Tuesday 22 March 2011

Not many words

Posted by Tania Kindersley.

I used up too many words yesterday, and have hardly any left. This may come as a relief. I think perhaps that pith is called for, after that long wedding story.

It seems surreal and not quite possible that we are at war. I do not have anything particularly useful to add to the debate. I am torn between my inner liberal interventionist (there are days when I would go in and smash up the Generals in Burma, if the political will were there) and my more pacific pragmatist, who thinks that running into other countries never ends well. On balance, I think perhaps it was the right decision. Should the West not save the people of Benghazi if it can?

Meanwhile, Mrs Palin has gone to India. No one really knows why. I watched her being interviewed in front of a laughing audience. I'm not sure I ever saw anyone quite so perky. Asked about Libya, which she can almost certainly see from her house, she said: 'Well, there is an American convention that we do not criticise our President while on foreign soil.' She then criticised the President on foreign soil. If she were in the Oval Office, she said, there would have been a lot less 'dithering'. Call me old-fashioned, but I quite like a president who takes a little time and thought when embarking on military adventures. The thought of Mrs Palin not dithering before she picks up the red telephone makes me feel slightly unusual.

I do hope she runs, though. I would pay good money to see a primary fight between her and Newt Gingrich. My main political question: would any sentient electorate actually vote in a man named after a small amphibious creature? That's why you come here. For the BIG questions.

A few quick pictures for you.

22nd March 2

22nd March 3

22nd March 4.ORF

22nd March 5

22nd March 6

22nd March 7

22nd March 8

22nd March 10

22nd March 11

Today, even the Duchess deigned to join in the whole stick thing:

22nd March 14

For this one, just business as usual:

22nd March 13

(That little yearny face almost kills me, every time.)

The hill:

22nd March 1

A photographer once came here, looked at the hill, and said: it will be different every day. And he was absolutely right.

9 comments:

  1. The idea of Sarah Palin getting near enough to the presidency to have even a .01 percent chance at it makes my blood run cold. And not only did Newt's name not impede his election before, neither did the fact that he was running a "values" campaign while cheating on his cancer-ridden wife. My husband is of your opinion-- that the show would be worth watching-- but both of those people are so unbearable that the idea that they could either of them be in charge of my country is absolutely blood-chilling. I have so enjoyed watching Obama "dither" before deciding to commit us to a military action and I would love another four years of dithering.

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  2. Ellie - So agree, esp the bit about the awfulness of Gingrich serving his wife divorce papers while she was still IN THE HOSPITAL.

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  3. Yes, the yearny face - maybe it says "Pleeeeese can I have a biscuit instead?"

    Agree it's a good thing that Obama "dithered". Cameron seems to be in his element - I think he's been longing to "send in the gunboats" since aged c. 5. Such a difficult decision, though, attacking another country, but how could we just stand by and watch Gaddafi's bloodbath?

    Enjoyed your descriptions of events.

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  4. Sarah Palin even getting close to getting voted for anything makes me jittery. I keep thinking it can't possibly happen but then they voted Bush in...

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  5. Well at least Sarah Palin decided to spare Israel the benefit of her wisdom. That's all the Middle East needs now....

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  6. We certainly come here for the big question and for its answer as well and of course for the usual and ordinary and for the daily dose of pictures. As I said once before I look at your blog at 6 30 am before leaving for work - this is the ideal way to start the day.

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  7. Newt Gingrich is a scum bag. Sarah Palin is an idiot. That either get the amount of "air" time which they continue to do befuddles (and scares) me.
    American politics makes me think of the Lily Tomlin quote: "It's going to get worse before it gets worse."

    very appropriate word verification: criathon...

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  8. A bit of dithering (not to mention a UN resolution) before committing to military action is definitely a good thing. I keep telling myself that Sarah Palin couldn't possibly have enough support to win, but American politics never ceases to amaze me.

    The irises are beautiful.

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  9. Sarah who? Newt who? Maybe if I shut my eyes very tight they wlll just go away...dither on Obama...decisions with grave consequences need pondering...oh thank god for the pictures of the flowers, the lichen, the moss, the hill, the dogs...
    ps. I know it's dangerous to shut your eyes, things can get out of hand pretty quickly (we have a couple of rapid-growth monsters of our own in France,
    thank you for keeping us alert
    from Paris

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