings from intelligence services about the nature of Mandleson, and his past transgressions and his relationship with Epstein, Starmer went ahead and appointed him. 

Starmer's excuse was that Mandleson lied. In  his speech, Starmer said Mandleson continually lied when questioned and when asked to pinky promise he was telling the truth and nothing would go come back to bite Kier, it seems that Mandleson had his fingers crossed behind his back all the time. 

As if Starmer doesn't lie and deflect all the time. It's Standard Operating Practice for Labour, it seems.

It's like watching a bunch of schoolkids running the country. 

"Peter promised he never bullied other kids, and he would be a good boy, but he lied, Miss..."

Fuck. These are the people running the country. 

I should have put a bet on that vote of no confidence.

Although I bet the odds of Starmer being out by the end of the year wouldn't have been worth a bet.

On Algorithms

Just recently I've been directed down, or shown some interesting rabbit holes conspiracy-wise. On the internet, that is. Literally in the last couple of days, things have gone a bit bonkers with the links and stuff that Facebook, YouTube and the like have started showing me. 

Now, of course some of the shit I look at and say online might bring one to conclude that's the sort of thing that might push me over the edge and radicalise me. But I'm a bit more complex than that. 

But I can see how, if you're not savvy to this sort of attempt at manipulation, you could be going down some very dark paths. 

The thing is: Is it algorithms guiding your path and it's all a result of zeros and ones doing their thing, or is it human manipulation?

And why all of a sudden? Literally, this week. 

I know I've been up North over the weekend and scarily for some people I've been in the exact area where a hotly contested by-election is to be held. 

But this week, most of my usual favourite watch list stuff has been replaced. 

Makes you wonder if my phone was close to another phone and someone put two and two together and got five. 

But it does show you there is a huge element of manipulation going on when it comes to the content the algorithms offer up to you and the information that's collected in the background doesn't always produce a benign result like showing you more of the content you like.

There seems to be a hint at manipulation with this latest tranche of content. Obviously so. Someone or something is using hobnail boots and isn't at all subtle. 

On Reform's Chances in the Denton and Gorton by-election.

I was up in t'North at the weekend. It being the 2nd anniversary of the passing of my mother. We visited her grave and also did some shopping in Denton.

Talking to friends and relatives, you'd think that Reform would romp away with the seat. 

However, I know the Northern voter. They're the sort of person that would vote for a pig in a wig wearing a Red Rosette (cue Angela Rayner jokes). 

So things aren't as clear cut as the National polls would suggest. 

I do perceive a sense of frustration with Labour and especially the complete inability to move the political pointer to any shade other than red. Most thinking people would vote Reform, just because they are a hail Mary in an attempt to break the Labour monopoly that has allowed corruption to flourish in the North with little or no pushback.

Just look at the lack of enquiry into the rape gangs. Labour councillors have been implicated by various low-level informal enquiries. Councillors that have now gained high office as MPs. 

No wonder Labour are reluctant to investigate.

Anyway, I will look with some interest upon the by-election.