[Bones McCoy]

Au Cointreau!

There is a fairly large Italian community in Glasgow, having initially settled in Paisley. Many have roots in the Garfagnana city of Braga in norther Tuscany. Braga is exquisitely lovely. Paisley, perhaps less so.

Not just initially. My sister, from Paisley (but who now lives in Inverkip) married a man from Barga. Some years ago, they both took my wee mammy on a visit back to Barga. It’s a beautiful town, with many Scots cultural connections, but alas, Mum didn’t fully enjoy the visit because the language barrier sometimes left her feeling a bit stranded.

I’d not necessarily disagree with you on the relative aesthetic merits of Barga and Paisley - Barga is magnificent, but don’t be dismissing my home town. It has some magnificent architecture.

Some imposing mills, an Observatory and a massive Railway station (through no connecting service to the nearby Railway).

[The Weeping Angel]

[Abernathy]

Some imposing mills, an Observatory and a massive Railway station (through no connecting service to the nearby Railway).

Not forgetting the 12th century abbey, the finest gothic revival church in Europe, the glorious museum and library, the Russell Institute building, the town hall, the original John Neilson school building, and numerous other examples. Even Gilmour Street railway station is one of the nicest in the country, though I’d not call it massive (not sure what you mean about no connecting service to the nearby railway). We can gloss over the shit eyesore shopping centre built over the river in the 1960s.

[kreuzberger]

Not just initially. My sister, from Paisley (but who now lives in Inverkip) married a man from Barga. Some years ago, they both took my wee mammy on a visit back to Barga. It’s a beautiful town, with many Scots cultural connections, but alas, Mum didn’t fully enjoy the visit because the language barrier sometimes left her feeling a bit stranded.

I’d not necessarily disagree with you on the relative aesthetic merits of Barga and Paisley - Barga is magnificent, but don’t be dismissing my home town. It has some magnificent architecture.

One of my life-long Glasgow pals is from that community, and he tells wonderful stories about their history. His grandfather had a chippy, for example, and when wartime internment started, the cops came for him, but the locals had him released so that they still had summat decent to eat.

He also claims that his great-grandfather was actually on a passage from Braga to America, but when they berthed at Gourock, they were told that they had arrived at their destination and slung off the boat. I believe that one, too.

[satnav]

A member of the Trump cult was on the news earlier saying that it was unfair that Trump was fact checked and Harris wasn't. I think the interviewer want to say that may be that's because Trump is a serial liar but in the end he bit his lip and gave a more measured response. In a similar vein I've seen plenty of memes along the lines of 'Fact Checking is the new censorship'.

I think last night was the most rattled I've ever seen Trump in a debate. It reminded me of when Johnson used to get up at PMQ's chuntering about being cross-examined by a barrister. I reckon he will chicken out of future debates and rely on lots of rallies in swing states preaching to the converted.

[Watchman]

[I thought it was cos Ibrox Asda wouldn't riskk stuff that the Bishop of Rome might nibble/]

Dr Mcoy wins the “The Spot the Bloke being too clever” award

[Oboogie]

Au Cointreau!

There is a fairly large Italian community in Glasgow, having initially settled in Paisley. Many have roots in the Garfagnana city of Braga in norther Tuscany. Braga is exquisitely lovely. Paisley, perhaps less so.

Which is why it wouldn't be regarded as "foreign food", which was Watchman's point.

I thought it was cos Ibrox Asda wouldn't riskk stuff that the Bishop of Rome might nibble.

Ah, Catholic food! At my primary school in Birmingham the best dinner of the week was what we called "Catholic fish" which we were always served on Fridays but, other than that, I have no idea what Catholic food might be.

[Abernathy]

@ Kreuzberger :

The name of the own is Barga, not Braga. Sorry to pull you up, but you’re a serial offender.

[Abernathy]

A member of the Trump cult was on the news earlier saying that it was unfair that Trump was fact checked and Harris wasn't. I think the interviewer want to say that may be that's because Trump is a serial liar but in the end he bit his lip and gave a more measured response. In a similar vein I've seen plenty of memes along the lines of 'Fact Checking is the new censorship'.

I think last night was the most rattled I've ever seen Trump in a debate. It reminded me of when Johnson used to get up at PMQ's chuntering about being cross-examined by a barrister. I reckon he will chicken out of future debates and rely on lots of rallies in swing states preaching to the converted.

More likely is that what Harris said was also being fact-checked. It's just that nothing she said was found to be a fucking ridiculous lie like the ones Trump came up with.

[kreuzberger]

This was an opportunity also open to British broadcasters just three months ago. Setting in action a bunch of eager interns to check every word being uttered, especially by Ricky Shortcomings and Mel Strode (née Stride).

Aye, they chose not to.

[The Weeping Angel]

@Tubby Isaacs

[Abernathy]

Apparently, Trump has just announced that he will not do any further televised debates with Kamala Harris. After last night's bin fier of a performance from Trump, this is unsurprising.

[Abernathy]

BBC said that he was repeatedly rising to the bait Harris offered up. If he'd stuck to "I have a plan and it'll be paid for by these tariffs", it would have been dull but he might have managed it. Instead we got surly grandad at Thanksgiving/Christmas wittering on about any old shit.

This is so true. Instead of ignoring Harris's jibe that people were leaving Donald's rallies early through sheer boredom and fatigue and debating further on criticism of Harris's record as Veep as any competent politician would do, he couldn't resist wading into yet another assertion about his phenomenal crowd numbers and popularity.

Harris's bait was taken by him, hook, line, and sinker.

[Abernathy]

I get all the appeal to people whose education was effectively denied them by previous generations of GOP arseholes, but even so - I can only assume a lot of people who will vote for him have never actually seen him speak, or at least have never really listened. Because he is well past the stage where he just doesn’t make sense. At all. It’s just absolute gibberish.

And even someone lacking an education would be able to recognise someone who literally cannot answer questions.

Maybe tonight will shift things and he’ll look as old and lacking in faculties as he quite obviously is, and it will be impossible to ignore against Harris.

I also think that as well as the educational/intellectual deficit present in nearly all Trump supporters., that in itself may also lead those supporters to be excited and taken in by the razzamatazz factor that characterises American politics (particularly presidential politics) - the Corbynesque rallies, the bands, the banners, the MAGA baseball hats, the campaign buttons ,the balloons, the golden baseball boots, for fuck's sake. They're sort of enchanted by it all. And it all serves to fuel the fanatical devotion of the poorly educated to the Donald.

[Andy McDandy]

There was a strong element of the carnival about the mob assembled on January 6th. Buffalo headdress man for a start. Some of the testimonies read like "we were just told it would be a fun day; turn up, do some protesting, overthrow the government...".

[Philip Marlow]

https://thebaffler.com/latest/in-the-green-zone-beck

THE FIRST LEADER of post-Saddam Iraq was a white American in khaki chinos, a navy-blue blazer, and combat boots.

It’s probably too early for an autopsy of the The War on Terror - when it comes to the nature of the past I’m a Faulkner boy - but an initial appraisal of the stomach contents turns up some infuriating stuff.

During his time in Baghdad, Bremer lived in what came to be known as the Green Zone, a fortified, ten-square-kilometer compound nestled into a bend in the Tigris River. Completely surrounded by blast walls and barbed wire, the Green Zone was the safest place in the city, home to soldiers, private contractors and mercenaries, civilian administrators, translators, and other Iraqi support staff. Many of them never set foot outside the Green Zone while in Iraq. Why would they? Outside its walls, the streets were choked with traffic and debris, the brutal heat was inescapable, and the risk of being kidnapped or caught in some firefight was high. Inside, however, were all the amenities of home: air-conditioning, swimming pools, movie nights, laundry service, bars, a dance club, and boxes of Frosted Flakes at the breakfast table. Bible study happened on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. The “Hash House Harriers” organized group runs around the compound. Women deployed to the Green Zone (there weren’t many of them) sometimes packed hot pants and heels for dancing at the al-Rashid on weekends.

Reminds me of a withering Robert Fisk bit about Highway 8 (‘throat cutting country’) versus the visiting dignitaries being flown in and out of the Green Zone by helicopter. ‘They don’t take Highway 8. We have to.’

[Andy McDandy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moNodUjay5Y

This came to mind.

[kreuzberger]

@ Kreuzberger :

The name of the own is Barga, not Braga. Sorry to pull you up, but you’re a serial offender.

Just the once, m'lud and that was a slip of the fat fingers. (I Town my own mistakes.)

I have been there too and absolutely loved the place. Turning up after a full drive fae Glasgow, I looked like a bucket of bollocks and got a shave and a haircut on the town square, while 1.5 was buying torta di faro, bread, and olives, and while saltire bunting was being hung out for the annual Scottish friendship festival.

That was an afternoon and a half.

[Abernathy]

@ Kreuzberger :

The name of the town is Barga, not Braga. Sorry to pull you up, but you’re a serial offender.

Just the once, m'lud and that was a slip of the fat fingers. (I Town my own mistakes.)

AHEM.

here is a fairly large Italian community in Glasgow, having initially settled in Paisley. Many have roots in the Garfagnana city of Braga in norther Tuscany. Braga is exquisitely lovely. Paisley, perhaps less so.

He also claims that his great-grandfather was actually on a passage from Braga to America, but when they berthed at Gourock, they were told that they had arrived at their destination and slung off the boat. I believe that one, too.

[Bones McCoy]

Some imposing mills, an Observatory and a massive Railway station (through no connecting service to the nearby Railway).

Not forgetting the 12th century abbey, the finest gothic revival church in Europe, the glorious museum and library, the Russell Institute building, the town hall, the original John Neilson school building, and numerous other examples. Even Gilmour Street railway station is one of the nicest in the country, though I’d not call it massive (not sure what you mean about no connecting service to the nearby railway). We can gloss over the shit eyesore shopping centre built over the river in the 1960s.

The railway bit's a brain fade on my part. I meant "No connection to the airport".

I'll admit I've not visited the centre anything like as much as it deserves.
There is a fantastic "Fountain park" close to St Mirren's old ground which deserves to be on any itinary.
So does the water mill, now a hotel, and falls (Hammils) on the White Cart.

A highlight for several years was the start point of the Monte Carlo rally.
One of those unexpected pleasures to be commuting home, and share the road with a 1230 Bentley or a '50s MG.