The Sunday Rumble: 10.11.19

Remembrance Day:   An article in today's Mail took me by surprise.  They conducted a survey of some of those very 'foreign fields' on which British soldiers perished.  What was extraordinary was the fact that local people still tend these graves lovingly, some of them despite the fact that their history of inter-action with the British army was not always, shall we say, amicable!

In the heart of the African bush, Kokou Esso, an impoverished villager, carefully sweeps the grave of a British upper-class Army officer. It is well-tended, pristine and, most of all, remembered

Even in Russia the graves of various British servicemen who died there are still cared for - including the ones who perished in the abortive attempt to oppose the Bolshevik revolution!  For what it is worth, my grateful thanks to all of them.

 

Incoming 'SoD':   Posting might be a tad erratic today because I have it on high authority that 'SoD' might be visiting.  NOTE TO SELF: Don't mention the 'Br' word!

 

That Peter Hitchens is tossing grenades again!   This time his target is Winston Churchill as war leader who is, of course, a 'yuuuuuge' target and therefor fairly easy to hit!  Even so, Hitchens is in receipt of some fairly heavy counter-battery fire from some distinguished historians.  I will not attempt to summarise the arguments but I will provide you with the links so that you WWII buffs can study them at your leisure.  This is his opening salvo in today's Mail:

700 people came to see this talk about my book 'The Phoney Victory' in Edinburgh . Now you can share the experience

At last! The recording of my appearance last August at the Edinburgh Book Festival to discuss my widely-ignored book ‘The Phoney Victory’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb8A4AGKGkg&feature=youtu.be

The interviewer is Ruth Wishart, to whom I offer my thanks . Likewise to the Edinburgh Book Festival, the only major book festival which showed any interest in this book .

I think the unfairness and idiocy of the boycott of silence to which the book has been subjected by festivals and reviewers was well-illustrated by the fact that 700 people attended this event, and I missed my train home because so many people wanted me to sign books afterwards.

I have addressed two other private events about this book and on both occasions received an enormous amount of interest. It is not because this book is a commercial flop that it is being ignored, but perhaps because it might be a success if it were given normal levels of publicity.

These are two responses.  The first is from Daniel Johnson at Standpoint.   The second from Richard Evans, a history swot from Cambridge.  I am unqualified to adjudicate so I will leave it to you WWII students to take your own decisions.

 

I never thought I would write these words!   However, I really think I will miss Phil Hammond, the previous Chancellor of the Exchequer.  Yes, he looked like a gormless twit and over Brexit he demonstrated it!  However, he kept a canny eye on the nation's finances which are looking remarkably healthy despite the squealings of the 'Remainers'.  Alas, both Boris and 'Jezza' are throwing money - er, our money, I would remind you! - in all directions in their desperation to win the election.  There will be tears - or even blood!

 

More war - sorry!   But this is just a Hollywood film of a particular battle and I am sorry to say that it is based on one of the most crucial, subtle and sophisticated battles of WWII.  I refer to the Battle of Midway which involved not just the courageous sailors and airmen involved but also the highly secret skills of the American code-breakers.  Somehow, don't ask me how, I just cannot believe Hollywood will do it justice.  Read a bbook on the subject and be amazed!

 

Another tricky question for my American friends:   I keep coming across hints and whispers and the occasional nudge here and there in the 'meeja', to the effect that California is headed towards a financial collapse of Argentinian proportions!  Tell me it ain't so!

 

Too, too delicious!   I am referring to the plight of Michael E. Mann, the, er, 'inventor' of the 'Hockey Stick' graph which purports to show an up-tick in global temperatures.  He sued one of his critics, a Dr. Tim Ball, in the Canadian courts - and lost - BIGTIME!  Ordered to pay costs to Dr. Bell, he has so far refused.  The similar case against Mark Stein which Mann started some seven years ago has still not been judged in court because Mann keeps dodging.  How much faith do you have in global warming prophets?  That much, eh?   Sucker!

 

No more rumbles 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Backofanenvelope]

I notice that some guy named Hamilton has joined the Society of Climate Change Naggers.

[Whitewall]

He "might" be coming? Sounds like SoD has a knack for high drama.

[Doonhamer]

Br.rr?
Chilly is it.
Don't mention the Global Warming / Climate Change / Chaos (many other cataclysmic nouns apply).

[Scrobs]

The commentary on the high drama at The Cenotaph this morning, actually mentioned that foreign soldiers, such as the Russians etc, weren't represented to lay a wreath.

I liked the reference to the Irish men and women though, at least the BBC recognises that at times like this, they really do have to stick to the rules, and not bombard their paying public with anti-British propaganda.

[Whitewall]

Poor Hitchens seems to have an on-going burr under his saddle about WW2 and especially Mr. Churchill. Eighty years on makes it easy to second guess leaders of the day having to make awful decisions. Winning a world war is no easy deed. No one nation wins a world war alone. There is the winning side from which every allied country can rightfully claim a win. That win made it possible today to Remember that those who sacrificed are the ones who allow us to write books of criticism about the government then and now. In English or French etc.

[David & Son of Duff]

Whiters, yes, you're right, Hitchens is a man of strong opinions, some of which I agree with, some I do not. Churchill is an easy target because he was a truly great man with huge powers in war. Of course, the greater you are, the more mistakes you will make. I have often pointed out some of them whilst being uneasily aware that they were counter-balanced by great virtues. I have always been fascinated by the independent thinking of the 'Great British Public' who, notwithstanding his enormous achievements, booted him out in 1945!

[Whitewall]

Calizuela is now totally run by the kind of people who want to un-make America in the name of a very bad and ignorant ideology. Many larger American cities are under the boot of these people. Illinois is in nearly the same condition. The virtue of rot.

[Bob]

California has a long history of economic ups and downs, so nothing's changed. What's less obvious is that many people view CA as something like Sodom and Gomorrah and the USSR rolled into one, and would love to see it slide off into the sea. Having lived there I can tell you it's a misunderstanding. South of LA and north of the Bay area (San Francisco and adjoining cities) there are plenty of conservatives and right wingers. The desert communities are nearly all full of outright wingnuts.

If you really want to know something about the current situation read this:

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-10-17/california-is-back-on-the-brink-of-being-a-failed-state

-

And for SoD,

We have a candidate for president, Andrew Yang ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Yang ). One of his major proposals is a Basic Minimum Income. It seems likely to become a reality some day. There are only two possible outcomes:

1. Once people are freed from having to work so much, there will be a surge in the arts. It would be similar to the way the dole allowed apparently every English person in the 1960's and 70's to learn to play an instrument, do a take on American R & B, and become a rock star over here.

2. No one will do anything but get into trouble. That would be the "Clockwork Orange" scenario. Everyone would be doing lots of drugs and singing and dancing as they kicked someone else into a coma and permanent disability.

Opinion?

[Whitewall]

What's unsustainable in California is the politics.
https://www.ocregister.com/2019/11/09/unsustainable-california-joel-kotkin/

Decline is a choice.

[Bob]

Whitewall,

We're at a point of partial agreement. California is facing the same problems caused by income and wealth disparity as the rest of the country, and it has indeed contributed to the expense of the fires. Kotkin doesn't mention that PG&E management, to boost profits and increase their own bonuses, neglected to properly maintain equipment, or that PG&E has already been successfully sued for the practice:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/14/overwhelming-evidence-against-pge-in-deadly-fire-says-lawyer-suing.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pg-e-settlement-power-company-reaches-11b-deal-with-insurers-over-california-wildfires-and-camp-fire/

Instead, Joel Kotkin blames "green policies" and pointedly distracts from the effects of climate change. Australia is also facing unprecedented wildfires:

https://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/adaptation/publications/fire-regimes

I lived in San Diego in the 1980's. Back then the natives would start complaining if the humidity got above 50%, which it seldom did. The humidity is now routinely over 60%. That's because the offshore current that's the main influence on San Diego weather has warmed.

By the way, Orange County is one of the most conservative areas in California, and probably the country. For the most part it's populated by rich people who likely own oil stocks.

[David & Son of Duff]

"the effects of climate change"

Bob, the climate constantly changes, sometimes up and sometimes down. It always has and it always will. In the meantime we simply adapt as and where necessary!

[Bob]

David,

Once a certain tipping point is reached, and no one really knows exactly what amount of warming that is, the effect runs away. Venus has an atmosphere mainly composed of Carbon Dioxide. It also acts as a greenhouse gas there. The average surface temperature is 467 °C or 872 °F. There will be no adjusting to that. But long before it becomes that hot, food will be impossible to come by and humans will die of heat stroke.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Venus

[David & Son of Duff]

Fine, Bob, then I'll cancel my two weeks holiday on Venus! In the meantime, here on earth we'll just pootle along pausing only give the odd hysterical 'Warmer' a slap!

[Bob]

David,

Whatever, dude.