And things that seemed terrible may not have seemed the same at the time. I saw a programme about the Roman Empire recently and it was pointed out that slaves were clothed, housed and fed, whereas poor freemen starved in hard times. And I may have got it wrong, but I was taught at school that one of many aggravating factors in the Russian Revolution was that starvation became more common when serfdom was abolished and the rich divested themselves of mouths they didn't want....bit like Aston Villa now. If you are going to rant about the British Empire, then you need to attack every empire, including the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Normans etc etc and pull down all their statues....then you'd be like the IS with their hatred of the past. It's the past....learn from it, but live with it. We haven't sprung fully formed from the earth...we are the result of history and its lessons.
I didn't say everyone Godders, just a generalisation! Anyway, killing monarchs is probably against forum rules...
I doubt anyone will like this but it's out there. It made me go oooooh and I like it on the edge. "Paul Daniels has just beaten David Blaines record for being buried in a box"
Did a Ramblers evening walk and pub session last night, but came home with enough time to watch a decent film. I chose The Big Short [2015] which is a dry drama comedy, I suppose you could call it, about the housing/banking crash in the USA which resulted in the World recession. It's pretty much an ensemble film which features Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt amongst the cast, and the film concentrates on events with their roles being significant in them. It's a little bit different to them 'starring'. There are no proper laughs as such, but there are moments where the heat is taken out of the film by semi-humorous 4th wall explanations of high-financial theories, strategies, and such, by various celebrities totally unconnected with the storyline. These are necessary because, to anyone without a good grip on investment banking strategies, the vagaries would eventually pile up and confuse. As such though, this journey through the time of the banking/mortgage crisis becomes an entertaining and informative trip rather than a depressing drudge. As Brad Pitt's number crunching character asks at one point, Why are you celebrating? 40K people died today with unemployment rising by 1%. It's a film that pulls its punches, but they land nevertheless. Recommended.
Anyone here seen Kajaki? British war film about Afghanistan telling a true story about a group of soldiers at Kajaki Dam. Put it this way, if you like Hollywood, sanitised versions of war, this isn't for you. It's the type of film that everyone *should* see, but that very many won't be able to cope with. Stunning but nothing like an easy watch.
I think you mentioned this before. Saw the trailer, not sure I can see the film, much as part of me feels the Need to........
Yeah, I have this downloaded. Waiting for the right time and mood. It's not something I could watch straight off the bat.
Watched it a few weeks ago, I agree is an excellent watch. Just confirmed my opinions of bankers though.
OMG....was told the intenet was slow in this part of Ireland,,,,it is slow in the same way as a corpse is slow. You can make a cup of tea between key presses.
Blackwater near Killarney, Kerry. It's lovely round here...like a softer version of Scotland. Killarney, like so many Irish towns, is pretty with lots of pubs.
My sister-in-law has 3 and runs her computer off her phone....she says sometimes she can get nothing at all.
A tough watch, that. Made with considerable input from the parachute reg. The dark humour was something else too; "I'm going to get legless when I get home" - from a guy whose legs were a bloody mess. My son was in 2 para when I watched that film. He's out now and in one piece, thank god.
