[The Weeping Angel]

Get your hand off my penis.

[Oboogie]

Get your hand off my penis.

You said that out loud. Were you aware?

[Crabcakes]

Get your hand off my penis.

You said that out loud. Were you aware?

To avoid any genital-related confusion, TWA was replying to my post, which in turn was paraphrasing this event:

(And just to add I’m delighted someone got the reference )

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Ah. Context is everything...


(or even quote posting what you are replying to...)

[Oboogie]

Get your hand off my penis.

You said that out loud. Were you aware?

To avoid any genital-related confusion, TWA was replying to my post, which in turn was paraphrasing this event:

(And just to add I’m delighted someone got the reference )

Ok, thanks for the clarification although, as you're both over 16, it wasn't really necessary.

[Crabcakes]

“My bad”, as the kids of today say - I thought that particular meme was perhaps a bit better known than it is!

Which to be honest I should have learned already as just this week I had to explain “Ronnie Pickering!” to someone and I thought that was really well known too! (I’ll leave you to look that up on YouTube if you’re inclined )

[Tubby Isaacs]

Interesting response to Jones BTL, from one of the few good posters.

History won't or doesn't judge countries that have a limited ability to influence events in conflicts. The countries that have the most influence in the Gaza-Israel conflict are Iran, Saudi Arabia, China and the US. The UK has little to no influence with Israel - that was lost when it shifted its foreign policy to rebuild relations with Arab nations post Suez Crisis in 1956. The Gaza-Israel conflict is brutal but not more brutal than the conflicts in Democratic Republic of the Congo (1998–present), Syrian Civil War (2011–present), Yemen Civil War (2014–present), Sudan Conflict (2023–present), Tigray War in Ethiopia (2020–2022, ongoing tensions), Russian Invasion of Ukraine (2022–present), Afghan Conflict (2021–present), Somali Civil War (1991–present), Libyan Civil War (2011–present). Only the Russia-Ukrainian and Israel-Gaza conflicts gets any attention, one because it's on the border of Europe and the other because it's being conducted by Israel.

I'd put the one-sidedness of Gaza above some of the others, but the overall point is well-made. This invoking of "history" is an annoying habit of the Left. I recall Tony Benn claiming that Gerry Adams would be seen as the man who'd got the IRA to give up violence. Obviously, I appreciate the role of Sinn Fein in the peace process, but we're now 30 years on. "History" doesn't seem to have forgotten what came before either.

"History" means "everyone's going to agree with what I've been saying", and said by people with no obvious history qualifications.

[Killer Whale]

“Ronnie Pickering!”

Who the fock's that?

[Yug]

“Ronnie Pickering!”

Who the fock's that?

I've just googled him. He's some bloke who ranted at a moped rider in a road rage incident. It was filmed and put on line, and went viral, apparently.

[Killer Whale]

It's a long time ago now, but I think "who the fock's that?" is what the moped rider responded to "Do you know who I am? Ronnie Pickering!"

[Yug]

I still had to google to find out who he is. I've seen the name bandied about but assumed he was a character in a tv show I've never seen.

[The Weeping Angel]

Get your hand off my penis.

You said that out loud. Were you aware?

To avoid any genital-related confusion, TWA was replying to my post, which in turn was paraphrasing this event:

(And just to add I’m delighted someone got the reference )

I wish I quoted that video in the Australia thread a couple of weeks. The part where he says Gentleman this is democracy manifest in case anyone thought otherwise.

[Abernathy]

Amused to note that Squealer had his press credential revoked and was chucked out of Labour’s conference.

Possibly not the right move but you can’t help chuckling.

[Bones McCoy]

Amused to note that Squealer had his press credential revoked and was chucked out of Labour’s conference.

Possibly not the right move but you can’t help chuckling.

Now do Harry Cole, and all of GB News.

[Youngian]

At least Owen Jones or Novara Media don't masquerade as news gathering organisations. Femi Oluwole is another one having a strop about being refused accreditation. Can what they do even be described as journalism or is it just polemical activism? But same goes for the tabloids. If Harry Cole gets in then no reason why Ash Sarker or Bastani shouldn't.

[RedSparrows]

Interesting response to Jones BTL, from one of the few good posters.

History won't or doesn't judge countries that have a limited ability to influence events in conflicts. The countries that have the most influence in the Gaza-Israel conflict are Iran, Saudi Arabia, China and the US. The UK has little to no influence with Israel - that was lost when it shifted its foreign policy to rebuild relations with Arab nations post Suez Crisis in 1956. The Gaza-Israel conflict is brutal but not more brutal than the conflicts in Democratic Republic of the Congo (1998–present), Syrian Civil War (2011–present), Yemen Civil War (2014–present), Sudan Conflict (2023–present), Tigray War in Ethiopia (2020–2022, ongoing tensions), Russian Invasion of Ukraine (2022–present), Afghan Conflict (2021–present), Somali Civil War (1991–present), Libyan Civil War (2011–present). Only the Russia-Ukrainian and Israel-Gaza conflicts gets any attention, one because it's on the border of Europe and the other because it's being conducted by Israel.

I'd put the one-sidedness of Gaza above some of the others, but the overall point is well-made. This invoking of "history" is an annoying habit of the Left. I recall Tony Benn claiming that Gerry Adams would be seen as the man who'd got the IRA to give up violence. Obviously, I appreciate the role of Sinn Fein in the peace process, but we're now 30 years on. "History" doesn't seem to have forgotten what came before either.

"History" means "everyone's going to agree with what I've been saying", and said by people with no obvious history qualifications.

'History' is used as a stick by everyone, from football fans instrumentalising it in the most daft way possible, to pious and sanctimonious appeals to a Whiggish sense of teleology. It's all fucking stupid and infuriating.

History is not your friend. History is not your ally. History is not your tool. History is not your stick.

Rhetoric is all fun and games, until...

[Abernathy]

Indeed. See Corbyn, J. : "Always on the right side of history".

[Youngian]

Only the Russia-Ukrainian and Israel-Gaza conflicts gets any attention, one because it's on the border of Europe

The consequences of the Ukraine war are exitensial for Europe. But not for Israel or the Palestinian authorities who both maintain cordial relations with Moscow. For various historical and current geopolitical reasons which I get. So I won't be stamping my feet accusing them of being war criminals for not actively intervening to stop Putin.

[Killer Whale]

Israel - Palestine is a clear proxy for The Evil West vs. The Powerless Oppressed. Any nuance is forgotten, brushed to one side, or flat-out denied.