badgerx16

As an aside, given that there were victims from Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Senegal, it is very likely that some of the dead were themselves Muslim. They were just out and about, socialising with friends and relatives.

But then what to do with the 'Free Syrian Army' who the West have encouraged to stand up to Assad ? Or the Kurds in the north of both Syria and Iraq, whom the Turks are pretty hostile towards ?

Which is what exactly ? The old boundaries of the Ottoman Empire pre 1918 ? Or restoring Syria, Iraq, and Libya back to their pre Desert Storm / Iraqi Freedom / Arab Spring status - because politically these states required their strong man dictators to supress the inter-faith and inter-tribe antagonisms created when we split the old empire up between the WW1 victors.

In theorising about 'negotiating', it isn't just who we might try to negotiate with, but who the we would be ; As has been said, IS isn't really an identifiable entity, it's an umbrella under which diverse, self-interested, sociopathic warlords can pledge a degree of mutual support and 'fraternal love', viz Boko Haram's pledge of allegiance. In terms of the 'we', who would represent the Shia communties, who are all effectively under sentence of death as they are viewed as apostate - I'm not sure IS would be interested in settling peaceably with them.

Is there anything that actually states the virgins would be female ?

I suspect many, if not most, of the veterans at the Cenotaph feel the same way.

Meanwhile, on the 'Isle of Surveillance' I wonder if SG would get the irony, or has he gone so far 'native' in the USofA that it would no longer register ?

Apparently he bowed as far as the Queen - was that disgraceful behaviour from a Monarch ?

A poem written by a soldier serving at the front in World War One, who was awarded the Military Cross, and who died in action in the last month of the war.

In the face of all the sniping and sarcasm in the media 'principles' have to become flexible.

Dean

"A party press officer said Mr Corbyn had 'complied with the normal processes'."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34782123 "Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been sworn in to the Privy Council...". I reckon that is quicker than DC took to "swear in" after he became party leader.

So, faced with pruning £25 million, once the Ch Exec has had his salary cut to below that of the PM, you still have to find something like £24.96 million this year. So what will it be ? Libraries, Museums, Children's homes, Sure Starts, Road Safety, Planning, Environmental Protection, Car Parking.........because all of the 'fat' has already been disposed of.

Getting rid of the CEO wouldn't account for a budget cut of 30%. In my case I was one of 300 'middle managers' given the chop - a typical 'non job', having been the technical manager responsible for the management of the IT network, telephony, and IT security.

Waves

The point is that many councils are looking at at least a further 20-30 % cut over the next 2-3 years, whilst being asked to take yet more responsibility for public health and adult social care, transferred from the local NHS. Lancashire County Council reckon that in 3 years time, after accounting for statutory services, ( Education and Social Care ), there may be nothing at all left in the kitty.

Kwik

RK made the call.

BBC match report shows Clasie as their MOM. Ron on 5Live - "we play total football".

Spades.

Ounce

In one of the Rugby World Cup games, a player went down after a knock on the head. He was a bit dazed but wanted to continue playing, so the ref went over to ask how he was, and then checked the player's level of awareness by asking "What's my name ?". The player responded "Sir", and the ref said "That's good enough".

Damned commies

Seems the US is becoming a bit more like us - 5 stabbed at a California University campus... http://edition.cnn.com/2015/11/04/us/university-california-merced-stabbings/ As for surveillance cameras, this is an article from 2009, http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a2398/4236865/ - "There are an estimated 30 million surveillance cameras now deployed in the United States"; by my maths that's about 1 for every 10 people - exactly the same as the UK. ( The same statistic is reported here, http://www.nbcnews.com/id/44163852/ns/business-us_business/t/post-surveillance-cameras-everywhere/#.VjpmUisVUWY. ) Be careful SG, Big Brother is watching you.