albaleo comments

Hats off to these patriots and survivors. The world can learn a lot from them.

Considering the bombing of various places since World War 2 (e.g. Cambodia, Baghdad), I don't think much was learned.

A lot of head scratching here. How to define "religious"? Those who believe or those who would like to believe? And then what is this belief? A single god, many gods, or simply another existence we can't see?

The word "atheist" crops up in the article, but not the word "agnostic". To me, atheism suggests belief of a kind (some will disagree). Agnosticism suggests ignorance, and I like to think that is the foundation of science. There's so much we don't know.

Fusion reactors cannot explode

I think that generally means they can't cause a radioactive explosion. But they may be prone to more general types of explosion. After all, hydrogen is the key input element.

Just to be pedantic, “soccer” was originally the name adopted by the British.

I think it would be more accurate to say it was the name created and adopted by British poshboys, along with the name "rugger".

As kicking forms only a small part of rugby and American football, would it not be more accurate to call them "handball"?

Most of us weren't around back then, but I bet the scariest part of that ordeal would have been when "global village"-type people virtue-signaled taking Thalidomide, and then demonized those who raised concerns as "anti-Thalidomiders". 

I don't recall anything like that. I was young at the time when I would see thalidomide kids younger than me. The general reaction was sadness, and a determination to make sure something similar didn't happen again.

the drug’s British distributor Diageo Scotland Ltd. 

At the time, I think it was manufactured and distributed in the UK by Distillers Company Biochemical, a subsidiary of Distillers Company. Diageo later took over the company.

As a kiddy the Daleks scared the bejeezus out of me.

Exterminate.

I can't get that word out of my mind.

Most people's experiences are probably different. Like OnTheTrail above, the biggest challenge for us has been the cost of travel between Japan and the UK. The good side has been that our families have gotten on fine. Sadly, the oldies have now gone except for my mother-in-law. But I have many fond memories of them meeting up. My mum looking after my wife's nieces in the play area at our apartment in Japan, my father-in-law praying at my mum's grave in the UK, and much more.

Six million people watched the first episode when it was aired at teatime on November 23, 1963

And there were probably many like myself who were not allowed to watch the first episode because their parents wanted to watch what was on the other channel.

This isn't about race. It's about a bunch of disenchanted delinquents looking for a reason to be delinquents. Sadly there are plenty like that in Dublin.

And plenty in other places too (thinking of recent chaos from young thugs in Dundee). I agree it's probably not so much about race as about disenchanted youth. We should probably ask why we seem to have an increasing number of such delinquents in the "developed" world.

Too many illegal migrants getting into the UK. About 750,000 per year.

Is that not the net number for legal immigrants?

I don't think 37 seats out of 150 can be called a win.

There was a similar story in Glasgow a few days ago. It turned out the flour was used to mark out a running route. Could it be the same here?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-67484991#

Why hasn't the woman's name been released?

Not sure, but one reason might be to prevent the child from being identified.

In other words, I should be unselfish in order to benefit myself later which makes me…selfish.

You would only be considered selfish if your unselfish behavior to others was done deliberately to benefit yourself. I'm sure there are people like that, but they are probably not the majority.

gobbledygook from the article above that morality is due to evolution

What would you say it was due to?

Since average wages are skewed by high earners, it is usual to use median wage.

Median is a form of average. Another is the mean average. It's not clear which is used here. But I don't imagine there would be a great difference.

The link below says the median monthly salary is ¥471,000. (I'm assuming bonuses are included in that calculation.)

https://tokyoportfolio.com/average-salary-in-japan/

First shot went through the windshield and hit Kennedy in the throat.

I don't see any damage to the windshield in the pictures at the link below. I do see evidence that Kennedy's head moved forward initially when hit with a bullet. The subsequent backwards movement is explained in the link. (It involves some complicated maths and science which may be evidence of a hoax for some.)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5934694/

And the fact that the CIA continues to deny it and actually invented the term "conspiracy theorist" 

That is also considered a conspiracy theory by many. :-)

I understand the term was first used in the 19th century, but it came into popular usage following the Warren Commission report.

Some might say that wanting to have a gun is a symptom of mental illness.

Nowhere in traditional Buddhist teachings was chanting "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo" - to absolutely no-one - in order to attract material wealth and worldly possesions, ever taught.

It is chanted by members of all sects of Nichiren Buddhism with the purpose of reducing suffering by eradicating negative karma. I guess we can define "traditional" in various ways. I've known a lot of Soka Gakkai members in Japan and here in Scotland. I don't think any are more intent on pursuing material wealth than other people.

On the other hand, I agree he was probably elevated to a ridiculously high status level by many group members. But then, don't most religions have such figures?

one month after the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust,

I'm not very comfortable with that statement. The action was terrible, but was it not an attack on Israelis rather than Jewish people?

The whole thing is depressing. The idea of establishing a religious state, whether Islamic, Jewish, Christian, or whatever is crazy.

I was cheered up a little by the smiles in the picture below where the First Minister of Scotland (a Muslim) was meeting leaders of some Jewish organizations to discuss a possible rise in anti-semitism in Scotland.

https://www.thenational.scot/resources/images/17458360.jpg?type=mds-article-620

They will be wiped out in the next election.

I don't think that's so clearcut. We are currently seeing a big rift in the Labour party over the Israel-Palestine issue. 56 Labour MPs voted for support for an immediate ceasefire against the express wishes of Starmer.

(I'll be voting for the SNP.)

Civil wars are fought over territory

The term "civil war" isn't clearly defined. One definition is "a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country". That's generally the idea I keep in my head. Assuming country equals territory, it's not so much a fight over territory but a fight for control of that territory. The English Civil War of the 17th century fits that definition. Some would argue that the American Civil War was not really a civil war. The Confederate States had declared independence, so it was a war between two territories or countries.

Not that it matters. War is war however we label it. It sucks.

It was China already when the Taiwanese ran off there

I think (hope) you mean when some mainland Chinese ran off to Taiwan. Those people controlled Taiwan for many years and declared themselves the government of China. But when democracy was introduced in Taiwan, support grew for the independence supporting parties. If we follow the United Nations Charter, the people of Taiwan should be able to determine their own future.

 In Japan the authorities arrest people for slander?

I think defamation laws would cover this kind of thing.

https://kellywarnerlaw.com/japan-defamation-laws

Drugmakers are subject to strict FDA regulation in how they promote their medicines

Perhaps they should be legally required to label ketamine as Horse Tranquilizer. I understand that's what it was originally used as. That might put a few people off.

The Scottish national anthem (Scotland the Brave, not Flower of Scotland)

Surely you mean Scots Wha Hae. That was always considered the Scottish anthem when I was young. It can certainly be described as "stirring", and quite violent. I understand Burns wrote it in support of the French Revolution, but he couldn't say that directly as he would have been jailed (or worse).

By oppression's woes and pains! 

By your sons in servile chains! 

We will drain our dearest veins, 

But they shall be free!

British judges have repeatedly sided with doctors

I like to think they have sided with the best interests of the child. In this case, all medical experts said the girl was suffering and the only way to end the suffering was to remove life support.

I don't envy the judges in these sad situations.

Someone posted a couple of months ago that it is police policy (in some areas anyway) that the first bullet in the gun is a blank. Does anyone know if that's generally the case?

Most stirring? That sounds a little violent - visions of ugly nationalism.

The song below (Hermless, by Michael Marra) was proposed as a new national anthem for Scotland. Stirring in the sense of stirring your tea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F44WfZoIN4

In a crowded city, he fired a shot into the air!?! That could have resulted in a fatality somewhere else.

Outside an apartment building in Suminoe at 6am - not so crowded.