Jenny1

Hi TheCat. Of course no march, political protest or indeed political party is going to be perfect. You raise an interesting point about explaining the banner 'The future is female' to your son. I think if I were to discuss that with my nephew, or one of my god sons, we would agree that this slogan should not be seen as excluding them (if it was written and carried in a spirit of exclusion - then it would of course have been wrong). I think we could have an interesting conversation about how the vast majority of human history has seen men in positions of economic, social and political dominance and that this has led to a movement that fights to re-balance that history. Piers Morgan's impressions of the Washington March (and accompanying marches around the world) disagree completely with my own. He concludes that 'this march wasn't about women's rights' but was rather a 'man-hating frenzy by some very nasty women'. I doubt that's how most people will have experienced it.

The bit that you quoted Mick Mac was arguing that there's a conflict, or indeed a contradiction, between being a successful woman who gets to the top of her profession and marching for women's rights. I don't see those things as contradictory. By implying that they do conflict with each other Piers Morgan implies that 'getting ahead' is good, while campaigning for women's rights by marching isn't. That's why I made the assumption that you didn't agree with the march.

So TheCat and Mick Mac. What do you think about Mike Pence's record on women's health issues? And how would you (if you were American) feel about the incoming administration as a result of that record? Might you be moved to demonstrate to make your views felt? (no matter if you were male or female) Also specifically TheCat. Having heard the whole of Madonna's speech (as I'm sure you have) .....do you still feel Piers Morgan's interpretation to be accurate?

creme caramel becomes Angel Delight Ah. The early 70s. I remember them well. Long hot summers and tetrasodium diphosphate. Those were the days.

Seconding Sue. Thank you Catherine.

What a lovely looking walk. It's years since I last took the train to Shoreham but I'm sure this will inspire a lot of people to do just that. And I love the idea that there are 'mysterious valleys' in an area of the county so wrapped around with motorways. I remember the extensions to the M20 being built in the 70s and 80s. One reason why my parents fled the South East I think.

Thanks for posting the link to A C Grayling's talk in Bristol Frank. He's a good speaker isn't he? And reiterating points I've seen Mary Beard make elsewhere. Have sent you a PM.

...and of course I'm not for a minute suggesting that all American women will be having the same thoughts. Clearly many voted for Trump. But won't there be a fair few who see this as a potentially dangerous time - particularly for women's rights?

How do you think you'd feel if you were an American woman right now, ?????

But shouldn't the two things go hand in hand?

I don't think simply being a member of a lot of international institutions constitutes effective and economically beneficial global engagement TheCat. The point about the UK's EU membership (as far as global investors are concerned)is that it gives the UK unfettered access to a market which they want to reach as well. Investing in the UK has - until now - given them a gateway to that market. As Karan Bilimoria (founder of Cobra Beer) pointed out when he accompanied TM on that recent gig to India. He'd been part of similar delegations in the past when Indian investors had been all over them...not any more. Germany and Japan are now the favoured investment options.

But no-one's stopping you doing both.....

Great initiative Catherine W. Really good piece this morning on Woman's Hour re the global nature of this....and one woman's journey from 'slacktivist' to 'activist'. I'm that out of touch that I hadn't heard the term slacktivist before...

I agree rendelharris. And there's been quite a lot written in recent years about how inequality is bad for absolutely everyone. It doesn't even make people who have the most money any happier. That's not a new idea of course - most religions got wind of it many centuries ago. The problem is that putting this right is an ongoing, complex and difficult juggling act. Constant, vigilant regulation and tweaking of the economic system to ensure both healthy levels of innovation and activity and also adequate state-funded welfare provision for those who need it (which in the case of medical emergencies is all of us, all of the time). I don't think any of this is helped by thinking that either 'left' or 'right' has all the answers/has got it all wrong. As ever in life it's only the middle path that gets you anywhere. The problem with the middle path is that it doesn't have the catchy slogans. It's hard work, it's subtle and it acknowledges that there's no such thing as arrival at perfection, or indeed easy answers - only a constant open-minded effort to make things better.

Goodness! What a bracingly mischievous sense of humour.

Seabag Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Alan Medic Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > What are the odds on assassination? > > Shortening by the day probably. Yes, but who's? I do hope we're not back in umbrella and sushi territory.

We can't know the detail of the truth of this of course, but it's all too credible. Clearly Trump and his 'people' have spent time building relationships in Russia. Given the way the Kremlin works it would be odd if they hadn't taken the opportunity of this connection to gather as much intelligence on Trump as they could. And given who Trump is one can imagine that a lot of that intelligence would be potentially compromising. The interesting thing will be to see how the US government machine now handles this. I wonder what kind of a person FBI Director James Comey is, and what sort of pressures he's being put under.

???? Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > This Forum is like the > fooking Guardian Sometimes it is. I agree. But is it not also sometimes like the fooking Financial Times? (and I mean that in a good way.) But to be serious. I don't think this is about 'left' and 'right'. I'm sure we all hope for the continued (and indeed increased) prosperity of this country, and that this prosperity translates into the improved welfare of all of it's citizens. But I do think it's important to do all we can (principally via lobbying MPs) to ensure that this government doesn't, in it's determination to hang on to voters, prioritise ideology over economic prudence. When senior businessmen and industrialists (including major Tory donors) are warning about the dangers of this - then it's hardly a mark of a Marxist world view to agree with them, surely? I hope and pray that we come out of this in fine economic health. Who wouldn't? But that's virtually all I can do - hope. Do we not have a right to expect that those who can do more, those in power, use their brains and their influence to work for our long term prosperity and security, rather than focusing all their efforts on winning the next election?

Just seconding what Rosetta said re Celia Hammond. They're always looking for that kind of thing.

I really appreciated Simon Jenkins' books on churches and cathedrals. But I don't find his political journalism very thoughtful or convincing.

rahrahrah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > @Red Devil - From the article I linked to: > > "It is not good enough to say most forecasts were > based on an assumption of an immediate UK > notification of Article 50... Brexit uncertainty > exists regardless of when the UK informs the EU of > its intention to leave " Logically that should be the case. But have you noticed how financial markets, and the economy as a whole, often don't seem to react to the prospect of events on the horizon, but only respond when things actually happen? I'm not sure why this happens - but I have noticed it before.

Peter Lilley seems to be very happy with the idea of walking away from the EU without reaching a trade deal at all. I wonder how many other Conservatives take that view.

That sounds like a great walk BrandNewGuy. I haven't seen a song thrush in a long time, or a dunnock for that matter.

I've noticed a couple of locations in the area where there seem to be a pair a jays. This quite surprises me as I always had them down as 'shy woodland dwellers'.

Thanks for the information on the birds amac. Sounds like a great example of interesting wildlife in an unexpected spot.