The Political Thread

[Professor Bear]

I'm just angry reading that story, Sharky, but would probably appreciate finally being in a position where I was both supremely angry and also had nothing to lose so that I could make people like Stephen Jackson, Rent and Money Advice Services Manager, WLBC, Elson House, 49-51 Westgate, Sandy Lane Centre, Skelmersdale my new hobby.
Ex turpi causa non oritur actio

Is there a way for people to contact the Mods to get any posts they may have made foolishly, removed?

The European courts in the last couple of days established that all citizens have "a right to be forgotten" by digital archives and searches, should they so wish, and that they can demand older data be purged (on the basis of its contemporary irrelevance) to prevent it coming up in searches someone might make.  Not that this stopped a UKIP councillor from using private investigators to track down a critic so that he could set the police on them: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/12/police-ask-blogger-remove-legitimate-tweet-ukip

So we know from stories like the one above that local government is not above wielding the constabulary like a club even when there's no legal basis for doing so.  Were I Sharky - and not dead by now as would likely be the case if I was - I'd try tracking down an ambulance-chaser to sue this Stephen Jackson, Rent and Money Advice Services Manager, WLBC, Elson House, 49-51 Westgate, Sandy Lane Centre, Skelmersdale and his fellow cronies via the civil law they seem to treasure so much over basic decency.  If nothing else, I imagine harassing an elderly woman, using unregulated bailiffs to destroy a man's shed to use the debris as a battering ram to beat down the man's front door - and by proxy to batter the man while he attempted to stop this gang of intruders - and then use the police to stitch the man up not once but three times in the space of 24 hours and to enact an illegal search of his home, taking his DNA without consent and then stealing all his worldly possessions including his dog - I imagine all this will make for lovely local news soundbites just as European elections are coming up.

Is it possible for you to stand for election, Sharky?  You could do so on a single-issue platform of "firing Stephen Jackson, Rent and Money Advice Services Manager, WLBC, Elson House, 49-51 Westgate, Sandy Lane Centre, Skelmersdale" - I can see the taglines on the posters already: "I don't like him."

[The Legendary Shark]

Good point, Prof - election time is a great opportunity to gather "allies" and that running for office idea is genius!

[Recrewt]

That's quite a series of events there Sharky.  This has all got very serious and please take care of yourself and make use of the help available e.g. citizens advice, etc.

As I understand, they have locked the house up with those shutters to prevent you re-entering the property and you will need to talk to them about removing your belongings soon or they can dispose of them. 

[TordelBack]

Good point, Prof - election time is a great opportunity to gather "allies" and that running for office idea is genius!

The only problem with this (exciting, enticing) plan is that the hounds would descend on your online life (to say nothing of your real one) and rip you not one but several new ones.  There's enough rope on this forum alone to hang an army (pod? school? shiver? shoal? muching?) of Sharks.

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

The collective noun for sharks is a Shiver.

A shiver of sharks.

Up to this point of your ordeal I felt there was nothing useful I could contribute, but now I feel slightly (but not much) better.

[CrazyFoxMachine]

The only problem with this (exciting, enticing) plan is that the hounds would descend on your online life (to say nothing of your real one) and rip you not one but several new ones.  There's enough rope on this forum alone to hang an army (pod? school? shiver? shoal? muching?) of Sharks.

Your average U - K - I - P candidate says dumber things during interviews than the Shark does here, that doesn't stop 'em! ...seemingly AT ALL.

All power to you Shark but I can't help but think you're colouring your side here slightly glossier than it is. I confess I don't know the full gist of what exactly you're risking your health and happiness for but I urge you to try and look at those posts there through a  stranger's eyes and see how potentially worrying it all is. Not about our worryingly biased system (that tweet thing is a sure sign of that - hello GCHQ btw, how are you?). We were genuinely concerned when you went AWOL - and you repeatedly state you are encouraged by how caring people can be for you but... it's not a one-way thing is what I'm trying to say. As I think you've inferred before it's not just a battle between a you and Stephen Jackson (Rent and Money Advice Services Manager, WLBC, Elson House, 49-51 Westgate, Sandy Lane Centre, Skelmersdale) - but all those individual police officers, and court workers and your family and friends.... everyone's involved. Not just you. If you go down in your struggle we'll be all the poorer for it. It is not the wiser or nobler thing to fall on this sword that you yourself seem to have positioned yourself above. Rise above it and base your attack from a higher vantage.

Seriously - go into politics!

[Professor Bear]

Have the dog stand for office, then.  He won't care if people trash his reputation, and he can stand on the twin policies of "firing Stephen Jackson, Rent and Money Advice Services Manager, WLBC, Elson House, 49-51 Westgate, Sandy Lane Centre, Skelmersdale" ("he treated me like an animal") and "making peace with cats."

[TordelBack]

Your average U - K - I - P candidate says dumber things during interviews than the Shark does here, that doesn't stop 'em! ...seemingly AT ALL.

Yes, but their ramblings espouse hate, fear and wilful ignorance, which always finds a constituency - Shark is full of utopian strivings, ideas about mutual support and questions without simple answers, marking him out as an evil nutter, possibly* even a deviant. 

That said, I heartily endorse the sentiment: reading all this is desperately worrying, even from the vantage point of a boys' comic discussion forum, never mind those who are actually around you.  Choose your ground carefully Shark, the struggle is long and you need to be well and secure enough to fight it - and Stephen Jackson, Rent and Money Advice Services Manager, WLBC, Elson House, 49-51 Westgate, Sandy Lane Centre, Skelmersdale, obviously.




*I'm being charitable here.   

[mogzilla]

glad your ok sharky ,

[Professor Bear]

Yes, but their ramblings espouse hate, fear and wilful ignorance, which always finds a constituency

VOTE DOGKIP.

The DOGKIP Party does not stand for racist or xenophobic policies, it stands for the economically-based belief that cats shouldn't come to neighboring houses scrounging food meant for dogs, better they stay in their own baskets under the stairs of homes with their own ample supply and access to tuna and catnip and look towards using their skills to improve the lot of their own kittens.  Also the council should fire Stephen Jackson, Rent and Money Advice Services Manager, WLBC, Elson House, 49-51 Westgate, Sandy Lane Centre, Skelmersdale, because I don't like him.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Here was the post I meant to, er, post the last time.  Just in case you thought punchy, hitty coppers were confined to Sharky's neck of the woods.  Here is an example of the behaviour of the nasty, violent c***s that we in Ireland pay to protect us:

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/doctor-special-needs-boy-was-stripped-naked-and-whipped-with-belt-in-garda-custody-30274644.html

Also, come the revolution, Stephen Jackson, Rent and Money Advice Services Manager and bearer of the most copied-and-pasted name in history, WLBC, Elson House, 49-51 Westgate, Sandy Lane Centre, Skelmersdale will be first against the wall.

[ZenArcade]

And there it is. I love the immense support shown to Shark, in what, by any measure, is a really difficult and tough (both mental and physical) time for him. Our support, would be, in my opinion, best directed towards giving Sharky, direct, practical, step by step advice on remedys to the urgent issues at hand. Surely the hive-mind is capable of innovation and closure with respect to this. On the more Global points, I think we are transposing what we would like to have the balls to do (but don't) on the Sharks situation as it stands now. That, to me is wrong. I certainly feel, we as a forum group, could actually as a point of principle, field a candidate in the next election. After all it's only £600 and certain other minor undertakings. I think we under-estimate the ability of a gestalt like the hive-mind to articulate the issues in a rational, yet connective and brochable fashion. Z

[The Legendary Shark]

Spent most of the day compiling a lengthy and detailed affadavit in preparation for Phase Whatever-the-Hell-I'm-Up-To-Now.
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Hopefully, by tomorrow one of my contacts will have put me in touch with a solicitor who specialises in prosecuting the police.
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Right now I don't have the time or the resources to go political, and you know what I think of politicians  - why would I want to join in with such a shower of muppets anyway? It's still a good idea, though.
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Another idea someone had was to post Stephen Jackson's email address on the interweb so that people the world over can register their disgust and let him know he's being watched. Of course, I couldn't possibly condone such an action but it might make the Council think twice before descending like six tons of guano on another unfortunate sod...
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[Hawkmumbler]

I hear the Monster-Raving-Loony Party are looking for a new leader.

[Professor Bear]

I think Zen makes a good point about a board whip-round to help pay for revenge.  I'd be up for contributing, as like any good Catholic I never forgive.

I would not dismiss the political route, Sharky - you might actually be doing a lot of people a favor by forwarding a dog as a candidate, as given the UKIP showing lately and how the Condems slithered in at the last GE, there's clearly a market for visible and poorly-considered protest votes.