Peter Jackson did Merry and Pippin wrong! The film version is very funny of course but it's actually Strider (Aragorn) who says to light a fire while Sam cautions against it.
William Hayes
@williamhayes.bsky.social
Presbyterian Minister in the Midlands of Ireland. Computer geek, guitarist, hoarder of books and obscure information. Love seeing the bizarre and beautiful in the world.
A retired politician waits for his granddaughter to visit. She arrives with her deadbeat boyfriend in tow. A tragic confrontation brings up the past resulting in the deaths of both the granddad and boyfriend.
David Quantick@quantick.bsky.social · 3w agoA boy teams up with a gang of time-travelling robbers and meets legends of history with thrilling and hilarious results.
I'm hoping the Mitch McConnell story is going to turn out to be some mix of the bizarre and incendiary eg McConnell has a diary to be released upon his death that spills all the beans and shows where all the receipts are Because of that they'll try to keep him on life support until at least 2032
On a scale of 1-10 where 1 is "very intelligent" and 10 is "Giving the ability to make nuclear weapons to the state that sponsored 9/11" where would you rank this piece of very stable genius behaviour? www.bbc.com/news/article...
US to announce deal allowing Saudi Arabia a nuclear programme, reports say
The agreement would fulfil a long-held Saudi ambition but could attract concern in Israel and from some US lawmakers.
bbc.com
Given the US President's preferred form of headwear is there a possibility that a baseball cap is going to end up looking like a Nazi uniform in the future? If so, what would you recommend for summer head covering? @dieworkwear.bsky.social
With reference to Belfast and Glasgow this week - something I say from the pulpit regularly - there is no authentic Protestant identity which is not centred on Jesus Christ and his call to love both our neighbours and our enemies @stocki61.bsky.social
I keep seeing posts about the Trump regime stopping research funding I understand why climate deniers would defund climate research and why racists would remove DEI funding. Bigots are going to bigot after all. But some of it just looks like taking an axe to US science for the hell of it. Why?
Sam Vimes felt like a class traitor every time he wore it. He hated being thought of as one of those people who wore stupid ornamental armour. It was gilt by association. Sir Terry Pratchett - Night Watch
I think, unfortunately, I've got to do a Boromir on this one. "Good Omens has no sequel - Good Omens needs no sequel."
This week in 1812 Spencer Perceval became the only British Prime Minister to be assassinated. Its the least interesting thing about him. Working with hedonistic lawyer James Stephen, the devout Christian engineered one of the first slavery bans in British territory WITHOUT Parliament's approval. /1
Deva Woodly@devawo.bsky.social · 3mo agoI am sitting here fantasy story-boarding a lush tv series about the abolitionist movement that’s set in the late 1830s and called Vigilance.
The woods near us are covered in bluebells just now and they look wonderful.
Germany troop cut sends exactly the signal Trump wants to send to Russia www.bbc.com/news/article...
Germany troop cuts send wrong signal to Russia, say two top US Republicans
The chairs of the House and Senate armed services committees said withdrawing 5,000 service personnel risked undermining deterrence.
bbc.com
@mauricejcasey.com Just finished the audio book of Hotel Lux and it was great, in the midst of lots of driving round Ireland, to be immersed in those folks lives. Well done!
The daily killing of Palestinian children made in the image of God is obviously the much bigger crime but this smaller act of desecration is a symptom of the much bigger problem. A photo of an IDF soldier smashing the head of a statue of Jesus during their invasion of Lebanon.
@sannewman.bsky.social Well done! I read Julia along with the original this last couple of weeks and it was wonderful how well it knit together with 1984, enhanced it in parts, and yet also (I hope lovingly) undermined its worldview in parts.
The Supreme Grand Master smiled in the depths of his robe. It was amazing... You tell them a lie, and then when you don't need it any more you tell them another lie and tell them they are progressing along the road to wisdom. 1/2
Been thinking of how political Wonder Man was, particularly in comparison to that other great TV series - Andor Andor was political front and centre. It wore it on its sleeve Wonder Man is political in the radical Luke 15 sort of way that simply being a good neighbour is political these days.
The fall of the American Republic matches that of the Roman Republic except for one detail - The Triumvirate that destroyed the republic was 1) The richest man in the world - Crassus 2) A raping, face painted ,egomaniac - Caesar And 3) Pompey the military guy. Who is Pompey in this scenario?
Finally finished my Christmas jigsaw in time for my birthday Happy Hogswatch to all those who celebrate! :-)
The Louisiana Purchase was the largest single increase in area of the USA it added 828,000 sq mi, what would become ~ 15 states. Greenland is 836,330 sq mi This is nothing to do with minerals (they could simply buy the rights) or security (it's part of NATO anyway) It's all about Trump's legacy.
It's freezing here in Ireland and I was out the front of the church this evening casting salt over the paths and getting funny looks from the drivers going by. I felt like I should have been wearing my clerical garb and chanting in Latin or something for maximum effect.
Have we tried letting competent grown ups run the world for a change. Just a suggestion, might be worth a try...
Dear Canada, Apparently it's now ok to send your special forces south and kidnap the leader of a country that has been annoying you. You know what to do. Half of your neighbour will thank you as long as you also take the VP and the Speaker of the House. Yours, The Rest of the World
Just back from leading Carols by Candlelight. 75% totally knackered but 25% feeling very Christmassy :-) Happy Christmas everyone!
February 2025 The Burning Bush symbol from Tullamore Presbyterian Church removed during renovations. The butterflies are the table cloth underneath and not some theological peculiarity of Midlands Presbyterianism.
