Divers
Saturday Scrap Bag
The Joffe (Assisted Dying) Bill was defeated, by 48 votes. Or 'held up by the House of Lords', as the BBC Ten o'Clock News put it. So they'll be trying again. w00t for the House of Lords, I say. There is much to be said for an independent Second Chamber in any legislation making process (despite the recent "Cash for Peerages" scandal they are, mostly, independent), and much to be said for having people in it for more that the length of any given parliament. That way they can afford to take a 'long-term' view of more than three or four years. Longer, even, than thirty or fourty years; having been around for a good few years, they can remember what happened when . . . Which may be wearing for those who wish to 'modernise', or even those who have to be somewhere else in five minutes, but, on the whole, it helps.
I gather it was Santayana (?sp) who said that those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it. It's good to have the innovators around, with their new ideas. It's also good to have those who remember what has gone before.
While on the theme of what has happened before, try looking here. Apparently archaeologists have discovered a Henge, in stone, in Brazil. So far they've found that it locates the winter solstice - as does Stonehenge over here. Now I can see why people in Stone Age Britain might want to know when the Winter Solstice occurs Crumbs, with our climate it would probably be cloudy that day anyway & you'd have to guess! Probably be cloudy all week, if not longer. But Brazil? Surely it's sunny there, even in the depths of winter? Still, if there are crops which have to be planted at certain times to grow to harvest eg: before the rains come & wash them all away or something, I can see the point.
There was also something I found interesting here, but I can't remember quite quite what. Just have to hope it wasn't something historical or I may have to repeat it!
Oh, & speaking of remembering - if the links don't work, try swapping 'news' & 'bbc'. My memory certainly isn't what it used to be. So thank goodness I did all my exams all those years ago when I could remember things!
Anyway, because it's Saturday & because I've blogged on several serious subjects this week - try some full-on British (& one American) eccentricity - here. It's good to know that, even in these modern times when human stupidity is protected and almost cherished lest the stupid sue, there are plenty of daft, but otherwise sensible, people 'out there'.
Oh, you do know the difference between madness & eccentricity? Money. Right, off to get some breakfast. H just got his own, for a change!
Y'all have a good day now.
The Joffe (Assisted Dying) Bill was defeated, by 48 votes. Or 'held up by the House of Lords', as the BBC Ten o'Clock News put it. So they'll be trying again. w00t for the House of Lords, I say. There is much to be said for an independent Second Chamber in any legislation making process (despite the recent "Cash for Peerages" scandal they are, mostly, independent), and much to be said for having people in it for more that the length of any given parliament. That way they can afford to take a 'long-term' view of more than three or four years. Longer, even, than thirty or fourty years; having been around for a good few years, they can remember what happened when . . . Which may be wearing for those who wish to 'modernise', or even those who have to be somewhere else in five minutes, but, on the whole, it helps.
I gather it was Santayana (?sp) who said that those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it. It's good to have the innovators around, with their new ideas. It's also good to have those who remember what has gone before.
While on the theme of what has happened before, try looking here. Apparently archaeologists have discovered a Henge, in stone, in Brazil. So far they've found that it locates the winter solstice - as does Stonehenge over here. Now I can see why people in Stone Age Britain might want to know when the Winter Solstice occurs Crumbs, with our climate it would probably be cloudy that day anyway & you'd have to guess! Probably be cloudy all week, if not longer. But Brazil? Surely it's sunny there, even in the depths of winter? Still, if there are crops which have to be planted at certain times to grow to harvest eg: before the rains come & wash them all away or something, I can see the point.
There was also something I found interesting here, but I can't remember quite quite what. Just have to hope it wasn't something historical or I may have to repeat it!
Oh, & speaking of remembering - if the links don't work, try swapping 'news' & 'bbc'. My memory certainly isn't what it used to be. So thank goodness I did all my exams all those years ago when I could remember things!
Anyway, because it's Saturday & because I've blogged on several serious subjects this week - try some full-on British (& one American) eccentricity - here. It's good to know that, even in these modern times when human stupidity is protected and almost cherished lest the stupid sue, there are plenty of daft, but otherwise sensible, people 'out there'.
Oh, you do know the difference between madness & eccentricity? Money. Right, off to get some breakfast. H just got his own, for a change!
Y'all have a good day now.