All true, but we are talking a complete ban here. Just staggered in its implementation. If you are fourteen today, as things stand you'd be able to but tobacco products in four years time on your 18th birthday. Under the new legislation by the time you reach 18, the minimum age of purchase will be 1...

The papers are all crowing over themselves this morning, sucking their own dicks because a judge has found in favour of some Cruella da Ville lookalike headmistress who has banned kids from having self organised prayer sessions in her school, where some two-thirds of the pupils are of the Muslim fai...

3rd episode in and still a bit undecided. The girl lead is not quite heavyweight enough for me - she's just not convincing as someone who could survive even for the brief period she has been out. I'm staying with it, but this isn't The Last of Us , and there's no point in pretending that it is. One ...

Does it ever occur to you that we might not be the good guys? I once worked very briefly, alongside a man who'd served in the army during second Gulf War, during which time he proudly told me, he'd spent his days "killing towel-heads." This guy was a grunt, but it would be a mistake to bel...

Why is Ben Wallace in today's Telegraph, saying that "Iran must be hit back twice as hard", as a response to its 'attack' on Israel? Last time I looked Ben Wallace was no longer defence secretary. He quit the job in order to be 'closer to his family' (or whichever bollocks excuse he decide...

And the little dog! Don't forget the little dog!

I'm lucky on that score. I have about a two hour maximum window for gaming before I loose interest and have to go do something else. Doesn't matter what game it is (though I've never played a MMORPG, so that might be different). (Incidentally - playing Metro Exodus at the moment and am so impressed ...

Finished it last week. Another roller-coaster ride, not for the fainthearted, but boy, ticking all the boxes. Can't say too much for fear of spoilering - but I'm thinking that you'll be more than happy SB. Similar trick as with the first book, in that the story jumps around on about 4 different stor...

Israel has killed a top Iranian Revolutionary Guard official and eleven other high ranking officials. It has made a direct strike onto (effectively) Iranian territory, and in return has recieved a telegraphed attack with yes, 300 drones, but none of them supersonic and all easily picked out of the s...

For anyone who was a fan of the two Ripley films, based on the character and stories of the Patricia Highsmith novels, this Netflix series is going to be a must. I'm three episodes in and can confirm that Andrew Scott is bringing his own twist to the notorious antihero, leaning perhaps more toward t...

I'm second show in now and as I hoped, it's finding its groove a bit. The young female protagonist is a bit squeaky clean for my taste (even though I accept she's fresh out of the vault and is supposed to be), but I dare say I'll get used to her. I do like the way that they are including little nods...

Now on the domestic front....... The ownership of Thames Water have run up massive debt for the privatised utility company, borrowing money to the tune of billions of pounds, which instead of investing in the future needs of the company, in terms of infrastructure maintenance and development, they s...

The drone attacks, while making a good display for the Iranian domestic audience, seems to have been more designed as theatre than a serious strike. Iran has some serious ballistic missile capabilities that do not appear to have been used. These highly accurate and extremely powerful weapons would e...

Saw the first episode and enjoyed it. As Av says, seems like a pretty basic Fallout story, with good replication of the vault interiors, and in particular the exit station (yellow handrails and all). I'm liking the way the Brotherhood is presented; I didn't join that faction in the game, so don't kn...

I saw an international relations commentator the other day, remarking on the Israeli response to the Ayatollah's threatened response to the Damascus strike. He said that it ran essentially as follows - that any direct attack from Iran on Israeli territory would demand an appropriate response. The wo...

Another indicator of Ericsson's mastery of his art is the way he has managed to change tack, but retain the same 'feel' between Gardens and the second book, Deadhouse Gates . Somewhere else you guys said that the author was capable of maintaining the quality of the first offering, and boy did Gates ...

Ha! Found you at last! :lol: Yes - one hell of a start to a series. It's unforgiving and pitches you in like a mewling babe into the fray. The book is like a jigsaw, thrown up into the air with all the pieces flying at random - which then upon landing, suddenly fall into the completed whole. A very ...

Mmmm...... That's a tricky one Orlion. Remember that the moment this war is over it's not just Netanyahu's political career that's over - he's also likely to be headed to prison on corruption charges. He's dependent not only on a continuation of hostilities but also on an escalation. The attack on t...

Joe Biden says that he is committed to defending Israel should Iran retaliate for the killing of one of their senior revolutionary guard members in the Damascus strike. Russia in turn, would be almost forced to step in, in support of Iran, and then you have all the conditions met for a full scale co...

Amen to that Orlion. Or as Orwell put it, if you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - for ever. I become increasingly convinced by the day that our globalist leaders are prepared to see all the world at war, for no purpose other than to protect the Western/American...