Voices: Banning phones in schools is the wrong way to keep children safe - "Psychologist Professor Peter Etchells, author of Unlocked: The Real Science of Screentime, also tells me that a ban may seem obvious, but could have unintended consequences. He cites the learnings of a ban in Florida schools, which led to 30 children in a year of primary school age being suspended for violating the rules. I know from my work with schools that some children have second phones they hide at school. A statutory ban needs consequences, so what will your school decide they are, and how will that affect your child’s education? Can your school afford the phone lock pouches, or would the money be better spent on upgraded sporting facilities? Sport has been shown to improve the mental health of pupils. Banning anything creates a culture of secrecy and shame, which may mean your child won’t tell you if they do see or experience something terrible on their phones, and then they have to process this alone. Dr Martha Dieros Collado, author of The Smartphone Solution and a clinical psychologist with 20 years of experience in family therapy, says that digital citizenship must be embedded in all learning, at home and school, from a young age. She cites the example of a 13-year-old girl she worked with who was receiving more than 300 WhatsApp messages each morning and feeling intense pressure to read each one. She needed to be shown how to navigate that – a skill that is useful for all children. We need to instil critical thinking in our kids and get more tech-savvy ourselves as smartphone users. You cannot protect your children through avoidance, and I think a ban feels like punishing some children for things they haven’t done yet."
School bans alone not enough to tackle negative impacts of phone and social media use - "Students attending schools that ban the use of phones throughout the school day aren’t necessarily experiencing better mental health and wellbeing, as the first worldwide study of its kind has found that just banning smartphones is not enough to tackle their negative impacts. In a landmark study published today (Wednesday 5 Feb) in Lancet Regional Health Europe, 1227 students from 30 schools across England provided data about smartphone and social media usage and a range of mental health, wellbeing and other outcomes. Among the schools that took part in the study, 20 had various forms of restrictive phone policies in place. The study, which was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), found that there was no difference in outcomes for students who attend schools that ban smartphones throughout the school day.. Smartphone bans in schools did lead to a slight decrease in students using phones (of approximately 40 minutes) and social media (approx. 30 minutes) in school, but the study suggests that the impact is small and that school policies banning recreational phone use didn’t lead to a meaningful reduction in the overall time spent using phones and social media... “We did find a link between more time spent on phones and social media and worse outcomes, with worse mental wellbeing and mental health outcomes, less physical activity and poorer sleep, lower educational attainment and a greater level of disruptive classroom behaviour."
This suggests that the proposed causation is in the wrong direction
DM Transatlantic: Smartphones should be banned in the classroom - "Citing the work of an Oxford psychologist, Lucy Foulkes (Ref: New Statesman), Jenkins suggests ‘well-meaning efforts to discuss mental health with young people might be inadvertently steering them towards negative outcomes… Rather than encouraging [young people] to navigate the normal ups and downs of life as part of the human experience, we teach them to view these struggles as indicators of issues requiring immediate diagnosis and intervention.’ (Ref: Strangers and Intimates Substack) Jenkins also points out that there have been other events, like the global economic crash and subsequent recessions, as well as the prominence of activists such as Greta Thunberg who promote a ‘climate catastrophe’, which can make young people fearful about their future. Indeed, it is this contemporary narrative, Jenkins argues, where ‘the younger generation is constantly confronted with the notion of an uncertain future that leads to anxiety and fearfulness rather than the particular challenges of our age’. It’s hardly surprising that they are anxious, when they are constantly led to believe they have no future, she says. In addition, Jenkins is one of many critics of Haidt who argue that he has made the classic error of confusing correlation with causation. In other words, just because the decline in mental health in the young coincides with the advent of the smartphone, doesn’t mean the latter is causing the former. There have been a range of events which could be said to define our post-2007 era that Haidt fails to consider properly. In a series of blogs from the London School of Economics, other academics have also been critical of studies such as Haidt’s which claim a link between mental health and smartphone use in the young. They point out that many such studies are prone to cherry-picking their evidence, choosing studies that support their hypothesis and downplaying any research that does not support their claims. In addition, many overstate the extent to which internet addiction is an issue among adolescents, depriving young people of the agency to make decisions for themselves. Such studies often make claims beyond what the data actually shows and dismiss a range of alternative explanations for the rise in mental-health problems in children (Ref: LSE blogs). Another British psychologist, Pete Etchells, is also sceptical of the link between screen-based activities and poor mental health. In his recent book, Unlocked: the real science of screen time and how to spend it better (2024) Etchells also highlights the correlation versus causation problem, arguing it could be as easily argued that mental health issues are leading young people to spend more time on smartphones, or there could be a third factor at play, such as loneliness (Ref: Time). Etchells further suggests that concern over smartphones and mental health may be akin to the ‘moral panics’ that have accompanied innovative changes throughout history. For example, he points to past concerns that TV might promote violent behaviour or radio could lead to addiction. As far back as the nineteenth century, a moral panic ensued around the repeal of the paper tax in the UK, where some people worried that ‘women, children and the working classes’ would need to be ‘protected’ from an influx of trash literature. Even as far back as Ancient Greece, philosophers such as Plato worried about the damaging effects of poetry. In a review published by Nature magazine, American professor of psychological science and informatics, Candice Odgers, argues that the idea that digital technologies are rewiring children’s brains is ‘not supported by the science’ (Ref: Nature). She suggests that hundreds of researchers, including herself, have searched for the kinds of effects being suggested and they have produced a mix of small associations or no associations whatsoever. In fact, she says, when associations are analysed over time, they suggest ‘not that social-media use predicts or causes depression, but that young people who already have mental-health problems use such platforms more often or in different ways to their healthy peers’ (Ref: Cap X). For Odgers, the rising hysteria around smartphones could be distracting us from tackling the real causes of young people’s problems... Timandra Harkness, British journalist and author of Technology is Not the Problem argues we are wrong to point the finger at technology (Ref: Technology is Not the Problem). The study of previous panics around technology suggests that technology is often the scapegoat for broader social problems. Today, ‘successive generations … have less independent time outside adult supervision, and fewer opportunities to take risks and initiatives for themselves’. In the absence of other opportunities, is it any surprise that young people turn to smartphones? (Ref: UnHerd.)" Climate change hysteria and other left wing neuroses have very real harms
Tribe 'has bricks thrown at them' by angry locals for 'reclaiming stolen land' - "The self-proclaimed 'Queen' of the Kubala Kingdom posted video footage of harassment by a group of locals she said included bricks being thrown at them, racial attacks, and shouting and intimidation. Queen Nandi, 43, a mother of seven who was born Jean Gasho, is joined in the tribe by her husband 'King Atehene' and their handmaiden Asnat. They have settled in a forest in Jedburgh, with the intention of reclaiming land they claim was stolen from their ancestors in the Highlands 400 years ago. Their presence had baffled locals but last night tensions escalated with the 'queen' reporting they had been attacked with 'bricks' and 'racial slurs' by locals who wanted them out."
Germany: Husband-wife duo Mohammad and Israa beat Berlin ticket inspector until he went blind in one eye, called him 'dirty n****r' during attack - "German public servants such as police officers and firefighters are under constant threat in the capital of Berlin, but even seemingly benign positions, like a ticket inspector, can also suffer severe violence. Two thugs, 24-year-old Mohammad A. and his wife Israa M. (22), a husband and wife duo, beat a 47-year-old ticket inspector until he went blind in one eye. The incident occurred on Aug. 18, 2022, on the M29 bus at the Wittenbergplatz stop. The ticket inspector was checking tickets on the bus for the BVG, the Berlin transport authority... The defendant, Mohammad A., said in court, “I’m so sorry about your eyes.“ He was on probation at the time of the incident."
Do left wingers love Muslims or blacks more?
Emotional support alligator is no longer welcome in Pennsylvania Walmart - "A western Pennsylvania man and his emotional support alligator took a shopping cart spin around the local Walmart, where he claims they've never had a problem — but this recent trip earned them orders to stay away, the retail giant confirmed Thursday. Wesley Silva, 60, and his 5-foot-long, 32-pound reptile named Jinseioshi made the local news after a trip to a Walmart in West Brownsville, where he pushed the alligator around in a shopping cart as she was wearing a dress. Before concerns about the recent visit were raised, Silva insisted he and Jinseioshi experienced nothing but praise... Before Jinseioshi arrived, Silva already had a zoo's worth of reptiles in his animal family, including six snakes, a leopard gecko, a Komodo dragon, an ocellated skink and a second alligator. He also has a dog. Silva, a pastor at a Baptist church and a Brethren church, stopped just short of calling his worship of reptiles a holy act. "In the Bible, God talks about us having dominion over animals, and I developed an affinity for the reptiles," said Silva, the father of five children. "I find them very soothing." The reptile collection started three years ago when a daughter wanted a snake. "
Meme - Josh RR Jokien @joshcarlosjosh: "Pippin to Frodo when they're back home in the Shire:"
Phil Lester @AmazingPhil: "gonna confess i'm still not sure what the ring from lord of the rings actually did except make you invisible and angry"
Rachel Gilmore on X - "it's so funny how men online literally can't handle the fact that I'm both extremely smart AND extremely hot. it breaks them. very sad"
Jonathan Kay on X - "There’s a small subniche of twitter addicts who are effectively codependent with their own trolls. The trolls use their ideological opposition as an excuse to make antisocial ad hominem attacks. And the twitter addict uses the trolling as a pretext to package their megalomania as an expression of righteous self validation"
Doctor left patient for sex with nurse in operating theatre - "A married doctor had sex with a nurse in an operating theatre while a patient was under anaesthetic, a medical tribunal heard. Dr Suhail Anjum, 44, and the nurse were caught in a “compromising position” by a “shocked” colleague at Tameside Hospital who walked in on the pair. The tribunal was told that Dr Anjum, a consultant anaesthetist, had asked another nursing colleague to monitor the male patient halfway through the surgery so he could take a “comfort break”. Instead, Dr Anjum went to another operating theatre at the hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, where he had sex with the woman, named as “Nurse C”... Dr Anjum said the incident took place during a “stressful time” for his family following the birth of his youngest child in January 2023."
About speed camera: now the data is in: in three weeks, 32000 tickets total, 10000 in New Westminster (500 per day) : r/Vaughan - "Personal Disclosure: Traffic Enforcement Experience in New Westminster
Over that three weeks, my wife and I have received a total of three tickets, three in 51km/h, one in 52kmh, another 54kmh. Each ticket came with an average fine of approximately $95. As part of our daily routine, I travel along that stretch four times a day for school drop-off and pick-up, amounting to roughly 80 trips per month. I want to clarify: I’m not a speedster, nor is my wife. Like many of you, we’re ordinary residents managing everyday life behind the wheel of a family vehicle. The reality is that no one checks their odometer and the speed limit sign 100% of the time. You’re talking to your kids, reacting to unpredictable road situations, or momentarily distracted—and you drift slightly above the limit. In this case, going just over 51 km/h in that zone is enough to trigger a ticket. This isn’t a complaint, but a reflection on how easily honest, everyday driving can result in penalties—even when safety isn’t being compromised. I respect the role of traffic enforcement, but I think we should also acknowledge the human side of driving, especially in school zones frequented by local families."
Luigi Mangione says he was beaten up by 'ladyboys' in Bangkok ahead of CEO murder: report - "Suspected killer Luigi Mangione reportedly said he was attacked by a group of transgender women while he was partying in Bangkok ahead of the deadly CEO shooting... The New York Times said Mangione messaged his friends about his "wild nights" during the trip. In one encounter, he was allegedly assaulted by seven "ladyboys""
Prosecutors say Luigi Mangione inspired others by killing health care CEO - "Prosecutors say Luigi Mangione, accused of killing the CEO of UnitedHealthcare on a Manhattan sidewalk, has inspired others to embrace violence over reasoned debate. As evidence of Mangione’s growing influence, prosecutors cited the last month’s deadly mass shooting at the National Football League headquarters... “Simply put, the defendant hoped to normalize the use of violence to achieve ideological or political objectives,” they said. “Since the murder, certain quarters of the public — who openly identify as acolytes of the defendant — have increasingly begun to view violence as an acceptable, or even necessary, substitute for reasoned political disagreement.” In a footnote, prosecutors referenced the gunman who went into an office building not far from where Thompson was shot in midtown Manhattan, then killed four people including an off-duty police officer, a financial services firm executive and a security guard, and wounded others, including an NFL employee. Mangione is accused of leaving behind evidence showing disdain for the insurance industry. Similarly, the NFL headquarters gunman identified as Shane Tamura left behind a handwritten note blaming the league and football for causing chronic traumatic encephalopathy, known at CTE, prosecutors noted. Tamura, who took his own life, accused the league of hiding the dangers of brain injuries linked to contact sports. “Almost immediately, members of the public sympathetic to the defendant touted Tamura’s actions as a laudable continuation of the defendant’s philosophy,” prosecutors said. Prosecutors said Mangione has “openly cultivated supporters” by setting up a website and directly addressing them. They said Mangione also has catalogued all of the supportive letters he has received on his website."
Time to jail the "far right" to keep people safe
Why does the academic year for primary / secondary schools and JCs not align with universities? : r/askSingapore - "Good question! Traditionally, the O and A levels scripts were sent to the UK by ship for marking and this took several months. Hence, there was a long delay between the end of the exams and the beginning of the next education tier. For instance, between the end of the O levels and the start of post-secondary education, there is an official gap of 3 to 5 months, 3 for JC and 5 for polytechnic. In the 1950s and 60s, the university academic year actually started in early May because the scripts were only back in Singapore in March. They later pushed the university academic year back to July and then August to accommodate NS, which was 2.5 years in the past. In most countries, the school leaving exams end about 2.5 to 3 months before the end of the academic year whereas in Singapore, they end almost at the end of the academic year. In the UK, the academic year ends on Aug 31 and the O and A levels end around mid June. Hence, all the marking is completed within the academic year. In Singapore, the marking of the exam scripts cannot be finished within the academic year and spills over the next academic year. Also, in other countries, students pick their schools before they take their exams. For instance in the UK, they choose their universities and courses before they take the A levels and conditional offers are made to the students. If their actual A level exam results meet the requirements, they get to go to the course they have had the conditional offers. The Singapore system is actually outdated and very slow. Students waste a lot of time waiting for their results and picking their university courses. It is crazy how developing countries like China, India, and Vietnam can do this more efficiently than our world class education system."
Meme - "I really wish I could own the libs by triggering them with my love of America, Jesus, the police, the flag, and chihuahuas.
Temu: you're not gonna believe this..."
Meme - Coon Rapids Minnesota Sales And Ite...: *Coffins* "We are using them as coffee tables but bought for when we die. We are relocating no room for them."
"$400 - Two special built coffins"
Meme - "Mom, I'm dating our neighbor."
"He could be your dad."
"Age isn't an issue, mom."
"No, I don't think you understand me."
Meme - Dr Asif Munaf: "Jews are born with the inherent ability to deceive."
"This you, Asif?"
"The suspended doctor selling workers sick notes on demand. 'Rogue' online service offers certificates for months off work with no medical tests or consultation. A suspended doctor is selling sick notes online to customers who want to go on holiday, take months off work for alleged Covid infection or care for an ill dog, The Telegraph can reveal. Asif Munaf, who was suspended from the me register ever anti-Semitic social media posts, runs Dr Sick Ltd, a company that offers same-day sick notes for as little as Without any face-to-face or phone consultation, Telegraph reporters were able to obtain medical certificates granting five months off work for Covid, six weeks for anxiety over a sick pet, and four weeks of home working to enable them to go on holiday abroad. All three notes were issued within hours of the requests being made. A dossier of evidence has been shared with the General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates doctors, and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the healthcare watchdog."
Meme - "I now pronounce you husband and wife, till death due you part."
Busty Denise Milani: "Hi I'm death."
Meme - "I DON'T ALWAYS USE THE WRONG MEME. BUT WHEN I USE THIS ONE, NO ONE CARES" *Jamilya Damon*
:3 [swf] - Taringa!
Meme - Hitler: "A world domination cult
That hates the Jews
Considers itself a Master Race
Dehumanizing & removing the rights of those who don't fit their ideal.
Imposing its ideology through violence
Anti-West
Uses Propaganda to Mobilize Support against Jews
Wants to Mark People to distinguish them
Islamist:
"A world domination cult
That hates the Jews
Considers itself the Best of People
Dehumanizing & removing the rights of those who don't fit their ideal - Dhimmitude
Imposing its ideology through violence
Anti-West
Uses Propaganda to Mobilize Support for Palestine and uses Propaganda against Jews & Christians
Wants to Mark People through the Dabbat al-Ard to distinguish them"
Meme - "How To Liberal
March: *angry robot with Ukraine flag*
April: *angry robot with Palestine flag*
May: *angry robot with Mexico flag*
June: *angry robot with Iran flag*
What Flag Will It Be Next Month?"
Meme - Jo @JoJoFromJerz: "Has a single Republican come forward to denounce the politically motivated and deadly shootings of lawmakers in Minnesota?"
Bob E. I Drone Pilot & AirBnB SuperHost @cot5r: "@grok Could you summarize the response from Republican lawmakers regarding the deadly shootings of lawmakers in Minnesota?"
Grok: "Republican lawmakers have condemned the June 14, 2025, Minnesota shootings that killed Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband and injured Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. President Donald Trump called the incident "terrible," stating, "Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America," and expressed support for Minnesota. Minnesota Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson said, "Senate Republicans are unified in our condemnation of this brazen act of violence," thanking law enforcement for their response. These statements reflect a unified Republican stance against the politically motivated attacks, though further responses may emerge as the situation develops."
Left wingers just love misinformation
Cambridge historian seeks recognition for first English king - "A University of Cambridge academic has joined calls for greater recognition of the first king of England. Aethelstan ruled England from 927 AD to 939 and united the kings of Wessex, Mercia, Northumberland and East Anglia/Danelaw under a single crown. He was also king of the Anglo Saxons from his coronation in 925, and was buried in Malmesbury Abbey in Wiltshire. David Woodman, a professor of history at Cambridge University who has written a new book about the king, said: As we approach the anniversaries of Aethelstan's coronation in 925 and the birth of England itself in 927, I would like his name to become much better known. He really deserves that." Aethelstan was the grandson of Alfred the Great and in 929 he conquered the last Viking kingdom, York, at the Battle of Brunanburh, making him the first Anglo-Saxon ruler of the whole of England. He died in Gloucester in 939 and was succeeded by his half-brother Edmund. Woodman, from Robinson College, said: "There has been so much focus on 1066, the moment when England was conquered. "It's about time we thought about its formation, and the person who brought it together in the first place." Prof Woodman said he blamed a lack of public relations for this. "Aethelstan didn't have a biographer writing up his story. "His grandfather, Alfred the Great, had the Welsh cleric Asser to sing his praises. "And within decades of Aethelstan's death, a wave of propaganda ensured King Edgar became famous for reforming the church. This completely overshadowed Aethelstan's earlier revamping of learning and religiosity." Edgar was the son of Aethelstan's brother Edmund, was the great-grandson of Alfred and became king of all England in 959."
A wave of longevity is sweeping across Africa. It isn’t ready. - "Across Africa, a stunning success story has quietly taken hold: Decades of progress have begun delivering a wave of longevity that promises to reshape the demographics of the continent. But as lifespans lengthen and villages begin to fill with the old, pensions and social safety nets are minimal, medical care is lacking and routine problems of age are so commonly unaddressed that cataracts turn to blindness and minor infections end in death."
Bond markets show the world is flirting with disaster - "G7 public debt is at an all-time high, and no government has any serious plan to bring borrowing under control. Instead, from the US to Germany, policymakers plan to borrow more to finance further massive public spending increases. Some growth in parts of public spending, especially on defence and infrastructure, is long overdue. However, these targeted expansions are merely the thin end of the wedge. We face ever-growing, long-term increases in public spending as a result of ageing populations, as governments try to honour promises of generous state pensions and public healthcare provisions. The costs associated with these long-term commitments are amplified by overly generous welfare programmes and other handouts, which distort incentives to work and save for old age. This impairs public finances on both sides of the ledger – by decreasing potential receipts from income taxes as well as increasing transfer payments... Advanced economies are already on the path of slowing growth and rising debt that cannot be solved by raising taxes further, since excessively high taxes are a key cause of the slow-growth trap we have fallen into. The real puzzle is why governments seem so reluctant to tackle these budget challenges and restore confidence to markets, especially when they are being penalised so heavily for inaction... Rising and volatile government debt costs crowd out private investment, harm confidence, curtail credit growth, create financial stability risks and constrain policy choices – for central banks as well as governments. The first government that takes serious steps to bring spending and taxes into better balance and to put long-term debt on a sustainable path will be rewarded by financial markets with a lower cost of borrowing and inflows of capital seeking a genuine safe haven. It may be that governments are reluctant to curtail spending because they believe it would be politically unpopular. I am not convinced. The current bond market wobbles are the third such episode this year. Judging by the near-persistent press coverage of these issues, it is hard to believe that the average voter is unaware of the economic risks associated with the advanced world’s present fiscal mess. The misunderstanding lies not with the voter, but with the policymaker who routinely overestimates their own role in creating economic growth. Ronald Reagan said: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help’.” He was not wrong... Governments tend to learn the hard way. The route through the mess may be that markets force an adjustment somewhere"
Tens of thousands of federal jobs should be eliminated, says the MEI - "There are 367,772 federal employees, or nine per 1,000 residents, compared to 7.2 when Trudeau took office. By comparison, the United Kingdom has 7.4 federal employees per 1,000 residents and Germany 6.2 employees per 1,000 residents."
The cope is going to be that a big country needs more civil servants
Public safety minister’s phone number was in document seized during 2006 terror finance probe - "Gary Anandasangaree’s phone number was found in a document seized when RCMP national security officers searched a suspected Tamil Tigers fundraising office in 2006... Anandasangaree is now Canada’s Minister of Public Safety, putting him in charge of the nation’s counter-terrorism agencies, including the RCMP, Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Canada Border Services Agency. The document in which his contact information appears was discovered during Project Osaluki, an investigation into the World Tamil Movement (WTM), which allegedly raised millions in Canada for the Tamil Tigers, a designated terrorist group... The RCMP filed the document, which listed Anandasangaree’s phone number and a dozen others, in court in a file titled “Contact list of area coordinators”... before joining cabinet, Anandasangaree wrote letters urging border security officials to allow a suspected former member of the Tamil Tigers to resettle in Canada. While Anandasangaree initially said he only did so because he was the MP who represented the man’s wife, Global News reported that court documents indicated the woman had never lived in his riding."
