Jeez some folks would fight with their toenails
When you put it like that, Paul, all other arguments fall away…
1 Like
obviously
3 Likes
Coming back to the spirit of the original post, I reckon that it is good news that there are so many contributors here who have such an absence of severe problems in daily life that we can afford to spend the time discussing what does or does not constitute a decade, and how it should be defined and by whom.
We really are very fortunate compared to many who live in other parts of the world.
2 Likes
Absolutely.
2 Likes
Oh dear @Robert_Hodge! 
Mille viae ducunt homines per saecula Romam.
(“All roads lead to Rome”)
I sometimes wish the above Latin tag might be chiselled out on a granite lintel and installed over the Pearly Gates of SF.
Or that the drybreads might soften their crusts in the milk of human kindness at this season of Goodwill.
It is possible to shoulder the several burdens of world misery and strife and, at the same time, get a little relief in humour or harmless trivia. Ain’t it?
After me, and all together now! Deep breath in! Umpty-one, umpty-two, umpty-three, umpty-four…Tumpty!
Indeed, though the question then becomes what one can do to help those less fortunate.
I donated some to the NSW rural Fire Service to help the cause a bit there and regularly support my local food bank with donations - what do others do?
I’m sure that most folks who frequent this site do their bit for their charities of choice.
We like to give support to the Maison des Familles at Poitiers Hospital who do so much to help the families of those stricken with serious illness.
Well, after a small diversion. I had one of those magnetic stickers made up to go on the side of my van: it’s name ‘Endeavour’, for various reason associated with the RN and the motto " Omnia viae … ad taverna". I missed out ‘ducunt’ deliberately as this word, to those not blessed with years of Caesar’s Gallic Wars, Ovid, Cicero et al might find the word funny and add comments in spray paint.
2 Likes
We are not running out of oil. We are running out of oil that is cheap to get out of the ground. There is oil under the deep oceans but the technology needed to extract it is prohibitively expensive.
What was Bakelite made from ? Coal ?
That’s a bit irrelevant - we need to leave the oil in the ground and find some other way of supplying our energy needs.
Otherwise Venus really will be the Earth’s twin.
1 Like
Phenol derived from benzene, and formaldehyde if my memory is right 
Edited to insert a comma - I saw what I had written was ambiguous.
1 Like
It’s a rather unappreciated word, endeavour, that seems to be gathering dust, but deserves a renaissance. The capital letter dignifies it: Endeavour.
I applaud your giving it an airing on your van where it will get attention and perhaps pique the curiosity of a few.
It has, for me, a gentlemanly/ gentlewomanly undertone, rather subdued and even slightly melancholy, but at the same time it summons up an unusual strength of purpose.
I should get out more. I will endeavour to do so. Getting Out More, my Endeavour.
2 Likes
The Oxford comma! The motto on the so-called celebratory Brexit 50p piece has been slagged off by English academe because it lacks an Oxford comma.
As for Bakelite, there is a museum of Bakelite artifacts in the Somerset village of Williton. Don’t rush … form an orderly queue
1 Like