Current Affairs

[Gill W]

Probably friends of Virginia Giuffre

A young girl speaking out against rich and powerful men - it doesn’t take much imagination to understand how difficult that would have been when she was 17.

[Bensham33]

This 'party' thing is getting out of hand. The police are investigating. This will go on for months now. Boris will like that.

[towny44]

Probably friends of Virginia Giuffre

A young girl speaking out against rich and powerful men - it doesn’t take much imagination to understand how difficult that would have been when she was 17.

...and probably enjoying the rich lifestyle, otherwise she wouldn't have kept coming back for more.

[towny44]

This 'party' thing is getting out of hand. The police are investigating. This will go on for months now. Boris will like that.

I'm surprised Angie Raynor didn't accuse Boris of orchestrating the police involvement, just so it would slow down the process.

[Onelife]

Seems strange that after years of inactivity these people suddenly decide to go to the papers to report something which they should have reported to the authorities at the time. Of course there couldn't be an ulterior motive could there?

I know where you are coming from Foxy and there is a part of me that agrees with you, however, from my understanding this then young girl came from a troubled background not unlike many young Iranian girls which are being trafficked to the UK for use in the sex trade. Many of theses girls are easy pickings for older seemingly wealthy, soon to become boyfriends who then draw them into believing they are cared for and loved. Sadly, the reality soon becomes a life of sex drugs and abuse.

In the case of Viginia Cruff whilst there may be an element of payback time for her, I prefer to see it from the eyes of what was then an impressionable 17-year-old who was eventually to become Epstein’s and Maxwells sexual play thing, distributed to whoever they thought might enjoy sexual encounters with an underage girl.

How one perceives exploitation is perhaps a difficult one but given the circumstances of how she was enticed into sleeping with overweight drooling old men then I ask myself who at the age of 17 really understand their best life choices.

She was exploited in order that others could make those choices for her.

[Mervyn and Trish]

It's funny that those who considered Sue Gray's investigation inadequate are now not happy with a police investigation.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Exactly Merv.
It’s pile in time. If this ex minister was so traumatised, why didn’t she take the opportunity when offered?
The minutes of the incident may well just show that she was bloody useless, like the majority of them.
Of course she’ll claim to be the victim of prejudice (fill in your own one)

An example without naming names. A female presenter who was dropped by the BBC claimed sexual discrimination. Some who worked with her said there was no discrimination. She just wasn't up to the job. As a viewer I agree.

[Gill W]

Probably friends of Virginia Giuffre

A young girl speaking out against rich and powerful men - it doesn’t take much imagination to understand how difficult that would have been when she was 17.

...and probably enjoying the rich lifestyle, otherwise she wouldn't have kept coming back for more.

Oh my God

[Gill W]

In the case of Viginia Cruff whilst there may be an element of payback time for her, I prefer to see it from the eyes of what was then an impressionable 17-year-old who was eventually to become Epstein’s and Maxwells sexual play thing, distributed to whoever they thought might enjoy sexual encounters with an underage girl.

How one perceives exploitation is perhaps a difficult one but given the circumstances of how she was enticed into sleeping with overweight drooling old men then I ask myself who at the age of 17 really understand their best life choices.

She was exploited in order that others could make those choices for her.

Well said, Keith

[barney]

Exactly Merv.
It’s pile in time. If this ex minister was so traumatised, why didn’t she take the opportunity when offered?
The minutes of the incident may well just show that she was bloody useless, like the majority of them.
Of course she’ll claim to be the victim of prejudice (fill in your own one)

An example without naming names. A female presenter who was dropped by the BBC claimed sexual discrimination. Some who worked with her said there was no discrimination. She just wasn't up to the job. As a viewer I agree.

When I worked for HMG, we had a young lady of Asian decent (English born) who always played the race or sex card when she was overlooked for a position.
The reality was that she was constantly behind the curve, but nobody in authority had the gonads to tell her.
Neither would any colleague because we were all conscious of the potential ramifications.
So, every appraisal, she got through by the skin of her teeth and we had to live with it.
That’s life.

[Manoverboard]

...and probably enjoying the rich lifestyle, otherwise she wouldn't have kept coming back for more.

There had to be a level of enjoyment, praps she's a nympho

I do also wonder if she's going to return the trinkets that she doubtless received along the way ?

[Onelife]

A young girl speaking out against rich and powerful men - it doesn’t take much imagination to understand how difficult that would have been when she was 17.

...and probably enjoying the rich lifestyle, otherwise she wouldn't have kept coming back for more.

Oh my God

I thought the same but didn't think it worth replying

[oldbluefox]

Seems strange that after years of inactivity these people suddenly decide to go to the papers to report something which they should have reported to the authorities at the time. Of course there couldn't be an ulterior motive could there?

I know where you are coming from Foxy and there is a part of me that agrees with you, however, from my understanding this then young girl came from a troubled background not unlike many young Iranian girls which are being trafficked to the UK for use in the sex trade. Many of theses girls are easy pickings for older seemingly wealthy, soon to become boyfriends who then draw them into believing they are cared for and loved. Sadly, the reality soon becomes a life of sex drugs and abuse.

In the case of Viginia Cruff whilst there may be an element of payback time for her, I prefer to see it from the eyes of what was then an impressionable 17-year-old who was eventually to become Epstein’s and Maxwells sexual play thing, distributed to whoever they thought might enjoy sexual encounters with an underage girl.

How one perceives exploitation is perhaps a difficult one but given the circumstances of how she was enticed into sleeping with overweight drooling old men then I ask myself who at the age of 17 really understand their best life choices.

She was exploited in order that others could make those choices for her.

I was actually talking in general terms but it applies equally to all except very young children.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I do think a vulnerable 17 year old, underage in the eyes of the law, is in a different position to a grown woman old enough to become an MP and mature enough to become a Minister. In the latter case I do smell a rat when she apparently declined the complaint route offered at the time, didn't pursue any other complaint route she considered more appropriate and only breaks cover when she scents blood.

[Onelife]

Re: post 13813 it should have read…

‘Ukraine’

[Mervyn and Trish]

Exactly Merv.
It’s pile in time. If this ex minister was so traumatised, why didn’t she take the opportunity when offered?
The minutes of the incident may well just show that she was bloody useless, like the majority of them.
Of course she’ll claim to be the victim of prejudice (fill in your own one)

An example without naming names. A female presenter who was dropped by the BBC claimed sexual discrimination. Some who worked with her said there was no discrimination. She just wasn't up to the job. As a viewer I agree.

When I worked for HMG, we had a young lady of Asian decent (English born) who always played the race or sex card when she was overlooked for a position.
The reality was that she was constantly behind the curve, but nobody in authority had the gonads to tell her.
Neither would any colleague because we were all conscious of the potential ramifications.
So, every appraisal, she got through by the skin of her teeth and we had to live with it.
That’s life.

I had a similar experience with a gay guy. If anyone criticised him he immediately played the homophobia card. A complete nightmare to performance manage. I have nothing against him being gay. His business and of no concern to me. But he was a very nasty piece of work who made colleagues' lives hell.

[oldbluefox]

I do think a vulnerable 17 year old, underage in the eyes of the law, is in a different position to a grown woman old enough to become an MP and mature enough to become a Minister. In the latter case I do smell a rat when she apparently declined the complaint route offered at the time, didn't pursue any other complaint route she considered more appropriate and only breaks cover when she scents blood.

The age of consent in UK is 16 so she would not be underage.

[Manoverboard]

It used to be different in different States within the USA ... crossing the State line as they used to say

[Mervyn and Trish]

IMF forecasts UK growth to be lower than expected in 2022 as it recovers from the Covid, pandemic, but still the fastest in the G7, as it was last year. Brexit has been a real disaster hasn't it?

[Mervyn and Trish]

I do think a vulnerable 17 year old, underage in the eyes of the law, is in a different position to a grown woman old enough to become an MP and mature enough to become a Minister. In the latter case I do smell a rat when she apparently declined the complaint route offered at the time, didn't pursue any other complaint route she considered more appropriate and only breaks cover when she scents blood.

The age of consent in UK is 16 so she would not be underage.

Yes sorry I should have been clearer. Underage in the eyes of US law, where she's pursuing the case.

[screwy]

Changing the subject because I spent 26 yrs locking up people for having underage sex, male and females I would add.!

Has anyone else found it impossible to buy the ‘ Cube ‘ boxes of tissues.?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Yes, if only because they are more expensive than the cheap own brand ones we normally buy.

[Kendhni]

IMF forecasts UK growth to be lower than expected in 2022 as it recovers from the Covid, pandemic, but still the fastest in the G7, as it was last year. Brexit has been a real disaster hasn't it?

I think you probably appreciate that does not show a clear picture. In 2020 the UK seriously lagged behind many other comparitive countries as they recovered but the UK didn't. So for 2021 it was starting from a very low base point and caught up rapidly during the first half of 2021. However in Q3 and Q4 it appears to have fallen back quite a bit to 5th place behind France, Italy, Germany and Canada (with the US and Japan showing lower figures). Over the course of the pandemic the UK economy has contracted by 1.5% placing them in second last place within the G7.

So at this point I don't think any serious conclusion can be made about success or failure.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Maybe so. But falling 1.5% in a pandemic is not the disaster Project Fear predicted. And inwas only quoting the IMF. What do they know eh?

#GlassHalfFull

[Mervyn and Trish]

The opposition parties up their demands for Boris to resign ahead of the outcome of the Gray inquiry and the police investigation.

What's wrong with waiting for the conclusions? Are they afraid the results won't justify their demands?

I'm not defending anyone. I just want the jury to reach their verdict before sentence is passed.