Forget Joe - and some other stuff

As we know, The Babylon Bee is very good at hitting lots of nails on the head as well as being amusing enough to keep the optimism alive. Here's another example.

 
Democrats Announce You Aren't Allowed To Remember What They Did A Few Years Ago

U.S. — The Democratic Party announced on Tuesday that U.S. citizens were not allowed to remember all those things the party said and did just a few years ago...

At publishing time, Democrats had also added that no one was allowed to remember the existence of anyone named "Joe Biden."


As always, the whole piece is well worth a read and a chuckle, but here in the UK, are we likely to be reminded of the name "Professor Jason Arday" after a week or two?

The News Cycle says - "Who?"

Report

Do you have anything to report for your Earth Sector, Observer Gnorbis? The region known as UK I believe is your current area of investigation?

There are still a number of mysteries to untangle here, Controller. For example, Leader Burnham is the current political leader of Earth's UK region and he visited Ilkeston yesterday…

What is an Ilkeston?

It is the name they give to a certain town, Controller.

So, Observer Gnorbis, as political leader of the moment, this Burnham must have some important tasks to complete in Ilkeston, something you should know about, something of social and political importance.

Unfortunately not Controller, nothing of immediate social or political importance from what I can gather. It seems to be more performance than leadership.

Come now, Gnorbis, we sent you on those training years under the distinguished sociologist Professor Arday at the even more distinguished Cambridge University. Surely this equipped you with numerous social and therefore political insights sufficient to complement your role as an Earth Observer?

Unfortunately not, Controller. I have recently completed a report on the matter which explains a certain amount of confusion in my attempts to grasp sociological and political matters in my Observational Remit.

Oh… that in itself may be interesting Gnorbis. So Professor Arday is not likely to improve our somewhat lamentable understanding of why humans behave as they do?

Not at all. Controller. This may be why I cannot make much sense of Leader Burnham’s visit to Ilkeston. It is supposedly to do with listening, yet Leader Burnham has only poorly developed and highly selective modes of listening – in a political and sociological sense.

What is Leader Burnham listening to Gnorbis?

I do not know, Controller. His own voice mostly.

Oh. When is Leader Burnham due to be replaced?

Soon I hope, Controller. In his own way, Leader Burnham is as sociologically confusing as Professor Arday. It is all in my report, Controller.

A series of “everyday fixes”

Burnham must live up to Labour promise and slash energy bills by £300 – SNP

Andy Burnham must live up to Labour’s promise to slash energy bills by £300, the SNP has said, as the Prime Minister begins his cost-of-living tour of the UK.

Downing Street said Mr Burnham will be in “listening mode” as he visits Britain’s nations and regions.

No 10 said he will announce a series of “everyday fixes” to reduce household costs, promising to “pull every single lever we can to provide people with some room to breathe on the cost of living”.

A series of “everyday fixes” eh? Strange choice of words.

It would be interesting if we could find out if anyone ever believed the claim about a £300 reduction in energy bills. Apart from the voices in Ed Miliband's head, were they the same type of people who apparently believed in the startling abilities of Jason Arday as he climbed the academic ladder? 

It doesn't really matter though, Team Burnham is treating us to political twaddle of an even lower grade than Keir Starmer's turbocharged, laser-focussed Plan for Change. 

The bar is low, but so far it still seems too high for Team Burnham.

The Rot Goes Far Deeper Than Starmer

 

Books or Nails

A local bookshop closed down about a year ago. It didn’t stay empty for long before opening again as –

Nails, Head, Spa, Brows & Lashes Studio

I reckon that says something about the modern world.

One For The Listening Prime Minster

National Audit Office -


The impact of fraud and error on public funds 2023-24

Fraud and error cost the taxpayer billions of pounds each year – but most of the potential loss goes undetected. Based on the Public Sector Fraud Authority’s (PSFA) methodology, we estimate that fraud and error cost the taxpayer £55 billion to £81 billion in 2023-24. Only a fraction of this is detected and known about – enabling investigation and recovery.

Double Glazing

While we're on the subject of new-build houses, here's a video on double glazing.