Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

..

http://cynicalbastards.com/ubs/index.html

Professor Hawking has passed away....one of the greatest physicists....

Yes. It's now a 'RIP' for Prof Stephen Hawking (1942-2018).

I do find it to be somewhat amazing he lived for 76 years and now his death certainly does leave us with a big black hole.

But he did leave behind quite a legacy. eg. Just Google for 'stephen hawking books'

Here are some of his 'quotes':

"I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road."

On the universe
"It would not be much of a universe if it wasn't home to the people you love."

On scientific discoveries
"I wouldn't compare it to sex, but it lasts longer." -- at a science festival in 2011.

On persistence
"However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up." -- at an Oxford University Union speech in 2016.

On curiosity
"So remember, look at the stars and not at your feet." -- at the Sydney Opera House in 2015.

On intelligence
"I would never claim this. People who boast about their IQ are losers."-- in response to a 2017 question if he believed he was the most intelligent person in the world.

On space
"May you keep flying like superman in microgravity." -- to NASA astronauts in 2014.

"I have always tried to overcome the limitations of my condition and lead as full a life as possible. I have traveled the world, from the Antarctic to zero gravity. Perhaps one day I will go into space." -- to the New York Times in 2011.

"I have already completed a zero gravity flight which allowed me to float weightless, but my ultimate ambition is to fly into space." -- to ITV in 2017.

On God
"God may exist, but science can explain the universe without the need for a creator." -- in a 2010 CNN interview.

"The scientific account is complete. Theology is unnecessary." -- in a 2010 CNN interview.

On women
"My [physician assistant] reminds me that although I have a PhD in physics, women should remain a mystery." -- in his first Reddit AMA. (His PA is a woman, by the way.)

On his appearance
"Unfortunately, Eddie [Redmayne] did not inherit my good looks." -- of the Oscar-winning actor who portrayed him in "The Theory of Everything."

Is he the guy that was on the Big Bang Theory? I personally preferred Professor Proton.

Wasn't Professor Proton in Wacky Races?

The Science Guy v Professor Proton

Probably his doppleganger.

:o)

I read that the Novichok ('newbie', 'newcomer') agents consist of two separate 'non-toxic' components that, when mixed, become the active nerve agent.

Hmmm?

Q. If this is correct, how can one do as the Russians have requested and (safely) submit a sample of the active nerve agent?

IMHO, this silly request is 'a divergence'.

More on Novichok nerve agents HERE

The Russian ambassador also questioned the validity of the truthfulness of the information concerning the severely ill police officer, who it had been reported in the media, had been poisoned by the Novochok nerve agent.

"Who is he? Where is he? We haven't seen him?"

as was commented upon on the radio yesterday ........

whereas blair's aceptance of WMD in iraq was, at best, a matter of interpretation of info from intelligence sources, this poisoning investigation has been carried out forensically by porton down and the like ........ there will certainly be other telltales and similar which are not divulged for very good security reasons

unless i am much mistaken, the russians have not categorically denied any involvement by any of their agencies, and have instead just responded with sarcastc and other silly comment
the russians certainly did not take the opportunity offered to repsond in any meaningful way

corbyn assuredly did himself no favours, and rather showed his colours
many of his own party were less than amused and i think yvette cooper even stood up and castigated him from the floor

She did and was cheered loudly by the Conservative benches.

What I admire is the hypocrisy of a tory government and party condemning the Russian for "poisoning" and other horrendous crimes while flogging arms to, along with other trades to Saudi Arabia and others for pieces of silver.

I admire the two-faced approach when offered a cheque.

Also, I admire a government who is damning the EU for "corruption" but asking for and hoping for "friendly" support.

How many bullets does it take?

Edited with thanks to Exec.

for slightly strange reasons, the two are not comparable

clearly fred would have been even more of a limp lettuce than his hero JC

In his 'stuff' on here, Fred is a master of 'divergence' tactics.

He never addresses any issues and 99% of the time uses 'divergence'.

eg. from 80367 above: Fred doesn't comment directly on anything the Russians have clearly done wrong. He uses:

1. hypocrisy of the tory government.
2. party condemning the Russian for "poisoning"
3. and other horrendous crimes while
4. flogging arms to and other trades with Saudi Arabia and others for pieces of silver.
5. I admire the tow (two?) faced approach when offered a cheque
6. Also, I admire a government who is damning the EU for "corruption" but asking for and hoping for "friendly" support.
7. How many bullets does it take?

....each one as "a divergence".

IMHO, if each and every time Fred is always going to be evasive and divergent, then it is an utter waste of time having any written liaison with him on here. He will never come back straight and will always go off on yet another tangent.

Corbyn used exactly the same technique when responding to the PM yesterday in PMQs.

Thanks to goodness it is TM who is the PM and not Corbyn!

No wonder so many of us have 'Squelched' Fred. He could well make a bloody good Russian ambassador.

as i have observed many times, fred has never answered a straight question with a straight answer, if indeed he has answered the question at all

No Fred could never make a good Russian Ambassador, because unlike most he actually believes everything that Putin or JC would tell him.

I am mimicking your tory "administration" constantly not supplying information and diverting attention from their Brexit negotiations and failures.

At least I don't try to falsify information.

By the way how many has Saudi Arabia Leadership killed in Yemen?

How many of its own population killed has its present "leadership" killed?

What contracts has the UK government signed on your behalf?


(Mind they are far distant lands.)


T May at the present moment would shake hands with any country for a buck and a deal to bolster herself from tory's EU calamity.

-=-=-=-=

Manuel,

As you like to appear to be a genius and appear omniscient you can answer your own questions with a bit of an effort.

Mind I don't think you would accept your own arguments!

Manuel.

Your straight questions often appear to me to be a little bent, perhaps a little like the originator sometimes appears to be.

Questions are easy to ask but are often time-consuming to answer.

Open your own eyes and DYOH.

Fred the country has to encourage someone to try out all these weapons that the West designs to kill, and to keep jobs. More important, it seems that the thought process is, that if we encourage them to fight among themselves, it will keep them away from us, while we are able to learn from the use of the weapons we supply and design even better ones to keep the whole business rolling.

Peace never lasts long and never works in the same way as your Labour Party is never at peace or is sustainable.