Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting

If you are of a certain age then you will remember the films of Bruce Lee .... Fists of Fury was one that springs to mind. If not him, then maybe you will recall the TV series Kung Fu starring David Carradine.

The Traditional View Of Kung Fu Masters In China May Be Overblown ......

These two media series did much to cement the idea in the West, that Chinese martial arts allowed practitioners to defeat anyone in single combat, defy overwhelming odds, and perform almost magical flights through the air, whilst performing various poses.

Po Faced Politics

Its no secret that I detest the modern phenomena of Political Correctness and all that it spins into ...

Ludlow Hospital League of Friends ... Money Not Wanted Anymore.

.... multiculturalism, reverse racism, hypocritical political policies, quota recruitment policies, turning a blind eye to immigrant criminality etc etc

Learning Histories Lessons

Now that many think that we are possibly watching the collapse of our own version of a Western Civilisation that is based upon a Treaty Of Rome, I am reminded of the collapse of that earlier incarnation of our civilisation, one operating under a different treaty of Rome .... the Pax Romana.

A world that collapsed just as surely as ours may do, and under much the same pressures. Then the collapse was caused by an un-assimilated mass migration of peoples into the Western Roman Empire, who didn't speak the same language, worship the same gods, or share the same history (except via earlier conflicts) .... sound familiar?

The Fall Of Rome And The Western Civilisation
Didn't Happen In One Day ......

Strangely as that Roman Empire collapsed, many of its inhabitants also failed to recognise their world was finishing. Some even thought that it was being renewed by the new vigorous blood lines entering the 'Empire' (think 'migrant workers'). They were wrong of course, but they were too close to the events to realise the disaster unfolding around them.

Having A Cunning Plan

Thinking about our own mortality, and how it will end for us, is something that we all do now and again ....

Facing Our Own Mortality Is Not A Unique Thought ....

I suspect that the most common versions of this daydream, is the 'funeral' (disposal of our remains), and who would turn up (the disposal of our good name), and the immediate post funeral event (the disposal of our goods) etc.

The Jesus Proof

There are people out there who would deny evidence if it got up and slapped them in the face. The two most obvious examples of this are the Shakespeare deniers and the Jesus deniers. Now the Shakespeare deniers are so fixed in their views, that even with the evidence is handed to them on a platter, they still cling to their theories that he never existed.

The Traditional Depiction Of Jesus

However, many people also believe that the evidence for the existence of Jesus comes mainly from the accounts of his life in the Bible, many of which are second and third-hand. But in fact there is substantial archaeological and documentary proof of his existence.

Hitler Is Dead

One of the pleasures or pains of having to undergo a longish convalescence is the existence of day time TV. Now normally at this time of year I would have been able to hope for some hot summer days, but such is the misery of the British summertime this year (its been more like autumn for most of July and August), that I have been watching TV shows that I would normally avoid like the plague.

These Sort Of Claims Are Given Plenty Of TV Time

One such show is called 'Forbidden History'. A show which claims to uncover the truth behind great myths, conspiracy theories, ancient treasures, lost civilisations and war time secrets. Actually it does nothing of the sort.

A Testament To Stupidity

As if the car wreck that is the Pakistani state doesn't have enough problems:

A Testament To One Man's Backwardness And Ignorance.

Persistent Poverty Rates

What is poverty in the first world? Is it the same as poverty in the third world or can poverty only be measured against the lifestyles of those around you?

Persistent Poverty Rates Europe ......

Well the Office for National Statistics believes that not only is poverty measurable but it can be compared with other countries. Their definition of poverty is any household that subsists on less than 60 per cent of average national disposable income, which in Britain is a figure of £12,567 or below as disposable income but obviously differs for each country.

The Apollo 16 Incident

When the Apollo 16 mission was preparing to return back from the Moon on April 27, 1972  ....

The Apollo 16 Images That Sparked The Debate ......

.... from a command/service module window they filmed about four seconds of video footage, of an object that looked like a UFO.

What World Opinion Shows US

World opinion can be a funny old thing, especially if you are President of the United States.

The World Views Of Confidence In President Trump's Policies,
 Shows Where His Friends Are ......

Many Presidents have been more popular aboard than at home.

When Murder Stops Being Fun

Apparently in 2014, the number of murders in year in London fell to a 40 year low of just 95 victims.

World Murder Rates .... A Testament To A Civilised Society Plus Some Under Reporting In North Africa?

For comparison, in 2001 there were nearly 200 murders in London. As we often associate murders with 'black on black' crime in places like Tottenham, it might even be that these figures are an all-time 'historic low' if you discount that vibrant multicultural aspect from the figure. So perhaps a small hurrah is in order ....

Another City Shamed

What can one say? Another police operation amongst the Muslim Asian communities, another mass trial, and another mass conviction for the rape of mainly white non-Muslim, non-Asian girls.

18 Of The Convicted Scum

This time it was in Newcastle, where 26 defendants in a series of trials, were found guilty of all the charges. Their victims ranged in age from 13 to 25.

Tally Ho

There are some terms and words that we hear regularly, but which we probably don't understand the origins for.

Counter Foils Appear Everywhere ....

 

One that crossed my mind recently was 'counter-foil' ..... why do we call it that?

Activity Inequality Gap

It appears that scientists have finally found some practical use for all those unused smart phone fitness apps. They can track worldwide activity levels.

Fitness Apps Promise Much But Are Usually Unused After A Month

They managed to get permission to anonymously track 700,000 users of the Argos activity app's built-in accelerometer.

What is an intellectual?

By that question, I don't mean is it someone who is clever, or well read, or who thinks and writes about things that others don't have time for ... No, I mean why are some people described as an 'intellectual', whilst others with similar achievements or attributes are not? Personally I don't know.

Marxists Liked To Interview Each Other ....

However the BBC seems to have definite template for those who should be described by them as being an 'intellectual' and those that aren't. From my minor research into this matter, it appears that they, along with other liberal media organisations have an identikit process to identify intellectuals.

Strange Links Forge History

I and many others have often wondered why we ever got involved in Afghanistan again.

British Imperial Troops Afghanistan 1878

Our involvement in that benighted land in the 19th century should have warned us of what was likely to happen ....