the village idiot

Perfect.

Long way from home Mark! Holiday?

He obviously thinks it's worth a crack!

What a thoroughly excellent post!

Just worth keeping in your head that there are more than two parties that you can show your support for. There will only ever be two potential options for governance if we always restrict ourselves to voting for one or t'other. If they are indeed both bad choices maybe it's time to start raising up some of the others?

Tracked him down in an old EDL yearbook from 2000. I must admit, I was quite surprised!

It's always nice I think when arbtalker's reveal little bits of their lives beyond the trees, however quirky!

How very novel! Makes a change from a house I suppose.

Ah yes, good point. Haven't we had enough pictures of celebrities posing with Thatcher for the time being?

That cigarette could be seriously detrimental to his health!

I think that certainly makes sense as a picture of the problem in the UK and Western Europe. I have always been coming at it from a global, human civilisation scope. Whilst the Koranic texts that inspire these actions are considered valid in their entitity by human beings (whether through their own interpretation or under influence) there is going to be religiously motivated senseless death and destruction. I don't know if this can be irradicated, but if it can, it can only be lastingly achieved through reforming people's faith in bad ideas. I agree that it is very difficult to reach some people. In an ideal world I would argue quite strongly that this philosophy should be extended to the point where all faith based reasoning is replaced with true reason. A lot of the ideals of religion would still exist because they are demonstrably good ideas, but we can jettison the harmful stuff that extends from religious faith if all human morality is debated and determined in the spirit of science and reason. I fully accept that I am a bit of a dreamer, but why not aim for the best possible (intellectually honest) future outcome for everyone? PS. Most of this text is really directed at people with views like Mull. I think Stumpy Grinder and I are pretty much on the same page.

Mull, If you don't read posts properly then your responses to them will forever continue to make no sense.

Just for clarification: Stumpy Grinder is a hugely knowledgeable and experienced deer manager and trainer, as well as holding down about 50 other jobs and counting! One of his many management projects has been to transform the regime at one of the most important woodland sites in the country. The results have been fantastic. What he doesn't know about deer management probably isn't worth knowing and he is well worth consulting.

What do you know about deer management Stumpy?

I would say that it's certainly a positive development. I don't think there will be much meaningful progress until these Imam's acknowledge the FACT that these terrorist's actions very much DO have something to do with Islam. Until this happens their words won't carry an awful lot of weight with the extremist thinkers and doers. They need to be braver and accept that the terrorist mind set comes directly from a literal interpretation of the very same handbooks they are themselves aligning with. Christians, on the whole, accept that there are parts of the bible that glorify the killing of those who renounce Christian theology, but as a religion they have managed to get to a point where this is pretty much universally agreed to be a non-starter. If Muslims (as a religion) were able to do the same we should be able to make some headway. Effectively classifying the extremists as being of a different faith (which is what the Imam in that article is doing) is not going to help.

"Dwayne Dibley"???!!!!

Now there's a profound bit of posting! Love it Ti:thumbup: Could be re-phrased as ' I wonder how my life would change if I decided I was earning more than enough money' Certainly got me thinking

With great, great difficulty. I find a little hope in the fact that other cultures have rejected the literal word of their Gods. Presumably the imam's represent some sort of authorative structure within the Islamic faith?

I think they equated the tory party with crooks. They were taking advantage of a sheep dip in the poles to shepherd in a new flock.

One can only assume they were unaware of the ram-ifications of their actions.

That picture was taken in 1997, they were going to vote in Ewe Labour.:blushing:

The Woodland I mange in Suffolk is jam packed with Ash. I would estimate that over 90% of the Ash have depleted crowns. Too early to say if it is all Chalara (or whatever it is properly called these days), but not a good omen. Lesions are very evident on the very young trees.

Welby is not suggesting IS should listen to him. That would be beyond absurd. He is saying that religions need to call out atrocities carried out in their name, accept that they are motivated by faith and take responsibility for civilising their tribe. I get what you're saying, but we should take a twinge of hope from the fact that FINALLY people that matter are starting to say sensible things on the issue.

And some very wise words from the Archbishop of Canterbury. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby: London attack link to Islam as Christians killing Muslims is linked to Christianity | The Independent