There’s a picture with Eva Vlaar who will be one of the four ladies tomorrow lunchtime and she’s wearing a MAGA hat … but she’s Dutch, isn’t she … shieldmaiden of “the right”.
Below here is a shot of the Donald when … well you can read about it below … interestingly, our Steve wrote: “These people really do love their country..”
Well, some obvious questions are … why was Dutch Eva wearing a MAGA hat, why was Steve, British armed forces, admiring their spirit, why this site and I also? Why do I love my American friends, Dutch, Oz, NZ, Canada … French, Russian etc. and all are for sound policy, sane values, loving your country?
If we love the country, then how can we love those doing the same in their countries? Coz we do. Shirley we’d be beating our chests and clashing heads, no?
No … as my mate up the road said … it’s not in the least a zero sum game, plus there are many things we admire in people we admire.
But then we get to a different issue … how small can the geographical area be which we’re loyal to? In my case … the Deira? West Riding? Yorkshire? England? Britain? Great Britain? The British Isles? Europe? The West?
At what point on the chart do you put the pin in and say this is the one … I’m patriotic to this one?
And what of your Scottish, Irish, Welsh, French etc. etc. friends? Antipodaeans? And what if I told you that this below is my personal national anthem?
And more than that … why this particular version edging out the other fine renditions? And what about my additional crazy reasons why? Beyond loyalty to England?
Well, for a start, it’s insane … Joseph of Arithmetic coming here? Satanic mills? Even the song, as played by ELP, is insane, in yer face, bombastic, bringing in Jesus. Jerusalem? Why? That’s almost Masonic.
Plus the visuals are good in this vlog version … boy dun well. See the temple near the end? At a minimum, it’s highly eccentric, Blake was off his rocker … I just luv it … even the idea of England now is as far away as Oh Flower of Scotland … beautiful anthem by the way … as is the Star Spangled banner, La Marseillaise, Uber Alles … great songs! Can you play the Maple Leaf forever? No I tire after a dozen renditions.
I did not know this film, thought it another noir but as one reviewer pointed out … noir had had its time by then, yet the hardbitten French Connection style of movie had not really kicked off … this fits into that inbetween category.
Romance? No … it’s an “actioner” … surprisingly well put together, well acted, with great outdoor establishment shots. Might be worth your time:
… but also adding one of the TCW items, I do not wish to start an interdenominational St Batholomew’s Day massacre here, nor an internecine protestant war … the point is that there are quite fundamental disagreements in theology, even within Trinitarian Christianity, let alone non-Trinitarian.
So, Christians must address a reality here … what are you going to do with someone who does not agree on the filioque clause or on transubstantiation? Or on women priests? Or on the role of women in the church or Church? Are you going to shun them? Burn them at the stake?
I’m by no means saying compromise one’s beliefs, esp. learn-ed beliefs, from deep scriptural reading. At the same time, what to do with people really pushing doctrinal points which seem quite wrong? I’m going to look at one brought up by the TCW chap and then at a hypothetical involving the Trump rally.
Mother Mary … now I don’t know any (proper) denomination which does not “revere” Mother Mary … but protestants don’t elevate her to worship status … that’s as far as I go there. Plus, she was not Christian, she was pre-Christian, she bore the Christ. So she was in a unique position vis-a-vis God. But we’d be more inclined to say Hail Jesus than Hail Mary.
The hypothetical is this … let’s just say that Archbish Vigano and I had struck up a friendship, or Calvin Robinson … and we’d managed tickets for the second Butler rally. Fine, so there we are.
At one point, someone gets up and sings Ave Maria … no question that it’s a fine hymn, just as Jesu Joy or How Great Thou Art is … or Emanuel and captive Is-ra-el … they’re fine pieces. Why a Catholic hymn at the rally, rather than a majority protestant hymn for America? And what about atheists/humanists there, just as freedom oriented as anyone?
You do see the issue. That rally was MAGA, not Donny for a start. However, politically, I do see why … vital to keep both JDV plus RFK jnr onboard … ok, it was an RC hymn but a lovely one all the same. To my mind, it was an astute move … but not if bible belt south are to be brought onboard. And Emmanuel is a bit Jewish in a sense. But why not, if we want them on board too? Not ultraZionists of the Talmud but generally Jewish people?
You do see the issues, do you not? And my question is in this hypothetical … do I turn to Archbish Vigano or Calvin and say, “None of that papist music, prepare to die, infidel!” or do I see what we’re trying to achieve that day? Elon leaping around a bit prattishly … do we mock or welcome him, welcome Tulsi?
I like asking the easy ones, yes?
8. IYE at 833
833:3 The Grift
7. Restructuring Sundays at HQ
The moment I try to formalise anything here, it’s lost or events overtake it … however, not being a well cat today … heart, physical aches etc. … I essentially slept after 0730 and am only getting going again now … 1108.
First step was to switch the buzzer off to downstairs, second was to switch both phones off, such that the only way through for awhile was email or site, maybe X or Gab. As long as there’s at least some way through to me for important people, inc. our regulars.
The other side of the coin is I do need at least a small amount of time absolutely not on call. Certainly not all the time but at least some time in each workingday but far more on Sunday … mental health demands it.
The whole concept of “not on call” I included in one of the books, forget which, where the main sailor among em made a roster to run past them in which there were four columns for the four capn and crew.
First two columns were “on duty” … those two rostered into that slot sorted it out among themselves how they divided the work. If absolutely necessary, they could call column three up on deck … this c3 person is the one preparing tea/coffee, doing some of the chores below but essentially “off”. The fourth column was not to be called under any but emergency conditions … not for any other reason whatsoever.
On the roster, the idea afap was to give two c4s in a row … for a good kip. I’ll try to dig that out sometime soon to show you how it worked out.
What has peeved me this week, here, domestically, is saying yes to neighbours on collecting a parcel for them one day. It was a working day, blogging, chores … not an issue. However, it was yodel or evri as it turned out and that was the thing … completely unreliable firms, did not turn up. My neighbour said oh well … tomorrow.
Sorry … no way. He said it didn’t matter if I could not … that was not the point. The point was that in my own life, I work on two hour delivery windows for deliveries and if a firm will not give that window, I do not buy … simple. But next door thinks it may as well be next day or next day … 27 hours on call? No *&£&*ing way. Unprofessional.
So tomorrow morning, Monday, buzzers and phone will be off.
Now, that then puts stress on my mate up the road as he needs to be able to phone over our new setup or in general. However, in practice, that means from 1000 to about 1300, so I’ll shove the phone back on for that time. Plus what if I have downtime? I’m thinking best thing is to go back to my second phone with him. These things are important.
So, to refine the term “on call” … on call to whom is the crucial point. To one of you regulars or to my mate … near enough to 24/7 is fine in an emergency … in practice more sane hours generally prevail.
But this morning, I went back to bed after the opening posts and emails … and crashed for some hours. Phone off, buzzer off … blissful sleep. And so here I am, much better, ready to roll.
A bit quieter than of late, it did give me a chance to take stock and ponder on some of the smaller things in daily life as well as the apparently big ones.
Like the number of babies I see being carted around by distracted or inattentive parents without any sort of hat, hood or bonnet despite the wet and chilly weather. And the number of parents, including mothers, who don’t hold their infant’s or child’s hand. I have been seriously tempted to stop them, to give respective lectures on babies losing more heat from their heads than any other part of their body and the importance on busy roads and crowded streets of never letting go of your child’s hand. I haven’t – yet – but I feel it coming.
Nor have I yet confronted any of the far too many women I see on my local shopping street sporting head-covers that, by contrast to those poor bare-headed babies, they don’t need. I am talking about the ever-present hijab that is fast becoming the fashion norm in so much of London. Is it just Muslim women wearing them? Looking at the faces has had me wondering whether it’s the faith or the fashion that’s gaining converts. My lecture to them? Why are you sliding into this? Do you have no idea what this symbolises or how regressive this is?
a. Jason Morgan on diversity on TV: Women haven’t seen a white guy with blue eyes on Tv in 8 years. Vance is an exotic beauty to them now.
b. Rob Colbert on the politics of envy: They want what you have. But they can’t build it. They can’t maintain it. They can only want it. And if they get it, they will only destroy it and need a new one. Money can’t fix this.
c. Marcus Brown: Men are not born to be builders, pioneers, patriarchs, or leaders. Great men are built by great wives – not mothers, not partners, not girlfriends, not a fling, one night stand, only wives. This is the core of why all countries support and encourage marriage.
d. “Shazlandia” wondered: Why, when hurricanes eventually lose strength and spread out, did Helene stay at full strength and head directly for red voting areas?
e. Kyra Ellen: When a clown sits on the throne, he does not become a king—the kingdom becomes a circus.
2. My selection of Steve at 832
Man from 4: Buses Spotted at Kamala Harris’s Flint, Michigan Rally
Man from 3: FEMA, Whose Mission is to Support Citizens, Caught in a Lie: Claims ‘No Money is Being Diverted from Disaster Response’ While Funding Illegal Immigrant Resettlement
Man from 2: Ukrainian Frontline Military Commanders In Favour Of Talks With Russia
Man from 1: Is Marine Le Pen Covid-Vaccine-Injured?
1. DAD at 833
a) Video banned in the US
b) EU to blame for own decline, senior Eurocrat admits
c) As guest on France Inter on Saturday, October 5, 2024, Emmanuel Macron said he was in favor of stopping arms deliveries to Israel that are used in Gaza.
