hypatia_66

It's come round again — 1st of August. York is busy, the tourists are back and it's hell trying to keep socially distanced in narrow streets. But to the west for the unfortunate cities of West Yorkshire there is an increase in Coronavirus and lockdown, just in time for Eid — it's the equivalent of cancelling Christmas.

This is a Russian boys choir, the Glinka Choral College, St Petersburg (I think). This beautiful blond looks about 14, but can't be. Listen to him sing about 2.50 minutes in. The rest is worth hearing too.

Age: 69
Bed size: king size? (5 foot, anyway)
Dog name: no pets.
Eye colour: brown
Favourite colour: bluebell blue
Ghosts exist: no.
Height: 5’5” or 1.66m
Instrument you play(ed): not a musician.
Jealous type: not particularly.
Kids: none.
Longest relationship: husband, known since 1966, married since 1972 (one sister and one friend known longer, 1954 and 1957 respectively).
Mood currently: pissed off.
Night owl: no.
Overnight hospital: three times – aged 3 or 4 (don’t know why, but kept in isolation), aged 9, for tonsils, aged 12 for appendix.
Pet peeves: young men riding bikes on the pavement.
Right- or left-handed: left for writing, right for nearly everything else.
Siblings: two sisters, both younger.
Top two TV shows you watch: ‘Have I got news for you’ (BBC. Humour about the week’s news), ‘University challenge’ (BBC quiz for university students).
Vacation plans?: none – we’re in lockdown.
Who will play along?: play along what?
XBox or PS4: no idea what they are.
Yummy foods you like: smoked salmon (and champagne), chicken tagine, duck casserole, veg curry, panna cotta, mango, crème caramel
Zoo Favourites: never go to zoos.

jantojones This is for you, hope it improves another day in lockdown. Happy birthday!

Some assassinations in history set in train a sequence of unintended consequences — like the completely pointless murder of Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914 which lit the touchpaper that led to the conflagration of World War. Assassination never achieves the absurd short-term aims the perpetrators hope for.

The murder of a charismatic Iranian general is the equivalent of killing someone regarded as an icon in our own society — like Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King. The UK hasn't had many high-profile assassinations, but here it would be someone like Winston Churchill or Queen Elizabeth. The anger in Iran must be immense.

The Middle East is like Australia's forests, tinder dry, heating up and liable to burst into flame. If this is an attempt to distract attention from the impeachment trial, it's quite likely to work, but will there be enough water to put out the blaze if it spreads?