In the news

Ha, I'm pretty sure that wasn't there yet when I linked to it. Excellent.

You are not the only one

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/j­ul/19/israel-adopts-controversial-jewish­-nation-state-law

Clauses that were dropped in last-minute political wrangling – and after objections by Israel’s president and attorney general – would have enshrined in law the establishment of Jewish-only communities, and instructed courts to rule according to Jewish ritual law when there were no relevant legal precedents.

Apartheid-y theocracy. Just like their neighbours!

I was thinking about this earlier, my assumption is that Trump and the GOP give Israel unwavering support because the Israeli's have almost completed the establishment of a modern, internationally accepted, un-censured, Apartheid state.

This is, has to be, the model that the Republicans want the US to follow, as white Americans will be a minority group from 2027 - so to ensure that white minority rule continues they'll need to disenfranchise those who are not white (and likely also male landowners).

"an interesting chain of miscalculations. Never imagined this could be possible in a modern navy”.

Had to laugh at this diplomatic shade

US policy towards Israel seems to stem from a number of factors so I'm not sure that's the sole reasoning.

The whole region is riven with theocratic non-democracies all of whom share the same invisible sky wizard. They just disagree about the spokesman for said sky wizard.

"Follow the gourd!"

The thing is, it's hard to see how you ever resolve this on a fundamental level. If it's a Jewish state specifically for Jews then can you ever give equality to non-Jews?

My guess is part of it is to kill off, or strengthen the Israeli position, in relation to a one-state solution.

I was thinking about this earlier, my assumption is that Trump and the GOP give Israel unwavering support because the Israeli's have almost completed the establishment of a modern, internationally accepted, un-censured, Apartheid state.

There's a fairly simple link, actually:

During the 1980s, Fred Trump became friends with future-Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, who was the Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations in Manhattan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Trump

"Follow the gourd!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwUsFWIVoYE

The whole region is riven with theocratic non-democracies all of whom share the same invisible sky wizard.

And a large chunk of U.S. support for Israel comes from Evengelical Christian fundamentalists who believe that the apocalypse will be triggered once

1. Israel is back to its old testament borders
   
2. The Jews of Israel all convert to Christianity.
   
   

Israeli nationalist politicians, the cynical bastards, know that and still take the money.

Plus the other option would be to support the arabs and that isn't going to be popular.

WARNING: this is not very nice.

Audio from Searle's call to the police.

https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/ukip-councillor-murder-latest-stephen-searle-domestic-violence-extramarital-affairs-nigel-farage-a8453121.html

https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/luciana-berger-murder-boast-terror-offences-trial-1.467449

Yes. That is one of the myriad of reasons.

ISIS as an apocalyptic cult; bad.
Supporting Israel hoping it triggers the apocalypse; good

None of it makes any sense. They should ban invisible sky wizards or at lease get back to doing terrible things to people who claim to speak for them.

The woman also suggested the Northern Echo’s reporter, whose story was based on viewing CCTV footage, may have mistaken the unicorn horn for a sex toy.

Just so people aren't too confused by the completely obscure reference posted by WillMelling, who is increasingly taking a leaf out of dubtap's and fussballclub's books, here's an article about the incident in question:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/jul/20/newspaper-issues-correction-over-booze-filled-orgy-claims

Context can only diminish the grandeur of that sentence.

@adoublewillingclub ?

Update. The dog spends a fair amount of time in the backyard and barks at everything that moves . This is no more than t'other neighbours friendly jack russell and would be ok.... but...

The collie isn't walked/exercised outside of this and isn't easily recalled by owners when out the back. It is very territorial, jumping angrily at the fence everytime I go into our back yard. It is full aggression, not play. I've seen similar with farm collies defending their yard when I've been following footpaths & bridleways. If the fence panel was to break from it jumping into it I worry about the consequences for whoever is on our side when this dog gets through.

At night it barks lots (seems to be kept in a bedroom all night) waking us most nights.

Not fun.

Waterloo’s on fire.

Don’t know if anyone has been tracking this for the past week but tinder dry softwood forests appear to be highly combustible.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44917545

Italy, France, Poland, Lithuania, Germany and Denmark have all despatched fire crews, aircraft etc. to help and they have halved the number of fires over the weekend. Down to the mid 40s now.

Basically this is the future isn't it? Droughts, heatwaves and wildfires across Northern Europe. We've fucked it up.

10/10 positive thinking

Wont be our problem soon, sounds like we got out just in time

/s

Word

More floods in the winter though, so we can save up the water to throw on the fires in the summer.

I would say the overwhelming sentiment amongst my climate scientist friends is what @hoefla said. We done goofed and the planet's irreversibly screwed. Unless someone invents some sort of miraculous CCS device.

Positive thinking don't cut it

La la la la