Brexit, for once some facts.

[sjpt]

I've never had any Covid test, all my efforts are defensive, following my lifelong rule that primary safety is infinitely better than secondary.
.

I've had just one test, when randomly invited to take part in a survey.

(Of course the survey won't get the right answer for lots of reasons of which I am sure the surveyors are well aware; but it will probably be more helpful than no survey at all.)

 

[oyster]

I've had just one test, when randomly invited to take part in a survey.

(Of course the survey won't get the right answer for lots of reasons of which I am sure the surveyors are well aware; but it will probably be more helpful than no survey at all.)

I had one PCR test - invited from Zoe due to symptoms (though not recognised Covid-19 symptoms). Negative.

And just had results of antibodies tests from early June. Again, invited via Zoe.
Anti-N = negative.
Anti-S = positive

Which corresponds to not having had Covid-19 but having been vaccinated.

But I have not done any lateral flow tests.

 

[flecc]

And just had results of antibodies tests from early June. Again, invited via Zoe.
Anti-N = negative.
Anti-S = positive

Which corresponds to not having had Covid-19 but having been vaccinated.

I guess I'll be an N. S. too.

= No Sale !
.

 

[oldgroaner]

A recent Berlin artwork

Entitled politicians discussing global warming

 

[oyster]

A recent Berlin artwork

Entitled politicians discussing global warming

Bring back Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Queen Victoria - would already have been sorted. Or they'd have drowned.

 

[flecc]

Bring back Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Queen Victoria - would already have been sorted. Or they'd have drowned.

No need to go that far back, Clement Attlee and his team would have got it sorted. The blunt speaking of men like Aneurin Bevan didn't leave any room for fluffing an issue.
.

 

[oyster]

No need to go that far back, Clement Attlee and his team would have got it sorted. The blunt speaking of men like Aneurin Bevan didn't leave any room for fluffing an issue.
.

Attlee was about 5' 8". Head still just about above water.

 

[flecc]

Attlee was about 5' 8". Head still just about above water.

Not relevant, drowning is a health issue.

Just like spectacles, dentures and wigs then, we'd have had lifejackets from the NHS.
.

 

[oyster]

Not relevant, drowning is a health issue.

Just like spectacles, dentures and wigs then, we'd have had lifejackets from the NHS.
.

It was simply a joke based on the picture.

The three I identified were all short.

 

[flecc]

It was simply a joke based on the picture.

I know, hence my Smiley.
.

 

[flecc]

As I forecast 20 years ago and again five years ago in this post, the Taliban are about to re-assume full power in Afghanistan. As they should of course, they were the legitimate government in that country when US lead western NATO changed from the six weeks of evicting Al Qaeda into a completely illegal agenda of regime change in that foreign country.

However much we may dislike the Taliban and Islamic extremism, we have no right to enforce our values upon others, especially when they simply don't accept them and probably never will. This has been made obvious by the fact of the Taliban taking over again in just a couple of weeks, and not by fighting as our government and media have lied to us.

That isn't possible, we know from long experience that it takes months rather than weeks for us or them to capture a city with street by street fighting, clearly the Taliban have just walked into city after city unopposed. Why? Because quite simply they and their rule are favoured by over 50% of the population, not just the men who are so suited by their system but also by many women who also find much to like in it. That is why they were in power originally.

As I wished for in the post I linked to above, I hope it finally sinks into the Western mindset that we should stop interfering with others and their preferences, no matter how objectionable we find them. From the Crusades to the present day, all our interference ever does is immense and lasting harm.

And I'm not just speaking of physical interference but of criticism too. We have no right to lecture the likes of China, Russia and others with our preferences. If our systems and beliefs are so superior, then let them speak for themselves. it is after all how the cold war was won, not by force but by example.
.

 

[oldgroaner]

As I forecast 20 years ago and again five years ago in this post, the Taliban are about to re-assume full power in Afghanistan. As they should of course, they were the legitimate government in that country when US lead western NATO changed from the six weeks of evicting Al Qaeda into a completely illegal agenda of regime change in that foreign country.

However much we may dislike the Taliban and Islamic extremism, we have no right to enforce our values upon others, especially when they simply don't accept them and probably never will. This has been made obvious by the fact of the Taliban taking over again in just a couple of weeks, and not by fighting as our government and media have lied to us.

That isn't possible, we know from long experience that it takes months rather than weeks for us or them to capture a city with street by street fighting, clearly the Taliban have just walked into city after city unopposed. Why? Because quite simply they and their rule are favoured by over 50% of the population, not just the men who are so suited by their system but also by many women who also find much to like in it. That is why they were in power originally.

As I wished for in the post I linked to above, I hope it finally sinks into the Western mindset that we should stop interfering with others and their preferences, no matter how objectionable we find them. From the Crusades to the present day, all our interference ever does is immense and lasting harm.

And I'm not just speaking of physical interference but of criticism too. We have no right to lecture the likes of China, Russia and others with our preferences. If our systems and beliefs are so superior, then let them speak for themselves. it is after all how the cold war was won, not by force but by example.
.

Thoughts to dwell on

The official view here.
An insurgent rabble have illegally taken over Afghanistan

The most probable view in the country

The legitimate government has succeeded in ejecting outside invading forces.

 

[oyster]

Thoughts to dwell on

The official view here.
An insurgent rabble have illegally taken over Afghanistan

The most probable view in the country

The legitimate government has succeeded in ejecting outside invading forces.

No doubt some will think that way. Pretty unpleasant for the rest, I suspect.

 

[oldgroaner]

No doubt some will think that way. Pretty unpleasant for the rest, I suspect.

And unleash a fresh flood of refugees almost certainly
Without doubt our presence hasn't been a success, and the USA should have realised just how little the Afghan army was prepared to resist the Taliban
Just another Vietnam.

 

[oldgroaner]

An Allegory
The Afghan Army Cat versus the Taliban Rat

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1426995024273752065

 

[oyster]

And unleash a fresh flood of refugees almost certainly
Without doubt our presence hasn't been a success, and the USA should have realised just how little the Afghan army was prepared to resist the Taliban
Just another Vietnam.

While Biden is getting all the criticism, it was the previous incumbent who actually decided to withdraw. The difficulty of reversing that decision might have been greater than we can appreciate.

 

[flecc]

No doubt some will think that way. Pretty unpleasant for the rest, I suspect.

I think you've got it the wrong way round through judging from your Western perspective.

Why do you think countries like Afghanistan persist with hard line Islamism? It's because for hundreds of years it's been what they supported and prefer. Don't be fooled by the western propaganda showing you people fleeing the country, they are the minority who have collaborated with the west and now have something to fear.

Why do you think the Afghan army had zero will to fight the Taliban? It's because they are the Taliban and never had any intention of fighting them. Remember the Taliban were the people of Afghanistan and the staunch allies of the West in their local part of the cold war against Russia. We armed them to the hilt and they beat the might of Russia out of their country. That wasn't done by a minority, it was done by the united people of Afghanistan, united as the Taliban.

Having used them against Russia when it suited us, we then deserted them when it no longer suited, so they gradually turned against us. Just as we did with Saddam Hussein who was our staunch western ally against Iran in an 8 year war when it suited, only to desert and oppose him later when he didn't suit any more.

It's what we and the USA do all the time, it's the treacherous and unreliable West who are the villains time and time again by our illegal interference in other countries. We and the countries we spawned like the USA have brought a thousand years of conflict to the rest of the world.
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[Woosh]

It's because for hundreds of years it's been what they supported and prefer.

Find me a successful Islamic Republic.
I would agree but suspect that may be no longer true.
People believed that the earth was the centre of the universe for thousands of years and the system worked well.

 

[flecc]

Find me a successful Islamic Republic.
I would agree but suspect that may be no longer true.
People believed that the earth was the centre of the universe for thousands of years and the system worked well.

It's not about success or even Islam, just look at Vietnam. A poor country of people with low living standards who now often try to illegally emigrate for better. They could have co-operated with the French or Americans and been another wealthy South Korea now, but they valued their independence more at the time, and the majority probably still do, satisfied with their simple but natural lifestyle.

And one should never underestimate the attraction of Islam and the way it offers a very simple uncomplicated life, ending with satisfaction. Its power is such that it attracts many educated westerners to adopt it out of preference.

As the Yorkshire saying goes, "There's nowt so queer as folks".

Logic frequently plays little part in people's preferences.
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[Woosh]

It's not about success or even Islam, just look at Vietnam.

there is a big difference.
Vietnamese do not mix religious beliefs with politics.