Walsingham

Gordon Brown pledges UK Forces to police Gaza blockade. I have to say that on first consideration this is possibly the worst move imaginable for the UK short of directly shelling Palestinian hospitals. 1. We are short staffed in most respects and need defence cash for the main event in Afghanistan 2. It makes it look like the UK and the Israeli govt are on the same wavelength which I can't agree with 3. It won't achieve anything tactically, as I'm sure Hamas will still get enough munitions to kill people 4. It won't achieve anything strategically because, as I say, I don't believe any end is possible.

I am still confused by the notion that the absence of God means I can enjoy my life. God wasn't sopping me before, and in any case, how can teh absence of something which never existed improve anything? In fact, if God doesn't exist then a priori can my life have any meaning? And without meaning how can I enjoy it? Help! Save me Jebus!

And you're a month behind! Now that's bad weather.

If you ask me it seems to be a question of panicking at the first hint of trouble, and abandoning all caution at the first hint of success. I mean, clearly you need a lean crew to face the downturn, but why on Earth do so many companies seem to have been staffing on the assumption that growth was going to continue indefinitely?

I don't know either, but I'm fairly sure it's not some sort of pay-as-they-pray system. Sounds bloody awful!

I'm more humanist than anything else, but I got embarassed by these bloody buses. They spent something like

We've been having what I like to think of as optimal English weather. Light, constant rain. Cold enough to give you an excuse to laze around indoors, drinking tea and reading.

Because what you really want in life is a hungry troll?

The point of any of the many zombie training films is always that the zombies aren't really very smart. What kills the protagonists is that they are untrustworthy shiftless morons.

You mean like a highly structured, success-oriented, physically active mentality?

Intercession prior to the crime isn't the disincentive; the disincentive is that the police have been told that person x made a threat, so if you wind up lying in a pool of blood on your flat, Capt. Stupid is the first person they're going to look at. It would also make a pretty good defense if you wanted to pre-emptively stab him if he approached you in any environment after that point. Only a total nimrod would risk that level of scrutiny and danger for "no reason". A good point. Except at the time I was interviewing him I could have been attacked by all sorts of people! Wouldn't be fair to get him nailed if someone else did it.

Hmmm. Let me think about that. You make an interesting point.

Sorry, Calax. I was being an arse. I kind of knew what you meant but jumped the wrong way. I know there are books which are basically god fanfiction. They suck, as does all fanfiction.

I've been involved in two attempted stabbings, and in neither case was I saved by anything other than blind luck. I'm not saying there aren't a tonne of wannabes out there. But this was face to face, and I believe he was serious. In the end I suspect he didn't because he knew I believed him, and he wanted his story told. Most people do. I think it's one of the most powerful motivating forces in the human soul - the urge to be understood.

You report an interesting perspective. I do think that the use of terror on any side is inherently flawed. People build a resistance to it, and ever increasing 'doses' are required. But that's not the same as operationally aware use of force. If you're interested, Gen. Rupert Smith has written a fine book on the subject called The Utility of Force. Failing to apply force leaves only a negotiated settlement. But you can't realistically negotiate with a group or standpoint which refuses to recognise your basic right to exist. Which, before you pounce correctly on this as a justification for the use of terrorism by militants against Israel I DON'T condone terrorism. Because: 1. Terrorism explicitly targets civilians as valuable targets in their capacity as civilians 2. Terrorism seeks to prevail through imposing chaos, disorder and fear 3. Terror very rarely succeeds under any circumstances where other means would not achieve the job sooner. The example would be Scotland and Ireland. Scotland had a working regional parliament before Northern Ireland without any terrorism, or thousands dead and injured.

The mode of transmission is contact, and suggests to me that it is viral due to its apparent ancestry. But I don't have any specimens to examine.

"Oh, I'm dead. I better just lie still." Pretty much! He's quite religious, so I guess it was much like waiting for a bus.

I don't see why or even how a writer could exclude their religion from their writing. Look at The Hobbit, where Tolkein clearly shows us his cake and pie-based upbringing. I've been reading Dune: House Harkonnen. I was expecting it to be completely awful. While it lacks the subtler genius of Herbert it's pretty good. Defintely worth the time to read it.

He didn't need a motive, the only thing stopping him was the man. And what did he mean by "I can tell you that and you won't do one thing to stop me or kill me."? He would run you over in a Volvo while you are crossing the street? As I recall, his precise threat was to stab me at random one night outside my house. Which would be a pretty good way to do it.

Yuusha, you acknowledge that Israel has a right to defend itself in practical terms, but I don't see the logical follow through in your statements. If the Gazans elect a party dedicated to total annihilatory war with Israel, how can it be inconsistent for Israel to prosecute war in return? I agree that civilian casualties are an issue, but do you accept in principle that military action is justified? That you would simply urge different military action? The question of national legitimacy is completely moot, IMO. Show me a country in human history that wasn't forged in blood, fire and suffering.* As for Israel not accepting a two state solution, I've already addressed this. In negotiation terms I agree with you. But it's as much down to the fact that both sides feel the existence of the other in any form constitutes an unexploded bomb, and neither side has the capacity to enforce a peace deal beyond the short term. As for the surrounding states I think you are massively misjudging the times. All the surrounding states have far more important economic and social issues to worry about without rearming. It's not 1964 any more. The Soviets and Chinese aren't looking to waste billions of dollars of aid on guns. They'll be quite content to remain very vocal on the issue of the Palestinians while continuing to do sod all to help them practically. ~~ Gorgon, you make an interesting point about the length of the action. In fact I believe the Israelis have learned that garrisoning the area is dangerous, and difficult. Their aim appears to be to sweep and clear out the huge stockpiles of military grade BM122s and Fahr rockets, as well as bagging as many Hamas people and intel as possible. They're also gambling on the idea that after this intervention the West Bank will be more determined than ever not to become aggressive, and the Gazans will take a while to sort themselves out. It's not intended to be a solution, just one more chapter. *Yes, and I'm including Disneyland.

More bad news from the home front yesterday. I drank several ales, and went to bed. Woke this morning at five a.m. with nightmares. Drank water, ate noodles, surfed the net, emailed people. I should really start work soon, but I'm kind of zonked.

Why shouldn't he do so? I didn't report him to the police. Granted I had to abide by the code of such interviews which involves NOT telling the police everything, but even so, what could I say? "Excuse me, officer, but you must take my word for the fact that this man threatened my life!" I had no proof. He had no motive. Even in cases where there is very good cause to suspect violent intent teh police rarely do anything (as in domestic abuse). Telling me then becomes a statement of power, and also of self-support. He was almost proving (to his mind) the corrupt and weak nature of civil society.

There's not a great deal of moisture in the air, usually. But it might help. The use of photosynthesis might work, but I don't think you get nearly enough energy. However, as I say, some mutation of the mitochondria, or some other symbiotic infection would work. Maybe something derived from cultures operating on the ocean floor? I was looking again at rabies, and it seems that partial paralysis of the limbs is associated with it. This would add further weight to the virus having rabies as an ancestor, given the zombie's natural awkward gait.

We only have DVD cases because the EU pased some law about software packaging. A rare example of them getting something right.

I feel like the proverbial dog being shown a card trick.