Random Chat!!! (All Welcome!)

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  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    On a random thought, and in preparation for Spectre on Monday.
    Today I'm watching CR and QOS, back to back. I remember being advised
    to do it, long ago but until now haven't ;)
    Tomorrow will be Skyfall, leaving Monday to watch all the " Extras" from all
    Three films. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,836MI6 Agent
    ......Followed by a long period of Bond movie detox in December or January?
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    :)) I think it will be followed by several more visits to the cinema for
    Spectre. ;) On Tuesday I'm going to a 2pm showing on their " Maxx"
    Screen.
    I've been told it's as close to an i-max screen, without them being sued :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,701MI6 Agent
    I was kind of shocked Spectre was out already (Monday 26 October) but then I've been trying to avoid details! :o
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    {[] Also finally managed to catch the fleeting glimpse, of Bond using his watch as
    a knuckle duster in CR today :)
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,701MI6 Agent
    {[] Also finally managed to catch the fleeting glimpse, of Bond using his watch as
    a knuckle duster in CR today :)

    Taken from the scene in the OHMSS novel no doubt where Bond does the same to escape the guards at Piz Gloria. :D
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    -{ yep, I had seen stills but finally saw it today :D
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,836MI6 Agent
    I just came home from a concert in the local church. Two musicians, one old master and a younger woman who was his aprentice, placed folk music on the "hardingfele". This is a fiddle that differs from classical violins by having 4-5 string under the standard 4 strings. The resonance in these "understrings" that are never touched by the bow, gives the fiddle a more haunting sound.

    IMG_8244.JPG

    The aprentice spoke with the master between the musikal pieces about their craft, philosophy, poetry etc.
    Aprentice: "You have yourself studied with three masters, two violinists and one poet. For how long did you study under them?"
    Master (looking quizical): "Until they died ...."

    The Hardingfele is devilishly hard to tune, and the woman gave up tuning her fiddle in the end. Instead she sang a folk song. The melody and tecnique reminded me of gipsy music.

    A couple of examples:

    song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeGhjAKYguA

    fiddle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owlhnsh75o4
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    It even looks hard to play.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • danjaq_0ffdanjaq_0ff The SwampsPosts: 7,283MI6 Agent
    It even looks hard to play.


    I bet you are good at strumming your banjo though :o :D :v
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,836MI6 Agent
    I assume it is .....

    They probably used a hardingfele on the soundtrack of "Fargo", so that's the place you are most likely to have heard it before.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Only thing better than a rose on your piano is Tulips on your organ ;)

    That gypsy sound music, is very effective. Used in the Dexter and
    sherlock themes as well.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • danjaq_0ffdanjaq_0ff The SwampsPosts: 7,283MI6 Agent
    I keep trying to tell that Mrs that :D ;%
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Although it is off putting when I hear mine playing the
    Benny Hill theme from there ! :D
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • danjaq_0ffdanjaq_0ff The SwampsPosts: 7,283MI6 Agent
    :)) :)) :))
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Been told that although I'll be sitting in the cinema at 19:30 Monday
    to see Spectre, legally it can't be shown until 20:00. So that's a half
    Hour of adverts, trailers and crap. :))
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,836MI6 Agent
    One can tell a Bond movie is being released these days by the near lack of activity in the Off Topic threads :D
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,836MI6 Agent
    I found The Economist's democracy index online and I'm posting it here because I'm a smug and self-centered bastard :D


    Democracy (the participation of the population in the government, basically through popular vote) is not any fixed category, but a dynamic continuous variable.

    Methodological limitations (including any potential bias of the observers) make its measurement to some extent subjective.

    These are the 2011 rankings of the Democracy Index as measured and reported by The Economist Intelligence Unit:

    No. Location Index Category Nominal type of government
    1 Norway 9.80 Full democracy Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, unicameralism
    2 Iceland 9.65 Full democracy Parliamentary republic and parliamentary democracy, unicameralism
    3 Denmark 9.52 Full democracy Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, unicameralism
    4 Sweden 9.50 Full democracy Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, unicameralism
    5 New Zealand 9.26 Full democracy Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, unicameralism
    6 Australia 9.22 Full democracy Federalism, constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    7 Switzerland 9.09 Full democracy Federalism, directorial system, bicameralism
    8 Canada 9.08 Full democracy Federalism, constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, bicameralism, semi-direct democracy
    9 Finland 9.06 Full democracy Parliamentary republic and parliamentary democracy, unicameralism
    10 Netherlands 8.99 Full democracy Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    11 Luxembourg 8.88 Full democracy Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, unicameralism
    12 Ireland 8.56 Full democracy Parliamentary republic and parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    13 Austria 8.49 Full democracy Federalism, parliamentary republic and parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    14 Germany 8.34 Full democracy Federalism, parliamentary republic and parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    15 Malta 8.28 Full democracy Parliamentary republic and parliamentary democracy, unicameralism
    16 Czech Republic 8.19 Full democracy Parliamentary republic and parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    17 Uruguay 8.17 Full democracy Presidential system, bicameralism
    18 United Kingdom 8.16 Full democracy Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    19 United States 8.11 Full democracy Federalism, constitutional republic, presidential system, bicameralism
    20 Costa Rica 8.10 Full democracy Presidential system
    21 Japan 8.08 Full democracy Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    22 South Korea 8.06 Full democracy Presidential system, unicameralism
    23 Belgium 8.05 Full democracy Federalism, constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    24 Mauritius 8.04 Full democracy Parliamentary republic and parliamentary democracy
    25 Spain 8.02 Full democracy Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    26 Cape Verde 7.92 Flawed democracy Unitary parliamentary republic
    27 Portugal 7.81 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic and parliamentary democracy
    28 South Africa 7.79 Flawed democracy Constitutional democracy, bicameralism
    29 France 7.77 Flawed democracy Semi-presidential system, bicameralism
    30 Slovenia 7.76 Flawed democracy Constitutional democracy, incomplete bicameralism
    31 Italy 7.74 Flawed democracy Bicameralism, parliamentary republic and parliamentary democracy
    32 Greece 7.65 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic and parliamentary democracy
    33 Botswana 7.63 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic, unicameralism
    34 Estonia 7.61 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic, unicameralism
    35 Chile 7.54 Flawed democracy Presidential system, bicameralism
    36 Israel 7.53 Flawed democracy Parliamentary democracy, unicameralism
    37 Republic of China (Taiwan) 7.46 Flawed democracy Semi-presidential system
    38 Slovakia 7.35 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic, unicameralism
    39 India 7.30 Flawed democracy Federalism, constitutional republic, parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    40 Cyprus 7.29 Flawed democracy Presidential republic, unicameralism
    41 Lithuania 7.24 Flawed democracy Semi-presidential republic, unicameralism
    42 Timor-Leste 7.22 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic
    43 Trinidad and Tobago 7.16 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic
    44 Jamaica 7.13 Flawed democracy Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, unicameralism
    45 Poland 7.12 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic, bicameralism
    45 Brazil 7.12 Flawed democracy Federalism, presidential system, bicameralism
    47 Panama 7.08 Flawed democracy Constitutional democracy
    48 Latvia 7.05 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic, unicameralism
    49 Hungary 7.04 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic, unicameralism
    50 Mexico 6.93 Flawed democracy Federalism, presidential system, republic
    51 Argentina 6.84 Flawed democracy Federalism, presidential system, bicameralism
    52 Bulgaria 6.78 Flawed democracy Parliamentary democracy
    53 Croatia 6.73 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic, unicameralism
    54 Suriname 6.65 Flawed democracy Constitutional democracy
    55 Colombia 6.63 Flawed democracy Presidential system, republic
    56 Peru 6.59 Flawed democracy Presidential system, republic, unicameralism
    57 Sri Lanka 6.58 Flawed democracy Semi-presidential system, democratic socialist republic
    58 Thailand 6.55 Flawed democracy Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy, bicameralism
    59 Romania 6.54 Flawed democracy Semi-presidential system, bicameralism
    60 Indonesia 6.53 Flawed democracy Presidential system, republic, regional state, bicameralism
    61 El Salvador 6.47 Flawed democracy Presidential system, republic
    62 Paraguay 6.40 Flawed democracy Constitutional republic, presidential system
    63 Mali 6.36 Flawed democracy Semi-presidential system
    64 Serbia 6.33 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic
    64 Lesotho 6.33 Flawed democracy Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary system
    64 Moldova 6.33 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic
    67 Papua New Guinea 6.32 Flawed democracy Federalism, constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy
    68 Namibia 6.24 Flawed democracy Republic
    69 Mongolia 6.23 Flawed democracy Semi-presidential system, republic
    70 Dominican Republic 6.20 Flawed democracy Democratic republic, representative democracy
    71 Malaysia 6.19 Flawed democracy Constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy
    71 Zambia 6.19 Flawed democracy Republic
    73 Macedonia 6.16 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic
    74 Montenegro 6.15 Flawed democracy Parliamentary republic
    75 Philippines 6.12 Flawed democracy Presidential system, constitutional republic, bicameralism
    76 Benin 6.06 Flawed democracy Republic
    77 Guyana 6.05 Flawed democracy Semi-presidential system, republic
    78 Ghana 6.02 Flawed democracy Presidential system, constitutional republic
    79 Ukraine 5.94 Hybrid regime Semi-presidential system, republic
    80 Hong Kong 5.92 Hybrid regime Quasi-presidential Autonomous region with limited suffrage, unicameralism
    81 Singapore 5.89 Hybrid regime Parliamentary republic
    82 Guatemala 5.88 Hybrid regime Presidential republic
    83 Bangladesh 5.86 Hybrid regime Parliamentary republic, unitary state
    84 Bolivia 5.84 Hybrid regime Presidential republic, unitary state
    84 Honduras 5.84 Hybrid regime Constitutional republic
    86 Malawi 5.82 Hybrid regime Republic
    87 Albania 5.81 Hybrid regime Parliamentary republic
    88 Turkey 5.73 Hybrid regime Parliamentary republic
    89 Ecuador 5.72 Hybrid regime Presidential system
    90 Tanzania 5.64 Hybrid regime Republic
    91 Nicaragua 5.56 Hybrid regime Presidential republic
    92 Tunisia 5.53 Hybrid regime Republic
    93 Senegal 5.44 Hybrid regime Semi-presidential system
    94 Lebanon 5.32 Hybrid regime Confessionalist parliamentary republic
    95 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.24 Hybrid regime Semi-presidential system
    96 Uganda 5.13 Hybrid regime Presidential system, republic
    97 Venezuela 5.08 Hybrid regime Federalism, presidential system
    98 Liberia 5.07 Hybrid regime Presidential republic
    99 Palestine 4.97 Hybrid regime Semi-presidential system, parliamentary democracy
    100 Mozambique 4.90 Hybrid regime Presidential system
    101 Cambodia 4.87 Hybrid regime Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy
    102 Georgia 4.74 Hybrid regime Semi-presidential system, republic
    103 Kenya 4.71 Hybrid regime Presidential system
    104 Bhutan 4.57 Hybrid regime Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy
    105 Pakistan 4.55 Hybrid regime Islamic republic, federalism, parliamentary republic
    106 Sierra Leone 4.51 Hybrid regime Constitutional republic
    107 Kyrgyzstan 4.34 Hybrid regime Parliamentary republic
    108 Nepal 4.24 Hybrid regime Parliamentary republic
    109 Mauritania 4.17 Hybrid regime Islamic republic
    110 Niger 4.16 Hybrid regime Semi-presidential republic
    111 Armenia 4.09 Hybrid regime Presidential republic
    112 Iraq 4.03 Hybrid regime Parliamentary republic
    113 Burundi 4.01 Hybrid regime Republic
    114 Haiti 4.00 Hybrid regime Semi-presidential system, republic
    115 Egypt 3.95 Hybrid regime Transitional military junta
    116 Madagascar 3.93 Authoritarian regime Presidential system
    117 Russia 3.92 Authoritarian regime Federalism, semi-presidential system, bicameralism
    118 Jordan 3.89 Authoritarian regime Constitutional monarchy
    119 Nigeria 3.83 Authoritarian regime Federalism, presidential system
    119 Morocco 3.83 Authoritarian regime Constitutional monarchy
    121 Ethiopia 3.79 Authoritarian regime Federalism, parliamentary republic
    122 Kuwait 3.74 Authoritarian regime Constitutional monarchy
    123 Fiji 3.67 Authoritarian regime Parliamentary republic
    124 Burkina Faso 3.59 Authoritarian regime Semi-presidential system, republic
    125 Libya Libya 3.55 Authoritarian regime Transitional government
    126 Cuba 3.52 Authoritarian regime Socialist republic, single-party communist state
    126 Comoros 3.52 Authoritarian regime Federal republic
    128 Gabon 3.48 Authoritarian regime Republic
    129 Togo 3.45 Authoritarian regime Republic
    130 Algeria 3.44 Authoritarian regime Semi-presidential system, republic
    131 Cameroon 3.41 Authoritarian regime Republic
    132 The Gambia 3.38 Authoritarian regime Republic
    133 Angola 3.32 Authoritarian regime Presidential system
    134 Oman 3.26 Authoritarian regime Islamic absolute monarchy
    134 Swaziland 3.26 Authoritarian regime Absolute monarchy
    136 Rwanda 3.25 Authoritarian regime Republic
    137 Kazakhstan 3.24 Authoritarian regime Presidential system
    138 Qatar 3.18 Authoritarian regime Constitutional monarchy
    139 Belarus 3.16 Authoritarian regime Presidential system
    140 Azerbaijan 3.15 Authoritarian regime Presidential system
    141 People's Republic of China 3.14 Authoritarian regime People's democratic dictatorship, single-party communist state
    142 Côte d’Ivoire 3.08 Authoritarian regime Semi-presidential system, republic
    143 Vietnam 2.96 Authoritarian regime Socialist republic, single-party communist state
    144 Bahrain 2.92 Authoritarian regime Absolute monarchy
    145 Republic of the Congo 2.89 Authoritarian regime Republic
    146 Guinea 2.79 Authoritarian regime Presidential republic
    147 Zimbabwe 2.68 Authoritarian regime Semi-presidential, parliamentary, consociationalist republic
    147 Djibouti 2.68 Authoritarian regime Semi-presidential republic
    149 United Arab Emirates 2.58 Authoritarian regime Federalism, constitutional monarchy
    150 Yemen 2.57 Authoritarian regime Republic
    151 Tajikistan 2.51 Authoritarian regime Presidential system
    152 Afghanistan 2.48 Authoritarian regime Islamic republic
    153 Sudan 2.38 Authoritarian regime Federalism, presidential system, republic
    154 Eritrea 2.34 Authoritarian regime Semi-presidential republic
    155 Democratic Republic of the Congo 2.15 Authoritarian regime Semi-presidential republic
    156 Laos 2.10 Authoritarian regime Socialist republic, single-party communist state
    157 Guinea-Bissau 1.99 Authoritarian regime Semi-presidential system, republic
    157 Syria 1.99 Authoritarian regime Presidential system, single party, republic
    159 Iran 1.98 Authoritarian regime Islamic republic
    160 Central African Republic 1.82 Authoritarian regime Republic
    161 Saudi Arabia 1.77 Authoritarian regime Islamic absolute monarchy
    161 Equatorial Guinea 1.77 Authoritarian regime Presidential republic
    161 Myanmar (Burma) 1.77 Authoritarian regime Unitary presidential republic
    164 Uzbekistan 1.74 Authoritarian regime Presidential republic
    165 Turkmenistan 1.72 Authoritarian regime Presidential republic, single-party state
    166 Chad 1.52 Authoritarian regime Republic
    167 North Korea 1.08 Authoritarian regime Socialist republic, single-party communist state, Juche regime, police state
  • The Domino EffectThe Domino Effect Posts: 3,631MI6 Agent
    Interesting that 8 of the top 10 are constitutional monarchies.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,836MI6 Agent
    It's also interesting that that was the first comment on the internet site I found it on too
  • The Domino EffectThe Domino Effect Posts: 3,631MI6 Agent
    It's actually seven...I stand corrected! But still, interesting nonetheless.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,836MI6 Agent
    Perhaps having a non-political head of state has a calming effect on politics in a country? I'm only speculating ?:)
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,701MI6 Agent
    Tells you all you need to know, really. Yes, I'm a monarchist. :) -{
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Having lived in Austria for one year, I can assure you that there is nothing better there with the exception oft heir pastry and Schnitzel.

    For sure not their democracy compared to Germany :D
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,836MI6 Agent
    Perhaps it's just a question of temperature? :v When it's freezing outside it's not tempting to go outside and demonstrate. Instead you'd rather stay inside and write better laws or organizing society.
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,701MI6 Agent
    It's somewhat worrying that the United Kingdom is only number 18 on that list of the most democratic countries in the world given how its parliament is known as "the mother of parliaments/democracy." :#
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,836MI6 Agent
    I found this very interesting article on BBC News about the US Republican party:

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34650710
  • LoeffelholzLoeffelholz The United States, With LovePosts: 8,993Quartermasters
    8-)
    Check out my Amazon author page! Mark Loeffelholz
    "I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
    "Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,836MI6 Agent
    Loeffelholz, eloquent as always :D
  • always shakenalways shaken LondonPosts: 6,287MI6 Agent
    Have we agreed on a date here that we can start to discuss SPECTRE with out ruining it /spoiling it for others who have yet to see it ,there must be lots of us dying to praise /slag off the new film here on AJB :D
    By the way, did I tell you, I was "Mad"?
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