tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-153369952024-03-13T14:10:22.825+00:00Moonlight Over EssexUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger500125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-14042416100904669152012-03-04T15:10:00.000+00:002012-03-04T15:10:44.390+00:00This Is Not A JokeA new ball game - with tasers.
Hat-tip : The Volokh Conspiracy
According to The Daily Caller, Eric Prum, one of the founders of Ultimate Tak Ball, said, “It’s not technically a police grade Taser. That being said, the first thing the (players) will tell you is that they hate getting tased. Those things really do hurt.” Apparently, players aren’t concerned about the danger associated with Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-46196391805751235072012-02-14T22:52:00.000+00:002012-02-14T22:52:16.741+00:00Swelling On The leg, Swelling In Public OpinionToday was a good day for me .... I went to my GP, she told me that the rather worrying lump on my calf was probably just a sebaceous cyst, and arranged an ultrascan to check.
Last night wasn't quite so good for a while , because I found the lump and was somewhat concerned as to what it might be. After a while I tried gently squeezing it and it went away, which made me think that I had just Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-54562456959621990082012-02-09T19:14:00.002+00:002012-02-09T21:29:41.922+00:00"I'm A Lonely Widow"Sometimes politics seems to be full of vitriol and anger. And sometimes politicians speak calmly and bare their soul.
This is a quietly moving speech by Maureen Walsh, one of the two Republicans who voted for marriage equality in the Washington House of Representatives this week.
Hat-tip: Andrew SullivanUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-43421566108066409322012-02-05T19:55:00.000+00:002012-02-05T19:55:59.961+00:00The Rise Of The FilchQuite a few commonly used words started off in Science Fiction. "Robot" is a good example.
With all the debste over bankers salaries recently - and the extremely wealthy in general - I wonder if the word "Filch" will catch on....
It's found in a 2003 novel by the author L.E. Modessitt Jr. The novel is called "Archform:Beauty" and is set a few hundred years into the future. Earth has suffered anUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-56066243969794568302012-01-23T18:37:00.001+00:002012-01-23T18:45:36.939+00:005 People Playing A Guitar ... And Other DelightsToday I found three musical bits on Youtube that I liked. They've really made my day...
The first is a brief snatch of President Obama singing a few bars of Al Green:
Then on Radio 2 this morning I heard this song by Gotye, featuring Kimbra. I must admit they are two names I hadn't heard before and although the song isn't very cheerful, I'm still cheered to hear some talent like this in the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-27521414165789029112011-12-24T19:13:00.003+00:002011-12-24T19:14:43.366+00:00It's A Wonderful Community Life
Chris Black writes:
Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" begins and ends on Christmas Eve - and should have a special resonance for anyone who fancies themselves as a community campaigner.
The hero of the film , George Bailey , is a superb worker for his community - but neglects his family and his home. The only thing that saves him and those he loves from tragedy , bitterness and failureUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-70751737465799899632011-12-23T19:35:00.001+00:002011-12-23T19:36:10.813+00:00Prices And ValuesMy wife Elena heard a news report this week on Russian TV about the most expensive apartment in the USA.
I then read about it in the Wall Street Journal:
The latest trophy example came this week, when a Russian billionaire, Dmitry Rybolovlev, issued a statement saying his 22-year-old daughter, Ekaterina, a student, was in contract to buy one of the best-known apartments in New York: the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-27569877238719305022011-12-11T09:59:00.000+00:002011-12-11T09:59:24.355+00:00The One On The Right...I happened to hear this song by Johnny Cash on Radio 2's "Sounds of The Sixties" yesterday, and I'm afraid I couldn't help thinking what a gift it could be for some satirists...
There once was a musical troupe
A pickin' singin' folk group
They sang the mountain ballads
And the folk songs of our land
They were long on musical ability
Folks thought they would go far
But political incompatibilityUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-85535139368665039172011-12-10T15:23:00.001+00:002011-12-10T15:23:46.649+00:00Europe, Cancer And The CoalitionUnlike some other Lib Dem Bloggers, I have only a few qualms about what's happened with Europe this week.
But what does disturb me is the recent proposal regarding making all cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to have to undergo medical assessments in order to receive benefits.
I think George Potter has explained the situation very well here:.
Macmillan aren't happy about this and, asideUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-60242482215046279502011-12-08T20:03:00.001+00:002011-12-08T20:03:47.459+00:00Bertrand Russell's Liberal DecalogueI recently found this, from Bertrand Russell in 1951:
Perhaps the essence of the Liberal outlook could be summed up in a new decalogue, not intended to replace the old one but only to supplement it.
The Ten Commandments that, as a teacher, I should wish to promulgate, might be set forth as follows:
1. Do not feel absolutely certain of anything.
2. Do not think it worth while to proceed by Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-4562240639616875742011-12-06T19:26:00.000+00:002011-12-06T19:26:13.498+00:00A 19-Year-Old Speaks Up For His 2 Moms
Zach Walls testifies before the Iowa House of Representatives.
Hat-Tip: Andrew SullivanUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-66958958043263334782011-12-05T19:54:00.001+00:002011-12-05T19:55:18.708+00:00When Things Fall ApartThe recent comments of Lib Dem Euro MEP Sharon Bowles are pretty startling:
Bowles had travelled to the event directly from Brussels to inform the industry about the current state of the European Mortgage Directive.
But after her main speech was concluded she was asked a number of questions from the audience about the future of Europe.
The event’s host, Kevin Duffy, managing director of UK Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-88857041201964385282011-12-04T21:13:00.001+00:002011-12-04T21:13:13.930+00:00The Face Of PutinI'm watching the Russian elections live ... on Russian TV. From what I can see on the screen, Putin's party is down to 49%.
Medvedev and Putin are talking to the media. Putin has the tired, unhappy expression that people normally have when they have lost an election.
Another thought. Why on earth does Russia, of all places, have elections in December?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-67442054996918086252011-12-04T12:01:00.001+00:002011-12-04T12:01:52.412+00:00Damn InterestingI'm delighted to see that the Damn Interesting website has come back to life , after a two year gap. I'm delighted because it has some stuff that is, well, damn interesting.
Do either of these snippets intrigue you?
A tale of intelligence, cunning and love of money:
The scoreboard on Larson’s podium read “$90,351,” an amount unheard of in the history of Press Your Luck. In fact, this total wasUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-17339974582035504362011-12-03T20:55:00.000+00:002011-12-03T20:55:15.638+00:00"Crimes" By Caryl ChurchillWell gosh , it's months since I posted something. Not exactly writers block, but ... life has been kinda busy.
So to get back into posting , here's a video clip of something I just about remember watching back in the 80s.
The BBC had a short season of plays then entitled "Play for Tomorrow", all set in the near future. This is how one of them opens. The actress, Sylvestra Le Touzel, was given Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-28424855308743424872011-08-12T19:56:00.002+01:002011-08-21T21:14:20.007+01:00Mr Moore Is Salaried....Another snippet from Whats My Line...What kind of work does Bobby Moore from London , England do?
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-72713430252399418072011-08-12T18:12:00.001+01:002011-08-12T18:14:13.680+01:00What On Earth Does He Do For A Living?
After seeing a fascinating little TV clip of "I've Got A Secret" on Liberal England, I stumbled across this segment of the US series of "What's My Line", circa 1956.....
Colonel Sanders lives in Kentucky. He has a neat white beard, a string tie and a white suit. What on earth does he do for a living?
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-75574033129309079252011-07-31T18:12:00.000+01:002011-07-31T18:12:46.855+01:00What Happens If The USA Defaults
The following document from Buckingham Palace, signed by Her Majesty herself, has recently come into my possession. I understand that Wikileaks are absolutely livid that I got to it first.
I can't guarantee that it is genuine, but I believe it will come into effect if the USA defaults. Anyway, here it is:
Whereas Our Royal Ancestor King George III was pleased to sign the Treaty of Paris ofUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-24845638282747609892011-07-27T21:31:00.000+01:002011-07-27T21:31:37.842+01:00What happens When You Mix Oxygen And Magnesium?From Memebase:
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-80362721552164816362011-07-24T20:21:00.001+01:002011-07-24T20:21:00.161+01:00Maybe Vince Saw Stuff Like ThisAccording to the Guardian:
Vince Cable has launched an extraordinary attack on "rightwing nutters" in America who are trying to block the raising of the US government's debt ceiling and who are, he said, a bigger threat to the world economy than problems in the eurozone.
Maybe he read something like this blog post with the snappy title "Default -The Two Swwetest Words In the English Language"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-44237281556742441612011-07-24T17:30:00.000+01:002011-07-24T17:30:41.447+01:00Thinking Of NorwayA candle in Oslo cathedral today.....
Too many faces of heartbroken parents.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-17306010946710871302011-05-11T17:50:00.001+01:002011-05-11T17:51:14.789+01:00Problem Number 2 : A Shattered PledgeJennie says everything I wanted to say about the tuition fees issue, except ten times better.
You really should read her full post here but here's the key paragraph:
Let me spell this out in very small words: the problem is, as I said before it even happened, that, with twenty-one honourable exceptions*, our MPs broke their word. We ran our whole damn general election campaign on no more brokenUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-73740426946567208842011-05-09T08:09:00.000+01:002011-05-09T08:09:05.998+01:00Winning Elections Is EasyWinning elections is easy.
At least if you are Ruth Ellen Brosseau.
Never been to the constituency? Doesn't matter! Have problems with the local lanaguage? No problem!
Ruthe Ellen was a candidate for the New Democratic Party in last week's elections in Canada. As Wikipedia explains:
She is also an animal welfare activist who has worked to find homes for stray animals and help injured animals Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-44488557645592729312011-05-09T07:52:00.001+01:002011-05-09T07:54:19.968+01:00Problem No:1 A Vague IdentityThe party is in a mess and it's going to take a lot of effort to get us out of it.
We don't have one big problem, we have four.
The first problem is that it's very hard to sum up our party's basic aims in a sentence or two. Ask most people and they might say that the Tories are in favour of free enterprise, low taxes and reducing the role of government. They'll say Labour are also more or less Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15336995.post-40090741775773121522011-05-08T09:00:00.002+01:002011-05-08T09:06:22.170+01:00In Deep Blue RochfordRochford District has been one of the bluest councils in England in recent years - before election day the Tories had 31 seats, we had 5 , the Greens had 1 and the Rochford District Residents Party had 1, with 1 vacancy in Hullbridge.
It was very much an election for us to focus on defense, as we had elections in all 3 wards where we had councillors....
The end result was that we lost one seatUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0