Elegsabiff Blog Comments (9,358)

RE: Going straight

Hey Harbal

I made you a celebratory dinner of

.
.
.
.
.
.
snails ...

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

RE: Sign of the times

'Tummy friendly' is a nice way of putting it I had to read the comments to see what it meant

One blatant thing they did in the UK was a few brands started putting fewer cigarettes into a packet, instead of 20 you got 17 but at the same price as 20. Been a while since I bought cigarettes there, they probably have about 8 to a packet now.

RE: General knowledge

Lady Fingers.

Looks to me like dagga.

RE: "GET USED TO IT"

Nam, thanks for explaining what you meant about the guns coming out, it did sound as if people could be shot for attempting to bring in any other kind of government so you can see how I got confused.

I explain my background on my profile - I have lived in South Africa, England, Scotland, and now I live in Spain and yes as Ooby said it is partly a weather thing I have gone from a 9 month winter to a 9 month summer, and completely changed the way I live my life.

I have held a British passport from birth so Blue is only partly right but I do agree that changing the subject to British politics wasn't entirely relevant, your blog is about shooting down opposition although in SA, where guns are more freely available, at least one political party has the slogan 'kill the Boer'. The same party goes on marches carrying white baby dolls and smashing their heads on lampposts. I'd hate to see that sort of mentality spreading

I don't often comment because your topics aren't usually ones where I can offer an opinion? Obviously your interest is in the US and apart from one brief holiday in Florida I haven't been there.

Another brick in the wall

No problem, in fact when I saw your blog I realized it must have grown from a comment you were going to put on mine

RE: "GET USED TO IT"

So basically anyone who looks like they could be voting for anyone else will be shot? That does sound a little extreme, Nam, are you sure it is what he wants?

He's quite old, and it is a very stressful job, you may be signing his death warrant.

Another brick in the wall

Bek, it does seem a real shame that few systems can cope with unruly students and there are more of them all the time.

I believe in education available for all, plus those who struggle but desperately want to learn, should get all the help available.

Those who don't want to learn and persist in disrupting everyone else, though, can take themselves right off. They can always take evening classes if they realize they have completely destroyed their own futures.

Another brick in the wall

Well, Bek, no doubt if it had been a perfect system it would have been adopted by more countries in the last 40 years

Being steered, not controlled, would have suited me, except for the talking in class, which surprises me a bit. Still, strict discipline and a rigid curriculum definitely suits some pupils better.

I worked for some years in huge open plan offices with music videos playing on flat screen TVs around the walls and it drove me bonkers, I was forever turning down the one nearest me, and finding it had been turned up again when I got back from a coffee break. We were a financial office, I thought it unprofessional to have clients asking me if there was an office party going on in the background! My colleagues were fairly divided between loving and hating it, we eventually managed to sort out desks so that the music lovers were nearest the racket. Everyone's different.

RE: My point is.....

Korn - Oops. And

I had a friend years ago who was passionately into 3 American writers, Gore Vidal, Vonnegurt, and Ayn Rand, and made me read books by all 3 (I'd already read Fountainhead, as it happened).

I had to go look up Gore Vidal's list of books (wow, long list!) to find which one I had read - a novel, Myra Breckinridge. It was so long ago that I remember not a single thing about it. I read Cat's Cradle more than once though, so apologies to KV for confusing the two. Still

Another brick in the wall

Hey, Bogart! I completely agree education is essential, the blog is more what constitutes a good education - to be force-fed information and forced to regurgitate it at regular intervals to be considered a good student, or to just be encouraged to learn and carry on learning for life? Their thing is not so much controlling as steering.

It isn't only 3rd world countries which are venerating wannabe dictators. Maybe we've all been deliberately raised NOT to think, just to react angrily to anyone who doesn't hold our cherished views

(That might be a cherished view. Hmm. Not sure )

Another brick in the wall

Z, they're pretty keen on qualifications too, I suspect with so many shysters around saying they can do this that and the next thing that proper tradesmen have to be able to wave a piece of paper proving they can do what they've been doing for years.

The success of the system seems more based on the fact you don't have to do boring academic stuff if your abilities are elsewhere, and whatever your abilities are, they are valued (and certified).

Anyway, I thought a lot of what I learned at school was a waste of time (HAS to be 40 years since I last needed algebra) and this system seemed to waste less of it

Another brick in the wall

Mimi, just as well you have led such a law-abiding life and ooh how exciting!

Another brick in the wall

(When are you going to the US? )

Another brick in the wall

Mimiiiiiiiiii

Man I hated school but I hate it more now

My daughter went to a school which I now realized had modelled itself a bit on the Finnish system and she loved it. However they still had to do the annual state exams.

Another brick in the wall

Teacher, leave those kids alone!

Another brick in the wall

Finland ranked 5th in Science, the UK 15th, USA did not make top 20

Finland ranked 4th in Reading, neither UK nor USA made the top 20 although Ireland came 5th.

Maths was dominated by Asian countries – Singapore, China (HK) China (Macao) Taiwan and Japan took the top 5 spots. Switzerland achieved 8th spot, Canada 10th, followed by Netherlands and Denmark.

RE: My point is.....

Only Gore Vidal I have read was Cat's Cradle and it is allegorical, not direct. Bitingly sarcastic, though.

I think all the aims you quoted from your reading have been achieved when people will end friendships, even rage with murder in their hearts, over issues which were deliberately created and have no true meaning in a rational life.

RE: Lord, give me a sign !!

Bohemian, your tact and delicacy does your credit on the unposted one and the one above must be absolutely packed

Full marks for ingenuity on most of the signs

RE: Human Nature

Usha's blog replies far better than I could

RE: President Trump Is Not Beneath The Law

DR get over yourself. It is not fascism to be bored by obsession.

And you seem to have forgotten your man was until recently a Democrat.

old dog vestibular disease

Bohemian -

RE: My point is.....

Wow usha and I thought I did research! Your blog is great and puts garbled impressions into words. Big thumbs up but I am on my phone so can't do the emoji oh just found it

RE: Words I don't like

Just the word?

I think lisp is plain cruel.

And on the subject of cruel - Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words. That's a joke, right?

old dog vestibular disease

Fay, she's still bouncing off furniture and walls and can't walk in a straight line but is definitely better, thanks for asking!

She was a problem dog when I got talked into her rescue and an evil old trout who used to trap the window cleaner up his ladder and glower at visitors suspiciously, (and go for them for any excuse whatsoever), but she's much mellowed since the move to Spain and I was surprised at how upset I was when I thought she might be on the way out. I've grown accustomed to her face.

RE: My point is.....

I yammer on about this all the time!

I had never realized how incredibly powerful propaganda could be and how incredibly angry people will become if you hesitantly point out they are being manipulated into the opinions they hold. far angrier than if you query an opinion they formed all by themselves. How scary is that?

old dog vestibular disease

Thanks, Usha

She's not what you would call a pretty dog but I'm fond of the old baggage.

RE: African Animals Getting Drunk From Ripe Marula Fruit

Aha, good spot - from 'Beautiful People', filmed and narrated in 1974 by Jamie Uys - the whole film is great for those who enjoy watching animals rather than merely killing them. Although this is the funniest segment it is a joy generally.



I also have the DVD of his 'The Gods Must Be Crazy' - dated, of course, but hilarious and the scenery is oh so beautiful.

RE: How Is Your Day Going?

Where are the pics, Track?

old dog vestibular disease

Thanks for the comments, I was watching between classes but had to dash off immediately afterwards.

Home again, and with dog, it was the suspected vestibular thingy although it has another name in Spanish (I definitely heard 'senile' somewhere in all the syllables) and she has enough pills to rattle now when she falls over but should be back to normal in a week. If not, of course, back we go. If she can't keep the pills down, back we go. If she gets worse ...


Mimi, you should have woken him up - my dog vs his sleep, what are your priorities? You'll be a good wife.

Blue, always needs antibiotics but I really appreciate that link, better than the ones I had found. Thanks!

Daniela, she does shake her head but falls over every time. She wasn't pawing at her ears. The vet checked and even sniffed them (vets have a glamorous job) and said they were fine. It was only the blood test that confirmed it was middle-ear.

Jim, yup, that's where vestibular disease lodges. Z's vet did a blood test and we had to wait an hour for the results and treatment but prognosis is cautiously good.

Fay, you have to wonder sometimes why we put ourselves through the heartbreak. When I was looking at options online I did see something about CBD oil having miraculous effects on dogs and certainly one of the most effective uses for humans is for arthritis. Might be something to look into, I think I heard it is now legal across the US? And thank you





First cartload of muti delivered in a chicken sausage, about 20 minutes ago, has stayed down so fingers crossed. And no, you will not get a blow-by-blow update.

For those wishing her well - thanks

There goes the neighbourhood

(Note to self - shut up now)