#three best rated uk

[reasonsforhope]

Double dose of articles about how crime is actually plummeting

From the UK:

"Seventy-eight per cent of people in England and Wales think that crime has gone up in the last few years, according to the latest survey. But the data on actual crime shows the exact opposite.

As of 2024, violence, burglary and car crime have been declining for 30 years and by close to 90%, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) – our best indicator of true crime levels. Unlike police data, the CSEW is not subject to variations in reporting and recording.

The drop in violence includes domestic violence and other violence against women. Anti-social behaviour has similarly declined. While increased fraud and computer misuse now make up half of crime, this mainly reflects how far the rates of other crimes have fallen.

All high-income countries have experienced similar trends, and there is scientific consensus that the decline in crime is a real phenomenon.

The perception gap

So why is there such a gulf between public perception and the reality of crime trends? A regular YouGov poll asks respondents for their top three concerns from a broad set of issues. Concern about crime went from a low in 2016 (when people were more concerned with Brexit), quadrupled by 2019 and plummeted during the pandemic when people had other worries. But in the last year, the public’s concern about crime has risen again.

There are many possible explanations for this, of which the first is poor information. A study published in 1998 found that “people who watch a lot of television or who read a lot of newspapers will be exposed to a steady diet of crime stories” that does not reflect official statistics.

The old news media adage “if it bleeds, it leads” reflects how violent news stories, including crime increases and serious crimes, capture public attention. Knife crime grabs headlines in the UK, but our shock at individual incidents is testament to their rarity and our relative success in controlling violence – many gun crimes do not make the news in the US.

Most recent terrorist attacks in the UK have featured knives (plus a thwarted Liverpool bomber), but there is little discussion of how this indicates that measures to restrict guns and bomb-making resources are effective."

-via The Conversation, May 13, 2024

And the United States:

"[The United States experienced a spike in crime rates in 2020, during the pandemic.] But in 2023, crime in America looked very different.

"At some point in 2022 — at the end of 2022 or through 2023 — there was just a tipping point where violence started to fall and it just continued to fall," said Jeff Asher, a crime analyst and co-founder of AH Datalytics.

In cities big and small, from both coasts, violence has dropped.

"The national picture shows that murder is falling. We have data from over 200 cities showing a 12.2% decline ... in 2023 relative to 2022," Asher said, citing his own analysis of public data. He found instances of rape, robbery and aggravated assault were all down too.

Yet when you ask people about crime in the country, the perception is it's getting a lot worse.

A Gallup poll released in November found 77% of Americans believed there was more crime in the country than the year before. And 63% felt there was either a "very" or "extremely" serious crime problem — the highest in the poll's history going back to 2000.

So what's going on?

What the cities are seeing

What you see depends a lot on what you're looking at, according to Asher.

"There's never been a news story that said, 'There were no robberies yesterday, nobody really shoplifted at Walgreens,'" he said.

"Especially with murder, there's no doubt that it is falling at [a] really fast pace right now. And the only way that I find to discuss it with people is to talk about what the data says." ...

For cities like San Francisco, Baltimore and Minneapolis, there may be different factors at play [in crime declining]. And in some instances, it comes as the number of police officers declines too.

Baltimore police are chronically short of their recruitment goal, and as of last September had more than 750 vacant positions, according to a state audit report...

In Minneapolis, police staffing has plummeted. According to the Star Tribune, there are about 560 active officers — down from nearly 900 in 2019. Mannix said the 2020 police killing of George Floyd resulted in an unprecedented exodus from the department...

In Minneapolis, the city is putting more financial resources into nontraditional policing initiatives. The Department of Neighborhood Safety, which addresses violence through a public health lens, received $22 million in the 2024 budget."

-via NPR, February 12, 2024

[liver-f4ilure]

American Gun Laws & School Shootings (an essay)

WARNING! This essay is very old and is NOT at all my best work. Thank you and enjoy!

Gun laws in America have been one of the most controversial ideas in American history. The right to bear arms is engraved in the American Constitution as the second amendment in which the writer, James Madison back in 1791 concludes “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to bear arms shall not be infringed.” The original meaning has been speculated since some believe it was intended to be used for unprofessional citizens to defend against the British. However, the main controversy is if it meant individual rights to bear arms or only militia. In 2008 the DC v. Heller case concluded that in the state of Washington the amendment protected individual gun rights however the state can take away those rights if deemed dangerous by court. Americas history of school gun violence dates far back but the first major shooting to make headlines was back in April of 1999, when on April 20th of that year in Littleton Colorado teens Eric Harris (18) and Dylan Klebold (17) shot and killed 13 people at Columbine High School before killing themselves by gunshot in the school’s library. The pair had planned at least a year in advance making bombs and recording the days leading up to the shooting which is now coined the name ‘The Basement Tapes’. The guns were obtained from an illegal gun show where the two got their friend Robyn Anderson who was legally allowed to own. The shooting has sparked hundreds of shootings

since not all being schools. The aftermath also triggered the Youth Crime Gun Act of 1999 which prevents people to hold gun shows without informing the secretary of state at least 30 days in advance of location, time and duration as well as submitting all the vendors names and verifying their identities. The law also prohibits those dealers from dealing to those without license and keeping the firearms they sell from reaching the hands of minors or those unlicensed and lastly the law illegalizes the making of explosives like pipe bombs and Molotov cocktails.

The shooting was the first major school shooting the country had seen at the time.

  While it may be mental health in some cases, American gun laws should be stricter and more limited due to the fact of the childhood gun mortality rate in America and the estimated 338,000+ students who have experienced gun violence in schools since Columbine.

Data shows countries with much stricter gun laws including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy and the UK have had 5 total school shootings, while America alone has 288 (2009-2018) America has already had 18 this year (2024) as of April 18th. America has seen an uprise with school shootings after the pandemic, in 2021 there were 73, in 2022 there were 79 and in 2023 there were 82 school shootings. In the past three years there have been a total of 234 school shootings. Many believe the number one cause of childhood mortality in America (0-19) is cancer or abortion. But this simply isn't true, in America the leading cause of child death is gun violence. In 2021 2,590 children lost their life to guns. While in Canada the leading cause is accidental injury. The NRA states gun laws don’t work and brings up strict cities have high crime rates. I personally find it interesting they ignore the gun aspect of it. The issue doesn’t lie within what the city or state does for real change its up to the federal government. The NRA says Chicago has strict gun laws but has high crimes, that doesn't have to do with guns. Take California, one of the strictest states with guns compared to Texas the state with some of the least strict laws. Californias gun mortality rate is 8.5 per 100,000 while Texas's’ is 14.2 per 100,000. In Texas’s’ history with gun laws after the Luby's shooting the state made it legal for open carry. In 2012 after the sandy Hook elementary shooting which killed 20 kids ages 6-7 in Connecticut, Texas made it legal for school staff to bear arms and after a church shooting the state made it legal to carry firearms in places of worship (mosques, churches etc.) All these laws passed that took restrictions off guns made the trend of mass gun violence to increase. States ran by democratic leaders were found more likely to pass laws in the state that restricts guns were found more effective at keeping mass shooting changes insignificant. However, the state with the highest gun violence is Mississippi. Comparing capita to the most restrictive state, California, the state that the NRA claims is the most violent, Illinois and the state with the highest gun violence, Mississippi. Out of the three California has the lowest with 9.0, Illinois with 16.1 and Mississippi with the highest of 33.9 per capita.  Comparing evidence, we can see that the common denominator is that stricter laws bring down gun deaths and will limit petty crimes and situations from becoming deadly when guns are involved. And you’d think the federal government would act on this and add restrictions to limit types of rifles, but they haven’t. The closest they’ve gotten was the red flag program bill passed after the Robb school

shooting in 2021 which left 21 children and staff dead due to the police waiting 77 minutes after arriving, armed with vests and shields, to do anything. In response president Joe Biden passed the bill to end gun background check loopholes instead of talking about the issue of the polices incapability.

Studies show 57% of students in America are scared to go to school due to the rise of school shootings. Over the years about 45% of schools have installed metal detectors and other security measurements. These detectors are more common in high minority schools; however students of minorities are more scared of the chance of school shootings. In arguments of school security being the solution, some often bring up giving teachers guns however many teachers state they would never want to put their students in those situations or have to take a life. 78% of republicans agree with this while only 24% of democrats agree. 81% democrats say that banning assault-style weapons would be effective and 35% republicans agree too, overall majority, including teachers, agree that arming teachers wouldn’t help. Some parents have bought bulletproof backpacks and inserts to keep their child safe, the backpacks cost as much as an AR-15. Leading to the next point that ‘good guys with guns stop bad guys with guns’ isn’t accurate, in fact in schools where security is armed during shootings they can’t stop the shooter. Personally, as a Canadian where gun laws are strict, I have never seen an armed security guard in a school or have seen metal detectors in my school. Now we have all been 6 years old and I, personally at that age I liked to feel safe at school.

The most common argument about Americas gun laws is the second amendment. It’s by far the most political amendment, as mentioned earlier the suspected original intent was against the British. The amendment says it shall not be infringed. However, over time the federal and state government have passed laws that limit guns however have not infringed the right to own.  So, who’s to say that they can’t limit more high capacity magazines, in sports of hunting who needs a gun that can shoot 60 bullets in a single minute?

Media like games, music and movies have all been blamed for school shootings. This is a common misconception. The most common motives for school shootings are bullying, which can be seen with the Thuston school shooting, and columbine copycats (AKA. Columbiners) which can be seen with the Weis market shooting. Although mental health is also common it doesn’t directly lead to shootings, mental health gives a person the mindset and guns give them the ability.

In conclusion guns should be stricter to reduce childhood death. A child deserves to feel safe in school and not fear becoming a victim to the myriads of kids shot and killed per year in America. I believe all these facts and statistics, like children being scared about their safety and the 388,000 kids who have heard gunshots at school, Americas answer is stricter gun laws. At what cost, how many children who haven’t reached 10 will have to die before America realizes the right to live till 19 is more important than the weapon used to take the right away?

[diana-bluewolf]

The Mooncalves had a very rocky start, can you tell?

If you ask Chris, he just hates when arrogant peacocks blow smoke at him and his best friend.

If you ask Sunan, he just hates when second-rate musicians make him late for an important flight.

If you ask Nfy, he doesn't hate anyone. He just came to play drums at the gig…

In less than a day:

Sunan and Chris end up playing riffs for half a night together (doesn't mean they befriended that fast tho XD);

Nfy and Sunan discuss biscuits during morning tea (when Sunan learns that Chris keeps sugar in his kitchen just for Nfy);

All three of them sing songs in a car.

NFY @traceyc-uk, Sunan @dom1re

Base

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

Y'all know I'm not one to save celebrity news without reason: There's some excellent analysis done in this article about air quality and airborne disease.

Macbeth: cancelled due to “illness” The eagerly anticipated production of Macbeth, starring David Tennant in the title role at the Harold Pinter Theatre, has cancelled four consecutive performances this week due to “illness within the company.” The latest cancellation, announced just two hours before curtain, left audience members disappointed, including those who had traveled internationally and rearranged work schedules.

Among affected ticket holders, some expressed frustration on social media about the late notice and lack of clarity. Twitter user @clairebobcat voiced a common sentiment:

"Ticket holders were notified at 5:45 this eve. Really short notice considering illness has been ongoing since Friday. All best wishes to the cast—illness can’t be helped, but very shoddy treatment of ticket holders. Travel money & Annual leave wasted."

The ongoing cancellations reflect broader challenges facing the theatre industry in the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The arts still in crisis due to Covid A survey by Theatre Washington reported that while 58% of Washington, D.C. theatre patrons once attended performances six or more times per year, only 31% have done so since reopening. Almost half of patrons surveyed now attend just three times or fewer, and nearly 68% cited fear of Covid-19 exposure as a primary reason for staying away.

The UK is facing unprecedented rates of long-term illness due to long Covid, a condition marked by symptoms including post-exertional malaise, cognitive impairment, and cardiopulmonary dysfunction.

Public health data shows that over two million people in the UK are affected by long COVID, with more than 10% of Covid cases resulting in prolonged symptoms.

High-profile performers, including Alyssa Milano and Matt McGorry, have spoken publicly about their struggles with long Covid, shedding light on the profound and lasting impact of the illness.

Protect the Heart of the Arts In response to these issues, Protect the Heart of the Arts, an advocacy organisation for members of the performance community with long COVID or who are clinically vulnerable, has offered to donate a HEPA air purification system to the Harold Pinter Theatre, which is staging Macbeth.

Glenda from the group told the Canary:

"It’s unsustainable, unethical, and we can’t afford to accept it as occupational: our employers, unions, regulatory bodies and politicians have to address the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic head-on.

Beyond key vectors (hospitals, schools, prisons), creatives are uniquely vulnerable, especially within live formats, alongside venue staff and audiences; not to mention all within said categories who’ve been marginalised, nor the walk-back of digital programming."

The organisation argues that improved air quality could help reduce health risks for cast, crew, and audiences, potentially preventing further cancellations.

Covid isn’t over – as Macbeth inadvertently shows “We may not know the exact illness affecting the Macbeth cast, but we do know that Covid is a serious vascular disease requiring extended recovery times,” noted Charles Waltz, founder of Protect the Heart of the Arts:

"Reinfections weaken immunity to other pathogens, so without measures like air purification and adequate recovery time, we risk ongoing illness cycles that could impact health and stability across the industry. Clean air and flexible recovery policies are essential to protect the performance community’s long-term health."

[sunburnacoustic]

Muse - Q Awards 2007

Some shitty quality but fascinating pics of Muse with other musical stars of the 00s at the 2007 Q Awards, where Muse were seen talking to Shirley Bassey, Nicky Wire (Manic Street Preachers), Ricky Wilson (Kaiser Chiefs), Ian Brown (Stone Roses), the singer Mika (who apparently really likes Muse!) and Kate Nash.

And Muse themselves, triumphant winners of the Best Live Act award at 2007 Q's, beating Arcade Fire, The Killers, Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian.

Q Magazine did feature their awards in the Nov 2007 edition of Q, so I can sneak in a picture from there too (thanks Musewiki <3)

Here's what Muse had to say about it all (Q interview)

Rate your day on a scale of 1 to 10. Dominic Howard (drums): I'd say pushing eight. When we woke up hung over in Serbia this morning, it was about minus 5. But getting back to London pushed it up a few points and then winning this award pushed it up further again. By the time we get to the party later we'll hopefully have pushed it to 11.

This is the 3rd time you've picked up the Best Live Act Award. Not getting bored of it yet, are you? Matthew Bellamy (vocals/guitar): No, it's nice that we've bagged this again. We're not getting bored of playing live and we're not bored of people liking our performances either.

Your plane from Belgrade landed about an hour ago. you didn't get a nice early night in preparation for today, then?

MB: Not quite. Last night Belgrade was Bel-degrade. It got quite dark. I wasn't involved, but it included a transsexual called Pete. And a dildo. Pete was sat on your knee for quite a while Dom, wasn't that right? DH: (Solemnly) No.

Does visiting new cities give you more licence to misbehave? MB: Yeah, a bit. We've been lucky this year in that we've been able to go to new places - Eastern Europe, Asia, Mexico. Sometimes on tour you just cocoon yourself in your hotel room and keep your head down until gig time. being somewhere new puts you in the mood to get out more and meet new people, just to find new experiences.

So what's the oddest experience on tour this year? DH: Sorry, I can't get the transsexual out of my head now. Indonesia was interesting, mainly because I could've got killed. We'd taken a few silly things and we decided to check out some local bars in a really rough part of town. The houses were all corrugated iron and we had chickens running over the bonnet of the car, people banging on our windows. One of the guys got out of our car and he got shouted at, so we got out of there as fast as possible. But we were told later that we were lucky we didn't get shot, then robbed.

MB: Our tour manager got robbed by three ladyboys in a lift there, too.

Have you had any celebrity fans coming to the shows?

Christopher Wolstenholme (bass): In LA the kid for The Sixth Sense (Hayley Joe Osment) came to see us. I think he crashed his car on the way home.

MB: Paris Hilton to the LA show, too. But she left during Knights of Cydonia, which is the first song on the set. If we're offending Paris Hilton we must be doing something right.

The UK people will see your two Wembley Stadium shows in the summer as the pinnacle of the Muse live experience. How were those shows for you?

MB: I think we did our best. It's an amazing venue and the crowds made those shows. Big shows like that aren't just about the band, its about the whole experience and watching the crowd is part of the fun. It definitely gave us a taste for more of those big shows.

Any outrageous stage props that got vetoed by the council? Ten-foot-high robots and the like?

MB: Well, we wanted to have helicopters doing a balloon drop and circling above us with searchlights spotlighting the crowd, but apparently you're not allowed to have helicopters fly over big crowds in case they fall out of the sky and start mincing up. Which is fair enough, I suppose.

DH: We wanted to arrive by Zeppelins and drop down to the stage, but we weren't allowed to do that either...

MB: We're gonna make that happen next time. You can get these business Zeppelins now, like a private jet, so we could fly from gig to gig, descend for the gig and then get lifted back into the Zeppelin lounge.

So how do you go about topping Wembley? MB: We'll probably start from scratch again and build things back up with smaller gigs. DH: We'd like to do multiple nights in smaller venues. We might have more people onstage.

[Q mishears] Q: Small people onstage? DH: Yeah, more small people. Like Spinal Tap. No, it'd just be good to have the time to evolve the whole musical side of the show.

Is this tour ever going to end? MB: Technically, it's over in December. But there are a few more things that we've been offered for next year, so who knows?

The rumour is that you're going to headline Glastonbury again next year... MB: Ooh, that's a strong question! Very strong. Well, Glastonbury is a festival that's very close to our hearts. And it'll be amazing to play it again...sometime. But next year's plans have yet to be settled upon.

So we'll take that as a "yes" then? MB: No, don't take it as anything. DH: It's a maybe. CW: It's a flat "no".

Back to today: is there anyone here you really want to meet? MB: I'd love to say hello to Paul McCartney. But so would everyone here, I bet. We'll not be allowed near him.

Are you pretty sociable when you're at parties without musicians? MB: It's like when two dogs meet in the park: they eye each other up for a bit, then have a sniff around each other. So we'll see who's smelling OK later. Who's that? (Points at Damon Albarn posing for Q's photographer) Damon Albarn? (Unimpressed) Oh...

What do you want for pudding? DH: What's the obsession with pudding here? Someone else just asked us that. CW: We'll say something classic. Bread-and-butter pudding. Can't go wrong there.

So what are you doing next? MB: I have a meeting with out lawyers. Very rock'n'roll. But we'll be out at the party later. These days if we're in London it usually means we have to work, so one of the ideas in coming to this was to have a big night out.

Pics - microcuts.net archives | article - MuseWiki.

[thislovintime]

"The individual Monkees don’t necessarily agree about everything, but three of ’em are stuck glue-tight together on one subject — Peter Tork! Micky, Mike and Davy all rate him the outstanding musician of the outfit. They say he’s hardly ever without a guitar or banjo in his hands. If he is then it’s because he’s playing his Vox organ in his dressing room. And they all speak up as one about his acting ability. Davy says: 'Mostly, on the television shows, we three are just playing ourselves. But Peter really has to play a part. You see, he’s really very intelligent and he’s also the quietest one of us four. So when he plays that way-out character in the TV series… well, it’s just not him at all! Those double-takes and the way he looks kinda baffled… that’s not our off-stage Peter!'" - Jackie Richmond, Monkees Monthly, June 1967 “[Peter’s] really a genius, a prolific musician — he plays about seven instruments.” - Micky Dolenz, Record Mirror, February 11, 1967 “Peter is the best rock guitarist around today. He plays about ten instruments in all — just about everything with strings. Mike and I also play guitars, although we are not in Peter’s class.” - Davy Jones, Melody Maker, January 14, 1967 “Peter Tork has to be one of the best guitarists around — he can cut anybody on guitar. He plays about 10 instruments — banjo, uke, the lot.” - Davy Jones, The Ottawa Journal, January 20, 1967

Requested on Facebook: non-1967 quotes (by Michael)

“There are two common and, to me, repugnant notions about the Monkees. Number one, that I was the only one who had any talent, which is patently absurd. It’s as unfair and as unkind as it is stupid. The other one is that I was the only musician. I wasn’t the only musician and I wasn’t much of a musician. Peter was a much more skillful player than I was by some orders of magnitude. He wasn’t a singer nor was he a writer. What I was able to do was write tunes — I could sort of pull those out of a ht. But they weren’t very good, were they? I mean, they were the tunes that were on the show from time to time, so that’s what made them seem better than they were.” - Michael Nesmith, Monkees Tale (1985)

“Everyone was accomplished—the notion I was the only musician is one of those rumors that got started and won’t stop—but it was not true. Peter was a more accomplished player than I by an order of magnitude, Micky and Davy played and sang and danced and understood music.” - Michael Nesmith, Rolling Stone, March 8, 2012

[cliperry]

One Direction Sex Factor (x)

With a Number 1 debut single, a BRIT, legions of screaming fans, and cheekbones that could take your finger off, One Direction may shout boy band by numbers, but, says Liam (the chatterbox from Wolverhampton), Louis (the bright-eyed, sunbed-bronzed joker of the pack), Niall (the easily distracted Irish one), Zayn (the brooding Bradfordian that gives great James Dean), and girl-mad Harry (über cute with curly hair), they’re attempting to be anything but.

“We try to avoid being Philadelphia cheese,” grins 19-year-old Louis William Tomlinson from Doncaster. “We wanted people who didn’t think they liked boy band music to at least say, ‘Yeah, actually, they’re ok’,” chips in Niall James Horan, 17, as Liam James Payne, also 17 agrees: “Boys don’t tend to like other boy singers like Justin Bieber; he’s got a massive girl fanbase but not boys, so we have to work harder to get the guys on side as well as the girls. We’re getting there though.” “We appeal to teenage girls and without them, well, we don’t have a career,” Zayn Jabal Malik, 19, laughs. “But hopefully older people can listen to our music and interpret it differently. We want to grunge it up a bit on our next album, make it a bit rock-y. Hopefully it’ll surprise people.”

Despite finishing third on X-Factor 2010, the five-piece have been the standout stars. Put together during the course of the show, it’s hard to imagine life without the quintet invading our hearts, the charts, and the tabloids. And they were needed. The US might have had the Jonas Brothers, but in the UK we’ve had to make do with a grown-up Take That and a reformed Boyzone. Their debut album, Up All Night, has not only sold over half a million copies to date but they’ve broken records with their books (two in the Sunday Times Best Seller list) and calendars (topping Cheryl Cole as the highest selling calendar of all time!) while US success looks inevitable with the album nudging the Top 10. Throughout Europe and Asia, they’ve had three No.1’s and hit platinum sales in as far-flung places as New Zealand, Ireland, and Australia. Their online stats are predictably huge; 1.8 million Twitter followers, 2.6 million Facebook Likes, and over 200 million YouTube views. They only have to mention ‘Bart Simpson’ in a random interview and a week later there are fans on skateboards. “We think it’s the Bart Simpson reference,” Louis laughs. “It’s the only thing we can think of because we’ve never mentioned liking skateboards before! It’s cool though. It’s crazy how they pick up on them things.”

Crucially though, amid the practiced harmonies, perfectly flicked hair, and long, meaningful gazes to camera, the quintet have been critically well-received, with journalists noting both vocal ability and a mature approach to pop — while ensuring everything stays F.U.N. “I think us not bringing out exactly what people expected was a good way to go,” says Harry Edward Styles, 17, from Cheshire. “It’s good to surprise people.”

The fantastic five are also mindful of moving on slightly from the Simon Cowell ratings slayer of a Saturday night show. “It will always be with us; the show made us what we are, we’d be nothing without X Factor. I think we need to keep certain elements, but then also prove that we’ve come a long way since the show,” explains Zayn. “But we do still get asked about Simon in every interview, yes!” Citing everyone from Bruno Mars, to the Script, Tinie Tempah, Take That, John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, the Black Eyed Peas, and Two Door Cinema Club as sonic inspiration, One Direction are also not too worried about being perceived as super squeaky clean. With Harry and his penchant for an elderly lady (Caroline Flack, Alexa Chung, etc.), tales of the boys dive-bombing pools in private members clubs (“Me boxers were white and went a bit see-through,” shrugs Niall), and stories of £900 bar bills (“We bought eight cokes in one day,” exclaims an innocent-looking Louis), One Direction aren’t overly concerned about maintaining a boring boy band image.

“Being clean cut isn’t always interesting, so we’re going to digress,” winks Liam before Louis interrupts: “We’ll act like every other kid our age, and not try and act any other way. We’re going to act like we would if we weren’t in this situation; we’re going to be ourselves.”

‘Ourselves’ is five super polite teenage boys who love girls and clothes and music and get giddy when having their hair done, citing everyone from “David Beckham, Russell Brand, George Lamb, and Jude Law” as male style icons, and “Lara Stone and Alexa Chung,” as female fabulous fashionistas. Outside of Burberry, they heart Top Man, All Saints, Diesel, Converse, and for Louis, Tom Shoes; the boys do indie-pop-preppy so well.

Regularly greeted by up to 3000 fans every time they put a step outside the door (“I got asked to sign someone’s forehead the other day,” says Harry, while Louis says he gets given carrots everywhere he goes), it looks like the only way is up for One Direction. “I know this sounds like I’m saying it cos I’m in an interview, but before the competition, we didn’t know each other, so it’s like we’ve got four new best friends,” says Louis. “We always say we’re enjoying this experience, but we wouldn’t enjoy it half as much on our own.”

[ajokeformur-ray]

I'd reconsider getting pet insurance. If something goes wrong or your cat is accidentally injured, you're going to be out of luck without pet insurance. It's your decision, but the rate you've described saving money doesn't sound like enough if anything were to happen in the first two years. Additionally, what if some other emergency happens that means you or your roommate need or want to tap into the funds? Life happens and we don't get to decide when. Pet insurance might stop a fight about that before it happens and afford some much deserved peace of mind.

I'm so happy that you want to take care of your pet so well, but it feels like you're trying to take all of the love, care, consideration, and sacrifice that should have been given to you by your parents and instead have it flow from you to your pet. I've been there and it causes a lot of confusing emotions when you're never allowing yourself to be put first or you don't constantly measure up to the ideal, perfect caretaker in your mind. It doesn't give you room to be human, room to be grow.

Also I'm literally just a stranger on the internet who looks at your blog sometimes because I also love Arthur, but it kills me to see how much stress you put yourself under. I wish that you'd care for yourself as much as you do your sweet kitty. You are worthy of daily care and rest just by virtue of existing and you consistently neglect yourself. You don't deserve that.

I'm pretty sure I've been somewhere close to where you are know and I just want to let you know you won't get anywhere by exhausting yourself like this. It's not noble. It's not cute. It's genuinely worrying.

When you watch Joker, don't you want him to have a better life? There's coping with a bad situation and there's perpetuating it because you don't feel like you deserve better. You are an adult. You live independently of your parents. You are now fully in charge of setting your own pace. If you don't slow down and care for yourself, you'll burn out and that doesn't help anyone. Besides, when you push yourself like this you may do more work, but it's lower quality work. I know you are passionate about what you are doing, but that passion seems to be preventing you from arranging your life in a way that would allow you to rest and produce your best quality work, consistently.

You've mentioned coworkers concerned about your exhaustion. That's not something for them to just adjust to, that's something for you to address. Your exhaustion spilling over to your job in such a noticeable way is a red flag that things aren't right.

I'm sure you know that in an emergency situation you need to help yourself before you can help others. That is so relevant here. Your blog is the very definition of burning yourself alive to keep others warm.

I know this is super strange coming from an anonymous tumblr ask and I hope you aren't weirded out by it. If you were looking for a sign or cosmic permission to slow down and focus on yourself; this is it.

You are NOT the sacrifice. You are the alter.

Okay. I understand that this is mostly likely a good intentioned ask, and I can see where you're coming from, but you're wrong on every point you've made and I'm gonna tell you why.

So first of all, I don't need to get pet insurance. Where I live in my specific area of the UK, pet insurance is little more than a scam. It's like £20-30 a month and you get taxed on it and then, when you do actually make a claim, you still have to pay money on top of what's on your insurance. When I last took a cat to the vet, we had insurance for three years before we needed it. Insurance covered £100 of a £600 bill, so we had to find £500 out of nowhere. It's much cheaper to put that same £20-30 in a jar and just take it to the vet when and if I need it. And if that jar money doesn't cover the bill, then between my roommate and I, we can afford any of Loki's needs.

He's a very healthy, very well cared for mature cat. He's only 8, he's full of life, I highly doubt anything will go wrong with him. And if it does, my roommate and I will face that when it comes to it. Also, who is to say anything will happen to Loki in the next two years???? He might never need to visit the vet, he hasn't in all the time his previous owners had him, and they've had him since he was a kitten (not including the times he was neutered or had his vaccinations).

I asked absolutely everybody in my life who owns cats - upwards of six people - and they all told me the same thing, as did my own research on the matter. Pet insurance where I am isn't really financially beneficial and money in a jar is better. I don't blindly follow people when I make a decision. I have an idea, I ask around, I do research, I ask around some more, then I make a decision.

Life happens and we don't get to decide when, that's true, but. My roommate and I both work full time, we split all our bills, and we're putting into Loki's health insurance jar the exact same amount we would be paying with pet insurance. The only difference is that we won't be taxed on it and when we need to pay for Loki's vet visits, we'll have the money in full and what we're putting aside won't undermine other life needs because we both earn enough to make it work. I'm an adult, anon, I know how to budget and make money work. I have already considered every angle and what I have decided to do is what's best to fit the current situation. If the situation changes, how my roommate and I face that situation will also change. That's life. You try something, it works or doesn't, you adjust.

My roommate and I are very close, we see eye to eye on all the important things. This works for us, pet insurance doesn't.

I STRONGLY disagree with your second paragraph. What an absolute batshit insane thing to say to anyone, let alone a stranger on Tumblr??? I'm not transferring love I never received from me to a pet at all, what the fuck are you on about??? I'm not sorry but the mental gymnastics that statement requires is... Ridiculous. And quite frankly, insulting. I want to be a good pet owner because I want to be a good pet owner. That's all there is to it. I've known Loki since he was a kitten and I'm good friends with his previous owners. I promised them I'd look after him, and I am. I love cats so much, I love Loki, and that's all there is to it. I'm sorry, but I don't understand where you've drawn this assumption from. Your (probably) well intentioned but infantilising and weird ask is FULL of assumptions and absolutely none of them have even a speck of truth in them.

I do take care of myself, and I do put myself first, every single day. Who do you think I'm doing all of this work for? Who do you think I answer to if I don't meet expectations? Who do you think I see every day, who goes with me everywhere, who supports me through my best, my worst, and everything in between?

I'll tell you who.

Me.

All of the late nights or nights where I don't sleep at all, all of the skipped meals, all of the coffee, all of the assignments and hours upon hours of studying, all of the overtime at work, all of the anxiety attacks and panic attacks and "I can't do this I'm gonna quit"s... Absolutely everything over the last five years since I started my degree, absolutely everything...

Is all. For. Me.

For the little Eri who wanted to graduate university one day so she could wear one of those cool hats with the tassels on, and for the Eri I haven't met yet who will walk the stage one day when she graduates, for the Eri who kept herself alive when she most wanted to die back in 2019 and never thought she'd have the life she does now...

I do it all for me, and I'm happy about that. I'm happy and proud of how hard I always work, I'm happy and proud that my "low quality work" isn't low quality at all!!!!! Because I work so hard!!! Not to be big headed at all, but no matter what, my grades are RARELY LESS THAN 70%!!!! My most recent one was 81%!!!! I work so hard BECAUSE this field of study is my passion, BECAUSE I truly want to make it to becoming a therapist, and because you can ask anyone who KNOWS me, and they will tell you without a shadow of a doubt that I am at my HAPPIEST when I'm studying and working hard.

My life is tough, I'm always stressed, yes, but god, anon, it's MY life, and I LOVE it.

I love the life I've built for myself, the life I've lived and loved for the last five years and will still live and love for another year beyond that! It's not forever but the outcomes and results will shape my entire life!!!!!

Anons on here sometimes tell me it's okay to quit, it's okay to put myself first, yada yada, but what no one seems to understand is that what I'm putting myself through is necessary.

My university cannot grant extensions on assignments unless it's a wedding, a funeral, a birth, or severe sickness, and my job requires me to be incredibly brave and strong. I have been physically assaulted four times in the three weeks I've been on the "front line" at work, all minor injuries or near misses so I'm fine!!! But the point is, I am tough as all hell to face everything every single day and, like it or not, I don't fucking care, I LOVE this life so much. I love my new job, I love my degree and the sacrifices everything requires me to make. I love it all, and though I do often vent on here and share thoughts like quitting, something we all know I'd never do, I would never change it for the world. I am building myself such a beautiful life and I promised myself I'd do anything to make it happen.

And that's what I'm fucking doing, anon. I'm standing true to my heart and my promises, facing the dreams I want. I don't care if it's not noble or cute, I'm not doing it for inane reasons like that. I'm doing it for me, because I can, because I want to help people. If you knew me as well as you say you do - which, quite honestly, you don't - you'd know that.

I can see how you'd misunderstand me and my goals so severely, seeing as you only visit my blog "sometimes". You're only seeing things out of context. So I get your perspective. But your many assumptions are very VERY wrong and I do not appreciate this message at ALL. You have infantilised me and that's... Really quite disgusting. Well intentioned or not, this isn't just a weird ask, it's erroneous and misguided and insulting.

You don't know me at all.

Using Arthur is also pretty fucking low considering he's literally saved my life several years ago on several occasions. I am not coping with a bad situation, either. Nor am I perpetuating misery or whatever the fuck you said. I'm not scrolling to check you word for word. I am making the best of opportunities presented to me. It's rough sometimes, I won't deny that, but I'm doing it because I want to learn, because I enjoy it, because I'm grateful for how hard previous Erikas have worked to get this Erika, me, to where I am now. I'm honouring all those Erikas by working as hard as I can every single day. She's me, after all, and you're right - I deserve the best, so in doing all of this, I am, in fact, putting myself first.

I won't slow down, because I'm matching the pace of my degree workload and my job. I will not burn out, because I am an adult who takes care of herself. I sleep eight hours most nights, my hair care rarely falters, I eat at least two meals a day now because I'm actively trying to be better about that, I do household chores, I look after Loki, I spend time with family and my roommate, I watch TV and play games... I'm trying to meet every aspect of life as best as I can. I'm not perfect and I could be a bit better in some areas, but I work so hard to not burn out, and though at the moment I'm noticeably less energetic than usual, that's because I'm digesting a difficult situation:

Finals season at university, and a new job.

ANYONE would struggle, that's a bad combination!!! But I'm doing it for ME, so I'm gonna keep going at the pace I am. Rest is coming for me on the 27 May, and then I'll be free of uni until 4 October.

My work isn't lower quality, as I have already said. My grades are very good, my professors are impressed with me and so is my new manager at work. And how did these things happen????

Oh, I don't know... 🤔🤔🤔🤔By working HARD?????🤨🤨🤨🤨

My passion is aiding me in this lifestyle, not "preventing me". Fuck off out of here with that shit. You're making too many assumptions and all of them are waaaay off base. My coworkers will have to adjust to my exhaustion, and in fact the other day when several of them asked me if I was okay and I said I was tired because it's the last few weeks of uni so the pressure is as high as it will get, ALL of them immediately accepted it and said that they know how it feels, and one of them made me a cup of coffee. The other gave me a hug and said I was doing really well. They understand.

Clearly, you don't, because things ARE right. I have the right job to match my degree, my degree matches my job, my dream career is just within reach now. All because of how hard I've been working the last five years, and will maintain for at least another year. I'm so happy, anon, and we all get to complain sometimes.

"Your blog is the very definition of burning yourself alive to keep others warm" mmmmm wrong again!!!!! I'm doing all of this for ME!!!! I'm burning myself FOR myself. I wouldn't have this job if I hadn't been working so hard, I literally landed the role of a mental health support worker BECAUSE of my degree and life experiences!!!! I'm sorry that you've gotten the wrong impression from my posts, but as you only come here "sometimes", you're only seeing the surface and therefore not receiving the full context. So I can see why you're making so many wrong assumptions. I'm exhausted and stressed, yeah, but anyone would be in my position!!!!? I'm happy like this because I know it isn't forever. I'm going after what I want and I'm not gonna stop 'til I get it!!!!!

So I won't be slowing down any time soon, I don't need to. I'm exactly where I need to be for right now. My degree matches my job, my job matches my degree, my career goals are in sight!!!! And in all of this, what have I been doing??? Focusing on myself!!!!! I'm literally doing this for me!!!!!!

Bottom line is, I did NOT appreciate this ask. Usually I would delete asks like this without a fuss, but I feel like this level of misunderstanding of who I am, my goals and lifestyle is so wrong even on the surface level of it all, that it needs correcting. If you don't agree with me, when I know myself better than anyone else on earth, then that's a you problem and I don't need or want you here, so please unfollow and/or block me.

Thanks.

[twainxavier]

Oooo Cali Beach Trip Au??? ❤️

Hey Ky!!! Yes, absolutely! 💜

I adore this fic, though I haven't written too much of it 😅👌 Premise is that Edwin, Charles, and Crystal have all gone to University in the UK and just finished their final year 😊👍 As a drunken decision made by Charles and Crystal, they end up going on an end of year trip for a few months to California to enjoy the beach and everything 🤣👌 And whilst on the beach, Edwin might end up getting distracted from his book by a rather attractive surfer 👀

Okay, for snippet it was a really hard choice, but I think I'm gonna go with the first time Edwin sees Thomas (the Cat King) 👀 (with a slight hint of his slight crush on Charles too 👀)

After a little while of hiding behind his knees, putting more energy into not looking at Charles than actually reading, Edwin felt his heart rate finally start to slow. He relaxed a bit, switching to sitting cross legged, and actually diving into the world of the book he brought with him. It was a pleasant escape from reality, or certainly from the reality of his ridiculous crush on his best friend that he really shouldn't still have. Edwin headbutted the book in his hands struggling to focus as the words swam together on the page and his mind drifted to places he was fighting hard to keep it away from. With a deep sigh he raised his gaze away from the book and back to the bright blue of the ocean in front of him. Instead of looking anywhere near Charles and Crystal, Edwin cast his gaze further down the beach. Most of the families had left now, but there were one or two bodyboarders still out in the waves. Edwin hoped it would be rather harmless to observe them for a moment. It was just to try and work out how it was done so that he would not make an utter fool of himself should the three of them try it out themselves later on in their holiday. It didn't seem too complicated, and he supposed this part was obvious from the name, but they wouldn't have to try and stand, unlike surfing. He had to admit, it did seem like it would be quite fun. Edwin was about to turn away again, when a bodyboarder he had not seen until now emerged from behind a wave. Edwin could not seem to stop staring as the stranger pushed his torso up off of his board a little and the wave crashed behind him, propelling him forward. His arms were lithe yet muscular, and perfectly tanned in a way that Edwin assumed was natural for people local to this area, what with all the sun. Edwin's eyes drifted further, and he found that the stranger's chest was just as perfectly sculpted as his arms, and carried that same tan. The fact he was covered in water wasn't helping Edwin much, as his skin quite literally glistened in the late afternoon sun. What he could see of the stranger's face was equally as gorgeous as the rest of his body, though he was a bit far away to make out too much in detail, and his messy wet curls framed his face perfectly without him even having to try. Edwin was utterly enraptured. He really should have turned away and stopped staring by this point, but he was in such a daze he hadn't even realised that the stranger had gotten out of the water and was looking his way, a soft smirk on his face. Until their eyes met, that was. Edwin startled a little, eyes blowing wide as he utterly froze. The stranger was still staring straight at him, the smirk shifting into a smile. For a moment Edwin hoped that he wasn't actually looking at him, and that he hadn't noticed his staring, but he already knew there was no one else in this direction. Perhaps he was just admiring the scenery, or something, and Edwin could play off his staring as the same. But then the stranger raised a hand and waved at him, and that hope was dashed. Immediately, Edwin dropped his head to hide behind his book. He was far too afraid to even dare look in the handsome man's direction again, or at anything other than the words in front of him. When a shadow darkened the pages just a few moments later, Edwin froze yet again, trying to think up some sort of lie to escape whatever confrontation was about to occur. “Edwin, mate, are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost?” Charles’ voice interrupted his spiraling thoughts, tone jovial and light.

I hope you enjoyed this little hint! I really need to get back to this fic but I need to make sure I've got a good plan in place so it doesn't get too repetitive 😊💜🫂

[sak-ficrecs]

Sleep Token

Title: Blame It On The Ice | Author: TranquilKiller | Word count: 77k | Rating: Mature | Complete: WIP | 🔓 | Summary: Vessel and II have been on the same hockey team for years now. This is III and IV’s first year with the UK Tokens. Vessel and III like to piss each other off, and IV seems to have a crazy ex still hounding him. The won’t let it hinder their teams performance, and chance to get the cup, will they? Or; Hockey au.

Title: Explore my tenderest moments | Author: Everyones_idol_rose | Word count: 170k | Rating: Explicit | Complete: WIP | 🔓 | Summary: III was fine being single, truly. He was happy for Vessel and II, content being their third wheel every now and then because they were his best friends. Just his friends. It was fine.

Title: The Kissing Booth | Author: Marionalies, Venice_1148 | Word count: 24k | Rating: Explicit | Complete: WIP | 🔓 | Summary: Vessel stepped closer and noticed someone sitting behind the stand. Just below the posters, a sign read “The Kissing Booth.” He blinked, trying to piece it together. Turtles kissing booth? A booth where turtles get kissed? Maybe he shouldn’t have stayed up so late last night. The blond boy lit up when he spotted him in the otherwise empty courtyard, and once Vessel caught sight of those pretty blue eyes he was hooked. “£5 a kiss, do it for the turtles!” The boy said proudly.

Title: The Love You (Don’t) Want | Author: Venice_1148 | Word count: 30.9k| Rating: Explicit | Complete: Yes | 🔓 | Summary: Sleep directed Vessel to their newest (and hopefully last) IV. The only problem? He’s already in another band, and his abusive boyfriend doesn’t want to let him go.

Title: And I Still Get The Combination Wrong | Author: Squeezyfreezy | Word count: 173k | Rating: Explicit | Complete: WIP | 🔓 | Summary: It had been 4 months since the band was formed. Thanks to Vessel's friend, who works as the COO of a decent record label company, after a lot of back and forth about Vessel's vision in creating the band of his dreams, and thanks to the COO’s relationships with people in the music industry, he assorted Vessel with three talented individuals who were looking for an opportunity to become members of a band that allows them to share their passion of making good music and sharing it with the world. None of them knew the other, but the natural chemistry between them made them bond in no time… maybe too strong of chemistry. What will happen when they start developing strange feelings to one another, will they play a game of self denial, or keep it as a secret to themselves in fear of losing amazing friendships and potentially a successful band…

Title: almost | Author: purpleghoul | Word count: 34k | Rating: Explicit | Complete: No? | 🔓 | Summary: If III were a better man, he’d look away to give them privacy. He’s seen them kiss plenty of times before, but the unashamedness of this is different. He stares, transfixed, until he watches II bite into Vessel’s lower lip and notices the way that Vessel’s groan pitches lower in response, and realises that he’s going to have a problem if they keep this up. or III is in love with his best friends. It's fine, until it isn't.

Title: Like real people do | Author: Silencerch | Word count: 17k | Rating: Explicit | Complete: WIP | 🔓 | Summary: Lots of healing, pets, and comfort. Or Ivy goes through a breakup, Sleep Token needs a new guitarist. Sometimes a stroke of fate is benign enough to offer you the right person at the right time.

Title: Carving past the surface into you | Author: reyoreads | Word count: 80k | Rating: | Complete: WIP | 🔓 | Summary: “You asked me about soulmates.” “And you said you don’t believe in them. Would you believe me even if I told you they exist?” Vessel has kept himself mostly isolated after an awful relationship ended in an even worse breakup. The only person he has let chip away at his walls since has been his landlord, an old lady living downstairs, and Vessel might say he even trusts her. It first turns out to be a mistake when she makes Vessel get a flatmate. Then, bit by bit, person by person, his careful isolation begins to come undone.

Title: | Author: | Word count: | Rating: | Complete: | 🔒 🔓 | Summary:

[gallavich-annise]

WEEKLY TAG WEDNESDAY

Thanks for the Q's @energievie and the tag @jrooc In this week's @weekly-tag-wednesday we'll be talking about music.. again! 👏🏻

I apparently had Thoughts on this one, sorry.

But first (as usual)...

Name: Annise

Age: This old *holds out hands*

Location: UK

And now...

Favourite instrument to listen to: probably piano. I love orchestral music, but not for any particular instrument... For singular instruments it's piano or possibly cello.

Instrument(s) you can play: I learned flute to a decent standard and played in concert bands through uni and a bit beyond, but I haven't really played in a few years. I taught myself piano, but was never really good... Practised for the first time since having kids the other day and I now want to take it up again but time is hard. I also played recorder (I was briefly in a recorder consort and I have a beautiful and neglected wooden recorder). I very very briefly started learning clarinet as well, but only for a few weeks. And does voice count?! Because I used to do choirs and sang in a band for a while.

Instrument(s) you'd love to learn to play: hmmm... Mostly I'd just love to be Actually Good at piano. When I was a teen I had ambitions to play an instrument of every type... I was gonna go for oboe, clarinet, trumpet, and viola, because then you are a short step from being able to play every orchestral instrument (and if you play oboe or viola you will always be in demand in orchestras even if you're shit). My ambitions were a lot bolder than my ability, needless to say.

Do you mostly pay attention to the lyrics or the melody and the artist's voice: I honestly don't know... My first instinct was lyrics, but I think actually it's melody and voice and then I properly tune in to the lyrics if the song gets me enough. But it probably depends on the song, and my favourites need to have stuff special in both.

Best live performance: ugh. So... I have really complicated feelings about it now, but probably the most fun I had at a gig was Amanda Palmer back in 2009-ish. Also really loved Delain (who were supporting act at two gigs I've been to and were almost better than the main in both cases). Judas Priest were one of my first gigs and I have very fond memories of that one too. And The Darkness were also so much fun!! And just because, I saw a Video Game Music orchestral concert in London a while back and it was incredible.

Artist you would love to see live: Iron Maiden!! Three Days Grace. Green Day (I missed out on them at a festival because they were playing at the same time as Supergrass... I loved Supergrass but still wish I could have seen both).

Best cover: I saw someone say Muse - Feeling Good and have been unable to think of a counter offer that comes close. I also used to sing that with my band, so it's got a soft spot.

Overrated artist: this is a cop out, but I feel like this would require me to have a better idea of how rated artists are, and I really don't pay attention. Maybe The Killers? But I'm mostly basing that on a single conversation with That One Guy that annoyed me so much it made me hate a song I was previously only indifferent to.

Underrated artist: Vienna Teng. I came across one song on a hard drive dump I got from a friend and fell in love but no one I know has ever heard of her. I recommend "Drought" and "Medea" I used to sing "Lullaby for a stormy night" a lot to my kids when they were babies.

An album you listen from beginning to end without skipping a song: I mean, most of them? I love listening to sounds albums in their original format and rarely skip unless there's something I actively hate. But the ones that comes to mind are "Within Temptation - The Unforgiving" "Green Day - American Idiot" and "Shinedown - Attention Attention" and all three are concept albums.

A song from your favourite artist you almost always skip: I can't actually think of one.

No tags today because it's been one of those days.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Toby Davies

Published: May 14, 2024

Seventy-eight per cent of people in England and Wales think that crime has gone up in the last few years, according to the latest survey. But the data on actual crime shows the exact opposite.

As of 2024, violence, burglary and car crime have been declining for 30 years and by close to 90%, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) – our best indicator of true crime levels. Unlike police data, the CSEW is not subject to variations in reporting and recording.

The drop in violence includes domestic violence and other violence against women. Anti-social behaviour has similarly declined. While increased fraud and computer misuse now make up half of crime, this mainly reflects how far the rates of other crimes have fallen.

All high-income countries have experienced similar trends, and there is scientific consensus that the decline in crime is a real phenomenon.

[ Data via Office for National Statistics ]

There is strong research evidence that security improvements were responsible for the drop. This is most obvious with vehicle electronic immobilisers and door deadlocks, and better household security – stronger door frames, double glazed windows and security fittings – along with an avalanche of security in shopping centres, sports stadiums, schools, businesses and elsewhere. Quite simply, it became more difficult to commit crimes.

Decreases in crimes often committed by teenagers, such as joyriding or burglary, had a multiplying effect: when teenagers could no longer commit these easy “debut crimes” they did not progress to longer criminal careers.

There are, of course, exceptions. Some places, times and crime types had a less pronounced decline or even an increase. For many years, phone theft was an exception to the general decline in theft. Cybercrime, measured by the CSEW as fraud and computer misuse, has increased and is the most prominent exception.

But this increase was not due to thwarted burglars and car thieves switching targets: the skillset, resources and rewards for cybercrime are very different. Rather, it reflects new crime opportunities facilitated by the internet. Preventive policy and practice is slowly getting better at closing off opportunities for computer misuse, but work is needed to accelerate those prevention efforts.

The perception gap

So why is there such a gulf between public perception and the reality of crime trends? A regular YouGov poll asks respondents for their top three concerns from a broad set of issues. Concern about crime went from a low in 2016 (when people were more concerned with Brexit), quadrupled by 2019 and plummeted during the pandemic when people had other worries. But in the last year, the public’s concern about crime has risen again.

Proportion of people naming crime as a top three issue facing the country:

[ Data via YouGov ]

There are many possible explanations for this, of which the first is poor information. A study published in 1998 found that “people who watch a lot of television or who read a lot of newspapers will be exposed to a steady diet of crime stories” that does not reflect official statistics.

The old news media adage “if it bleeds, it leads” reflects how violent news stories, including crime increases and serious crimes, capture public attention. Knife crime grabs headlines in the UK, but our shock at individual incidents is testament to their rarity and our relative success in controlling violence – many gun crimes do not make the news in the US.

Most recent terrorist attacks in the UK have featured knives (plus a thwarted Liverpool bomber), but there is little discussion of how this indicates that measures to restrict guns and bomb-making resources are effective.

Political rhetoric can also skew perceptions, particularly in the run-up to elections. During the recent local elections, the Conservatives were widely criticised for an advert portraying London as “a crime capital of the world” (using a video of New York), while Labour has also made reference to high levels of crime under the current government.

There are also some “crime drop deniers”, who have vested interests in crime not declining due to, for example, fear of budget cuts. One of us (Graham) worked with a former police chief who routinely denied the existence of declining crime.

Despite the evidence of crime rates dropping, some concerns are justified. Victims, along with their families and friends, have legitimate concerns, particularly as crime is more likely to recur against the same people and at the same places.

And, while the trend is clear, there are nevertheless localised increases in some types of offending. When these relate to harmful and emotive issues like knife crime in London, for example, it is natural that this might have a substantial influence.

We are unlikely to be able to change political agendas or journalists’ approach to reporting. But governments should be taking a more rational approach to crime that is based on evidence, not public perception.

Local governments need to keep on top of their local crime hotspots: problem bars and clubs where crime occurs, shops where shoplifting is concentrated, local road traffic offence hotspots and so on. The common theme here is how crime concentrates.

National government, meanwhile, should lead on reducing crime opportunities via national-level levers. Only national government can influence social media platforms and websites that host online crime and encourage larger businesses to improve manufacturing, retailing and service industry practices.

The positive story around crime rarely makes headlines, but this should not put us off from learning the lessons borne out in the data. We know this can work from past success, but it took decades to get car makers to improve vehicle security and to get secure-by-design ideas in building regulations. Society needs to move more quickly.

[stephensmithuk]

The Hound of the Baskervilles: The Stapletons of Merripit House

A mullion is a vertical divider in a window.

A scullery maid was the lowest ranking female servant in the household, who would wash the dishes and sometimes the clothing too. Snow White and Cinderella started off in this role.

It would take Watson around two hours to walk to Grimpen. I've done longer walks and I suppose he would have done so in his Army days.

A grocer is a person who runs a grocery, which in British English is analagous to a general store, where you would buy most everyday items, including the most common newspapers and magazines. We would also distinguish these days between the larger supermarket (grocery store) and the smaller corner shop (what New Yorkers would call a bodega); frequently run by immigrants or their immediate descendants. This is an example of the latter.

I do not know how common it was then, but today it is very common, even in major cities, to have a Post Office counter as part of another store such as a corner shop; these franchised businesses are run by subpostmasters. The Post Office, as well as post, provides banking services for both its own financial business and for other banks or building societies. The computer system that was used for financial transactions by them, Horizon, is currently at the centre of a major scandal.

Dartmoor has many peat bogs. The Ordnance Survey maps give their general location, but their exact size varies depending on conditions. Walkers frequently end up in them by accident or lack of experience; safe routes are marked out, but not always easy to see. The vast majority are not that deep and the worst that will happen is a case of smelly, muddy embarrassment. However, some are deeper, where you can end up with a risk of hypothermia - there are no less than four volunteer Mountain Rescue teams in the area to help people in difficulty.

Then some are straight up lethal, especially to animals. A gallop is the fastest horse speed setting - a horse can run at around 25 to 30mph for up to three kilometres before getting winded. So, not a good idea to do it on boggy land.

Grimpen Mire is believed to have been inspired by Fox Tor Mire:

There are 14 species of bittern. One of them is the Eurasian bittern, which was indeed extinct in the UK for a while when this story takes place and is still only here in limited numbers with its habitat. The species as a whole currently rated "Least Concern" but in decline.

The Neolithic period lasted from c.10,000 BC to c.2,000 BC, being the final period of the Stone Age. There is a timber track pathway in Somerset, the oldest recorded road, dating back to c. 3,838 BC.

Cyclopides was an old name for several species of South African Skipper butterflies. They tend to be found in southern Africa, not Dartmoor:

Miss Stapleton must deem the situation urgent to leave without her hat; people did not as a general rule go hatless in this period, even the poorest usually had some form of cap.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Many long COVID patients adjust to slim recovery odds as world moves on - Published Nov 14, 2024

By Jennifer Rigby and Julie Steenhuysen

Summary Long COVID symptoms can persist for years, with slim chance of full recovery Funding and attention for long COVID research are dwindling in many wealthy countries Long COVID symptoms can include extreme fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness and pain

LONDON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - There are certain phrases that Wachuka Gichohi finds difficult to hear after enduring four years of living with long COVID, marked by debilitating fatigue, pain, panic attacks and other symptoms so severe she feared she would die overnight.

Among them are normally innocuous statements such as, "Feel better soon" or "Wishing you a quick recovery," the Kenyan businesswoman said, shaking her head.

Gichohi, 41, knows such phrases are well-intentioned. "I think you have to accept, for me, it’s not going to happen."

Recent scientific studies shed new light on the experience of millions of patients like Gichohi. They suggest the longer someone is sick, the lower their chances of making a full recovery.

The best window for recovery is in the first six months after getting COVID-19, with better odds for people whose initial illness was less severe, as well as those who are vaccinated, researchers in the United Kingdom and the United States found, opens new tab. People whose symptoms last between six months and two years are less likely to fully recover.

For patients who have been struggling for more than two years, the chance of a full recovery "is going to be very slim," said Manoj Sivan, a professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Leeds and one of the authors of the findings published in The Lancet.

Sivan said this should be termed "persistent long COVID" and understood like the chronic conditions myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, or fibromyalgia, which can be features of long COVID or risk factors for it.

WANING ATTENTION Long COVID, defined as symptoms persisting for three months or more after the initial infection, involves a constellation of symptoms from extreme fatigue to brain fog, breathlessness and joint pain.

It can range from mild to utterly disabling, and there are no proven diagnostic tests or treatments, although scientists have made progress on theories about who is at risk and what might cause it. One British study, opens new tab suggested almost a third of those reporting symptoms at 12 weeks recovered after 12 months. Others, particularly among patients who had been hospitalized, show far lower rates of recovery.

In a study, opens new tab run by the UK's Office for National Statistics, two million people self-reported long COVID symptoms this past March. Roughly 700,000, or 30.6%, said they first experienced symptoms at least three years previously.

Globally, accepted estimates have suggested between 65 million, opens new tab and 200 million, opens new tab people have long COVID. That could mean between 19.5 million and 60 million people face years of impairment based on the initial estimates, Sivan said.

The United States and some countries like Germany continue to fund long COVID research.

But more than two dozen experts, patient advocates and pharmaceutical executives told Reuters that money and attention for the condition is dwindling in other wealthy countries that traditionally fund large-scale studies. In low- and middle-income countries, it was never there.

"The attention has shifted," said Amitava Banerjee, a professor at University College London who co-leads a large trial of repurposed drugs and rehabilitation programmes.

He says long COVID should be viewed as a chronic condition that can be treated to improve patients' lives rather than cured, like heart disease or arthritis.

'PROFOUNDLY DISABLING' Leticia Soares, 39, from northeast Brazil, was infected in 2020 and has battled intense fatigue and chronic pain ever since. On a good day, she spends five hours out of bed.

When she can work, Soares is a co-lead and researcher at Patient-Led Research Collaborative, an advocacy group involved in a review, opens new tab of long COVID evidence published recently in Nature.

Soares said she believes recovery seldom happens beyond 12 months. Some patients may find their symptoms abate, only to recur, a kind of remission that can be mistaken for recovery, she said.

"It's so profoundly disabling and isolating. You spend every time wondering, 'Am I going to get worse after this?'" she said of her own experience.

Soares takes antihistamines and other commonly available treatments to cope with daily life. Four long COVID specialist doctors in different countries said they prescribe such medicines, which are known to be safe. Some evidence suggests they help.

Others have less success with mainstream medicine.

Gichohi's illness was dismissed by her doctor, and she turned to a functional medicine practitioner, who focused on more holistic treatments.

She moved out of her hectic home city of Nairobi to a small town near Mount Kenya, policing her activity levels to prevent fatigue and receiving acupuncture and trauma therapy.

She has tried the addiction treatment naltrexone, which has some evidence of benefit for long COVID symptoms, and the controversial anti-parasitic infection drug ivermectin, which does not but she says helped her.

She said shifting from "chasing recovery" to living in her new reality was important.

A piecemeal treatment approach is to be expected while research progresses, and perhaps longer-term, said Anita Jain, a long COVID specialist at the World Health Organization.

Meanwhile, long-haulers face a new challenge with each spike in COVID cases. A handful of studies have suggested re-infection can exacerbate existing long COVID.

Shannon Turner, a 39-year-old cabaret singer from Philadelphia, got COVID in late March or early April of 2020.

She was already living with psoriatic arthritis and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, autoimmune diseases for which she regularly took steroids and an immunotherapy. Such conditions may increase the risk of developing long COVID, researchers say.

This past summer, Turner got COVID again. Once again, she is extraordinarily tired and uses a walker for mobility.

Turner is determined to pursue her music career despite ongoing pain, dizziness and a racing heart rate, which regularly land her in hospital.

"I don't want to live my life in bed," she said.

[snarryauctoberfest]

AUctoberfest: Day 14

Title: First Impressions

Creator: ???

Pairing: Harry Potter/Severus Snape

Prompt: 2024-216: Trope reversal: Snape was forced into multiple arranged marriages by his grandparents. The spouses kept dying. Very mysterious. But Harry isn't worried when he winds up the latest candidate.

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 24.6k

Warnings/Tags: No Archive Warnings Apply, Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Forced Marriage, MysteryHouse Elves, Animagus Harry Potter, Healer Harry Potter, POC Harry Potter, Indian Harry Potter, Potioneer Severus Snape, Trans Female Character, Blow Jobs, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Facials, Severus Snape Has a Large Cock, Size Queen Harry Potter, Dirty Talk, Public Sex, Glove Kink, they're just so horny for each other, Warning: Margaret Thatcher (UK Politician), i love that that's a tag, brief mention of cruelty to creatures, Very brief mention of domestic violence, little bits of angst but it's mostly fluffy

Summary: When Harry is forced to marry a complete stranger, he tries to make the best of things. After all, he's a Healer, he can take care of himself. And his new husband seems nice enough… But why, exactly, has Severus already been married three times before? And why have all three of those previous spouses died unexpectedly? Is Harry next? Or will he fall in love with his new husband after all?

💚❤️ Read on AO3 💚❤️

2024 Snarry AUctoberfest Entries || HOS Tumblr || Discord

[scotianostra]

Ooh, what’s Edinburgh like? Moving there next year hopefully, from Africa, and after a few quick trips I can’t say I’ve gotten too much of a sense of the city :(

I'm kinda biased, but it's a good place, quite small and easy to get around, the main bus serice is Lothian Buses, for a flat fare of £2 you can get from ato b on one bus, for £5 cash you can hop on and off, the best value is paying by debit card , what they call TapTapCap from as little as £4.80 per day and £22 per week, so if you are one 3 or more buses in one day it caps at £4.80, and £22 is the most you will pay fr a week. The bus service is very good and I use their bustracker, find it on Google Play "My Bus Edinburgh" The vast majority of Museums and Art Galleries are free, only charges tend to be if there are special exhibitions, like The National Museum of Scotland had a Doctor Who exhibition last year. There are two main train stations, Waverley and Haymarket, and several small ones and stops.

Most people don't realise that Edinburgh and the surrounding areas have some great beaches, Portobello is the best in the city, ad has plenty of places to eat and drink at there. Cramond Beachis a mecca for dog walkers, there is a Causeway there where you can explore Cramond Island, just watch the tide times. There are plenty of parks and green spaces, the city is officially the greenest city in the UK, with almost half the city (49.2%) being classed as 'green space'.

If you are relatively fit there are plenty hills to climb to get great views, some are very easy, Calton Hill, Corstorphine to name but two. Arthur's Seat offers different routes to the summit of varying difficulty, but you can actually drive so far up and just make the easy climb to the top, there are three man made "Lochs" around Arthur's Seat, if you're lucky you will see Otters at Dunsapie, Duddingston and St Margarets have plenty swas and ducks. For more serious walkers the Pentland Hills are a great place to explore, there is even a herd of oor Highland "Hairy Coos" up there. If you can ski, there is a dryslope on The Pentlands, the longest in the UK.

Pubs and clubs are a plenty, I have no idea of your age as you have decided to remain anon, but many places cater for students, prices vary, I pay between £2 and £4 for my drinks, although the touristy places will charge you up to twice this amount, over £6 for a drink is not unusual.

Of course we have the Festival, well there are several throughout the year, Edinburgh gets the tag of Festival City at times. The main one is in August and the population of Edinburgh is said to double in the time, licensed premises are automatically given an extension to their opening hours, some open to 5 in the morning.

It's a safe city  with a low crime rate, but as with other places you have to be aware of your own safety. If you plan on taking in the paid attractions The Castle wil set you back about £20, as will The Palace of Holyrood House. Opposite the Palace is The Scottish Parliament, you can visit thisfor free and sit in while it is in session. If you are planning on venturing around Scotland and like your history I recommend a membership of Historic Scotland, again I don't know your age, but prices start at under £3 a month and are less than a fiver for adults over 24. National Trust of Scotland also offer meberships from £3.35 to £5.80.

Can't really think of much more to put for now, perhaps my followers can make suggestions, or ask questions?

Oh and pack your umbrella get a waterproof jacket, even in summer we can get some heavy showers, naturally you will be aware it can get cold as well, invest in a decent winter jacket and layers to keep warm.

I hope this has been helpful.