OneGuyFromBarlick

Stanley wrote: ↑25 Sep 2023, 02:25 True David and very much Graham's view when he was with us. One is tempted to day that any system of governance would be better than the one we are suffering under at the moment!

I'm sad to say it but putting my biologist's hat on I foresee a time when democracy will be seen as a short-lived aberration and authoritarian rule will win out in the end. After all, humans have been around for a couple of million years but democracy for a only a few thousand.

Some would argue that there is actually no such thing as rule by the people. It's a contradiction in terms. Bit like 'Military Intelligence'.

A man from Lancashire has seen his account balance swell overnight after being a lucky winner on the EuroMillions.
The man, known only as Mr C, scooped £1 million after winning in the EuroMillions UK Millionaire Maker in the draw on Friday, September 15.

Mr C has said he will be putting away his seven-figure prize to save for the future.

What a sad sentence - go on have a bit of a spree. . . .

£1million is small change these days......
I'm surprised he didn't say 'for a rainy day'

This is why we can't rely on newspaper reports about house sales...
Both Halifax and Nationwide surveys use data based on their own mortgage lending, so do not include those who purchase homes with cash or buy-to-let deals. According to the latest available official data, cash buyers currently account for over a third of housing sales. (From a BBC report.)

Terence Davies film director (no me neither)

“Being in the past makes me feel safe because I understand that world,” he told the Guardian in 2022.

I agree David, he had completely passed me by as well but I do sort of understand what he's saying. It's the reason why I will happily stand at the bench and lathe for hours making a crankshaft when a modern CNC machine would spit them out by the gross faster than you could blink. When I have finished and hold it (or a pair of them!) in my hand I feel a real sense of achievement. That's quite rare in this modern world......

Is this true?

"If the Arabs put down their guns there would be no more fighting. If the Israelis put down theirs, there would be no more Israel." ~ Golda Meir.

Like many other aphorisms, it is more clever pants than true. Think of other attention seekers like Oscar Wilde.....

I think it may be both clever and true. It can be.

Now from the BBC.

Andy Hopkinson, Bedfordshire's chief fire officer, said the service had "no intelligence than to suggest it was anything other than an accidental fire". He said it was thought the fire started with a diesel car, and then spread through the car park.

Took some time to come true. . . .

I've been a bit of an HL Mencken fan. for quite a while.

Bit of a goodie is our Henry..... I have long been a fan of his.

There was a great talk where the speaker asked the audience "What does it feel like to be wrong." There were various suggestions. She said "No, that's what it feels like to find out that you were wrong. Being wrong feels exactly like being right."


If the cap fits. . . . .

But if you think you're right it must be just like actually being so.....?

Aaron Nimsowitch the Jewish chess Grand Master -

" The threat is more powerful than the execution. "

PS Andredw Marr has just said that President Biden will visit Israel in the next few days. They're not likely to start an invasion yet then?

I have a sneaking suspicion they have already started. The special forces will be looking for a way into the underground bunkers and they will not be advertising that!

That's just what Hamas expects to happen and they've booby-trapped the tunnels and bunkers. Remember Vietnam?

From the memorial service for Nigel Lawson - from his son Dominic - and this from one who had used the word 'adamantine' earlier, so knew a few things about English language words.

"What intellectual guts Lawson had. 'There is no word in the English language,' said Dominic, 'which adequately encapsulates his confidence in his own judgment, regardless of the weight of opposition.'"



PS I've just ordered his autobiography and his work on 'climate change' . "An appeal to Reason" . Remarkable value for £6.42 the pair - delivered.

In other words he tended to over-confidence in his own abilities....

Right from the start of this disaster, I have treated every piece of information, from both sides, with greater than my usual extreme scepticism. Correctly as things turn out. I've seen videos which I thought were staged, and the "fact checkers" are working flat out to correct disinformation from both sides.

Quote from the 'Comments' somewhere. Quite perceptive I'd say. . . . . .

"It’s truly strange that the Israelis had no indication or intelligence that Hamas were about to launch an unprecedented terror attack on them, but can intercept Hamas talking about making a mistake over the hospital bombing. It just doesn’t compute"

Tripps wrote: ↑20 Oct 2023, 11:49 "It’s truly strange that the Israelis had no indication or intelligence that Hamas were about to launch an unprecedented terror attack on them, but can intercept Hamas talking about making a mistake over the hospital bombing. It just doesn’t compute"

Indeed, more than strange, in common parlance, someone cocked up and a lot of folk are paying for it.

PanBiker wrote: ↑20 Oct 2023, 13:30 Indeed, more than strange, in common parlance, someone cocked up and a lot of folk are paying for it.

I don't understand that in connection with the quote.

Israel was already in serious problems of its own government's making even before the Hamas attack. It all stems from Netanyahu trying to take power away from the Supreme Court and rule by himself. It set off mass protests and even the military reservists (who make up most of the military) were striking. I think they were all too busy navel-gazing and Hamas saw a chance of catching them off their guard. And it worked. See this for more background...
`Israel’s contentious legal overhaul comes to a head as judges hear cases on their own fate' AP

I have thought all along that those who blame Netanyahu for Hamas taking the Israelis so completely by surprise have a valid point. They say he has been paying too much attention to moving the governance of the country to the right and getting control over the Judiciary. They accuse him of doing this so he can more easily overturn the various legal matters that are pending against him.
What is certain is that as usual there is a lot more going on than any of us comprehends.....

Quiz - who uses this as a slogan?

"I will work night and day to deliver to you"

a. Amazon
b. Royal Mail
c.The Prime Minister.
A Google search took me to his local newspaper The Deccan Herald which for some reason seems to have a strong interest in the matter.
Such a colourful newspaper - here's an article - Maa Durga Puja From the country which landed a rocket on the dark side of the Moon a few weeks ago. I can't imagine the Archbishop of Canterbury joining in - wait a minute though. . . .