@ichabod  @janetteB

The geopolitical, economic  and social differences between the USA and the Roman empire at any stage of its growth and decline are so great that I don’t think comparisons are valid – except in the sense that empires all tend eventually to overreach themselves and decline; and the Roman empire lasted longer than most.  As for…[Read more]

In this age of ‘alternative facts’ (lies)  these words of the Doctor seem more than ever apt

The very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common, they don’t alter their views to fit the facts, they alter the facts to fit their views. Which can be uncomfortable if you are one of the facts that needs altering  –  (The Face of Evil; 1977)

A sign of the times: Orwell’s 1984 is No. 1 in the Amazon book sales charts   This statistic does not reveal how many of those buying the book think it is a ‘how to’ manual

@Missy   That clip  is certainly going the rounds, and I’ve come across it several times in the last couple of days.  The Trump impression is pitch-perfect, isn’t it ?

@thane15

puro  Not painful at all, actually.  For a few days there was mild discomfort, no worse than that I experienced when many years ago I first tried using contact lenses – and I abandoned those fairly quickly; contact lenses don’t react well to dust on archaeological excavations.

The surgery itself was no problem; I had a local an…[Read more]

@pedant

The cabaret scene in early 1930s Berlin was against a background of organised gangs of communists and Brown Shirts fighting in the streets, and things haven’t reached that stage (yet).  I wasn’t suggesting that ridicule in clubs, newspaper cartoons or on twitter can have any real effect against those now in power – only organised, mass op…[Read more]

@pedant

Re Melbourne: true, at that date he looked nothing like Rufus Sewell, and I was tempted to point that out, but I certainly have the impression that V was attracted to him. Looks and age aren’t everything 😉

@nerys

While I was watching Victoria I confess that kept seeing Jenna as Clara in period costume.  She bears little resemblance to even the young Victoria – a bit too tall,  too slender and neck too long  – but she certainly conveyed V’s strong will and something of her opinionated character.

I thought that as a whole the drama was a bit pedest…[Read more]

@MissRori

((Hugs)) in return.  I hope that you know and feel that here, at least, there are people who are sympathetic, and that you have a space to vent, along with the rest of us 🙂

@thane15   (puro) good to see you here.  I am reasonably well, despite SDS (seasonal dormouse syndrome), and an alcohol intake that is greater than strictly pru…[Read more]

@thane15

Mike Pence is the evil genius behind the trumpeter.

I’m not so sure about that.  In reality things may be even more worrying because, according to my reading, the one really pulling the Orange One’s puppet strings is more likely to be Steve Bannon – formerly executive chair of Breitbart News and one of the principal drivers of all that…[Read more]

@ichabod

Yes, I’ve been reading of those town hall meetings where Republican representatives have found themselves heckled and shouted down by voters. I gather that the response now is to stop having public meetings, unless with a carefully selected few!  I gather, also, that the unpresidented (sic) President elect already has an exceptionally…[Read more]

My state of mind while watching this for the first time was somewhat ambivalent. On the one hand it is a brilliant piece of dramatic story telling which held my undivided attention throughout *,  but it also stretched my credulity almost to breaking point, and I found myself struggling to rationalise parts of it and fill in the gaps – undou…[Read more]

@blenkinsopthebrave

I am really looking forward to the next two episodes, and to anything more that Gatiss and Moffat have to offer

That goes for me, too.  And since when has ‘clever’ become a derogatory term?  I now tend to avoid reading comments by posters on the Guardian – and even more so on other sites – because whenever I do read them I l…[Read more]

@thane15

“mind the gap” why the flip do they say this all the time for 3o something years? Like we’re all gonna get our foot stuck once a day

You get the same thing on some stations on the Paris Metro – in five or six different languages; and I could swear that the English version is exactly the same as on the London underground. Either they are u…[Read more]

This comment is somewhat later than intended, but yesterday I was thwarted by the temporary unavailability of the site.

Comic book superheroes have never held much appeal for me, so the trailer did not exactly fill me with excited expectation, but I hoped – and should have trusted – that Moffat would work his usual magic with the theme.  In my es…[Read more]

Just dropping by to wish everybody a Good New Year;  may if bring happiness to all.  Even if the wider world appears at the moment to be heading for Hades by the shortest and fastest route, at least we have a new series of Doctor Who to look forward to in 2017 and can hope for personal triumphs and joys.

@thane15  Very sorry to hear that your tr…[Read more]

DISCUSSION ABOUT CLASS - SPOILERS...

@Missy

Glad to hear that things went well.  I am not conscious that the cataracts have affected my colour perception, but I suspect that once I have had the implants I may have to adjust the colour balance on my TV 🙂

@nerys

In my case, also, the cataracts seem to have developed very quickly.  Last year when I had my annual eye check-up I wa…[Read more]

DISCUSSION ABOUT CLASS - SPOILERS...

@blenkinsopthebrave

Thanks.  I suppose it may yet turn out that my eyes are not suitable for toric implants, although the optometrist seemed to think me a suitable subject.  I suppose that is why I will need further assessment by the ophthalmic specialist, but I’m hoping for the best.

I have needed glasses for distance since the age of twenty, a…[Read more]

DISCUSSION ABOUT CLASS - SPOILERS...