(1144) Afternoon all. (1203)
15. Vacuous, criminally non-comp
14. And now it’s coming back on them
13. GBN are part of the problem
12. The problem, of course
… is the vote for the parachutee Shariah candidate:
11. There’s big money behind these people
… plus they’re clearly criminals:
(0903)(0927)
10. I sent this to a lady I’d not seen for decades
… not sure it endeared me to her, but who knows?
9. Indeed
8. Oz news comes through here in our early hours as a rule
… the similarities to here are not uncanny … they’re planned:
7. To the point
6. Whistleblower goes missing
… at least … arrested, we think. It started as a missing lady two days back.
There’s a sprinkling of men latching on but it should really be a flood. On the other hand, I hardly helped when, in the early days of this M&S scandal:
… I … um … posted a tweet recounting that thing I’ve posted before about when working in the charity shop and I was struggling to remove a bra from a mannequin … two lady customers I knew came up and showed me a quick way to do it. Possibly not the best tweet to run, given subsequent events.
Obviously the two issues are miles apart. I’ve chosen not to further tweet on the M&S thing because it does seem creepy to me … but on the rape gang and general stasi issue where they always choose the weak and vulnerable … such as this Shell … well max publicity seems to be the way but whether we should make the running, as Rupert has … jury’s out.
Have we had this one or not?
(0816) Morning all. Sun shining over to the east but still white bleah. (0831)
5. Seeking work?
4. DAD at 1127
a) The French Prime Minister François Bayrou has launched a new video series aimed at defending his government’s €45 billion savings plan, fuelling widespread anger.
b) According to Europe 1, the French Constitutional Council on Thursday, August 7, 2025, censored a law adopted by MPs at the end of June that aimed to extend the administrative detention period for foreigners deemed dangerous from 90 to 210 days.
c) A major German auction for wind power installation in the North Sea has closed without a single company entering a bid.
d) Rev. Dr Bernard Randall shares the story of how his life was turned upside down for defending pupils’ freedom to believe the Biblical view of marriage.
3. Redictricting and re-censusing
2. Steve at 1126
(0253) Here’s the cunning plan in the middle of the night, about to zzzzz again, so only one post until maybe 0730. (0336)
Respect
There are two excerpts from Steve at 1126 I really must post now (the rest later):
I told Toodles a tale of Russkiland soon after I arrived:
“When I was over there, in the first year, my landlady was herself a character … one day, she invited what I understand was a celebrated author, so in he came, walking stick, gruff, had no idea what I was meant to be. Anyway, they had tea … just as you might there, or coffee … her lil poodle came in the room and approached him, then snarled … he literally kicked the dog in the midriff … she had him out of that place, deeply offended.
It wasn’t just offence against her pet but against Russki rules of hospitality, the old ways of “chai” … he must have known that … or else he was soooo uncivilised beyond decency.”
If Russians know you’re coming as a guest, they do a modest “bolshoi stol” or “big table”, with platters of meats, various salads in bowls, with tea and sweets later … there are social conventions. That so-called “famous author” deserved to be booted out … he’d shown zero respect for that household, that tavern, just as Obama had shown zero respect, just as that Moroccan had … pointedly. Well done, France.
When I was a family’s guest in the French north-eastern countryside, in a farmhouse … same thing as the Russians did … the foie gras was genuine … I noticed one less bird around. The wine was, genuinely, from the family cellar, he came back up with cobwebs on him, the father.
That poodle-kicker, plus Obama, Starmer, the WEF, the CFR, the TLC … zero respect for the nation. The guy I briefly stayed with said: “You’re not going to get far in this country, James, with your Little Englander ways.”
Oh really? Steve also wrote:
‘All you need to know is this Labour government is led by internationalists. They despise “nationalism”. They don’t share our patriotic view of Britain. They are ashamed of our country’s history and heritage and want to destroy it.’
Yes … but we are also internationalists in a different way … we are a loose alliance at unherdables of nationalities, plus walks of life, concerned primarily with our nationality but knowing the loose rules of hospitality … whether Russian chai, English tea, southern US sweet tea, Parisienne ways or even experimental ways:
My latest friend across La Manche has interesting ways but they’re still European or rather western … why do the French like our white sliced cardboard bread so much? And in speaking with her, I do drop in some forgotten French, which must grate.
It’s all still mannered … you could be a guest in southern Bama or in Austria and there’s not all that much difference … but what difference there is … pirochki, plov … cannaloni in Sicily … roux and gumbo … it in no way negates Steve and I discussing the Bond bug.
What I terminally oppose and wish to root out is when “internationalism” is twisted and perverted to mean riding roughshod over our conventions, your conventions, treating us with disrespect, treating you with disrespect.
When in Rome … ok?
As for rapists of the underaged and murdering swine … they will surely get theirs otherwise all that’s left is a muddy cultural soup of monstrosity.
And this is very British, to travel somewhere, e.g. to Austria, and do it their way during our stay. Unfortunately, it’s a different type of British to visit the Costa del Fulham and loudly impose a parody of Britain on locals. I’m sure the reader sees where this thing is going.
Sleep time again.
(1736) Evening all.
24. Anyone had one?
23. Honest John
22. Steve at 1126
21. The honest Met Office
20. Two approaches to sanity
… from an Oz lass:
Review:
“Shot in moody black & white by Holt and cinematographer Douglas Slocombe, and eerily scored by Clifton Parker, the story sees a young paralysed woman return to her family home in France to visit her father who she hasn’t seen for years; and to finally meet her new step-mother. Upon arrival she is informed that her father has had to go away on business, which becomes a problem as she starts to see his dead body, first in the summer house, then in the lounge!
The mind can play tricks, especially to the traumatised, but she’s convinced that what she is seeing is real. Even the family doctor (Lee in a suitably suspicious role) thinks there are mental issues here. Undaunted she enlists the help of friendly chauffeur Bob and sets about unravelling either her mind, or the mystery that lurks at the Appleby home.
The film opens with an attention grabbing sequence as police drag a lake for a body, from there on the film becomes essentially a four character piece. Now it’s been said in some quarters that this structure telegraphs where the film is going to end up. There’s a tiny bit of truth in that but there are at least three twisty kickers here to steer this far away from charges of predictability. In fact the finale has a double whammy that is most rewarding.
The whole film pulses with atmosphere and is cloaked in shadows and low tone conversations. The sound work here is also top quality, the constant jabber of the crickets gnaw away at the ears, while the swish of the nearby sea instills a calm that ultimately sets up a false sense of security.
The acting is on the money too, be it Strasberg perfectly conveying a multitude of emotions from her wheelchair, or Todd doing a nice line in the “too good to be true?” wholesome step-mom routine. All parties ensure that the story is built up right and that the pay off provides maximum impact.
Christopher Lee once said that this was one of the best Hammer Horror film’s he was ever involved with, that’s a fine selling point to be sure. A different kind of Hammer Horror, one that drips with dread and thrives on its mystery elements. Taste Of Fear is highly recommended to genre fans who prefer psychological chillers over blood letting and overkilled boo jump movies.”
(1339) Afternoon all. (1351)
19. Perception
18. Beyonce
17. Refuge
16. More Brit politics
Last Persuaders for now … Hammer horror coming up later.
Review:
“Somebody is killing off the members of the Sinclair clan. Just so they can be the next in line to inherit Sinclair title and fortune. This is the Persuaders doing ‘Kind Hearts and Coronets’ and the story is penned by Terry Nation.
It is up to Brett Sinclair to protect his family members and for Danny Wilde to help out. Both do an abysmal job, leaving their charges unprotected at vital moments.
With a guest cast that includes Diane Cilento, Denholm Elliott and Willie Rushton. As well as Roger Moore playing one of Brett’s aunts.
This should had been good. Instead it is pretty awful in places like the ending with the bomb.”
(1037) Morning all! Cunning plan is this post, then our last available Persuaders … there’s also one more filum this afternoon. (1106)
15. The Caddy Eldorado
14. Reform “leadership”
13. Labour … a showcase
12. The gullibility of the Donald
… or something else?
11. Over at UHC