April 17, 2020

Posting while drunk

Folks,

I would like some advice on posting whilst drunk. Have you ever done this and regretted it? Please share?

Recently I made this mistake and regret it like the dog that ate the Xmas turkey. No details, but I would like some tips on how to avoid falling into the trap again. It was only a couple of craft beers and a gin and tonic, but reading the post in clear daylight I could see what I'd done (and me with two philosophy degrees to boot).

Guess I just want a cuddle and someone to tell me that its alright. TBH it was the worst post I've written in 15 yrs of online forums, maybe more. The shame!!

D.

April 16, 2020

Rats

Folks,

A week go my wife and I were out walking and we saw two brown rats chasing each other in a children's play area. Today I was in a supermarket car park and saw five rats chasing around in the the empty space.

I have never seen this before, not in public places. The thought is obvious: if people were not around how long would it take for the rats to come out? At least they were playing and not dying.

Strange times.

D.

April 9, 2020

Lockdown wagon

Folks,

I've decided to give up the booze for the duration of the Corona lock down. This will not be easy as I am a long term regular tippler (57yrs on the juice, 72 yrs old). Somehow, seeing so many people suffering has got to me. I'm also doing some voluntary stuff during the crisis, so that fits as well.

Anyway, 3 days clear so far and I haven't gone that long for years. No ill effects, which is amazing, but I'm expecting cravings and stomach trouble to kick in, as it has before. Thing with booze is there is a switch inside us, a moment when we say yes or no, and it feels like this time the switch has clicked.

Oh, I did do 7 yrs on the wagon after our daughter was born back in the 1980s and it was the same then. I just thought 'No booze with a baby' and that was it.

If anyone has had a similar experience or any words of good advice I'm all ears, but no negatives please. This will a hard call even with a fair wind at my back.

Good thoughts,

D.

April 1, 2020

A question about philosophy

Folks,

On an old thread, someone wrote (I think) "An apple is objectively real, but opinions about it are subjective."

This interested me. My question is - Is it possible for an opinion to be true?

D.

May 31, 2017

Amazing political game

Hi,

The international (France based) software developer Ubisoft has a new shooter game coming out, in which the target for the player is to hunt down and kill American Christian Republicans!

The controversy is already around the web, unsurprisingly. An amusing feature of the game is the ability to call out characters as racist and ‘hurt their feelings’ as part of gameplay. I kid you not.

http://uproxx.com/gaming/far-cry-5-white-genocide-controversy/

http://www.gq.com/story/far-cry-5-video-game-controversy



D.

May 18, 2017

Forced equity release

Hi,

The Guardian has today (18/5/17) reported on the Tory manifesto. If this manifesto becomes law, elderly and unwell people requiring care at home will be required to give up sole ownership rights to their homes if they lack the savings to pay. Currently the home is not regarded as an asset in means testing this level of social care.

Helpfully, the Tories will offer a range of 'equity release products' to facilitate this legal process. No doubt the products will be supplied by private companies with shareholders and profit margins to meet.

This sounds like a conservative wet dream to me, but what's not to like?

c.

May 3, 2017

The Brexit spirit

Hi,

We are in an English seaside town. We go into a posh hotel and ask for Martinis in the bar. The Brit barman says “What’s a Martini?” before going off to find out what we are talking about and how to make them. We leave.

Later we go into a seafront cafe and I ask for a black Americano with milk on the side. The Brit waitress gives me a white Americano with extra milk on the side. This drink contains precious little coffee but much milk.

In desperation, we go to a coffee chain, Costa. I ask for the same and the Brit ‘Barrister’ shouts ‘White Americano’ to his colleague. It tastes like sludge.

I have been abroad in Europe. I know that this would not happen in any other EU country, or even here if the employee was an immigrant from anywhere. But in Brexit Britain it is a short step back to the 1950s, a time of poor food, worldly ignorance and terminally bad service. What’s not to like?

D.

April 17, 2017

US military bases worldwide

Hi,

I was watching a John Pilger clip and he inspired me to look at a US military bases world map.



Well, looking at that, it is hard to criticise Trump’s present antics in light of the militarism going on through successive presidencies. It is a plain fact that the US military reaches in to 50 countries, and where they go they rarely leave.

There is some level of balance though. China and Russia are free of bases, and their common border allows an integral part of the globe to be US free. Interestingly, South America and Africa are also relatively free.

Comforting thoughts? Well, I guess the sideshow of US politics is just that, and the work is done below the media radar. So, we can stop worrying about particular presidents or parties, as they will all inherit this embedded structure as they come and go. The other thought is that the US worker has to pay for this behemoth in their tax dollars, and the ‘guest’ countries will be getting the ground rent.

But, when there is any bleating about Russian or Chinese ‘expansion’ I recommend a sobering look at the linked map.

D.

April 7, 2017

What's in the tea leaves

Hi,

I have never been so confused about UK politics, in all my 69 years.

What is going to happen? Where is the wind blowing?

D.