Best Of

The lengths to which some on here seek to deny the anti-Semitic nature of some of the pro-Palestinian demonstrators and their actions over the last two years is really very depressing and very discouraging for the future of this country and the Jewish community living here. If we refuse to name clearly what is going on, we will not be able to deal with it properly.

It saddens and angers me too much. So I will take a break. Bad enough that these things happen but then to see apparently intelligent people try to pretend that it isn't happening or to diminish it is too much for me.

Guardian has some background on yesterday's killer, terrorist.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/oct/03/manchester-synagogue-terrorist-was-on-bail-for-alleged

"The Syrian-born attacker is also believed to have other criminal convictions, although he was not on the radar of counter-terrorism officers."

This follows quite a similar pattern of a lot of these people. They have a criminal background for low level stuff.

One of the tactics ISIS recruiters used was to lean on such people that their unIslamic behaviour could never be undone without making the ultimate sacrifice.

Joan Smith has written extensively about how often terrorists have a record of domestic violence or violence against women.

As indeed we saw with those arrested in last summers race riots, where 40% had prior convictions for domestic violence.

I think you also have to take into account that a third of British men have a criminal record by the age of 50.

There's a lot of it about. We even used to have a poster here who was remanded in custody for rape.

Just had fantastic service at A&E, seen, analysed, x-rayed and assessed in an hour.

Wanted to post about a very interesting seminar I went to yesterday as some very interesting approaches coming in relation to property and stable coin. An incredibly interesting day for even a Luddite like me.

Also v interesting about the regulation issues globally - never thought I would find regulation talks so interesting.

Will post what I can later when I stop vomming from pain and although limited what I can say about yesterday it was perfect timing with the BOE volte face on digital currencies.

Hope you feel better soon.

My recent NHS experience was also good - in part. It took me a few weeks to get a referral to the hospital (I think due to my GP not actually requesting one at first...(*)), but when it finally came the referral was for a week's time. I was seen yesterday with only a ten-minute wait past the scheduled time, they took five x-rays, and I got basic results from my GP this morning.

(*) Though I think the GP might have been dissuaded by the following conversation:
"So you've dislocated your shoulder, and your elbow is hurting."
"Yes."
"And you're in pain."
"Yes."
"But you've done two triathlons since."
"Yes."
"Despite being in pain?"
My wife: "Yes, but that's the sort of stupid thing he does..."

(GP shrugs and sends the request to /dev/null)

Reflections on the Bucket lady.

It must have been so strange being born British in the 1920s.

You are born into the global hegemon. An industrial juggernaut. The world's reserve currency. The largest empire ever known. The undisputed ruler of the waves.

And your entire adult life sees it all drift away.
https://x.com/tomhfh/status/1974058116095373361

R3 had a recording of her performing in some Broadway musical. Decent contralto, if rather warbley.

This narrative from young rightwingers is becoming increasingly common. It misses out just how many people of thar generation enjoyed the 60s and 70s, like many relatives of mine, as a huge relief.

There is too much of an attitude that the country has been on a constant downward trajectory. Maybe from a global military power perspective, but certainly there have been good times too.

I would accept that from around 2014-15 onwards we have had a lost decade, and it is hard to argue that we are not in decline right now, but these things are cyclical. Britain can come back. But it requires some more medicine. It remains to be seen whether the public wake up to the need to take it; or whether it is forced on them