Notices by Simon Brooke (simon_brooke@mastodon.scot), page 3

"As an example, Bremer cited the UK Labour party’s losing 2015 election campaign, which focused on fiscal responsibility. “[When] voters really care about fiscal policy, they’ll go for the ‘issue owner’ – in this instance, the Conservatives""

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/jan/10/adopting-rightwing-policies-does-not-help-centre-left-win-votes

"Adopting rightwing policies on issues such as immigration and the economy does not help centre-left parties win votes, according to new analysis of European electoral and polling data"

Gasp. Who could possibly have guessed it? Someone should tell #Labour and the #SNP.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/jan/10/adopting-rightwing-policies-does-not-help-centre-left-win-votes

"The average social democratic voter today is very, very different from 50, even 20 years ago... this new constituency is actually both culturally progressive and economically leftwing"

Well, blow me down. Startling revelations.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/jan/10/adopting-rightwing-policies-does-not-help-centre-left-win-votes

“trying to imitate rightwing positions is just not a successful strategy for the left” – Professor Tarik Abou-Chadi, quoted in

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/jan/10/adopting-rightwing-policies-does-not-help-centre-left-win-votes

It's astonishing to me that this even needs to be said, but it's also very clear indeed that strategists at neither #Labour nor the #SNP understand this.

@raymierussell I think every responsible citizen should apply for this, whether or not they have existing photo ID. The requirement for voters to show ID is bad law, and we should deliberately overwhelm the system in silent protest.

There's a sense in which it's pointless trying to clean this floor at this time of year. Every time anyone comes into the house they inevitably bring mud in. But having the house filthy is really bad for my morale, so...

"in those cases, [Bing] went so far as to make serious false allegations of corruption that were presented as fact."

Where LLM #ChatBots make libellous allegations, should their publishers not be legally liable? When chatbots give advice following which results in damage, should their publishers not be legally liable?

Researchers say Bing made up facts about European elections - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/15/24003248/microsoft-ai-copilot-algorithm-watch-bing-election-misinformation

"I have spoken to many people in tech who are afraid that if they speak up, they’ll be unable to raise their next round, and lose 5-10 years of work on their venture, for their families and for their employees.

We must break the silence around the #genocide in #Gaza"

Extraordinarily powerful and courageous essay by @paulbiggar. Read it and weep.

https://blog.paulbiggar.com/i-cant-sleep/
H/t @yogthos

@CloudyMrs @peterbrown @therightarticle Craig Dalȝell (@thecommongreen) sent me a paper on land tax to comment on urgently a week ago, but I have to confess that due to stuff ging on in my life I haven't got round to dealing with it.

There are people working on it.

@CloudyMrs @peterbrown @therightarticle We could be talking about punitive levels of tax, though.

@CloudyMrs @therightarticle on the fourth point, decent access should be a legal requirement, and if it's not provided the land should automatically be transferred to community ownership.

Don't bribe people to allow you something you should have a right to, because the rich are rich enough to ignore bribes.

#LandReform

@CloudyMrs @therightarticle that includes offshore companies, including companies registered in secrecy jurisdictions, but if such companies own land they're *supposed to* tell Companies House who owns them.

contd...

https://theferret.scot/hundreds-foreign-property-owners-stay-secret-rules/

@CloudyMrs @therightarticle On the second point, there shouldn't be any 'cut-off' because, as you say, people would try to sneak around it; just a single continuous function.

cont'd...

https://www.journeyman.cc/blog/posts-output/2014-12-09-me-and-you-and-the-duke-of-buccleuch/

@CloudyMrs @therightarticle The Land Registration etc (Scotland) Act 2012 places no limits on what entities can own land in Scotland, save that they be a 'Person' as understood in Scots law.

contd...

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2012/5/contents/enacted

@CloudyMrs @therightarticle We could (and maybe should) start our own rural left, #LandReform party. Yes, we would probably never win a majority – rural folk are a minority in Scotland anyway – but in a proportional system it isn't necessary to win a majority to get some of your policies implemented.

1. No registration of land offshore;
2. Higher taxation for larger landholdings;
3. Extended community right to buy;
4. #BasicIncome replaces farm subsidies.

@CloudyMrs nominative indeterminism.

Today is the darkest day. The year turns. Tomorrow will be lighter. Blessings and good wishes to you all.

@jeffowski No, sorry.

People who deliberately discriminate against those less privileged than themselves are the problem. You knew perfectly well that by omitting #AltText you were excluding blind people. You know perfectly well that decent people don't do that.

The hypocrisy is all your own.

@jeffowski you know, if you had put appropriate #AltText on that, I'd have boosted it.

Adding alt text is an extremely easy way of increasing your reach.

@CloudyMrs I was as usual wearing almost head to toe Rapha, except for Sidi shoes, Endura gloves and a Howie's second base layer.

Rapha deep winter tights do the business in this sort of weather – but undoubtedly cost a great deal more than Aldi long John's!