Doug Scrafton

It's a great series, well worth a read!

#WhitehouseRoseGarden
Oh how things have changed !!! 😔😔

You and Rory are very much in our thoughts.

Forgive a cynical old arabist. But the general rule has always been that if there is no hope of any progress let's make sure there is plenty of activity...

If Netanyahu really believes that there is no starvation in Gaza, he has the means to prove it to us all. All he needs to do is to allow the international media free access. I wonder why he doesn't ...

Sadly, over the years I served in all too many states where the population may have welcomed the opportunity to reject their leaders, but were denied that liberty. Even so, the states continued to exist, and we continued to recognise them.

Hamas is not Palestine, just as Netanyahu and his cronies are not Israel (or our current government is the United Kingdom). It is the state that will be recognised, not those who claim to govern it.

I am well into my 70s I am all for 16 - 18 year-olds voting. And I will carry on voting until I am too gaga to mark the ballot paper - or until the sensible, effective and responsive government I have been waiting for all my adult life finally puts in an appearance (whichever comes first!).

Anyone else having problems with Thunderbird? Seems to get stuck when checking for new mail.
Anyone know of a reliable (free!) alternative?

Wishing all of those resident in or citizens of France a wonderful 14 juillet!

#SlavaUkraine
#AnybodyButTrump
#USDemocracy

That is a statement that some might think true of quite a number of countries. You need to be more specific.

Left-handed - anti clockwise usually (but then I am anti most things these days!) ...

If you were as old as I am, you would be able to recall a time when the leaders of all the political parties - well perhaps except for the Monster Raving Loony Party - were serious, heavyweight statesmen, whose views you could respect even if you did not share them.

Wishing all my Canadian friends a very happy Canada Day!
Wish we could be there, but despite these turbulent times I know they will keep
THE TRUE NORTH STRONG AND FREE

And this includes “strangers” ( who are only people we haven’t met yet) and refugees ( those people fleeing for their lives).

As a fellow sufferer, Very much thinking of you

It is difficult because the pronunciation of the arabic 'q' comes from the back of the throat, and the 't' (there are 2 t-type letters in arabic) does not have a precise english equivalent. The nearest pronunciation is probably 'gutter' - with both syllables receiving equal emphasis.

Jams?

No doubt this news will be carried prominently by the BBC and other MSM - they are all usually very keen to keep us up to date about this.

Sources reporting that Zelensky has called Trump and offered to mediate a peaceful resolution between Musk and himself.

If you're on holiday in Cornwall, please be mindful of how you're treating it. Don't dump rubbish out your car window or on the ground in general. Take notice of what roads you can actually fit down, and dont speak to people like shit.

My DIY skills are so highly developed that I am not allowed into any hardware store under any circumstances.
So you have my sympathy - and be aware that whatever the disaster it can be nothing compared to some of mine!

Today's ethical question: which is worse - dodging a fare or claiming public money for the same journey twice?

It may be true that none of the traditional parties has all the answers. But that does not explain why so many people appear ready to support a party that does not even understand the questions.

Signed

This is going to sound incredibly earnest and preachy but fuck it.

Support creative people. Buy their stuff. Share it on here. Music, art, words, whatever. Things made by humans for humans.

It’s fair to say that NONE of the current crop of British politicians has the integrity and intelligence of this man: