1. Washington is seriously - and I mean seriously - ugly
2. It’s also oddly Soviet. Lots of pompous buildings that don’t quite impress and they are all a sludge brown colour. It’s not even Moscow. It’s more Minsk or east Berlin
3. They do, however, have Pret A Manger
I'll risk a 'man of the world' observation of my own here. A rare event but why not. Here it is - places that are administrative capitals only (eg Canberra, Bonn (as was), Bern, Brasilia, various others not starting with B, tend to be disappointing and dull as cities.
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how differenr Grusch's profile has been from the classic UFO claimants. Currently serving, or very recently serving, preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency.
David Grusch is former. The British former MOD guy Nick Pope is a closer parallel than Ed Snowden.
I doubt Ed Snowden gives a toss about UFOs any more than Annie Machon cares about half the things she talks about.
Throughout the 1990s alien abduction was a big thing, especially in the USA where it was a really big thing. The text that anybody interested in the field must read is Martin Cannon's piece The Controllers.
Then there was MJ12, pyramids on Mars, etc. Lots of "formers" spoke about this stuff.
Stuff about psi featured in psyops by both the USA and USSR going back to the 1960s and 1950s.
I mean look at this. It’s big and it’s sort of imposing but it’s also bombastic and mediocre
It’s Ceaucescu’s Bucharest in fake tan
When in DC, thing to see is NOT the Dept of Commerce or whatever, but rather
> US Capitol = personally think it's way more interesting than the White House, plus lines are (or at least were) lot shorter.
> Smithsonian Institution museums = was ten years old when I saw "Spirit of St Louis" hanging from the ceiling - am still impressed!
> National Archives = check out the moth-eaten copy of Magna Carta, ditto Declaration of Independence and original US Constitution (best catch the later before the next Trump-MAGA administration sends it to the Trump Presidential Library for spare toilet paper).
> Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial = each amazing in its own way.
> Embassy Row = even a world-weary globe-trotter like Leon might be impressed by the proliferation of flags and fine houses, in one of DC's toniest 'hoods.
> Fort Myers = parts that they MIGHT allow a dodgy Brit journalist (is there any other kind?) inside the perimeter.
Agree re my ancestor's museums.
Fun fact: OGH and I (and other members of our extended family) get free access to the Smithsonian museums.
I suppose it depends on what the general approach for parties is, or more particularly what standard they apply to their opponents - that is, do you wait for a charge before you suspend? Probably, is the answer.
1. Washington is seriously - and I mean seriously - ugly
2. It’s also oddly Soviet. Lots of pompous buildings that don’t quite impress and they are all a sludge brown colour. It’s not even Moscow. It’s more Minsk or east Berlin
3. They do, however, have Pret A Manger
I'll risk a 'man of the world' observation of my own here. A rare event but why not. Here it is - places that are administrative capitals only (eg Canberra, Bonn (as was), Bern, Brasilia, various others not starting with B, tend to be disappointing and dull as cities.
Compared to jail which might not be such a good place at some point in the future. Not forgetting innocent until proven not guilty , or not proven, particularly if one has a very good lawyer.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
How do you account for MERS? And the original SARS?
I don't account for them. I don't know remotely enough about their origins to posit any sort of theory. This is whataboutery.
It’s really not. It’s making the point that all known epidemics in the history of man have been natural in origin. That does not preclude covid being the result of genetic manipulation in the WIV but it makes it having a natural source eminently plausible, in the way all the others ones started by crossing species to man.
Yes, in the absence of proof or near proof Natural is the default. For Lab to become favourite requires evidence compatible with Lab and incompatible with Natural. Just the first doesn't cut it.
The overwhelming circumstantial evidence makes lab leak the default in this case. As it was from the start. A novel bat coronavirus with strange manipulations at the furin cleavage site making it more dangerous for humans emerges in the ONLY city in the world with a bio lab playing with novel bat coronaviruses, and doing so by manipulating the furin cleavage site to make the viruses more dangerous for humans?
What are the odds on there being NO connection between these two things? About a thousand to one against
So it’s the natural wet marketeers who have all the proving to do. And despite three years of strenuous effort what proof have they managed to find? None. Zero. Nil. Nada. Nuffink. Every paper that claims to find a link with the market has been savagely debunked soon after
Meanwhile the evidence for a lab leak grows with more and more revelations of secrecy and cover up - to the extent that the Chinese themselves are now saying Hell yeah, it could be the lab
At this point piously believing in a natural origin is a basic intelligence test. Which you have failed
It is weird how this has become political. It is - generally - a few people on the left who are still desperate to believe it came from the market. As we see here. Why? Is it really coz trump said “lab leak” three years ago? Does he bother you that much?
This is not politics. It’s basic logic. Get over yourselves. It almost certainly came from the lab
You have talents but logical reasoning isn't one of them. It's more my thing. And I'm not desperate to believe either way. You otoh are enormously invested. To the point I'd worry for you if it went the 'wrong' way.
Yeah but you’re GAY*
(*I make this remark solely to please @kjh who is weirdly convinced I hurl this vile allegation when I get into an argument)
On this point - lab leak - your determined stupidity is far more interesting than your gayness
I've merely provided the big picture logic template for looking at the relative probabilities. That's a service. To call it 'stupid' is bizarre and speaks to your hair trigger sensitivity on this. You're too invested to assess it properly despite the impressive amount of time spent getting across the detail. It's too raw for you. Too personal. I'm sure there's a reason for this. My sense is you energetically pushed the lab theory from the start and got called some hurtful names on the internet by lefty liberals. Well, my sympathies but not my fault. I'm Mr Logic here and Logic has no axe to grind.
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how different Grusch's profile has been from the image of a the classic UFO claimant. Currently serving, or very recently serving, young and bushy-tailed and preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency. That's a very similar profile to Edward Snowden, and he even has some of his earnest expression.
He may even be aware of the parallels, and is using him as his template. It's all very fascinating, and a story that bears following as it develops, I would say.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is currently zero empirical evidence which has been tested according to the standards of science or evidence analysis. Keep calm, wait and see. This a 'McCann' story - anything apparently new sells media by the million.
There are zillions of real scientists, experts and credible journalists who can make zillions out of the real story if there was any real story to relate.
I suppose it depends on what the general approach for parties is, or more particularly what standard they apply to their opponents - that is, do you wait for a charge before you suspend? Probably, is the answer.
As Angus MacNeil says, Sturgeon suspended high-profile folk from the SNP for a lot less.
I mean look at this. It’s big and it’s sort of imposing but it’s also bombastic and mediocre
It’s Ceaucescu’s Bucharest in fake tan
When in DC, thing to see is NOT the Dept of Commerce or whatever, but rather
> US Capitol = personally think it's way more interesting than the White House, plus lines are (or at least were) lot shorter.
> Smithsonian Institution museums = was ten years old when I saw "Spirit of St Louis" hanging from the ceiling - am still impressed!
> National Archives = check out the moth-eaten copy of Magna Carta, ditto Declaration of Independence and original US Constitution (best catch the later before the next Trump-MAGA administration sends it to the Trump Presidential Library for spare toilet paper).
> Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial = each amazing in its own way.
> Embassy Row = even a world-weary globe-trotter like Leon might be impressed by the proliferation of flags and fine houses, in one of DC's toniest 'hoods.
> Fort Myers = parts that they MIGHT allow a dodgy Brit journalist (is there any other kind?) inside the perimeter.
In case you think I am constantly dissing America, I saw Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater yesterday. It is outstanding. Probably the most beautiful “modern” house I have ever seen. Indeed one of the outright, top ten masterpieces of 20th century architecture, worldwide
And I went through some really pretty little towns in Maryland! Mmm
Oh come on! he thinks everyone is a crook except Alex Salmond lol. Everyone is on the take in Malcolm's sad and twisted little small man syndrome world. On this one he got lucky, but seeing as he accuses everyone, except Salmond (possibly the object of his repressed fantasises), it isn't that lucky, and it certainly isn't intellect or judgement. I should think even God himself is on the make as far as Malcolm is concerned.
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how different Grusch's profile has been from the image of a the classic UFO claimant. Currently serving, or very recently serving, young and bushy-tailed and preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency. That's a very similar profile to Edward Snowden, and he even has some of his earnest expression.
He may even be aware of the parallels, and is using him as his template. It's all very fascinating, and a story that bears following as it develops, I would say.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is currently zero empirical evidence which has been tested according to the standards of science or evidence analysis. Keep calm, wait and see. This a 'McCann' story - anything apparently new sells media by the million.
There are zillions of real scientists, experts and credible journalists who can make zillions out of the real story if there was any real story to relate.
So: please explain the behaviour of multiple senior members of the entire US Establishment, from Obama down. Generals, senators, CIA heads, the head of NASA, top NYT journalists, airforce commanders, navy admirals - they are all saying “this is a real mystery. It’s not just balloons. Something is up there”
And now the whistleblower
How do you explain all THAT?
I completely agree the actual evidence (photos, videos) is pitifully weak
Only a rumour - but it seems Bozo is putting his name around as willing to stand for London Mayor again.
And he probably can't lose politically unless either he's given the Tory Nomination, or the Tory candidate wins (which looks unlikely).
This has started popping up on Twitter. Does he actually have a strategy, or are his people just starting a chaotic loads of rumours to see if anything sticks?
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how different Grusch's profile has been from the image of a the classic UFO claimant. Currently serving, or very recently serving, young and bushy-tailed and preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency. That's a very similar profile to Edward Snowden, and he even has some of his earnest expression.
He may even be aware of the parallels, and is using him as his template. It's all very fascinating, and a story that bears following as it develops, I would say.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is currently zero empirical evidence which has been tested according to the standards of science or evidence analysis. Keep calm, wait and see. This a 'McCann' story - anything apparently new sells media by the million.
There are zillions of real scientists, experts and credible journalists who can make zillions out of the real story if there was any real story to relate.
In practically every phrase of every clause, you sound as though you are clinging on to the comfort blanket of what you thought at the outset.
Many many moons ago, had a five-hour layover in Our Nations Capital, luckily at [now Reagan] National Airport.
Thinking quickly, decided to take the (then pretty new) DC Metro to the Mall. First stop was National Archives. Then strolled to US Capitol.
It was summertime, and place was thronged with visiting school groups and other tourists. PLUS Congress was still in session, so politicos and their underlings were dashing about as well. Was pretty easy to tell the difference!
I checked further, and found out that while House was not currently meeting, the Senate was. So headed to office of one of my home state senators to get a pass for the visitor's gallery.
On the way, turned a marble-clad corridor, and nearly ran into . . . wait for it . . . Bob Dole. Who was then US Senator from Kansas, and Republican Majority Leader. And in the news a LOT.
After obtaining my pass, headed for the gallery, and on the way encountered . . . you guessed it . . . Bob Dole. Who gave me a smile and said, "Hi!" So naturally I said "Hi!" back, then we both went on our merry ways.
When I made it to the gallery, my seat did NOT have a very good view, could only see maybe one-third of the senatorial desks, which turned out to on Republican side of the chamber.
And who did I spot in the front row? Bob Dole!
Who looked up and gave me a look. At which I looked at my watch, and realized that it was time for me to boogie back to the airport for my next flight.
As I left the Capitol, couldn't help wondering IF Bob Dole was checking with Capitol Police re: some weirdo who was apparently stalking him . . .
I mean look at this. It’s big and it’s sort of imposing but it’s also bombastic and mediocre
It’s Ceaucescu’s Bucharest in fake tan
When in DC, thing to see is NOT the Dept of Commerce or whatever, but rather
> US Capitol = personally think it's way more interesting than the White House, plus lines are (or at least were) lot shorter.
> Smithsonian Institution museums = was ten years old when I saw "Spirit of St Louis" hanging from the ceiling - am still impressed!
> National Archives = check out the moth-eaten copy of Magna Carta, ditto Declaration of Independence and original US Constitution (best catch the later before the next Trump-MAGA administration sends it to the Trump Presidential Library for spare toilet paper).
> Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial = each amazing in its own way.
> Embassy Row = even a world-weary globe-trotter like Leon might be impressed by the proliferation of flags and fine houses, in one of DC's toniest 'hoods.
> Fort Myers = parts that they MIGHT allow a dodgy Brit journalist (is there any other kind?) inside the perimeter.
Agree re my ancestor's museums.
Ah, that Smithson! Duly impressed. Much better than some royal bastard or dodgy financier.
I mean look at this. It’s big and it’s sort of imposing but it’s also bombastic and mediocre
It’s Ceaucescu’s Bucharest in fake tan
When in DC, thing to see is NOT the Dept of Commerce or whatever, but rather
> US Capitol = personally think it's way more interesting than the White House, plus lines are (or at least were) lot shorter.
> Smithsonian Institution museums = was ten years old when I saw "Spirit of St Louis" hanging from the ceiling - am still impressed!
> National Archives = check out the moth-eaten copy of Magna Carta, ditto Declaration of Independence and original US Constitution (best catch the later before the next Trump-MAGA administration sends it to the Trump Presidential Library for spare toilet paper).
> Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial = each amazing in its own way.
> Embassy Row = even a world-weary globe-trotter like Leon might be impressed by the proliferation of flags and fine houses, in one of DC's toniest 'hoods.
> Fort Myers = parts that they MIGHT allow a dodgy Brit journalist (is there any other kind?) inside the perimeter.
In case you think I am constantly dissing America, I saw Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater yesterday. It is outstanding. Probably the most beautiful “modern” house I have ever seen. Indeed one of the outright, top ten masterpieces of 20th century architecture, worldwide
And I went through some really pretty little towns in Maryland! Mmm
But DC? Eeek. Ugh
Did you stop by the Barbara Frietchie House in Frederick? Testimony to the power of literature and mythology.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
How do you account for MERS? And the original SARS?
I don't account for them. I don't know remotely enough about their origins to posit any sort of theory. This is whataboutery.
It’s really not. It’s making the point that all known epidemics in the history of man have been natural in origin. That does not preclude covid being the result of genetic manipulation in the WIV but it makes it having a natural source eminently plausible, in the way all the others ones started by crossing species to man.
Yes, in the absence of proof or near proof Natural is the default. For Lab to become favourite requires evidence compatible with Lab and incompatible with Natural. Just the first doesn't cut it.
The overwhelming circumstantial evidence makes lab leak the default in this case. As it was from the start. A novel bat coronavirus with strange manipulations at the furin cleavage site making it more dangerous for humans emerges in the ONLY city in the world with a bio lab playing with novel bat coronaviruses, and doing so by manipulating the furin cleavage site to make the viruses more dangerous for humans?
What are the odds on there being NO connection between these two things? About a thousand to one against
So it’s the natural wet marketeers who have all the proving to do. And despite three years of strenuous effort what proof have they managed to find? None. Zero. Nil. Nada. Nuffink. Every paper that claims to find a link with the market has been savagely debunked soon after
Meanwhile the evidence for a lab leak grows with more and more revelations of secrecy and cover up - to the extent that the Chinese themselves are now saying Hell yeah, it could be the lab
At this point piously believing in a natural origin is a basic intelligence test. Which you have failed
It is weird how this has become political. It is - generally - a few people on the left who are still desperate to believe it came from the market. As we see here. Why? Is it really coz trump said “lab leak” three years ago? Does he bother you that much?
This is not politics. It’s basic logic. Get over yourselves. It almost certainly came from the lab
You have talents but logical reasoning isn't one of them. It's more my thing. And I'm not desperate to believe either way. You otoh are enormously invested. To the point I'd worry for you if it went the 'wrong' way.
Yeah but you’re GAY*
(*I make this remark solely to please @kjh who is weirdly convinced I hurl this vile allegation when I get into an argument)
On this point - lab leak - your determined stupidity is far more interesting than your gayness
I've merely provided the big picture logic template for looking at the relative probabilities. That's a service. To call it 'stupid' is bizarre and speaks to your hair trigger sensitivity on this. You're too invested to assess it properly despite the impressive amount of time spent getting across the detail. It's too raw for you. Too personal. I'm sure there's a reason for this. My sense is you energetically pushed the lab theory from the start and got called some hurtful names on the internet by lefty liberals. Well, my sympathies but not my fault. I'm Mr Logic here and Logic has no axe to grind.
There is something in this. But you slightly misconstrue
I AM emotionally invested and yes it is partly because I was derided for saying “it came from the lab” when almost everyone else was dutifully parroting the ludicrous wet market theory - and when we were literally forbidden from talking about lab leak on Twitter and Facebook
But who wouldn’t be a tad invested in those circumstances? I was a lone voice here and elsewhere and now - I believe - I have been almost completely vindicated. So yes I gloat, sometimes. And maybe I overdo the chortling
But imagine if you were me. You’d feel a bit Told You So as well, I am sure
If wet market is proved (lol) I will happily come on here and metaphorically pour ordure over myself. But that ain’t gonna happen
Indeed, unfortunately for all of us I very much doubt we will ever get 100% proof that satisfies everyone. We will likely end up near where we are now. 98% certain it came from the lab but there will still be that 2% doubt for others to cling on to
Right. That’s enough covid. To the Vietnam memorial!
1. Washington is seriously - and I mean seriously - ugly
2. It’s also oddly Soviet. Lots of pompous buildings that don’t quite impress and they are all a sludge brown colour. It’s not even Moscow. It’s more Minsk or east Berlin
3. They do, however, have Pret A Manger
I'll risk a 'man of the world' observation of my own here. A rare event but why not. Here it is - places that are administrative capitals only (eg Canberra, Bonn (as was), Bern, Brasilia, various others not starting with B, tend to be disappointing and dull as cities.
Ottawa is dull, but not unattractive.
The exact opposite of how I describe myself.
You describe yourself as not unattractive, but dull?
Right, better go and do some late afternoon sunbathing next to my pool. It is a great day, and not least because the supposed whiter than white ex-leader of the SNP (not the one once described as a bully and a sex pest) has been arrested.
Hopefully people will begin to wake up to what Scottish Nationalism is all about: amoral and pernicious.
I am sure I will get some playground rant from Malcolm, who along with his undisputed title of most intellectually challenged poster on PB is a perfect nasty angry personification of the average hate filled Scottish Nationalist.
I have one thing to say to Scottish Nationalists: Independence is finished. hahahahahahahaha
I mean look at this. It’s big and it’s sort of imposing but it’s also bombastic and mediocre
It’s Ceaucescu’s Bucharest in fake tan
When in DC, thing to see is NOT the Dept of Commerce or whatever, but rather
> US Capitol = personally think it's way more interesting than the White House, plus lines are (or at least were) lot shorter.
> Smithsonian Institution museums = was ten years old when I saw "Spirit of St Louis" hanging from the ceiling - am still impressed!
> National Archives = check out the moth-eaten copy of Magna Carta, ditto Declaration of Independence and original US Constitution (best catch the later before the next Trump-MAGA administration sends it to the Trump Presidential Library for spare toilet paper).
> Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial = each amazing in its own way.
> Embassy Row = even a world-weary globe-trotter like Leon might be impressed by the proliferation of flags and fine houses, in one of DC's toniest 'hoods.
> Fort Myers = parts that they MIGHT allow a dodgy Brit journalist (is there any other kind?) inside the perimeter.
Agree re my ancestor's museums.
Fun fact: OGH and I (and other members of our extended family) get free access to the Smithsonian museums.
Is the surname sufficient or does familial connection have to be demonstrated?
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
How do you account for MERS? And the original SARS?
I don't account for them. I don't know remotely enough about their origins to posit any sort of theory. This is whataboutery.
It’s really not. It’s making the point that all known epidemics in the history of man have been natural in origin. That does not preclude covid being the result of genetic manipulation in the WIV but it makes it having a natural source eminently plausible, in the way all the others ones started by crossing species to man.
Yes, in the absence of proof or near proof Natural is the default. For Lab to become favourite requires evidence compatible with Lab and incompatible with Natural. Just the first doesn't cut it.
The overwhelming circumstantial evidence makes lab leak the default in this case. As it was from the start. A novel bat coronavirus with strange manipulations at the furin cleavage site making it more dangerous for humans emerges in the ONLY city in the world with a bio lab playing with novel bat coronaviruses, and doing so by manipulating the furin cleavage site to make the viruses more dangerous for humans?
What are the odds on there being NO connection between these two things? About a thousand to one against
So it’s the natural wet marketeers who have all the proving to do. And despite three years of strenuous effort what proof have they managed to find? None. Zero. Nil. Nada. Nuffink. Every paper that claims to find a link with the market has been savagely debunked soon after
Meanwhile the evidence for a lab leak grows with more and more revelations of secrecy and cover up - to the extent that the Chinese themselves are now saying Hell yeah, it could be the lab
At this point piously believing in a natural origin is a basic intelligence test. Which you have failed
It is weird how this has become political. It is - generally - a few people on the left who are still desperate to believe it came from the market. As we see here. Why? Is it really coz trump said “lab leak” three years ago? Does he bother you that much?
This is not politics. It’s basic logic. Get over yourselves. It almost certainly came from the lab
You have talents but logical reasoning isn't one of them. It's more my thing. And I'm not desperate to believe either way. You otoh are enormously invested. To the point I'd worry for you if it went the 'wrong' way.
Yeah but you’re GAY*
(*I make this remark solely to please @kjh who is weirdly convinced I hurl this vile allegation when I get into an argument)
On this point - lab leak - your determined stupidity is far more interesting than your gayness
It is not a case of being weirdly convinced because you do, although only to @kinabalu. I mean the posts are there. When he has you rattled you accuse him of being gay. Not even sure why you think it is an insult. You aren't 5 years old or living in the 70s.
The other two insults you go for when rattled are accusing people of being boring or claiming you are more intelligent. You are very predictable.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
I too am Spartacus.
I am Leon and so is my wife
Leon, loads of us thought it was a possibility. What most of us laughed about was your obsession with aliens and nuclear Armageddon and What Three Words. it probably was a lab leak. Maybe it wasn't. You, like the rest of us are just guessing, though most of us are not driven by Sino-phobia. By the way, you are GAY! (probably)
I mean look at this. It’s big and it’s sort of imposing but it’s also bombastic and mediocre
It’s Ceaucescu’s Bucharest in fake tan
When in DC, thing to see is NOT the Dept of Commerce or whatever, but rather
> US Capitol = personally think it's way more interesting than the White House, plus lines are (or at least were) lot shorter.
> Smithsonian Institution museums = was ten years old when I saw "Spirit of St Louis" hanging from the ceiling - am still impressed!
> National Archives = check out the moth-eaten copy of Magna Carta, ditto Declaration of Independence and original US Constitution (best catch the later before the next Trump-MAGA administration sends it to the Trump Presidential Library for spare toilet paper).
> Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial = each amazing in its own way.
> Embassy Row = even a world-weary globe-trotter like Leon might be impressed by the proliferation of flags and fine houses, in one of DC's toniest 'hoods.
> Fort Myers = parts that they MIGHT allow a dodgy Brit journalist (is there any other kind?) inside the perimeter.
Agree re my ancestor's museums.
Fun fact: OGH and I (and other members of our extended family) get free access to the Smithsonian museums.
Big deal. Descendants of Marquis de Lafayette were granted US citizenship in perpetuity.
Sorry y'all didn't rate THAT honor. But thanks anyway! (BTW do you also get free lunch at museum cafes?)
Only a rumour - but it seems Bozo is putting his name around as willing to stand for London Mayor again.
And he probably can't lose politically unless either he's given the Tory Nomination, or the Tory candidate wins (which looks unlikely).
This has started popping up on Twitter. Does he actually have a strategy, or are his people just starting a chaotic loads of rumours to see if anything sticks?
Can't see how'd he have a chance in hell of winning a city which voted 60-40 remain and isn't up against Ken Livingstone. Many of his ex-voters in London probably feel embarrassed to have ever voted for him.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
How do you account for MERS? And the original SARS?
I don't account for them. I don't know remotely enough about their origins to posit any sort of theory. This is whataboutery.
It’s really not. It’s making the point that all known epidemics in the history of man have been natural in origin. That does not preclude covid being the result of genetic manipulation in the WIV but it makes it having a natural source eminently plausible, in the way all the others ones started by crossing species to man.
Yes, in the absence of proof or near proof Natural is the default. For Lab to become favourite requires evidence compatible with Lab and incompatible with Natural. Just the first doesn't cut it.
The overwhelming circumstantial evidence makes lab leak the default in this case. As it was from the start. A novel bat coronavirus with strange manipulations at the furin cleavage site making it more dangerous for humans emerges in the ONLY city in the world with a bio lab playing with novel bat coronaviruses, and doing so by manipulating the furin cleavage site to make the viruses more dangerous for humans?
What are the odds on there being NO connection between these two things? About a thousand to one against
So it’s the natural wet marketeers who have all the proving to do. And despite three years of strenuous effort what proof have they managed to find? None. Zero. Nil. Nada. Nuffink. Every paper that claims to find a link with the market has been savagely debunked soon after
Meanwhile the evidence for a lab leak grows with more and more revelations of secrecy and cover up - to the extent that the Chinese themselves are now saying Hell yeah, it could be the lab
At this point piously believing in a natural origin is a basic intelligence test. Which you have failed
It is weird how this has become political. It is - generally - a few people on the left who are still desperate to believe it came from the market. As we see here. Why? Is it really coz trump said “lab leak” three years ago? Does he bother you that much?
This is not politics. It’s basic logic. Get over yourselves. It almost certainly came from the lab
You have talents but logical reasoning isn't one of them. It's more my thing. And I'm not desperate to believe either way. You otoh are enormously invested. To the point I'd worry for you if it went the 'wrong' way.
Yeah but you’re GAY*
(*I make this remark solely to please @kjh who is weirdly convinced I hurl this vile allegation when I get into an argument)
On this point - lab leak - your determined stupidity is far more interesting than your gayness
It is not a case of being weirdly convinced because you do, although only to @kinabalu. I mean the posts are there. When he has you rattled you accuse him of being gay. Not even sure why you think it is an insult. You aren't 5 years old or living in the 70s.
The other two insults you go for when rattled are accusing people of being boring or claiming you are more intelligent. You are very predictable.
VERY predictable, yes. And I'm not gay as it happens. I just have a soft feminine side.
Only a rumour - but it seems Bozo is putting his name around as willing to stand for London Mayor again.
And he probably can't lose politically unless either he's given the Tory Nomination, or the Tory candidate wins (which looks unlikely).
This has started popping up on Twitter. Does he actually have a strategy, or are his people just starting a chaotic loads of rumours to see if anything sticks?
Can't see how'd he have a chance in hell of winning a city which voted 60-40 remain and isn't up against Ken Livingstone. Many of his ex-voters in London probably feel embarrassed to have ever voted for him.
1. Washington is seriously - and I mean seriously - ugly
2. It’s also oddly Soviet. Lots of pompous buildings that don’t quite impress and they are all a sludge brown colour. It’s not even Moscow. It’s more Minsk or east Berlin
3. They do, however, have Pret A Manger
I'll risk a 'man of the world' observation of my own here. A rare event but why not. Here it is - places that are administrative capitals only (eg Canberra, Bonn (as was), Bern, Brasilia, various others not starting with B, tend to be disappointing and dull as cities.
Bonn is great, but it was a city long before it was the temporary administrative capital
Only a rumour - but it seems Bozo is putting his name around as willing to stand for London Mayor again.
And he probably can't lose politically unless either he's given the Tory Nomination, or the Tory candidate wins (which looks unlikely).
This has started popping up on Twitter. Does he actually have a strategy, or are his people just starting a chaotic loads of rumours to see if anything sticks?
Can't see how'd he have a chance in hell of winning a city which voted 60-40 remain and isn't up against Ken Livingstone. Many of his ex-voters in London probably feel embarrassed to have ever voted for him.
*Raises hand*
He’s be much more well advised to stand as an independent in a Brexity mayoral election when they are next up.
That said, the London vote is switching to FPTP, and the greens and libs are powerful enough there to split the vote……
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
How do you account for MERS? And the original SARS?
I don't account for them. I don't know remotely enough about their origins to posit any sort of theory. This is whataboutery.
It’s really not. It’s making the point that all known epidemics in the history of man have been natural in origin. That does not preclude covid being the result of genetic manipulation in the WIV but it makes it having a natural source eminently plausible, in the way all the others ones started by crossing species to man.
It makes it the best theory in the absence of a lab studying precisely such viruses and how to increase their transmissibility a petri dish throw away from the epicentre of the outbreak. If other pandemics had similar labs, the natural explanation would cease to be the most plausible one there too. To deny this is willfully credulous.
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how different Grusch's profile has been from the image of a the classic UFO claimant. Currently serving, or very recently serving, young and bushy-tailed and preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency. That's a very similar profile to Edward Snowden, and he even has some of his earnest expression.
He may even be aware of the parallels, and is using him as his template. It's all very fascinating, and a story that bears following as it develops, I would say.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is currently zero empirical evidence which has been tested according to the standards of science or evidence analysis. Keep calm, wait and see. This a 'McCann' story - anything apparently new sells media by the million.
There are zillions of real scientists, experts and credible journalists who can make zillions out of the real story if there was any real story to relate.
So: please explain the behaviour of multiple senior members of the entire US Establishment, from Obama down. Generals, senators, CIA heads, the head of NASA, top NYT journalists, airforce commanders, navy admirals - they are all saying “this is a real mystery. It’s not just balloons. Something is up there”
And now the whistleblower
How do you explain all THAT?
I completely agree the actual evidence (photos, videos) is pitifully weak
Two separate questions: Why are people X, Y and Z saying and acting as they are. and What is the evidence (empirical, direct, material, subject to expert analysis, open to contest) of extra terrestrial activity, and what is the agreed conclusion.
Question 1: No-one knows.
Question 2: None known. Wait and see. (But there are fortunes to be made by scientists, journalists, publishers and experts if there were anything hard and real to work on so they will if they can.
I mean look at this. It’s big and it’s sort of imposing but it’s also bombastic and mediocre
It’s Ceaucescu’s Bucharest in fake tan
When in DC, thing to see is NOT the Dept of Commerce or whatever, but rather
> US Capitol = personally think it's way more interesting than the White House, plus lines are (or at least were) lot shorter.
> Smithsonian Institution museums = was ten years old when I saw "Spirit of St Louis" hanging from the ceiling - am still impressed!
> National Archives = check out the moth-eaten copy of Magna Carta, ditto Declaration of Independence and original US Constitution (best catch the later before the next Trump-MAGA administration sends it to the Trump Presidential Library for spare toilet paper).
> Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial = each amazing in its own way.
> Embassy Row = even a world-weary globe-trotter like Leon might be impressed by the proliferation of flags and fine houses, in one of DC's toniest 'hoods.
> Fort Myers = parts that they MIGHT allow a dodgy Brit journalist (is there any other kind?) inside the perimeter.
Agree re my ancestor's museums.
Fun fact: OGH and I (and other members of our extended family) get free access to the Smithsonian museums.
I’m coming late to this thread, and it’s really a waste of pixels as it’s going to have been covered, but HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
While I understand and even can partake in the joy at today's news I'm unconvinced of the scale of damage it will bring to the SNP. I do suspect that the years of unchallenged hegemony might now be over, I think the losses will be limited and I expect support for indy will remain around 40 per cent or so . Wrt to the latter I'm unsure they'd have won the vote anyway.
Only a rumour - but it seems Bozo is putting his name around as willing to stand for London Mayor again.
And he probably can't lose politically unless either he's given the Tory Nomination, or the Tory candidate wins (which looks unlikely).
This has started popping up on Twitter. Does he actually have a strategy, or are his people just starting a chaotic loads of rumours to see if anything sticks?
Can't see how'd he have a chance in hell of winning a city which voted 60-40 remain and isn't up against Ken Livingstone. Many of his ex-voters in London probably feel embarrassed to have ever voted for him.
Right, better go and do some late afternoon sunbathing next to my pool. It is a great day, and not least because the supposed whiter than white ex-leader of the SNP (not the one once described as a bully and a sex pest) has been arrested.
Hopefully people will begin to wake up to what Scottish Nationalism is all about: amoral and pernicious.
I am sure I will get some playground rant from Malcolm, who along with his undisputed title of most intellectually challenged poster on PB is a perfect nasty angry personification of the average hate filled Scottish Nationalist.
I have one thing to say to Scottish Nationalists: Independence is finished. hahahahahahahaha
Not quite. Cometh the hour, cometh the Kate Forbes. She would change the rules of the game.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
How do you account for MERS? And the original SARS?
I don't account for them. I don't know remotely enough about their origins to posit any sort of theory. This is whataboutery.
It’s really not. It’s making the point that all known epidemics in the history of man have been natural in origin. That does not preclude covid being the result of genetic manipulation in the WIV but it makes it having a natural source eminently plausible, in the way all the others ones started by crossing species to man.
Yes, in the absence of proof or near proof Natural is the default. For Lab to become favourite requires evidence compatible with Lab and incompatible with Natural. Just the first doesn't cut it.
The overwhelming circumstantial evidence makes lab leak the default in this case. As it was from the start. A novel bat coronavirus with strange manipulations at the furin cleavage site making it more dangerous for humans emerges in the ONLY city in the world with a bio lab playing with novel bat coronaviruses, and doing so by manipulating the furin cleavage site to make the viruses more dangerous for humans?
What are the odds on there being NO connection between these two things? About a thousand to one against
So it’s the natural wet marketeers who have all the proving to do. And despite three years of strenuous effort what proof have they managed to find? None. Zero. Nil. Nada. Nuffink. Every paper that claims to find a link with the market has been savagely debunked soon after
Meanwhile the evidence for a lab leak grows with more and more revelations of secrecy and cover up - to the extent that the Chinese themselves are now saying Hell yeah, it could be the lab
At this point piously believing in a natural origin is a basic intelligence test. Which you have failed
It is weird how this has become political. It is - generally - a few people on the left who are still desperate to believe it came from the market. As we see here. Why? Is it really coz trump said “lab leak” three years ago? Does he bother you that much?
This is not politics. It’s basic logic. Get over yourselves. It almost certainly came from the lab
You have talents but logical reasoning isn't one of them. It's more my thing. And I'm not desperate to believe either way. You otoh are enormously invested. To the point I'd worry for you if it went the 'wrong' way.
Yeah but you’re GAY*
(*I make this remark solely to please @kjh who is weirdly convinced I hurl this vile allegation when I get into an argument)
On this point - lab leak - your determined stupidity is far more interesting than your gayness
It is not a case of being weirdly convinced because you do, although only to @kinabalu. I mean the posts are there. When he has you rattled you accuse him of being gay. Not even sure why you think it is an insult. You aren't 5 years old or living in the 70s.
The other two insults you go for when rattled are accusing people of being boring or claiming you are more intelligent. You are very predictable.
VERY predictable, yes. And I'm not gay as it happens. I just have a soft feminine side.
Oi! We're not all into poncey poetry and flowery dresses I'll have you know.
You have been caught peddling lazy stereotypes about the fags and will therefore have to be cancelled. Sorry.
I’m coming late to this thread, and it’s really a waste of pixels as it’s going to have been covered, but HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
While I understand and even can partake in the joy at today's news I'm unconvinced of the scale of damage it will bring to the SNP. I do suspect that the years of unchallenged hegemony might now be over, I think the losses will be limited and I expect support for indy will remain around 40 per cent or so . Wrt to the latter I'm unsure they'd have won the vote anyway.
Oh absolutely and I even have a soft spot for Scottish independence and some in the SNP. But I can’t stand that woman and I am cruel enough to laugh at her reputation going up in flames.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
Wee bit of political trivia. Jack McConnell left office in 2007. He is the last former First Minister of Scotland NOT to have been subsequently arrested by the police.
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how different Grusch's profile has been from the image of a the classic UFO claimant. Currently serving, or very recently serving, young and bushy-tailed and preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency. That's a very similar profile to Edward Snowden, and he even has some of his earnest expression.
He may even be aware of the parallels, and is using him as his template. It's all very fascinating, and a story that bears following as it develops, I would say.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is currently zero empirical evidence which has been tested according to the standards of science or evidence analysis. Keep calm, wait and see. This a 'McCann' story - anything apparently new sells media by the million.
There are zillions of real scientists, experts and credible journalists who can make zillions out of the real story if there was any real story to relate.
In practically every phrase of every clause, you sound as though you are clinging on to the comfort blanket of what you thought at the outset.
What I thought at the outset is 'Wait and see'. I still think so. I think I will be with a majority/plurality of the population.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
How do you account for MERS? And the original SARS?
I don't account for them. I don't know remotely enough about their origins to posit any sort of theory. This is whataboutery.
It’s really not. It’s making the point that all known epidemics in the history of man have been natural in origin. That does not preclude covid being the result of genetic manipulation in the WIV but it makes it having a natural source eminently plausible, in the way all the others ones started by crossing species to man.
Yes, in the absence of proof or near proof Natural is the default. For Lab to become favourite requires evidence compatible with Lab and incompatible with Natural. Just the first doesn't cut it.
The overwhelming circumstantial evidence makes lab leak the default in this case. As it was from the start. A novel bat coronavirus with strange manipulations at the furin cleavage site making it more dangerous for humans emerges in the ONLY city in the world with a bio lab playing with novel bat coronaviruses, and doing so by manipulating the furin cleavage site to make the viruses more dangerous for humans?
What are the odds on there being NO connection between these two things? About a thousand to one against
So it’s the natural wet marketeers who have all the proving to do. And despite three years of strenuous effort what proof have they managed to find? None. Zero. Nil. Nada. Nuffink. Every paper that claims to find a link with the market has been savagely debunked soon after
Meanwhile the evidence for a lab leak grows with more and more revelations of secrecy and cover up - to the extent that the Chinese themselves are now saying Hell yeah, it could be the lab
At this point piously believing in a natural origin is a basic intelligence test. Which you have failed
It is weird how this has become political. It is - generally - a few people on the left who are still desperate to believe it came from the market. As we see here. Why? Is it really coz trump said “lab leak” three years ago? Does he bother you that much?
This is not politics. It’s basic logic. Get over yourselves. It almost certainly came from the lab
You have talents but logical reasoning isn't one of them. It's more my thing. And I'm not desperate to believe either way. You otoh are enormously invested. To the point I'd worry for you if it went the 'wrong' way.
Yeah but you’re GAY*
(*I make this remark solely to please @kjh who is weirdly convinced I hurl this vile allegation when I get into an argument)
On this point - lab leak - your determined stupidity is far more interesting than your gayness
I've merely provided the big picture logic template for looking at the relative probabilities. That's a service. To call it 'stupid' is bizarre and speaks to your hair trigger sensitivity on this. You're too invested to assess it properly despite the impressive amount of time spent getting across the detail. It's too raw for you. Too personal. I'm sure there's a reason for this. My sense is you energetically pushed the lab theory from the start and got called some hurtful names on the internet by lefty liberals. Well, my sympathies but not my fault. I'm Mr Logic here and Logic has no axe to grind.
There is something in this. But you slightly misconstrue
I AM emotionally invested and yes it is partly because I was derided for saying “it came from the lab” when almost everyone else was dutifully parroting the ludicrous wet market theory - and when we were literally forbidden from talking about lab leak on Twitter and Facebook
But who wouldn’t be a tad invested in those circumstances? I was a lone voice here and elsewhere and now - I believe - I have been almost completely vindicated. So yes I gloat, sometimes. And maybe I overdo the chortling
But imagine if you were me. You’d feel a bit Told You So as well, I am sure
If wet market is proved (lol) I will happily come on here and metaphorically pour ordure over myself. But that ain’t gonna happen
Indeed, unfortunately for all of us I very much doubt we will ever get 100% proof that satisfies everyone. We will likely end up near where we are now. 98% certain it came from the lab but there will still be that 2% doubt for others to cling on to
Right. That’s enough covid. To the Vietnam memorial!
Nowhere near 98% lab theory of course - 'lols' to that in fact - but yes that memorial will be moving. It featured in the climax of the Ken Burns doc with the well chosen Let It Be accompaniment.
This was explained earlier. Police taking opportunity to question her under caution. Contents of interview can then be used in court if a prosecution takes place at some point in future.
1. Washington is seriously - and I mean seriously - ugly
2. It’s also oddly Soviet. Lots of pompous buildings that don’t quite impress and they are all a sludge brown colour. It’s not even Moscow. It’s more Minsk or east Berlin
3. They do, however, have Pret A Manger
I'll risk a 'man of the world' observation of my own here. A rare event but why not. Here it is - places that are administrative capitals only (eg Canberra, Bonn (as was), Bern, Brasilia, various others not starting with B, tend to be disappointing and dull as cities.
I've never visited Brasilia but the story of it is amazing and becomes even more so when you learn that Juscelino Kubitschek is believed by many to have been a reincarnation of Akhenaton. It was built in less than 4 years. There's no way the famous winged entity in the plan is meant to represent (to all audiences) an aeroplane.
You should have taken some dowsing rods. Might have got more out of going there.
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how different Grusch's profile has been from the image of a the classic UFO claimant. Currently serving, or very recently serving, young and bushy-tailed and preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency. That's a very similar profile to Edward Snowden, and he even has some of his earnest expression.
He may even be aware of the parallels, and is using him as his template. It's all very fascinating, and a story that bears following as it develops, I would say.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is currently zero empirical evidence which has been tested according to the standards of science or evidence analysis. Keep calm, wait and see. This a 'McCann' story - anything apparently new sells media by the million.
There are zillions of real scientists, experts and credible journalists who can make zillions out of the real story if there was any real story to relate.
So: please explain the behaviour of multiple senior members of the entire US Establishment, from Obama down. Generals, senators, CIA heads, the head of NASA, top NYT journalists, airforce commanders, navy admirals - they are all saying “this is a real mystery. It’s not just balloons. Something is up there”
And now the whistleblower
How do you explain all THAT?
I completely agree the actual evidence (photos, videos) is pitifully weak
These are all people in the US mediapolitico nexus who are paid (either on the payroll or by some other means) to push out every piece of turd that is considered vital world news by the US authorities. Remember 'Kony', 'Bring back our girls', 'bullying' and other such long-forgotten media bandwagons. I have no idea why they're pushing aliens, but the fact that they're all pushing the same deeply implausible guff is pretty much the status quo. This is just even less plausible than usual.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
How do you account for MERS? And the original SARS?
I don't account for them. I don't know remotely enough about their origins to posit any sort of theory. This is whataboutery.
It’s really not. It’s making the point that all known epidemics in the history of man have been natural in origin. That does not preclude covid being the result of genetic manipulation in the WIV but it makes it having a natural source eminently plausible, in the way all the others ones started by crossing species to man.
Yes, in the absence of proof or near proof Natural is the default. For Lab to become favourite requires evidence compatible with Lab and incompatible with Natural. Just the first doesn't cut it.
The overwhelming circumstantial evidence makes lab leak the default in this case. As it was from the start. A novel bat coronavirus with strange manipulations at the furin cleavage site making it more dangerous for humans emerges in the ONLY city in the world with a bio lab playing with novel bat coronaviruses, and doing so by manipulating the furin cleavage site to make the viruses more dangerous for humans?
What are the odds on there being NO connection between these two things? About a thousand to one against
So it’s the natural wet marketeers who have all the proving to do. And despite three years of strenuous effort what proof have they managed to find? None. Zero. Nil. Nada. Nuffink. Every paper that claims to find a link with the market has been savagely debunked soon after
Meanwhile the evidence for a lab leak grows with more and more revelations of secrecy and cover up - to the extent that the Chinese themselves are now saying Hell yeah, it could be the lab
At this point piously believing in a natural origin is a basic intelligence test. Which you have failed
It is weird how this has become political. It is - generally - a few people on the left who are still desperate to believe it came from the market. As we see here. Why? Is it really coz trump said “lab leak” three years ago? Does he bother you that much?
This is not politics. It’s basic logic. Get over yourselves. It almost certainly came from the lab
You have talents but logical reasoning isn't one of them. It's more my thing. And I'm not desperate to believe either way. You otoh are enormously invested. To the point I'd worry for you if it went the 'wrong' way.
Yeah but you’re GAY*
(*I make this remark solely to please @kjh who is weirdly convinced I hurl this vile allegation when I get into an argument)
On this point - lab leak - your determined stupidity is far more interesting than your gayness
It is not a case of being weirdly convinced because you do, although only to @kinabalu. I mean the posts are there. When he has you rattled you accuse him of being gay. Not even sure why you think it is an insult. You aren't 5 years old or living in the 70s.
The other two insults you go for when rattled are accusing people of being boring or claiming you are more intelligent. You are very predictable.
VERY predictable, yes. And I'm not gay as it happens. I just have a soft feminine side.
Oi! We're not all into poncey poetry and flowery dresses I'll have you know.
You have been caught peddling lazy stereotypes about the fags and will therefore have to be cancelled. Sorry.
No but also yes since Leon is guilty of exactly this. Because I have a soft feminine side that I'm unafraid to show he calls me gay. It's real 70s throwback stuff. Have we *really* come as far as we think? I'm not so sure sometimes.
Right, better go and do some late afternoon sunbathing next to my pool. It is a great day, and not least because the supposed whiter than white ex-leader of the SNP (not the one once described as a bully and a sex pest) has been arrested.
Hopefully people will begin to wake up to what Scottish Nationalism is all about: amoral and pernicious.
I am sure I will get some playground rant from Malcolm, who along with his undisputed title of most intellectually challenged poster on PB is a perfect nasty angry personification of the average hate filled Scottish Nationalist.
I have one thing to say to Scottish Nationalists: Independence is finished. hahahahahahahaha
Not quite. Cometh the hour, cometh the Kate Forbes. She would change the rules of the game.
Scotland needs a competent Government, so I'd welcome Forbes.
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how differenr Grusch's profile has been from the classic UFO claimants. Currently serving, or very recently serving, preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency.
David Grusch is former. The British former MOD guy Nick Pope is a closer parallel than Ed Snowden.
I doubt Ed Snowden gives a toss about UFOs any more than Annie Machon cares about half the things she talks about.
Throughout the 1990s alien abduction was a big thing, especially in the USA where it was a really big thing. The text that anybody interested in the field must read is Martin Cannon's piece The Controllers.
Then there was MJ12, pyramids on Mars, etc. Lots of "formers" spoke about this stuff.
Stuff about psi featured in psyops by both the USA and USSR going back to the 1960s and 1950s.
I wouldn't say Nick Pope was anything like this guy Grusch. Another point I would just make is that the comparison with Snowden is more in their profiles, rather than Snowden having any interest in UFO;s.
Pope was a semi-detached office person the Mod essentially employed to log outside sightings, with not apparently any clearance whatsoever to look at anything private and classified himself, as I think he's himsekfadmitted.
Grusch is a young military-intelligence functionary, first inside from a military and then intelligence point of view, who seems to have been privy to all sort of classified information. He was also the very recent head of one of the three or four entire units investigating this, not a distantly retired general, or semi-detached military man, as so many of these supposed claimants have tended to have been.
I think the more relevant question, as I mentioned earlier, is if there will be upcoming law changes on this kind of issue that some are discussing , and whether, if these happen, Grusch, and the many others now appearing, will have then have some more concrete infornmation to back up their claims.
I very much doubt there are any any aliens about. Not nearby anyway - as the speed of light is rapid but the nearest ones will be probably several hundred light years away it's a long bus ride away.
This was explained earlier. Police taking opportunity to question her under caution. Contents of interview can then be used in court if a prosecution takes place at some point in future.
The police, politicians and lawyers love to say that they have to arrest you to protect your rights.
It’s funny when they are the ones having their rights protected.
@christiancalgie 💥huge shock as Paul Scully fails to make the shortlist for Tory London mayor.
Final three are Dan Korski, Susan Hall and Mozammel Hossain.
Rishi scared of another by-election if Scully had won?
@christopherhope This is a major shock. Paul Scully was a key Boris Johnson supporter. One Conservative MP close to Johnson tells me this is further evidence of a purge of Johnson supporters from a chance of getting a top job.
Only a rumour - but it seems Bozo is putting his name around as willing to stand for London Mayor again.
And he probably can't lose politically unless either he's given the Tory Nomination, or the Tory candidate wins (which looks unlikely).
This has started popping up on Twitter. Does he actually have a strategy, or are his people just starting a chaotic loads of rumours to see if anything sticks?
Can't see how'd he have a chance in hell of winning a city which voted 60-40 remain and isn't up against Ken Livingstone. Many of his ex-voters in London probably feel embarrassed to have ever voted for him.
*Raises hand*
2008 AND 2012
Had moved away from London by 2012. Don't know if I would have voted for him then. But I did vote Tory in 2010. Not sure which one to be more embarrassed about.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
How do you account for MERS? And the original SARS?
I don't account for them. I don't know remotely enough about their origins to posit any sort of theory. This is whataboutery.
It’s really not. It’s making the point that all known epidemics in the history of man have been natural in origin. That does not preclude covid being the result of genetic manipulation in the WIV but it makes it having a natural source eminently plausible, in the way all the others ones started by crossing species to man.
Yes, in the absence of proof or near proof Natural is the default. For Lab to become favourite requires evidence compatible with Lab and incompatible with Natural. Just the first doesn't cut it.
The overwhelming circumstantial evidence makes lab leak the default in this case. As it was from the start. A novel bat coronavirus with strange manipulations at the furin cleavage site making it more dangerous for humans emerges in the ONLY city in the world with a bio lab playing with novel bat coronaviruses, and doing so by manipulating the furin cleavage site to make the viruses more dangerous for humans?
What are the odds on there being NO connection between these two things? About a thousand to one against
So it’s the natural wet marketeers who have all the proving to do. And despite three years of strenuous effort what proof have they managed to find? None. Zero. Nil. Nada. Nuffink. Every paper that claims to find a link with the market has been savagely debunked soon after
Meanwhile the evidence for a lab leak grows with more and more revelations of secrecy and cover up - to the extent that the Chinese themselves are now saying Hell yeah, it could be the lab
At this point piously believing in a natural origin is a basic intelligence test. Which you have failed
It is weird how this has become political. It is - generally - a few people on the left who are still desperate to believe it came from the market. As we see here. Why? Is it really coz trump said “lab leak” three years ago? Does he bother you that much?
This is not politics. It’s basic logic. Get over yourselves. It almost certainly came from the lab
You have talents but logical reasoning isn't one of them. It's more my thing. And I'm not desperate to believe either way. You otoh are enormously invested. To the point I'd worry for you if it went the 'wrong' way.
Yeah but you’re GAY*
(*I make this remark solely to please @kjh who is weirdly convinced I hurl this vile allegation when I get into an argument)
On this point - lab leak - your determined stupidity is far more interesting than your gayness
It is not a case of being weirdly convinced because you do, although only to @kinabalu. I mean the posts are there. When he has you rattled you accuse him of being gay. Not even sure why you think it is an insult. You aren't 5 years old or living in the 70s.
The other two insults you go for when rattled are accusing people of being boring or claiming you are more intelligent. You are very predictable.
A devastating critique. I’m actually thinking of retiring from PB now you’ve said that. You don’t know the power of your words
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
How do you account for MERS? And the original SARS?
I don't account for them. I don't know remotely enough about their origins to posit any sort of theory. This is whataboutery.
It’s really not. It’s making the point that all known epidemics in the history of man have been natural in origin. That does not preclude covid being the result of genetic manipulation in the WIV but it makes it having a natural source eminently plausible, in the way all the others ones started by crossing species to man.
Yes, in the absence of proof or near proof Natural is the default. For Lab to become favourite requires evidence compatible with Lab and incompatible with Natural. Just the first doesn't cut it.
The overwhelming circumstantial evidence makes lab leak the default in this case. As it was from the start. A novel bat coronavirus with strange manipulations at the furin cleavage site making it more dangerous for humans emerges in the ONLY city in the world with a bio lab playing with novel bat coronaviruses, and doing so by manipulating the furin cleavage site to make the viruses more dangerous for humans?
What are the odds on there being NO connection between these two things? About a thousand to one against
So it’s the natural wet marketeers who have all the proving to do. And despite three years of strenuous effort what proof have they managed to find? None. Zero. Nil. Nada. Nuffink. Every paper that claims to find a link with the market has been savagely debunked soon after
Meanwhile the evidence for a lab leak grows with more and more revelations of secrecy and cover up - to the extent that the Chinese themselves are now saying Hell yeah, it could be the lab
At this point piously believing in a natural origin is a basic intelligence test. Which you have failed
It is weird how this has become political. It is - generally - a few people on the left who are still desperate to believe it came from the market. As we see here. Why? Is it really coz trump said “lab leak” three years ago? Does he bother you that much?
This is not politics. It’s basic logic. Get over yourselves. It almost certainly came from the lab
You have talents but logical reasoning isn't one of them. It's more my thing. And I'm not desperate to believe either way. You otoh are enormously invested. To the point I'd worry for you if it went the 'wrong' way.
Yeah but you’re GAY*
(*I make this remark solely to please @kjh who is weirdly convinced I hurl this vile allegation when I get into an argument)
On this point - lab leak - your determined stupidity is far more interesting than your gayness
It is not a case of being weirdly convinced because you do, although only to @kinabalu. I mean the posts are there. When he has you rattled you accuse him of being gay. Not even sure why you think it is an insult. You aren't 5 years old or living in the 70s.
The other two insults you go for when rattled are accusing people of being boring or claiming you are more intelligent. You are very predictable.
A devastating critique. I’m actually thinking of retiring from PB now you’ve said that. You don’t know the power of your words
You should turn your digitals off at the memorial.
1. Washington is seriously - and I mean seriously - ugly
2. It’s also oddly Soviet. Lots of pompous buildings that don’t quite impress and they are all a sludge brown colour. It’s not even Moscow. It’s more Minsk or east Berlin
3. They do, however, have Pret A Manger
I'll risk a 'man of the world' observation of my own here. A rare event but why not. Here it is - places that are administrative capitals only (eg Canberra, Bonn (as was), Bern, Brasilia, various others not starting with B, tend to be disappointing and dull as cities.
I've never visited Brasilia but the story of it is amazing and becomes even more so when you learn that Juscelino Kubitschek is believed by many to have been a reincarnation of Akhenaton. It was built in less than 4 years. There's no way the famous winged entity in the plan is meant to represent (to all audiences) an aeroplane.
You should have taken some dowsing rods. Might have got more out of going there.
I thought Bonn quite a pleasant place when I went there. Green, full of cyclists and bombed buildings and rude shop staff, but nonetheless quite a nice city stop.
I very much doubt there are any any aliens about. Not nearby anyway - as the speed of light is rapid but the nearest ones will be probably several hundred light years away it's a long bus ride away.
Maybe they have learned how to warp spacetime ...
Given the number of alleged crashed UAPs the proposition that they could drive such a distance without disaster is far fetched.
Only a rumour - but it seems Bozo is putting his name around as willing to stand for London Mayor again.
And he probably can't lose politically unless either he's given the Tory Nomination, or the Tory candidate wins (which looks unlikely).
This has started popping up on Twitter. Does he actually have a strategy, or are his people just starting a chaotic loads of rumours to see if anything sticks?
Can't see how'd he have a chance in hell of winning a city which voted 60-40 remain and isn't up against Ken Livingstone. Many of his ex-voters in London probably feel embarrassed to have ever voted for him.
*Raises hand*
2008 AND 2012
Had moved away from London by 2012. Don't know if I would have voted for him then. But I did vote Tory in 2010. Not sure which one to be more embarrassed about.
I seem to remember the 2008 ballot paper in London being comically long.
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how different Grusch's profile has been from the image of a the classic UFO claimant. Currently serving, or very recently serving, young and bushy-tailed and preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency. That's a very similar profile to Edward Snowden, and he even has some of his earnest expression.
He may even be aware of the parallels, and is using him as his template. It's all very fascinating, and a story that bears following as it develops, I would say.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is currently zero empirical evidence which has been tested according to the standards of science or evidence analysis. Keep calm, wait and see. This a 'McCann' story - anything apparently new sells media by the million.
There are zillions of real scientists, experts and credible journalists who can make zillions out of the real story if there was any real story to relate.
So: please explain the behaviour of multiple senior members of the entire US Establishment, from Obama down. Generals, senators, CIA heads, the head of NASA, top NYT journalists, airforce commanders, navy admirals - they are all saying “this is a real mystery. It’s not just balloons. Something is up there”
And now the whistleblower
How do you explain all THAT?
I completely agree the actual evidence (photos, videos) is pitifully weak
These are all people in the US mediapolitico nexus who are paid (either on the payroll or by some other means) to push out every piece of turd that is considered vital world news by the US authorities. Remember 'Kony', 'Bring back our girls', 'bullying' and other such long-forgotten media bandwagons. I have no idea why they're pushing aliens, but the fact that they're all pushing the same deeply implausible guff is pretty much the status quo. This is just even less plausible than usual.
At Davos this year there was a panel on how to use fake alien stories to keep the truth from gullible citizens.
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how different Grusch's profile has been from the image of a the classic UFO claimant. Currently serving, or very recently serving, young and bushy-tailed and preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency. That's a very similar profile to Edward Snowden, and he even has some of his earnest expression.
He may even be aware of the parallels, and is using him as his template. It's all very fascinating, and a story that bears following as it develops, I would say.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is currently zero empirical evidence which has been tested according to the standards of science or evidence analysis. Keep calm, wait and see. This a 'McCann' story - anything apparently new sells media by the million.
There are zillions of real scientists, experts and credible journalists who can make zillions out of the real story if there was any real story to relate.
So: please explain the behaviour of multiple senior members of the entire US Establishment, from Obama down. Generals, senators, CIA heads, the head of NASA, top NYT journalists, airforce commanders, navy admirals - they are all saying “this is a real mystery. It’s not just balloons. Something is up there”
And now the whistleblower
How do you explain all THAT?
I completely agree the actual evidence (photos, videos) is pitifully weak
These are all people in the US mediapolitico nexus who are paid (either on the payroll or by some other means) to push out every piece of turd that is considered vital world news by the US authorities. Remember 'Kony', 'Bring back our girls', 'bullying' and other such long-forgotten media bandwagons. I have no idea why they're pushing aliens, but the fact that they're all pushing the same deeply implausible guff is pretty much the status quo. This is just even less plausible than usual.
At Davos this year there was a panel on how to use fake alien stories to keep the truth from gullible citizens.
Plausible, perhaps
But then, what is the wild underlying truth that demands this extreme weirdness?
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how different Grusch's profile has been from the image of a the classic UFO claimant. Currently serving, or very recently serving, young and bushy-tailed and preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency. That's a very similar profile to Edward Snowden, and he even has some of his earnest expression.
He may even be aware of the parallels, and is using him as his template. It's all very fascinating, and a story that bears following as it develops, I would say.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is currently zero empirical evidence which has been tested according to the standards of science or evidence analysis. Keep calm, wait and see. This a 'McCann' story - anything apparently new sells media by the million.
There are zillions of real scientists, experts and credible journalists who can make zillions out of the real story if there was any real story to relate.
So: please explain the behaviour of multiple senior members of the entire US Establishment, from Obama down. Generals, senators, CIA heads, the head of NASA, top NYT journalists, airforce commanders, navy admirals - they are all saying “this is a real mystery. It’s not just balloons. Something is up there”
And now the whistleblower
How do you explain all THAT?
I completely agree the actual evidence (photos, videos) is pitifully weak
These are all people in the US mediapolitico nexus who are paid (either on the payroll or by some other means) to push out every piece of turd that is considered vital world news by the US authorities. Remember 'Kony', 'Bring back our girls', 'bullying' and other such long-forgotten media bandwagons. I have no idea why they're pushing aliens, but the fact that they're all pushing the same deeply implausible guff is pretty much the status quo. This is just even less plausible than usual.
At Davos this year there was a panel on how to use fake alien stories to keep the truth from gullible citizens.
Plausible, perhaps
But then, what is the wild underlying truth that demands this extreme weirdness?
We could bring you over the wall, but then you'd have to stop writing about artisanal flint dildos.
There's so many named recent official sources, which is new.
What counts is evidence which can be expertly examined and re-examined and reported on according to peer reviewed science standards. Adjectives and hearsay don't count. That which is merely unexplained visual phenomena doesn't count either. We can't explain lots of things - consciousness, the origin of the universe, the reason why the law of gravity is how it is and not different, why we see yellow as yellow and not green, how life began and so on - but we don't attribute it to aliens.
As and when there is a real story it isn't going to be confined to websites no-one has heard of. There is a fortune out there for real scientists and accurate journalists, and they will get it if they can.
The rest is noise.
I wouldn't quite agree with this point of view. Much of the new information is already out there on mainstream news sources, for instance. What we have here, I think, is an entirely new situation where there are multiple current-serving or recently, named governmental officials making extraordinary claims, but for whom there seems to a great deal of legislation preventing them going further. So I would say still this seems to be primarily an issue about process, for the moment, rather than materials or evidence yet.
This is why the focus in the U.S is shifting to new Congressional hearings, and possible changes in the law to make further whistleblowing on this topic more easy.
And an awful lot more current serving or recent officials pouring scorn on the idea.
It’s grift, pure and simple, and it’s conning people who want to believe.
Well, let's do a little bit of a cut-and-paste of all the most credible recent sources, and do a sort of compilation of them, to see how they stack up.
When I have some time in a a bit, I will nose about and put them all together.
Kind of a problem when there are no credible sources, just grifters and lunatics.
This is a good piece on the latest UFO flap, and why it is different from all others. It makes the point I have been making for many months (but maybe you will accept it from the NYT if not from me) - even if you discount any idea of actual non human intelligence, the level of disclosure is now so high and detailed and “legitimate” something really really WEIRD is happening in the US government. At the very least. And smart people should now pay attention to this story
Indeed. What we have in fact is a completely new situation of multiple, current or near-current US official sources making UFO claims.
That 's certainly very interesting, at the least.
And when China is knocking on their door, they will regret deeply investing time and resources in creating such a frivolous ruse.
Although we can't say for sure if it's any ruse, ofcourse. What strikes me as very interesting is how different Grusch's profile has been from the image of a the classic UFO claimant. Currently serving, or very recently serving, young and bushy-tailed and preciously promoted and bright, and deep inside a US intelligence agency. That's a very similar profile to Edward Snowden, and he even has some of his earnest expression.
He may even be aware of the parallels, and is using him as his template. It's all very fascinating, and a story that bears following as it develops, I would say.
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. There is currently zero empirical evidence which has been tested according to the standards of science or evidence analysis. Keep calm, wait and see. This a 'McCann' story - anything apparently new sells media by the million.
There are zillions of real scientists, experts and credible journalists who can make zillions out of the real story if there was any real story to relate.
So: please explain the behaviour of multiple senior members of the entire US Establishment, from Obama down. Generals, senators, CIA heads, the head of NASA, top NYT journalists, airforce commanders, navy admirals - they are all saying “this is a real mystery. It’s not just balloons. Something is up there”
And now the whistleblower
How do you explain all THAT?
I completely agree the actual evidence (photos, videos) is pitifully weak
These are all people in the US mediapolitico nexus who are paid (either on the payroll or by some other means) to push out every piece of turd that is considered vital world news by the US authorities. Remember 'Kony', 'Bring back our girls', 'bullying' and other such long-forgotten media bandwagons. I have no idea why they're pushing aliens, but the fact that they're all pushing the same deeply implausible guff is pretty much the status quo. This is just even less plausible than usual.
At Davos this year there was a panel on how to use fake alien stories to keep the truth from gullible citizens.
Plausible, perhaps
But then, what is the wild underlying truth that demands this extreme weirdness?
Yes, I think the idea that this is all a government ruse is about as unlikely as what Grusch is claming.
Repurposed technology from an adversary seems more likely, but then the Chinese don't seem advanced enough to have it. So the tall and short of it, is that we're actually left with the increased possibility that something very unlikely could , in fact , be true, but about which we may never know unless the law changes in the US.
I very much doubt there are any any aliens about. Not nearby anyway - as the speed of light is rapid but the nearest ones will be probably several hundred light years away it's a long bus ride away.
Maybe they have learned how to warp spacetime ...
Given the number of alleged crashed UAPs the proposition that they could drive such a distance without disaster is far fetched.
There was a documentary about this: Morons from Outer Space.
Basically: what if aliens required only the same intellect as drivers on the road to fly spacecraft interstellar distances?
I’m sorry for being right about everything. I know it’s annoying
We discussed this while you were busy posting your holiday photos.
Nonetheless, I was right, wasn’t I? All those months and years ago, when I told you: IT CAME FROM THE LAB
At one point I was the only person on PB voicing that opinion, to the derision of all others. Indeed I was about to give up, until @Gardenwalker - bless him - said “you know, you might be on to something”
Think that was late 2020?
Um, piss off. I most certainly did not deride anyone for theorising that it came from a lab. Once the lab's work and location were known, it was the only remotely sensible theory.
How do you account for MERS? And the original SARS?
I don't account for them. I don't know remotely enough about their origins to posit any sort of theory. This is whataboutery.
It’s really not. It’s making the point that all known epidemics in the history of man have been natural in origin. That does not preclude covid being the result of genetic manipulation in the WIV but it makes it having a natural source eminently plausible, in the way all the others ones started by crossing species to man.
Yes, in the absence of proof or near proof Natural is the default. For Lab to become favourite requires evidence compatible with Lab and incompatible with Natural. Just the first doesn't cut it.
The overwhelming circumstantial evidence makes lab leak the default in this case. As it was from the start. A novel bat coronavirus with strange manipulations at the furin cleavage site making it more dangerous for humans emerges in the ONLY city in the world with a bio lab playing with novel bat coronaviruses, and doing so by manipulating the furin cleavage site to make the viruses more dangerous for humans?
What are the odds on there being NO connection between these two things? About a thousand to one against
So it’s the natural wet marketeers who have all the proving to do. And despite three years of strenuous effort what proof have they managed to find? None. Zero. Nil. Nada. Nuffink. Every paper that claims to find a link with the market has been savagely debunked soon after
Meanwhile the evidence for a lab leak grows with more and more revelations of secrecy and cover up - to the extent that the Chinese themselves are now saying Hell yeah, it could be the lab
At this point piously believing in a natural origin is a basic intelligence test. Which you have failed
It is weird how this has become political. It is - generally - a few people on the left who are still desperate to believe it came from the market. As we see here. Why? Is it really coz trump said “lab leak” three years ago? Does he bother you that much?
This is not politics. It’s basic logic. Get over yourselves. It almost certainly came from the lab
You have talents but logical reasoning isn't one of them. It's more my thing. And I'm not desperate to believe either way. You otoh are enormously invested. To the point I'd worry for you if it went the 'wrong' way.
Yeah but you’re GAY*
(*I make this remark solely to please @kjh who is weirdly convinced I hurl this vile allegation when I get into an argument)
On this point - lab leak - your determined stupidity is far more interesting than your gayness
It is not a case of being weirdly convinced because you do, although only to @kinabalu. I mean the posts are there. When he has you rattled you accuse him of being gay. Not even sure why you think it is an insult. You aren't 5 years old or living in the 70s.
The other two insults you go for when rattled are accusing people of being boring or claiming you are more intelligent. You are very predictable.
VERY predictable, yes. And I'm not gay as it happens. I just have a soft feminine side.
Oi! We're not all into poncey poetry and flowery dresses I'll have you know.
You have been caught peddling lazy stereotypes about the fags and will therefore have to be cancelled. Sorry.
No but also yes since Leon is guilty of exactly this. Because I have a soft feminine side that I'm unafraid to show he calls me gay. It's real 70s throwback stuff. Have we *really* come as far as we think? I'm not so sure sometimes.
This is absolutely ridiculous. I have experimented with gayness and have openly admitted to being on the BDSM scene (D if you must know) - hence my spotting The Necklace
The idea I would think “gay” is an insult is absurd. I’d be insulting myself
The fact is I do pride myself in spotting personal traits and you made the odd ambiguous remark and I thought I’d test the waters and see if you had a gay side. Turns out you do. That’s it. That’s all it is. Get over yourself
Former Trump AG Bill Barr on Trump's federal indictment: "If even half of it is true, then he's toast. I mean, it's a very detailed indictment, and it's very, very damning. This idea of presenting Trump as a victim here -- a victim of a witch hunt -- is ridiculous." https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1667896395804622848
@christiancalgie 💥huge shock as Paul Scully fails to make the shortlist for Tory London mayor.
Final three are Dan Korski, Susan Hall and Mozammel Hossain.
Rishi scared of another by-election if Scully had won?
@christopherhope This is a major shock. Paul Scully was a key Boris Johnson supporter. One Conservative MP close to Johnson tells me this is further evidence of a purge of Johnson supporters from a chance of getting a top job.
Haha they're not paranoid - they know Rishi's out to get them!
Comments
I doubt Ed Snowden gives a toss about UFOs any more than Annie Machon cares about half the things she talks about.
Throughout the 1990s alien abduction was a big thing, especially in the USA where it was a really big thing. The text that anybody interested in the field must read is Martin Cannon's piece The Controllers.
Then there was MJ12, pyramids on Mars, etc. Lots of "formers" spoke about this stuff.
Stuff about psi featured in psyops by both the USA and USSR going back to the 1960s and 1950s.
And he probably can't lose politically unless either he's given the Tory Nomination, or the Tory candidate wins (which looks unlikely).
There are zillions of real scientists, experts and credible journalists who can make zillions out of the real story if there was any real story to relate.
And I went through some really pretty little towns in Maryland! Mmm
But DC? Eeek. Ugh
And now the whistleblower
How do you explain all THAT?
I completely agree the actual evidence (photos, videos) is pitifully weak
Many many moons ago, had a five-hour layover in Our Nations Capital, luckily at [now Reagan] National Airport.
Thinking quickly, decided to take the (then pretty new) DC Metro to the Mall. First stop was National Archives. Then strolled to US Capitol.
It was summertime, and place was thronged with visiting school groups and other tourists. PLUS Congress was still in session, so politicos and their underlings were dashing about as well. Was pretty easy to tell the difference!
I checked further, and found out that while House was not currently meeting, the Senate was. So headed to office of one of my home state senators to get a pass for the visitor's gallery.
On the way, turned a marble-clad corridor, and nearly ran into . . . wait for it . . . Bob Dole. Who was then US Senator from Kansas, and Republican Majority Leader. And in the news a LOT.
After obtaining my pass, headed for the gallery, and on the way encountered . . . you guessed it . . . Bob Dole. Who gave me a smile and said, "Hi!" So naturally I said "Hi!" back, then we both went on our merry ways.
When I made it to the gallery, my seat did NOT have a very good view, could only see maybe one-third of the senatorial desks, which turned out to on Republican side of the chamber.
And who did I spot in the front row? Bob Dole!
Who looked up and gave me a look. At which I looked at my watch, and realized that it was time for me to boogie back to the airport for my next flight.
As I left the Capitol, couldn't help wondering IF Bob Dole was checking with Capitol Police re: some weirdo who was apparently stalking him . . .
Sturgeon's fate, justice unfolds,
Leadership's downfall.
Boris's path veiled in mist,
Resignation's hush.
I AM emotionally invested and yes it is partly because I was derided for saying “it came from the lab” when almost everyone else was dutifully parroting the ludicrous wet market theory - and when we were literally forbidden from talking about lab leak on Twitter and Facebook
But who wouldn’t be a tad invested in those circumstances? I was a lone voice here and elsewhere and now - I believe - I have been almost completely vindicated. So yes I gloat, sometimes. And maybe I overdo the chortling
But imagine if you were me. You’d feel a bit Told You So as well, I am sure
If wet market is proved (lol) I will happily come on here and metaphorically pour ordure over myself. But that ain’t gonna happen
Indeed, unfortunately for all of us I very much doubt we will ever get 100% proof that satisfies everyone. We will likely end up near where we are now. 98% certain it came from the lab but there will still be that 2% doubt for others to cling on to
Right. That’s enough covid. To the Vietnam memorial!
COVID's origins unknown,
Truth yearns to be found.
Hopefully people will begin to wake up to what Scottish Nationalism is all about: amoral and pernicious.
I am sure I will get some playground rant from Malcolm, who along with his undisputed title of most intellectually challenged poster on PB is a perfect nasty angry personification of the average hate filled Scottish Nationalist.
I have one thing to say to Scottish Nationalists: Independence is finished. hahahahahahahaha
Back in the days when J. Edgar Hoover was a living legend, feared by lawbreakers and presidents alike.
NOT a defunct drag-queen punch-line.
Almost as amazing 180-degree u-turn in public regard as with Prince Harry. Almost.
The other two insults you go for when rattled are accusing people of being boring or claiming you are more intelligent. You are very predictable.
Except @SeanT.
Tory mayoral candidate shortlist: congrats to @Councillorsuzie @DanielKorski and Mozammel Hossain KC
Leon, loads of us thought it was a possibility. What most of us laughed about was your obsession with aliens and nuclear Armageddon and What Three Words. it probably was a lab leak. Maybe it wasn't. You, like the rest of us are just guessing, though most of us are not driven by Sino-phobia. By the way, you are GAY! (probably)
Sorry y'all didn't rate THAT honor. But thanks anyway! (BTW do you also get free lunch at museum cafes?)
Trump — 61% (+38)
DeSantis — 23%
T. Scott — 4%
Pence — 4%
Haley — 3%
Ramaswamy — 1%
Hutchinson — 1%
Burgum — 1%
Elder — 1%
Christie — 1%
https://twitter.com/iapolls2022/status/1667889021459070977
Poetic observation
About lying oaf
> Historical-Mythological Washington
> Federal-Political Washington
> Diplomatic-Military-Industrial Complex Washington
> Big City - Local Neighborhood DC
Any perspective that fails to factor in at least 3 of the above is bound to be sorely limited.
That said, the London vote is switching to FPTP, and the greens and libs are powerful enough there to split the vote……
and
What is the evidence (empirical, direct, material, subject to expert analysis, open to contest) of extra terrestrial activity, and what is the agreed conclusion.
Question 1: No-one knows.
Question 2: None known. Wait and see. (But there are fortunes to be made by scientists, journalists, publishers and experts if there were anything hard and real to work on so they will if they can.
You have been caught peddling lazy stereotypes about the fags and will therefore have to be cancelled. Sorry.
Mountains from molehills arise,
Fuss fades into naught.
https://twitter.com/jamesks92/status/1667908101847101440/photo/1
Wee bit of political trivia. Jack McConnell left office in 2007. He is the last former First Minister of Scotland NOT to have been subsequently arrested by the police.
A charging decision today was never going to happen.
Either way a charging decision will be made in the future.
You should have taken some dowsing rods. Might have got more out of going there.
If the world of politics could calm the fuck down for the next 8 hours or so I would appreciate it.
The Republican Party
What are they smoking?
Pope was a semi-detached office person the Mod essentially employed to log outside sightings, with not apparently any clearance whatsoever to look at anything private and classified himself, as I think he's himsekfadmitted.
Grusch is a young military-intelligence functionary, first inside from a military and then intelligence point of view, who seems to have been privy to all sort of classified information. He was also the very recent head of one of the three or four entire units investigating this, not a distantly retired general, or semi-detached military man, as so many of these supposed claimants have tended to have been.
I think the more relevant question, as I mentioned earlier, is if there will be upcoming law changes on this kind of issue that some are discussing , and whether, if these happen, Grusch, and the many others now appearing, will have then have some more concrete infornmation to back up their claims.
https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1667682589333659648
It’s funny when they are the ones having their rights protected.
“I wasn’t too sure but him being indicted really made me think he was the man for me”.
💥huge shock as Paul Scully fails to make the shortlist for Tory London mayor.
Final three are Dan Korski, Susan Hall and Mozammel Hossain.
Rishi scared of another by-election if Scully had won?
@christopherhope
This is a major shock. Paul Scully was a key Boris Johnson supporter.
One Conservative MP close to Johnson tells me this is further evidence of a purge of Johnson supporters from a chance of getting a top job.
But then, what is the wild underlying truth that demands this extreme weirdness?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001msy8
(starts around 16 minutes)
Repurposed technology from an adversary seems more likely, but then the Chinese don't seem advanced enough to have it. So the tall and short of it, is that we're actually left with the increased possibility that something very unlikely could , in fact , be true, but about which we may never know unless the law changes in the US.
Basically: what if aliens required only the same intellect as drivers on the road to fly spacecraft interstellar distances?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZy6jOBqY84
It's not the change since last time
The idea I would think “gay” is an insult is absurd. I’d be insulting myself
The fact is I do pride myself in spotting personal traits and you made the odd ambiguous remark and I thought I’d test the waters and see if you had a gay side. Turns out you do. That’s it. That’s all it is. Get over yourself
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1667896395804622848