Absolutely Anything Else

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Now I am confused to the 9th degree, not the 5th or the 5 G or the half floor, just confused.
Not sure how I got here.
Good news, at least I think so , the old Bush mommie has left the room!
One Bush down and God knows how many more to go?!
I personally give credence to the belief she was ol' Al Crowley's child from his affair with her mother just a good 8 months before old Barbie was hatched forth.
In any case we should count our blessings, no tears for her coming from me!

They've been fawning over Babs on the radio this afternoon.  I am sure some people liked her but she means nothing to me. Must be a shortage of real news.  I was more interested in the Queen's corgi Susan passing.  Now that and Megan Markle/Prince Harry's wedding is the real news (along with the Windrush scandal - Google will help).

Are we sure George Dubya was her son?  Anyone who could produce that warped person must have watched Rosemary's baby too much and been in league with Beelzebub.   

The Bushes are just another dynasty like the Kennedys.  No love lost between the British and the Kennedys.   Joseph Kennedy was a throughly nasty piece of work and no friend to the British.  Luckily their luck ran out and ours increased as they started to engage in self destruction and dropping like flies. 

Maybe Cannon or Bannon or whatever The Donald's kid is called will be installed sometime in the future.  Another dynasty in the making perhaps.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Now I am confused to the 9th degree, not the 5th or the 5 G or the half floor, just confused.
Not sure how I got here.
Good news, at least I think so , the old Bush mommie has left the room!
One Bush down and God knows how many more to go?!
I personally give credence to the belief she was ol' Al Crowley's child from his affair with her mother just a good 8 months before old Barbie was hatched forth.
In any case we should count our blessings, no tears for her coming from me!

In Memoriam

Babs Bush has passed away, I hear
And some (not Marilyn) shed a tear

As Governor of Texas killed
more innocents than often billed
His wife behind him as support
Has answers to God to report

Rest in Peace, Barbara, if you can
One less to harm mán or womán

fluffy2560 wrote:

the Windrush scandal - Google will help)..

I am quite aware of it, I read Private Eye and it has been going on for years. At least at last the WHoever She Is for Foreign Affairs has said, on BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4, IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MP. THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE THERE FOR.

WHich is quite true and contrary to most opinions, not every politician is in it for personal gain, most politicians I think enter politics genuinely to help (and of whatever political colour). She was quite right to say that, the problem is that the people in this muck CAN'T contact their MP cos they will be evicted, have no right of abode etc even though we invited them to the UK in 56 was it the Windrush? Black Carribbeans have done nothing but absolutel good to the British Economy and to British Society. The scandal is nobody will stand up and say so. OK it means I have to take a diversion on Notting Hill Carnival etc. There is no doubt that every Black Commonwealth resident should, in my view, have AUTOMATIC right of citizenship. Many of them have paid taxes and pensions and NHS stamps for 60 years working and living in Britain, they never bothered to get the stamp because they kinda just assumed it. I imagine they travelled on a British passport when they went to see family or do a booze cruise.

It is absolutely scandalous that the Department of Work and Pensions has cocked it up so much which, to nobody's srprsie, has huge systems that are made by Crapita (read your private eye). They fell through the gaps of a £10 billion pound new computer that doesn't work.

I sppose it is scandalous that rather than offering her resignation the Secretary For Something Or Other says go to your local MP rather than take personal responsibility and resign. But Theresa May's government is too fragile at the moment to allow her to do that.

To Marilyn Tassy:

"So off topic, should follow up on absolutely anything else.
Just not sure how to move this over there."

That was some story about your son...

Yes, I do have children - two daughters, ages 44 and 42.  They have their own lives in Tulsa, OK and Dallas, TX respectively.

I grew-up being alone all the time; my mother did not really want to have anything to do with me and I hardly ever saw her. I had four stepfathers who were all abusive and resented me.  Just wanted to be with my "fun" and pretty mother...  Had to take care of myself; find food, wash my clothes, keep our home clean, and take myself to school from the age of 9.   So, I am very comfortable being alone and doing my own thing.  Have a bit of a trust issue, so I prefer to take care of myself and not depend on anyone.  The following might explain why I am so odd:

It is all in the draft of my book.  Here is copy of my Facebook posting of a chapter - an excerpt from the book. Just one day in the life of a 14 year-old...

=======================

Hi Friends, I started writing a book about my crazy life years back when friends suggested that I should... Had not much time to work on it, but just now decided to try to finish. Here are a few pages out of the 256 completed so far. Would love to know what you think for this to be the start of the book depicting a whirlwind of a life with highs and lows that few have ever experienced in one lifetime. (from Page 84 of 231 - Budapest, Hungary)

-----

“I was 14 years old. Things were about as depressing around that time as I could ever remember.

Life was not great when I was little, but I did not know any better back then. I had Uncle Gusty and my Grandmother to comfort me in our one-room hut where I lived with eight other family members. We were poor, had no indoor plumbing, and could only afford second-hand clothes, but I felt safe and cared for.

After my grandma passed when I was nine, however, things changed drastically.

My mother and I moved away from the rest of the tribe and thereafter I never saw any of them. She married again, and I was always left alone. She had no time to attend to a child. Mother made it clear that I was old enough to make my own food, wash my clothes, and get around by myself. My mom was constantly out partying with her fourth husband and forgot that I even existed.

I did not have friends. By then, my best friend for the last three years, Lili's parents did not want me around her. She was a model student and they considered me bad influence. There was no real reason for banishing me, but for my mother's poor reputation.

Started hanging out with a small gang of bad kids, but I was an odd ball even amongst them. I was only faking being bad to fit in. Did not do any of the stuff they were into, like stealing, drinking and sex. Even though I was used to being around a tough crowd in my Budapest neighborhood, those boys were protective of me as if I were their little sister. I felt safe around them. This new group, however, scared me.

A really nice boy from my building came around sometimes to see me and once even took me dancing. He had a crush on me, but his parents warned him not to get involved, because “the apple does not fall far from the tree” - they told him. He stopped talking to me after that.

It was hard to be a pretty and smart girl but rejected by "normal" people. It was very lonely after growing-up with a very close family unit while Grandma was alive.

I developed some heart palpitations, so the doctors gave me a prescription to keep me calm. One day I was extremely depressed and felt hopeless with a lot of tension in my head that would just not go away. I was hungry, but as usual, there was no food. I was cold, but there was no wood to burn in the stove. I did not know where my mother was; probably in an alcohol induced daze someplace.

I did not want to see my stepfather's face ever again. The jerk wanted to kill me every time he got drank, which was more often than not. My mother used to sneak me out of the apartment in the middle of the night in my PJs to run to the police station and sleep on a wooden bench, so I would be safe. The police let me stay there but would not do anything – it was a family matter, they said.

Worst of all, I felt that there was nothing I could do about any of it.

One evening, alone as usual, I just wanted everything to stop right then and there. I simply wanted to sleep for a while. I took a pill to calm down. Looking at the medicine bottle, I decided to take a couple of more tablets, because I wanted to sleep for a long time. It sounded so good; just going to sleep, and not having to deal with any of the craziness around me…

What if I just went to sleep, for a while? - I asked myself… Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew what that meant but did not want to question what I was about to do. I just took some more pills. 16 in all. I had more in the bottle, but I hesitated. I figured that I took enough, so let faith determine what will happen. Since it took me about a half hour or so to take all the pills, I slowly started to feel very relaxed. I was not scared or worried, I felt peaceful and quite OK.

It occurred to me that maybe I should write a note… But to whom and what would I write; and who would care anyway? So, I did not… I laid down, put my hands across my chest, the way I wanted to be found. I woke-up the next day after some 15 hours of sleep.

No one knew anything. No one was around; my mother never came home.

I felt relieved to see the sun shining through the curtains and never told a soul about what I did.

Thank God that I made it through! I would have missed a helluva ride..."

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

the Windrush scandal - Google will help)..

I am quite aware of it, I read Private Eye and it has been going on for years. At least at last the WHoever She Is for Foreign Affairs has said, on BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4, IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MP. THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE THERE FOR.

WHich is quite true and contrary to most opinions, not every politician is in it for personal gain, most politicians I think enter politics genuinely to help (and of whatever political colour). ......There is no doubt that every Black Commonwealth resident should, in my view, have AUTOMATIC right of citizenship. Many of them have paid taxes and pensions and NHS stamps for 60 years working and living in Britain, they never bothered to get the stamp because they kinda just assumed it. I imagine they travelled on a British passport when they went to see family or do a booze cruise.
.....personal responsibility and resign. But Theresa May's government is too fragile at the moment to allow her to do that.

I was saying about Google because other people reading won't know what the Windrush history and the current scandal is about.   They are all complaining about the landing cards being destroyed but on PMQs this afternoon,  Corbyn was dealt a blow because it was on Labour's watch the landing cards were destroyed.  So far there's been no word on using census records to verify.  I believe the current verification is all documents for every month since arriving - payslips, tax and NI records etc etc.  I don't think anyone can do that back 60 years.  My own parents had to provide pay books to the UK government from their time in colonial service in the Pacific region.  UK government had no idea.  Luckily my parents had partial records to fill in the gaps.  Why they didn't know anyway, no idea.

I agree there's no question the Windrush folks should be allowed to stay in the UK. Bonkers it ever got to this situation. I am sure they will eventually find someone who got deported.  I can imagine some sizeable settlements for the abuse of power - lost of earnings, hurt feelings, refunding of legal expenses, travel and what have you etc etc.  No-one will be actually held to account for it. Strange how Megan Markle will get her British passport in a flash!  She's unlikely to give up her other citizenships - I think she's American and Canadian now.

This deportation situation has happened in other countries - some American woman got deported to The Philippines I believe despite protestations that she was an American citizen.   I also read about an Australian woman of German heritage getting sent to an offshore island.  She was mentally ill and could not communicate properly. She insisted on speaking German even though she was a native speaker of English.  On other words, it ain't that simple but the robots in HMG are not human and with discretion or even compassion.

Regarding the politicians, sure, they all start out with good intentions but the system will eventually corrupt them.  Hardly surprising it wears them down with all the backstabbing going on.

If I remember correctly, any Commonwealth citizen can do three years in the British military and then apply for leave to remain.  And I think it's then 7 years and they can then apply for citizenship.

I am also in favour of getting back with the Commonwealth countries but a significant number of them have moved on from being so involved with the UK.  We sold a lot of them out when the UK joined the EU and burnt a lot of bridges.  If we had open doors to the Commonwealth nations then it'd have to be a two way street.  I suspect the UK's is interested mainly in the richer Commonwealth - like Aus, NZ, Canada and SA but the others,  only if they have oil or some other resource.  I doubt Aus, NZ or Canada will agree to open borders with the UK.  Nice idea though.

fluffy2560 wrote:

If I remember correctly, any Commonwealth citizen can do three years in the British military and then apply for leave to remain.  And I think it's then 7 years and they can then apply for citizenship.

I am also in favour of getting back with the Commonwealth countries but a significant number of them have moved on from being so involved with the UK.  We sold a lort of them out when the UK joined the EU and burnt a lot of bridges. .

I don't know about military service, I'll believe you, you're obviously the expert there. But I do know they change the rules all the time and DON"T TELL YOU.

My ex-partenr was canadian, at that time she could get permanent residence after four years (indefinite leave to remain) and then wait another year to get citizenship. THe VERY DAY it fell due that she could get permanent residence, four years to dthe day, they changed the rules to say it has to be FIVE years to get indefinite leave to remain, THEN an other year to get british citizenship. They constantly change the rules of these things so any immigrant it is not surprising they don't know what is going on. It didn;t particularly personally matter to us because she had a work visa for five years anyway, so it was just a waiting game and she got her indefinite leave to remain the following year. But they change the rules on you all the time (perhaps why that is indefinite, have I got the right word there? Oh, I have) and, what is worse, DO NOT TELL YOU. So that you plan for things and then BOOM! one rug, two feet, one pull.  They do it all the time so that you cannot plan anything. No wonder these poor Windrush people are scared and frightened and so on, they ARE bloody british they have LIVED AND WORKED FOR BRITAIN ALL THEIR LIVES just GIVE THEM BRITISH CITIZENSHIP, RIGHT NOW, TODAY, WITHOUT QUESTION.

Of course rich people can flout the rules (or change the rules). What did you think?

My ex=partner once came from Canada to Texas and because she had done the outbound trip via Niagara Falls (not ina barell, it would be the wrong way up) did not get an exit visa in her passport. The next time she tried to enter the US all hell broke loose, they won't let her in, because they believed she was staying in Texas. Er, well if I was here I wouldn't be this side fo the desk trying to get here, would I? They deported her back to Canada (by air). To swindle round it I  then flew her to the UK where she got in with no problem) and all three of us back with my mother as we had already planned and paid  to take a holiday in Texas, and FINALLY they let us in on a bit of a nod and a wink, I think only because my mother was there and they realised we were genuine. I had a US visa and asked why they had given me a tourist visa the desk sergeant said very qietly "BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU IN' Thank you sir we each filled that in and off we go, four hours later.

It is all a complete joke if you have to fly your missus twice across the Atlantic to get her "under the wire" so to speak. 4 hours at the immigration desk in Houston Airport. Just because once she or rather THEY forgot to stamp her exit visa.

Compared to the Windrush scandal that is trivial but I amsoboltely sympathise with it. People should be able to go wherever they want in the world without passports and whatever anyway.

I mean, like British immigration is a complete joke. Just get a boat and choose a nice quiet port, in you come The complete farcical idea that an island with coastline of what 2000 miles (it is fractal so depends how you count it) can hace an immigration officer at every port is ridiculous and they know it. SO the bad guys get in but the good guys struggle. Just open the bloody doors and let people come in who want to come in,

What are my good Hungarian friends in Manchester going to do after Brexit? Who knows? Now, he has worked in Britain for five years, paid his taxes, got his qualifications, etc etc all above board. Let's posit that European citizens can no longer live and work in the UK.... are they going to come round to his place and tell him to pack his bags back to Nyireghaza? It would not at all surprise me. What kind of security is that, that he has? I have made sure I paid all my taxes here in Hungary, got my cards, owned property and am on the deeds etc so that if any idiot says (Mr Orban) says I am not entitled to be here I can show paperwork, work history, blah blah blah, that we are registered married here as well as in England and everything else. Still, at the end of it, if Mr Orban chooses he will kick me out. I am not particularly worried about it, but this whole nonsense of constantly changing the rules is just a bloody farce.

They do the same with pensions. I have been putting into a pension since I was 18 years old, I literally took out a pension with Tony Mott, the Man from The Pru who had come round every week when they used to come round to your door to get the insurance etc, a week after my 18th birthday and I have been paying in since I was 18. I wanted to, not exactly retire, but have that money available when I was 50, which is just shy of four years away. Have it there as a nice little  earner, ticking away, some years it does better than others of course, but we're in it for the long term. So I was planning to take it out when I was 50. Nope, can't do that cos you've changed the rules. Has to be 55. Even though I have paid into it for 28 years so far oh no, let's change the rules. And it is not a fortune, but it would pay off the wife's mortgage quite comfortable with some left over so that I can throw her off a boat on a worldwide cruise. But they change the rules all the time. Yet, yo are supposed to save for your old age, yet if you do, they keep changing when your old age IS. It's just a bloody farce all over. You used to be able to secure a mortgage on your pension, can't do that any more, HOW THE HELL ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PLAY THE GAME WHEN THEY KEEP CHANGING THE RULES OF THE GAME MID-MATCH?

As for getting back with the Commonwealth, I suggest you contact the person at the head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Err... hang on? Something doesn't add up there.

OK rant over I am going to ALDI.

SimonTrew wrote:

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Now I am confused to the 9th degree, not the 5th or the 5 G or the half floor, just confused.
Not sure how I got here.
Good news, at least I think so , the old Bush mommie has left the room!
One Bush down and God knows how many more to go?!
I personally give credence to the belief she was ol' Al Crowley's child from his affair with her mother just a good 8 months before old Barbie was hatched forth.
In any case we should count our blessings, no tears for her coming from me!

In Memoriam

Babs Bush has passed away, I hear
And some (not Marilyn) shed a tear

As Governor of Texas killed
more innocents than often billed
His wife behind him as support
Has answers to God to report

Rest in Peace, Barbara, if you can
One less to harm mán or womán

Amen to that... Let them long suffer the results of their evil ways....
Wouldn't it be very nice if we knew for sure they were actually getting their due?
Guess it's called,"faith". That Karma, God, Justice whatever we wish to call it really the end all for these murdering "mother's". Sadly the world has no shortage of these evil "demons".
Not sure about that whole Markle/ Harry thing, just seems like the royals need news coverage.She is no Princess Di.
We Americans don't  want to claim her as our own," yous guys" can have her!
I do wonder though how she will fare in the family, what sort of "accident" is in her future?
I think all the leading powers are related, all cousins even if distantly related.
Not sure why anyone has been put up on a pedestal...

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

....
Amen to that... Let them long suffer the results of their evil ways....
Wouldn't it be very nice if we knew for sure they were actually getting their due?
Guess it's called,"faith". That Karma, God, Justice whatever we wish to call it really the end all for these murdering "mother's". Sadly the world has no shortage of these evil "demons".
Not sure about that whole Markle/ Harry thing, just seems like the royals need news coverage.She is no Princess Di.
We Americans don't  want to claim her as our own," yous guys" can have her!
I do wonder though how she will fare in the family, what sort of "accident" is in her future?
I think all the leading powers are related, all cousins even if distantly related.
Not sure why anyone has been put up on a pedestal...

Unfortunately no-one's ever reported back from hell so we have no idea who Babs will be hanging with. 

There's a strange TV show (and it's very entertaining) called Preacher. Hell in that is like a prison. The "hero" is trapped there with others including Hitler who is kind of his best friend. Clearly Hitler was misunderstood. 

Babs might not deserve hell directly as it's guilt by association with her kids.  I am sure John Wayne Gacy's Mum wasn't planning for him to go loopy.

I am happy Megan is not like Princess Di.  I don't think Megan is going to let anyone walk over her unlike Princess Di.  I think she's very much her own person and in the competitive world of Hollywood, she must be used to dog-eat-dog and public life.  And Harry is an action man.  It all works for me to modernise the Royal Family and keep them relevant.  Megan of course will never been Queen (not unless someone bumps the others off Agatha Christie style).   

People say that the Queen etc is an anachronism but I know who I'd rather have as a head of state.  So many others that are selected or elected to El Presidente are just awful. 

Megan will have  to get a bun in the oven asap.  It's expected.  She'll need to have at least a couple of them and she'll need to get a move on.

On that note, I'll also go to the shops and as it wasn't a rant, I won't be going to Aldi

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

SimonTrew wrote:

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Now I am confused to the 9th degree, not the 5th or the 5 G or the half floor, just confused.
Not sure how I got here.
Good news, at least I think so , the old Bush mommie has left the room!
One Bush down and God knows how many more to go?!
I personally give credence to the belief she was ol' Al Crowley's child from his affair with her mother just a good 8 months before old Barbie was hatched forth.
In any case we should count our blessings, no tears for her coming from me!

In Memoriam

Babs Bush has passed away, I hear
And some (not Marilyn) shed a tear

As Governor of Texas killed
more innocents than often billed
His wife behind him as support
Has answers to God to report

Rest in Peace, Barbara, if you can
One less to harm mán or womán

Amen to that... Let them long suffer the results of their evil ways....
Wouldn't it be very nice if we knew for sure they were actually getting their due?
Guess it's called,"faith". That Karma, God, Justice whatever we wish to call it really the end all for these murdering "mother's". Sadly the world has no shortage of these evil "demons".
Not sure about that whole Markle/ Harry thing, just seems like the royals need news coverage.She is no Princess Di.
We Americans don't  want to claim her as our own," yous guys" can have her!
I do wonder though how she will fare in the family, what sort of "accident" is in her future?
I think all the leading powers are related, all cousins even if distantly related.
Not sure why anyone has been put up on a pedestal...

OMG - HOW HORRIBLE!!!!

Where do you get all these concoctions from???  This is just awful!!!

I used to be a journalist writing for an online magazine of a major TV station in the U.S.  One thing I can tell you is that FACTS MATTER.  Showing respect for the reader, regardless of their political views and not making things up to fit someone's negative opinions about a subject is just common decency.  To spew ugly nonsense with such anger and spite without facts is just unseemly!  I am apalled that this kind of trash is allowed on this site! 

I cannot imagine who/what has brainwashed you to believe such things!  Please post any evidence that Mrs. Bush was a killer!  What appalling and irresponsible comments!!!

It is one thing to be politically opposing someone; it is a whole other thing to make things up – or parroting made-up things and wishing evil things and death on people. 

You might not have liked Barbara Bush, but hundreds of millions of Americans loved her and are mourning her death today.  I was not one of her biggest fans and had my political differences with the Bushes, but this tirade is just incredibly ignorant and offensive.

I suspect that there are at least as many Hungarians that liked her, or at least do not believe the nonsense that you just posted as the ones who might feel the way you do .  This is incredibly disrespectful to say the least to those millions of people who have a different opinion from yours not to mention the disrespect to Americans everywhere.  And to what end???

fluffy2560 wrote:

Unfortunately no-one's ever reported back from hell

Dante.

Panni36 wrote:

One thing I can tell you is that FACTS MATTER

Here! Here! I agree. Because of my training is in science, et al.

But.....  You may find facts don't matter too much in Hungary.

Panni36 wrote:

......
OMG - HOW HORRIBLE!!!!

Where do you get all these concoctions from???  This is just awful!!!
.

It's all just opinions and hopefully some potentially amusing if rather bad taste satire.  In any case, you cannot troll the dead.  And particularly, if you are in public view and actively seek that position, you have to expect all sorts of people to pick over the details of your life. In other words, you're fair game.  Anyway, it's not journalism, it's free speech and there are no standards.

A lot of people in the UK blame George Dubya and Tony Blair for the Gulf War and where we are now over Syria.   In fact, it's a regular subject by many - at least in the UK - that Tony B should be considered a war criminal and there's always a debate how much Tony B was George's poodle. 

Clearly Babs was not a killer but her son George Dubya looks rather guilty.  What made her a saint and him a warmonger?    George Senior we can have more respect for - at least he fought in WW2.

As for the Kennedys...sorry, Joseph Kennedy deserves no respect whatsoever for his views during WW2.  JFK might get some mileage for being a donut but Ted Kennedy? No loss.   Why?  Two words:  Northern Ireland.

klsallee wrote:

Panni36 wrote:

One thing I can tell you is that FACTS MATTER

No, Hear Hear. is what they say in the British house of Commons when agreeing and the Canadian Parliament. One of the first experiments on doing statisitical translation (and I have the journals from them doing it) as from Canadian Hansard by IBM because you have parallel texts and "Hear" came out as "Bravo!".

Hear Hear, not Here, Here.

Well, there, the facts matter. The fact is you got it wrong. Now pleause let me put my Mr Gradgrind costume on

Er, I wrote my thesis in computational linguistics in 1994 and that was a sideline. I occasionally do know what I am talking about. I ama cunning linguist and a rocket scientist. I would not pull you up on it except you want the FACTS and then get the FACTS wrong by completely misspelling it.

klsallee wrote:

Panni36 wrote:

One thing I can tell you is that FACTS MATTER

Here! Here! I agree. Because of my training is in science, et al.

But.....  You may find facts don't matter too much in Hungary.

Since when have facts ever mattered in politics!

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Unfortunately no-one's ever reported back from hell

Dante.

Oh yes, forgot about him. Nice one.

There are credible news reports the Pope knows for sure.

Quod est demonstrandum.

fluffy2560 wrote:

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Unfortunately no-one's ever reported back from hell

Dante.

Oh yes, forgot about him. Nice one.

There are credible news reports the Pope knows for sure.

Quod est demonstrandum.

As was to be proved. Indeed. (And I don't need to look it up). British audiences may know it better by its abbrevation Q.E.D.

Er, not sure where you are going. You quote Latin which is not Dante and then quote Dante which is not Latin, I have a deraiilleur on this laptop and changing gear, but which way are you going?

OK got it. Dante's Inferno or just The Inferno. Mixing the Latin in threw me off. It is quite a good read the Inferno, but not exactly a mystery plot is it. I mean your agatha christie could knock em out "perfect sausage machine, a perfect sausage" but he still didn't manage to add a detective. It really is not much of a whodunnit is it the old Inferno, I was disappointed.

Trew Book Reviews unSponsored by Amazon.

"A la recherche du temps perdu" bit too short for my liking

"The Road To Wigan Pier" it started badly, got worse towards the middle, but by the end it achieved a certain relief.

"Catch-22" If you buy this book be prepared for a surprise. Because you can only buy this book if you are not allowed to buy this book

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

No love lost between the British and the Kennedys.

Look, it was the man on a grassy knoll ok? The Britiish had nothing to do with it. James Bond was parachuting into japan at the time played by George Lazenby On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Nothing to do with us.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Another dynasty in the making perhaps.

Almost certainly. That is American Democracy for you. I wrote to my MP about a bee in my bonnet and he wrote back in about half an hour and said I shall pass it on to Sir Humphrey. At least I TRIED to make democracy work, well done to him for replying so promptly. 1 point of respect on the respectometer.

(Oh, Sir Humphrey is.. oh never mind)

SimonTrew wrote:

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Another dynasty in the making perhaps.

Almost certainly. That is American Democracy for you. I wrote to my MP about a bee in my bonnet and he wrote back in about half an hour and said I shall pass it on to Sir Humphrey. At least I TRIED to make democracy work, well done to him for replying so promptly. 1 point of respect on the respectometer.

(Oh, Sir Humphrey is.. oh never mind)

Wasn't Marilyn, it was me.   You can edit out the main points in a quote and highlight there but the attribution would be better if observed.

fluffy2560 wrote:

SimonTrew wrote:

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Another dynasty in the making perhaps.

Almost certainly. That is American Democracy for you. I wrote to my MP about a bee in my bonnet and he wrote back in about half an hour and said I shall pass it on to Sir Humphrey. At least I TRIED to make democracy work, well done to him for replying so promptly. 1 point of respect on the respectometer.

(Oh, Sir Humphrey is.. oh never mind)

Wasn't Marilyn, it was me.   You can edit out the main points in a quote and highlight there but the attribution would be better if observed.

Yeah sorry I have a huge sodding java button for an adver that gets in whe way of the buttons on the bottom right. I am trying my best.

How is Mrs Fluffy and the Fluffiettes have you got those tops installed?  I bet that would make a bit of dust that needs more than a can of Mr Sheen!

SimonTrew wrote:

....
As was to be proved. Indeed. (And I don't need to look it up). British audiences may know it better by its abbrevation Q.E.D.

Er, not sure where you are going. You quote Latin which is not Dante and then quote Dante which is not Latin, I have a deraiilleur on this laptop and changing gear, but which way are you going?

OK got it. Dante's Inferno or just The Inferno. Mixing the Latin in threw me off. It is quite a good read the Inferno, but not exactly a mystery plot is it. I mean your agatha christie could knock em out "perfect sausage machine, a perfect sausage" but he still didn't manage to add a detective. It really is not much of a whodunnit is it the old Inferno, I was disappointed.
....

Yes, QED, it's Latin.  Unknown hereabouts. 

It's not a laboured thing. My reference to the Pope was intended, as his proselytism is in Latin, and give a dig at the same time, i.e. if the Pope says it's true, then it must be.  Early exponent of fake news.

I dunno, it's all words, Latin, Dante, Agatha etc.  All fair game.  BTW, what about Poirot? He was a detective albeit a Belgian one (implausibly).  Bit like Tin-Tin.  Can anyone believe someone with a small terrier hanging out with  a rusty old sea hound like Captain Haddock would be a detective?  Something not quite right about a gruff old sailor hanging around with a younger man (>18) in shorts. And Tin-Tin's got a quiff.  No objection of course, just saying, they should out themselves. And now I rest my case on those thoughts.

I'm not that keen these days on books - takes too long and not got the time - but I do get a lot of my "information" from movies or as one might call them in a post-truth world "documentaries".  The devil for example, is well represented in this movie: Bedazzled. A classic.

fluffy2560 wrote:

The Devil is well represented...

Er in the Bible?

Anyway Beelzebub has a devil for a sideboard (accorting to Bohemian Rhapsody).

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

The Devil is well represented...

Er in the Bible?

Anyway Beelzebub has a devil for a sideboard (accorting to Bohemian Rhapsody).

Yes, that's right, I'd totally forgotten that reference. What a great band! 

Trivia: There's a pub in Brighton called the Queen's Head.   And it's got Freddie Mercury up there as the sign. 

Even the church thinks the Devil is misunderstood.

All I need to know is the PIN code to all his accounts. 

Easy to guess. Has to be 6666.

fluffy2560 wrote:

klsallee wrote:

Panni36 wrote:

One thing I can tell you is that FACTS MATTER

Here! Here! I agree. Because of my training is in science, et al.

But.....  You may find facts don't matter too much in Hungary.

Since when have facts ever mattered in politics!

I was not just considering politics. The public gossip train is fast, furious and fully loaded here. Never been in a place it is so bad. Tongues wagging over back fences don't give a hoot about facts. And they can do a lot of damage.

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

klsallee wrote:

Here! Here! I agree. Because of my training is in science, et al.

But.....  You may find facts don't matter too much in Hungary.

Since when have facts ever mattered in politics!

I was not just considering politics. The public gossip train is fast, furious and fully loaded here. Never been in a place it is so bad. Tongues wagging over back fences don't give a hoot about facts. And they can do a lot of damage.

Yes, that's true.  It's almost as though some people are running semi-professional mis-information campaigns.  Efficient decision making is based on good information.  Last thing we see here is good information.   

I often wondered at the local level if it was more about some how mixing up day dreaming with reality or just some level of naivety?

My neighbour said - of our border/land dispute - that the land had been informally traded (protagonist on our side is dead, half dead on their side).  Now as if I would believe any of that or even care that an opinion based on unsubstantiated claims matters when it comes to enforcing my ownership.  That's even in the face of the official information, their fantasy continues.

Lucky my shoulders are broad and my skin thick and I have a secret weapon - Mrs Fluffy.

fluffy2560 wrote:

I often wondered at the local level if it was more about some how mixing up day dreaming with reality or just some level of naivety?

My neighbour said - of our border/land dispute - that the land had been informally traded (protagonist on our side is dead, half dead on their side).  Now as if I would believe any of that or even care that an opinion based on unsubstantiated claims matters when it comes to enforcing my ownership.  That's even in the face of the official information, their fantasy continues.

Lucky my shoulders are broad and my skin thick and I have a secret weapon - Mrs Fluffy.

I often thinK Hungarias would'nt dream of liein, but have no intention of telly to the trth. They do seem to wander in  kidna Hungarialand fantay of their own sometime.

fluffy2560 wrote:

The Devil is well represented..

All I need to know is the PIN code to all his accounts. 

Easy to guess. Has to be 6666.

Surely that is the short-code telephone number of the Beast?

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

The Devil is well represented..

All I need to know is the PIN code to all his accounts. 

Easy to guess. Has to be 6666.

Surely that is the short-code telephone number of the Beast?

Only members of the coven know the speed dial.

The direct line number is 1-800-233593282

fluffy2560 wrote:

My neighbour said - of our border/land dispute -

Is that still unresolved? 

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

My neighbour said - of our border/land dispute -

Is that still unresolved? 

Yes, it's complicated (haha, in Hungary, really?) because this house has been rebuilt and its footprint has changed in a very small way. 

AFAIK, the local government has to first approve the construction which needs a paper with an official stamp on it (this seems to be what is holding us up).

Then the Land Registry people will take the stamped paper, burn it until white smoke comes out the chimney which signals everyone that they can move to the next stage - generating a new site plan suitable for their mysterious purposes.

Once that's been ritually accepted, blessed, danced around and smeared with the blood of a sacrifice, the participants will get a letter that the new boundary has been set. 

Then I presume an official person in traditional dress will come and put some pegs daubed in blood in showing the boundary.   

Then Mrs Fluffy and I will dance manically (fully clothed!) around the campfire while the builders go in to construct the new fence.

In other words, hard work and not so good for the sacrifices.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Yes, it's complicated (haha, in Hungary, really?)

That all sounds about right. 

Well, actually, no. Not "right" at all. I should rather say that what it will probably take.

Bet you are daydreaming about if you just rented a bulldozer to level the soil in your window boxes 2 years ago, and it "somehow, can"t imagine how" got away from you and just plowed down that fence and magically build a new one some distance over on your property line. Darn weird how wayward bulldozers oddly only do damage/construction to fences when they get out of control like that..... 

klsallee wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Yes, it's complicated (haha, in Hungary, really?)

That all sounds about right. 

Well, actually, no. Not "right" at all. I should rather say that what it will probably take.

Bet you are daydreaming about if you just rented a bulldozer to level the soil in your window boxes 2 years ago, and it "somehow, can"t imagine how" got away from you and just plowed down that fence and magically build a new one some distance over on your property line. Darn weird how wayward bulldozers oddly only do damage/construction to fences when they get out of control like that..... 

Our "architect" suggested we just did exactly that.  Get in a mini-digger and tear down the wrongly installed fence and install a new one without a word.  Never mind doing the process properly, just trample on everyone. 

We decided to do it properly but even so the neighbours are still trying to persuade us by telling us useless "facts" to support their untenable position.  Mrs Fluffy is made of Teflon. As far as we are concerned, it's done and dusted, we have a new boundary in draft by the Land Registry and all we need is the rubber stamp to make it official.   We're looking (hopefully) for a builder to do the fences and landscaping within say, 1 month. 

MIght still do the maniac dance at the long weekend if it's warm enough.  Any excuse.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Our "architect" suggested we just did exactly that.  Get in a mini-digger and tear down the wrongly installed fence and install a new one without a word.  Never mind doing the process properly, just trample on everyone.

Sadly, that is how it often works here too often. Basically, bullying others. If they detect weakness, the pounce. Very primitive form of interaction. I had to learn to bully back just to defend my rights at times. Not fun.

fluffy2560 wrote:

We decided to do it properly

You did the right thing. I have also tried to do it right and proper and by the book. But I had to do it so often with things so **censored** here, and the proper process being such a bureaucratic **censored**, it just wears me out each time. (Self censoring myself there .... )

So I daydream at times.....

fluffy2560 wrote:

but even so the neighbours are still trying to persuade us by telling us useless "facts" to support their untenable position.

Been there. Also tiring.

klsallee wrote:

.....

fluffy2560 wrote:

but even so the neighbours are still trying to persuade us by telling us useless "facts" to support their untenable position.

Been there. Also tiring.

I don't really know what this daydreaming thing is with the Hungarians.  I notice that some of the HU relatives do this sometimes.  People here often say their "feet are firmly on the ground" but that's in conflict with what they say. 

I think it's like some kind of prayer or wishing or more positively reflections on what is going on which they then share with anyone around at that moment.   People have always had all sorts of "strange" thoughts on a day to day basis but they usually keep them to themselves.  It's almost like public musing but it gets presented or re-oriented or passed on as truths or similar and then turns into unsubstantiated facts. 

Seems to be peculiar to here - I don't know if any other nations do it.

Some people just need a "reality sandwich".
I notice many family members living on another planet here because it was allowed by either their parents or by society.
When one has free this and free that like in the old days, one could act a bit more childlike and carefree.
Not like say the US where if you don't make the right moves you may find yourself out on the street.
Jobs never really were secure in the uS unless you scored a gov. job.
Health care in the states is very expensive, the very poor get Obama care and the very rich, well they can afford the best policies with insurance co.
Say someone like my son who makes just a bit too much money but not enough to actually relax is footing the bills for the poor in the US.
He has health insurance which comes out of his paycheck but he still has to pay at least $50. each and every doctor visit.
His wife stays at home and is not covered by his health insurance, he pays a extra $650. a year  for not covering her.
Obama care forced people to pay even if they do not want coverage.Very un American to do that to people.
They are probably moving to Japan next year, coverage for all citizens and spouses in Japan I was told is about $100. a month but it covers everything without extra office visit fees or tips.
My husband learned a good lesson in Paris France when he first left Hungary in the early 1970's.
He got some money for being a refugee to pay for his hotel room and food, not much but if one was in their budget they could make it week to week.
Well, spoiled young him spent all his money in 2 days, was just drinking water for 5 days. Was too embarrassed to mention it to anyone that he was super hungry.
After that he learned to put a bit aside for a rainy day.
In Hungary his mom spoiled the heck out of him, asking what he wold like to eat every night after she put in 10 hours of working on her feet.
Did all his washing up and sewing for him, polished his shoes etc.
I think many Hungarians suffer from being overly cared for by their mom's.
I admit I often do the same for my son except he better eat what we have on hand, no special menu unless it's his BD.
I had a good friend 7 years older then myself who was American but lived for many years in the UK as he husband was in the US military and stationed in the UK. Her 2 boys were born in the UK and she picked up allot of British habits, like tea, good cheeses etc.
I used to spend allot of time at their apt. because our boys played together everyday.
She would stop them and have them start their own laundry and make their own beds etc.
I was put back some as they were 7 and 9 years old.
Now I do think she was the smartest mom ever.She was not in good health , had polio as a child and other issues, guess she wanted them to be able to take care of themselves after she left.
In Hungary I do not think many mom's force their sons to do their own laundry or much at all around the house.
I remember once on a visit to my MIL she served my husband breakfast in bed with fresh cut roses from her garden.
I was thinking to myself, oh no, I hope they don expect that from me!
No way no how, I wonder how common that treatment is in Hungary .
Ok, it was his BD but still.

Back to US health care, even in the good ol' days of the 1940's and 50's in the US, it was expensive to see a doctor.
When my older sister was born my dad was between jobs and they had no coverage for her birth.
My mom had to deliver her in a county type of hospital.
Well they let students deliver my sister and my poor mother ripped apart so badly that she had stitches you know where and couldn't walk straight for 6 months until she healed .
I think she was brave to have another 4 kids after that.
When I was born it was good times, no problems for her.
Of course she always mentioned I was the easiest in every way, delivery, never cried or woke up at night screaming, sounds like I was the perfect baby...Made up for it later in my teens however.
When her 4th child my bro was born he was delivered without the doctor on the gurney on the way into the delivery room,they still got a full bill for delivery.
I have many reasons to not give allot of faith to the medical community, all personal experiences or those in my family.
It is not good in the US or from my experience in any country really.
When my young naive mother gave birth to her first child she had no one around to give her much in the way of mother;y advice.
The new fashion in the late 1940's in the US was to be free of nursing a baby, the modern women used a bottle.
So mom told the staff she would not be nursing my sister ,using formula instead( yuck)
Back then you stayed in hospital about one week after having a baby.
One about the second or 3 day she was in the nurses told her about a very ill baby who was dying if they didn't get breast milk for it. The child's mom had some issues and was not able to feed it.
My mom being the kind women she was told them she would like to help out.
They brought in a breast pump machine and started up her hormones.
She gave milk to a strange child and not her own, blows my mind to think about that.
Anyway, she was producing milk but giving my sister a bottle when they got home. No one told my mom about milk production, she got very ill, infected in her chest and had to use a pump after it was too late, the infection was wide spread in her body, had to wrap her self up tightly and pain for weeks.
What sort of people would fool a young women into something like that knowing she was not going to breast feed?
I do not trust doctors much at all for good reason. Often they are very short sighted and really do not care.
Makes me wonder though why my mom just didn't nurse my sister or any of us 6 kids, guess that's why we are all anal at times...
Hard to believe she was a stay at home mom and didn't nurse her kids.
My Hungarian MIL went back to work about 6 weeks after my husband was born. She still nursed him all though the day while he was in day care. They used to let new mom's take time during work hours to go into the nursery and feed their babies.
Very different attitudes since my sister and husband were born with a week of each other, different care in different countries. I think my MIL was amazing that way.
My mom never learned, my bro almost died as a infant because all the formulas upset his system. Finally soy milk worked for him, I always wonder why my mom didn't just nurse him herself, very odd indeed.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Some people just need a "reality sandwich".
I notice many family members living on another planet here because it was allowed by either their parents or by society.
When one has free this and free that like in the old days, one could act a bit more childlike and carefree.
Not like say the US where if you don't make the right moves you may find yourself out on the street.
Jobs never really were secure in the uS unless you scored a gov. job.
Health care in the states is very expensive, the very poor get Obama care and the very rich, well they can afford the best policies with insurance co.
Say someone like my son who makes just a bit too much money but not enough to actually relax is footing the bills for the poor in the US.
He has health insurance which comes out of his paycheck but he still has to pay at least $50. each and every doctor visit.
His wife stays at home and is not covered by his health insurance, he pays a extra $650. a year  for not covering her.
Obama care forced people to pay even if they do not want coverage.Very un American to do that to people.
They are probably moving to Japan next year, coverage for all citizens and spouses in Japan I was told is about $100. a month but it covers everything without extra office visit fees or tips.
...

I always wondered what made dual national people with healthcare needs stay in the USA when they have an opportunity to be elsewhere where they wouldn't have the same level of concerns. 

I was rather bemused as well by the arguments against Obama care - free health care is against god or a communist plot etc.  Laughable.

I believe everyone in Canada gets universal healthcare of a good standard as they do in the UK. They certainly do across EU countries as well. OK, Hungary isn't the best but well, basic stuff is taken care of and in an emergency, you'll get treated anyway without checking your bank account.   

I was watching a UK TV show about life in hospitals in the far North of Scotland, on the  Orkney Islands.  Some tourists from a cruise ship had been injured somehow on a trip to the main island and needed minor treatment.  The tourists were trying to pay the staff but they refused the money (as they should).  Whilst the tourists were surprised, I could see the point of the staff.  The bureaucracy and time for charging for a couple of x-rays and some plaster/band-aids etc would have cost as much to bill for as the actual treatment.

My former US based colleague's son's injuries cost $1M from a car accident.  His son could have just gone back to the UK and had his treatment there.  Seemed totally illogical to me to stay there and suffer because of not having the money.

My Vegas friend loves working, she is 74 and still at it part-time. I know she has the max in SS because of her deceased husband etc. Still shows up whenever they need her to work.
Everytime I visit Vegas she is trying to get me a job too, never even asked her but I suppose I have one lined up anytime I want one...
She has connections to a job for retired dealers. Sounds pretty sweet as it is a different place everyday and only 3 days a week for 6 hours, just before I snap it would be time to go home.
Working at gaming machine rooms around Vegas, just being there reading, walking around serving coffee or soda drinks to players, easy stuff with bit tips, she said the like older employees who know how to read pay outs etc.
Like being your own boss.
Ok ,so she got really really ill at her table when she was still dealing cards in a casino a few years back. She was getting senior medicare from the US gov. and paying out of pocket for extra coverage.
Well something was off and they were charging her even with her extra payments every month.
Long story but she is into politics and went to meet her state senator who took care of it for her, she even got some money back.
It pays to know people in the US it seems. They probably just saw some silly old lady with too much coverage and messed around with her to see how much they could get out of her, it is unreal in the US.
Best to have nothing if you're going to get ill.
I did promise myself a break from ex-pat for awhile , took me only a couple of days and I'm writing again...
Weather is getting to nice to be indoors for long.

OH yes, not to scare anyone but in the late 1970's my strong young step-dad visited our trusted family doctor about some issues with his colon.( He was only 40 then)
He was treated for over 6 months for a hemroid which turns out was like major colon cancer...So even so called good doctors can make major mistakes anywhere. It's best to try and sty healthy then to try and repair yourself later.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

....
Everytime I visit Vegas she is trying to get me a job too, never even asked her but I suppose I have one lined up anytime I want one...
She has connections to a job for retired dealers. Sounds pretty sweet as it is a different place everyday and only 3 days a week for 6 hours, just before I snap it would be time to go home.
....
Best to have nothing if you're going to get ill.
I did promise myself a break from ex-pat for awhile , took me only a couple of days and I'm writing again...
Weather is getting to nice to be indoors for long.

OH yes, not to scare anyone but in the late 1970's my strong young step-dad visited our trusted family doctor about some issues with his colon.( He was only 40 then)
He was treated for over 6 months for a hemroid which turns out was like major colon cancer...So even so called good doctors can make major mistakes anywhere. It's best to try and sty healthy then to try and repair yourself later.

There are of course casinos here.  About 20 years ago, my Dutch colleague was in the casino down near Deak Ferenc Ter.  And who should be sitting next to him?  Arnold Schwarzenegger!  Apparently he likes that kind of thing.   I am sure you could get a part time job here at the casino filling in.   Our former neighbours work there I think.  They seem to come and go at funny times.

I've always thought of the casino business as being very shady.  Too many Good Fellas movies (on my all time top movie list). I suppose it's the association with Bugsy Malone - also too many movies.

It says on the weather forecast it'll rain this afternoon.  Doesn't look like it to me, but it's very very windy again.   At our local airstrip (Farkashegy) there are the insect control aircraft.   It flies directly over the top of us, over to Szentendre Island where I think it does some spraying before coming back 20 minutes later.  I just noticed on my porch a wasp nest has appeared. It's very small with a few cells so I gave it the good news with an insect spray.   So, the mosquitos are back, the wasps are back.  If rains, the mosquitos be back in force and what a nuisance they are. Compared to the tropics they are really dopey here.

FB and those things rely on the dopamine addiction cycle.  Posting e-mails for reward/release.   I'm going on a multi-country road trip holiday mid-June for almost a month, so we'll see how long I manage before I need to get my hit on here!

My bro had a numb leg.  Went to doc, who said it was his nerves, went to a private doctor, got scanned and had a grape sized tumour in his head.  It was pressing on the nerve that led to his leg.  Had brain surgery. Would have been dead at 3 months if he'd believed the first doctor and had done nothing.   It was the worst kind of tumour - glioblastoma - and Inevitably he was dead 11 months later.  I looked up all the statistics and it was clear that he had no chance.  When the end game came, the turn was relatively sudden. He lingered on for some months but gradually he became less him as the tumour consumed his brain - went from being angry to completely compliant and calm.  Lost his cognitive abilities to some degree and became more "simplified". Eventually he lost the ability to communicate fully, lapsed into a coma, could only say a few words and eventually was unable to swallow/pneumonia and then that was the end. Shame.

Shame people let others linger and deteriorate to that state before their loved-one is dead. What is the point? Fear? Lack of options? Religiosity?
End of life is one of the major events people have the least control of. Few prepare for it, even fewer have plans on how they want to die. As if everyone were hoping for dying in their sleep at an age of 99-not gonna happen.  Amazing really. There are options now in many EU countries and some US states. People don't have to go through torturous decline and yet few take action and make definitive plans on how long they should be left to suffer .....
I guess until government steps in and offers definitive choices nothing will happen in most countries.
End of life care currently is causing huge expense to the family : emotionally and financially and to add to that huge expense to the healthcare and tax base of the nation. And all of it needlessly and completely to no benefit of everyone involved.