Walsingham

Don't do anything I wouldn't do. EDIT: You know that bit in every nature documentary about Africa, where the rains come? And you get grumbling thunder, and the apes whoop, and the wildebeeste herd about chasing the fresh green shoots? Well, my guts have been making that noise all day. I fear I may be about to suffer some sort of rectal apocalypse.

Something to reflect on: his own defence team argued that he took these actions out of a confused self-identity coupled with narcissistic drives. According to the defence narrative he didn't do this out of a principled stand against US actions. He did it because he felt isolated in the military and wanted to be loved. So, in my opinion he simply abandoned his sworn duty to go chasing fame and fortune as a pacifist hero. And sod the consequences. He's such a pathetic figure I very nearly feel sorry for him. What has he achieved? The wars continued. The US got fed up, and pulled back from Iraq and Afghan. Kentucky Fried Qaeda ...uninterested in either Manning or Assange... is still serving up 50 varieties of death across the Muslim world. That probably won't change for at least ten years. And in ten years he'll still be sweating away in a jail cell.

Except 'the West' currently has its hands full. It's not as if there's an expeditionary force parked offshore. It doesn't make sense for either side to use these weapons. Assad must know that his only existential threat right now is from foreign intervention. Why use a weapon that can only hurt your interests? Unless it's simply to show he can, which I don't see fitting his profile. the rebels using the weapons en masse doesn't seem logical except to provoke foreign intervention, but then that isn't very likely... ...unless you remember that the rebels aren't unitary. If a hardline element among the rebels did use these weapons then the result is that the rebels lose all credibility. That isolates the moderates from Western support. In my opinion it's the most credible option.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say. ~ Police in Balochistan successfully seize more than 115 tonnes of bomb making material in two raids.

Well, fair play for even doing it once.

40%? (the first one, not the other one)

40%?

No offence, but to me it sounds like a detergent powder.

OK, so what you're shrieking into the wind is that democracy is pointless? If that's the case, what are you hoping for, exactly? Rule by costumed superheros, hacking government <sic> databases?

Had a great day with a very old mate of mine. I've been doing vocals on his album (very much a creative indulgence on his part). Talking round the houses and sharing stories. Dead fellahs and money, and flash floods. We finish the umpteenth bottle and he turns to me on his way to bed: "Why DOES Michael Bay get to keep making movies?" And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what something something.

For the record I should like to point out that when they ask if this is the man, Gfted1 is the man. He burps Grammy-winning music, and sweats sunshine.

I was going to, but instead decided to post lewd pictures of women on the internet. We hear men speaking for us of new laws strong and sweet,Yet is there no man speaketh as we speak in the street.It may be we shall rise the last as Frenchmen rose the first,Our wrath come after Russia's wrath and our wrath be the worst.It may be we are meant to mark with our riot and our restGod's scorn for all men governing. It may be beer is best.But we are the people of England; and we have not spoken yet.Smile at us, pay us, pass us. But do not quite forget.

Looks more like 'alien parasites in his veins' to me. Flamethrowers, please.

I recently saw a poster at Oxford University which had something like gay, and homosexual and lesbian listed. I was very confused. Has gay become something else? Frankly, I'm wondering if straight/gay/etc is a bit noddy. I had the same question in a topic in the mod forum. Fio directed me to the GLBTTQ page and about half way down you will see enough "variants" to start a new alphabet. Interesting. I keep forgetting about wikipedia. Mad as that sounds. I like that if I reduce it to just Gay Lesbian Bi, then it contracts to 'GLiB'.

Out of interest, how many of you outraged chaps have bothered to send a single letter to an elected representative on this issue?

If i may extend your line of logic a bit, it seems that you both feel that the military is powerful and has been machinating (word?) quietly and not so quietly. If i may run with kgambit's point a bit then the logic is that you can't expect an institution as powerful as the Egyptian military to sit still and do nothing. It's the old 'vacuum' theory which (iirc) was instrumental in bringing back the monarchy to the UK. It's pointless and dangerous to deny real power, you might say. I know this doesn't sound very responsible or moral. I'm just stretching the point to see if it fits.

I recently saw a poster at Oxford University which had something like gay, and homosexual and lesbian listed. I was very confused. Has gay become something else? Frankly, I'm wondering if straight/gay/etc is a bit noddy.

Cool. I wondered what happened to Mothman. Good to see you back.

Could you capture him and send him to London zoo? ~ NB: This is a plan with no drawbacks.

I haven't even seen it. I was just amusing myself imagining subtle interplay!

Pft, hope is a weakness. You're a real "I've been half eaten by a polar bear," Kind of guy, aren't you? That would depend on which half, wouldn't it? I see my presence went unnoticed. Pretty much what I expected though. Christ on a biscuit. 1600+ posts? Who are you, man? [/goon held by Batman]

Slight aside. I thought I'd point out that in terms of both depth and balance this thread is better than the BBC coverage.

I noticed that too. I wonder where he got to. it seems logical to assume he's having good fun.

Pft, hope is a weakness. You're a real "I've been half eaten by a polar bear," Kind of guy, aren't you?

That, dear boy, is because I'm just so damn pretty.