blazes

Ludacris??? there are conspiracy theories about "ludacris"? is this some new vaccine against Luddite Christianity

and Thalidomide?

The article makes precisely that point (that the PM does not arrange royal funferalls). Sorry if you find it confusing....

But NOT All's Well that Ends Well.....

The main argument against giving Mauritius the big island of Diego Garcia is that they may turn around and sell it to the Chinese. It would be very useful to the Chinese to possess an island in the Indian Ocean so close to the African mainland. On that ground alone, Trump might want to hold on to it. On the other hand, Trump has ruled out any future employment for his former hawkish Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, so maybe Trump doesn't attach any strategic (or indeed real estate) value to the island....

Trump doesn't give a rat's a$$ about the opinions of a jumped-up UK politician. In fact, Trump would enjoy shaking hands with the guy, since it would be far more humiliating than exchanging private diplomatic "words."

The only caveat I have regarding Musk is the power he is being granted by Trump by virtue of his massive financial support. Electric cars, which Trump was until a few weeks ago totally against (bearing in mind the need to win Michigan), will now be fully supported in Bidenesque style.

Talking about your parents' generation, are you?

And from living in a country where measly low wages make it possible for you to have "joy and peace" without thinking too much about how far this country is from putting into practice anything remotely connected with "socialist values".

Try Canada....

Anyone who has seen the original movie of the Forsyth novel (starring the unforgettable Edward Fox as the Jackal) will not be too impressed by this series. The "action" is really good, but the main thing "wrong" is (all too commonly in our woke age) that the cop who is on the tail of the Jackal is a woman, for God's sake. While real life can readily supply many examples of tough women who are a match for whatever the "male" can throw at her, the fact remains that real life plods along quite happily without having to invent the fantasy of the all-conquering female cop. Yes, ma'am, you do your best work behind a desk...

Thing is, Harris is a vile human being, no matter how you mince it. Her bullying questions of Judge Kavanaugh will remain a permanent smear on her political record and a reminder of how little intellectual or moral seriousness she possessed. She was prepared to lie her way to the presidency and the American public were smart enough to see through her. Whereas a Trump victory was supposed to herald the end of democracy, Harris's defeat ensures that the next four years will bring something close to stability (unless the Dems begin soon to trot out their hoaxes).

Good to see that the American people were not taken in by all the lies spread by the MSM. There's hope yet for 'democracy'....

Very well constructed series with a very delicate moral problem at its heart. Is co-operation with your oppressor in exchange for certain privileges not available to others ever justified. My (Thai) wife, who watches everything with me always from beginning to end, did not want to proceed to the later episodes after watching episode 1. She found it too unbearably sad....

It's useful to have a source like this. No body here should be afraid of being "criticised" for parading an opinion. (I'd have to agree with OXo's view of Kiwi stuff (though the Aussies manage to pull off quite a few winners.) One way to figure out what's available is to search for (say) Best Movies of 2022 and then reject (in my case) all suggested movies that are accompanied by a picture of ....teenagers, Dracula figures, Sci-fi ballocks, menopausal women, racial messaging (the list could go on).....which then leaves one with a small modicum of half-decent movies that might be worth viewing. Opinions expressed here are useful, since one can easily believe (or not) the opinion expressed by its enthusiasm (or not) for subjects that interest you (or not). Thanks to all who in their various ways contribute to this forum.

Just like the USA, then.....

I suppose flights from Gatwick indicate that BA regards Bangkok as a bucket-and-spade destination.

You're absolutely right, and I'm glad you took the trouble to highlight this utter drivel. Reminds me of Peter Sellers (circa 1964?) satirising travel documentaries with his fake American accent. It was a doc about travelling to Balham (Gateway to the South) pronounced BAL-HAM.....

Try Disclaimer (Kate Blanchett & Kevin Kline). Slightly complex, but well acted and good analysis/representation of revenge. Also, Sweetpea - very enjoyable female version of Dexter. (Is it "correct" to violently murder someone who is obviously a total a$$hole?)

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/coronavirus-vaccine-your-questions-answered/myocarditis-and-covid-19-vaccines-should-you-be-worried

As a Canadian who just refused the latest booster shot, and certainly not a conspiracy theorist, I beg to differ. Apparently in my province there is a 1 in 10,000 chance of a heart problem of some sort after receiving a Covid booster shot. In my city of 400,000 people, that makes 40 people who might experience a problem. I don't fancy being one of those 40 people.

Rivals Stopped watching this Jilly Cooper-based sex romp after Episode 2. (Our Jilly is also a producer of the series.) It's set in the 1980's, when sex was just being discovered (at least in Jilly's world). Lots of knickers being torn off while shagging in an airline toilet (Concorde natch). Even some desperate but amusing trouser-groping for our gay brethren (which for once does not seem gratuitous, added on for the sake of that demographic. That's because sex is everywhere.) Class system satirised during multiple orgasmic weekends in the Big Country House... Even so, the whole thing is acted out with a nod and a wink, as if the actors know it's a lot of cobblers, but we're going to have some fun anyway. Most human ailments can be cured, Jilly implies, by a jolly good rogering.

I loved Rod Liddle's characterization of the whole charade in this week's Spectator: I wonder if we should join with the radical campaigning organisation Buy Larger Mansions (BLM) in order to protest about both the verdict in the Chris Kaba case and indeed the racism inherent in the Metropolitan Police? Perhaps we can get Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer to wear some BLM badges on Match of the Day and recreate the heady, exciting atmosphere of 2020 when white liberals in the US and here decided that George Floyd was a kind of combination of Toussaint Louverture and Rosa Parks, rather than a former criminal jailed eight times, including for robbery with a deadly weapon. Instead of that cringeworthy "taking the knee" nonsense, racism could have been much more easily combated by both sides linking arms between black and white players. Indeed, there are so many blacks in EPL teams now, one hardly even "notices" them....

Who's the chick with Sir Kneel?

the underlying principles are exactly the same....naïve people believing that there is such a thing as a free lunch...