Random News not worthy of own thread

[Bishop149]

To keep the diplomat's family from being used as leverage by the host government.

I guess that makes sense, but I rather think that a better solution to that one is to employ people who don't have familiarises, or are prepared to be apart for them for the sake of their work. . . . rather than have a whole slew of people who are essentially exempt from the law.

[pjknibbs]

I guess that makes sense, but I rather think that a better solution to that one is to employ people who don't have familiarises, or are prepared to be apart for them for the sake of their work. . . . rather than have a whole slew of people who are essentially exempt from the law.

So you're basically saying we should treat diplomats the same as people who are in the army or similar high risk jobs? I don't see that working terribly well, to be honest.

[Bishop149]

So you're basically saying we should treat diplomats the same as people who are in the army or similar high risk jobs? I don't see that working terribly well, to be honest.

It's admittedly anecdotal but I kind thought this happened anyway, that senior diplomats were a live to work not work to live kind of lot.
An ex of mines father was an ambassador. . . . he lived in the country in which he was assigned and she, her mum and her sister lived here in the UK.
She gave the impression that was the usual arrangement.

[Vertigo 7]

So you're basically saying we should treat diplomats the same as people who are in the army or similar high risk jobs? I don't see that working terribly well, to be honest.

It's admittedly anecdotal but I kind thought this happened anyway, that senior diplomats were a live to work not work to live kind of lot.
An ex of mines father was an ambassador. . . . he lived in the country in which he was assigned and she, her mum and her sister lived here in the UK.
She gave the impression that was the usual arrangement.

To be fair, not every ambassador takes their family with them out of country. I think it largely depends on where their assignment is and how long they're expected to be there. However, in this case, it's a bit odd if the report is accurate that the specific diplomat is a spy. I've never heard of diplomats and spies being one in the same.

[jlehtone]

So you're basically saying we should treat diplomats the same as people who are in the army

What does diplomat's job description say? "Walk in the park" or "you're expendable"?

[Vertigo 7]

https://www.snopes.com/ap/2019/10/10/tr ... mats-wife/

Sadly, but somewhat not surprisingly, it doesn't appear that Trump is going to return the woman to the UK to face prosecution.

[pjknibbs]

Apparently he had a visible briefing note confirming that anyway:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-n ... e-49995867

[felter]

What I would do is tell the Americans that I was suspending all diplomatic immunity around the area where the accident happened, including the airbase until a satisfactory conclusion around the matter of the accident was achieved. Now I know a few of you are going to say you can't suspend diplomatic immunity, and yes normally that would be the case, but only when the diplomatic immunity is in a town/city where an embassy is established. America 's nearest embassy is in London, this airbase is 70 miles outside London so is not covered by it's embassy's diplomatic arrangement. The diplomatic immunity around the airbase where the accident happened is just a special deal we have with America, and we know what America thinks on deals they just break them when it pleases them, so basically any deals anyone has with them do not matter, throw it back at them.

I would then flood the area with as many police as I could manage to send to that town with the express orders to clamp down on any laws broken no matter how insignificant the breaking of that law was. I would make it very difficult to impossible for any diplomat to operate freely in that area. I would probably also give them an eviction notice on the airbase itself, without the diplomatic immunity there is not much they can do and once again if there is any deals surrounding the base, just tear them up hand them to the Americans and say here this is what you do with deals so that's what we are doing.

Make life difficult for them, even though America is supposed to be one of our allies, we also know what America does to them nowadays.

[Vertigo 7]

What I would do is tell the Americans that I was suspending all diplomatic immunity around the area where the accident happened, including the airbase until a satisfactory conclusion around the matter of the accident was achieved. Now I know a few of you are going to say you can't suspend diplomatic immunity, and yes normally that would be the case, but only when the diplomatic immunity is in a town/city where an embassy is established. America 's nearest embassy is in London, this airbase is 70 miles outside London so is not covered by it's embassy's diplomatic arrangement. The diplomatic immunity around the airbase where the accident happened is just a special deal we have with America, and we know what America thinks on deals they just break them when it pleases them, so basically any deals anyone has with them do not matter, throw it back at them.

I would then flood the area with as many police as I could manage to send to that town with the express orders to clamp down on any laws broken no matter how insignificant the breaking of that law was. I would make it very difficult to impossible for any diplomat to operate freely in that area. I would probably also give them an eviction notice on the airbase itself, without the diplomatic immunity there is not much they can do and once again if there is any deals surrounding the base, just tear them up hand them to the Americans and say here this is what you do with deals so that's what we are doing.

Make life difficult for them, even though America is supposed to be one of our allies, we also know what America does to them nowadays.

I dunno about that. You're not going to accomplish much by harassing people that aren't involved with this.

Trump clearly doesn't care about our image over seas. If he has it his way, we'll close all ports and put a bubble around the US and keep everyone out. Honestly, without getting support from the WH or the State Department, the best thing to do would be to continue to pressure the US to return the woman to the UK and wait for the next president.

Would there be any statute of limitations in the UK on charges? I realize this death was accidental, but in the US it would still be a felony and there would be at least 5 years before charges couldn't be pressed any longer.

[felter]

There are no statutes of limitations in the UK for major crimes, even an accidental death or something along the lines of a murder. As far as I gather a serious case will be kept open for up to 70 years, after that it looks like they deem the case too old to proceed, probably as they expect the person who committed the crime to be too old or dead already. But saying that, minor crimes can have up to 52 weeks or as short as 16 weeks to be dealt with, as far as I know the time limit doesn't start until charges are brought. So you wouldn't be able to commit a crime and get away with it if it wasn't discovered till after those 52 weeks. There was a case recently where a driver got away with drink driving offences as the court case proceedings commenced 1 day after the 1 year time limit, if he had killed someone or seriously injured someone, then he wouldn't have got away with it.

[felter]

Here's a good one. It turns out that in 2018 the richest 400 families in America paid a lower tax rate than that of the lower half of earners in America, 23% compared to 24.2% respectively. It's good to be rich in America, not so if your poor.

[Vertigo 7]

Here's a good one. It turns out that in 2018 the richest 400 families in America paid a lower tax rate than that of the lower half of earners in America, 23% compared to 24.2% respectively. It's good to be rich in America, not so if your poor.

Probably should be more in the Trump thread, but yeah... not surprising. Everyone saw the Trump tax plan as a farce. He straight up lied to the American public (again, no surprise) and the Trumpanzies ate it up.

[felter]

I thought about putting it in there, but the article I read basically said it started back in the 60's, so before Trumps time. His tax cut just pushed it over the edge but it was and has been heading that way for a long time now, so I put it here.

[Bishop149]

What I would do is tell the Americans that I was suspending all diplomatic immunity around the area where the accident happened, including the airbase until a satisfactory conclusion around the matter of the accident was achieved. Now I know a few of you are going to say you can't suspend diplomatic immunity, and yes normally that would be the case, but only when the diplomatic immunity is in a town/city where an embassy is established.

You can't really do it half-arsed like that.
Revoking diplomatic privileges can certainly be done but is usually involves closing embassies and expelling the diplomats.
That's a hell of a step to take, and I think both the UK and US know that we won't. . . . certainly not over this.

What we could do however is make it very clear that women in question is no longer covered and that if she ever sets a single foot in a place where Britain has the jurisdiction / authority to do so (it's own borders or anyone we have a decent extradition treaty with) she will be arrested and charged.

[Vertigo 7]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... Trump.html

The Dunns ain't having it from Trump. I sincerely hope they get the justice they seek.

[felter]

So I take it you have all been following the fun and games that are being had at Blizzard right now after they banned Ng Wai "Blitzchung" Chung for his comment:

"Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our age,"

After his match in a hearthstone competition on Sunday night then they went and commented that they stood with the Chinese people on this matter. So far the response has not been what they expected to happen, to say the least. They have had staff walkouts, thousands have cancelled their Blizzard accounts, even Democrats and Republicans have joined forces to take a dig at Blizzard. Meanwhile other competitors have quit their game. It's not looking too good for them right now and they did it all for the love money.

[pjknibbs]

They posted an update saying it was totes not about China at all, and they've reduced the bans for the player and the two casters to a mere six months...we all believe them, guys, right? Guys?

[felter]

YongYea has done a video on Blizzards response to what has been going on and I have to agree with what he is saying. Sounds awfully like Blizzard have not got a clue what they are doing or what they did wrong and they have just handled badly doing one thing wrong after another. If you don't know what is going on YongYea does have I think it is five videos on the subject, it's like as soon as he made one video and posted it, something new would happen. I still feel sorry for the two presenters, they did nothing wrong after all they did not deserve any kind of punishment.

[Vertigo 7]

You know, it's really funny the South Park creators saw this coming. Perhaps not this specific event, but their new season started with "You gotta lower your ideals of freedom if you wanna suck on the warm teat of China." This was before the NBA censorship issue. And it's so true. American businesses are clamoring to break into markets in China due to their dense population and they're willing to compromise their morals to do it.

This is a prime example of why I don't believe businesses should have any voice in government. Their goals are profit, and not concern for people. I don't fault them for that, but rule of law should support the individual, not corporate greed and I wholeheartedly support government regulation to protect the people from corporations. That's my opinion, at any rate.

[felter]

No sooner do you think that Bethesda couldn't stoop any lower, they somehow always seem to manage to do so nowadays. Today they released the $100 annual subscription for fallout 76, a game that is competing for the illustrious title of worst ever AAA title to be released. Angry Joe (cursing language used) has done a good angry rant about it. Myself I have to admit I have had probably a couple of good hours from Fallout 76 and I have never played the game. But due to it, there is a good chance I will never play another new Bethesda game ever again.