TIL that the original *epigones* were the sons of the seven Argive champions who attacked seven - gated Thebes during a succession dispute following the death of Oedipus. The sons could think of nothing better to do with their lives than to attack Thebes again. Isn't that interesting?

"You would be a peasant in ze gutter", as my father's old teacher used to say (he may have wished his class still were)

I think we can be pretty certain that the guys at The Vatican aren't idiots.

Not to be confused with New Great Bulgaria or Old Not - so - great Bulgaria.

Free owls are out. Free ships in bottles are in.

Glad we've cleared that up.

Who would win, Behemoth or Puss - in - boots?

"Suddenly the days before him and behind him seemed to stand, Bare and barren, fixed and fruitless, as those leagues of naked sand When St Michael's deep sinks outward to the bleak horizon bound..."

I am certainly part of the *everyone*. This is simply the nature of social media.

As though to speak shit dialogue were life...

Days of Wine and Roses and Grogu.

I smoked in the 90s and it was divine Though other people sometimes called me a swine...

What if the gunman was one of us? Hates the press - pack like one of us...

The worst Trek movie imo. Though some people would probably rate *Nemesis* or *Into Darkness* lower.

One good thing to be said about the Soviets is that they sent the girls to school.

It's bad to throw ambassadors down wells and good children shouldn't copy this behaviour.

The Easter tradition of writing *Claims that Easter was originally pagan are bullshit* articles. This respect for tradition is comforting.

Henceforth a series of new time began, The mighty years in long procession ran...

Oh no! He typed *breaking*. Doing that seems to invite the death penalty this weekend.

"It's The Garden of Eden just made for two, With no one to share our joy..."

"Dear Mrs, Mr, Miss, or Mr and Mrs Daneeka, Words cannot express the deep personal grief I experienced when your husband, son, father, or brother was killed, wounded, or reported missing in action."

I was angry with my foe, I told it not my wrath did grow...

I think Mandy Rice - Davies applies here. It's not called *Poverty Magazine* is it now?

You have to remember the unstated conviction of the median USA voter that no other country really exists (apart from Canada and Mexico).

No one goes and stands next to a target, as the old saying has it.

"I'm supportive of people with mental illness unless they upset me in any way."

Caliban's Mirror baby! I can't get enough Of all that Caliban's Mirror in my life.

If you go back far enough in time it was a bona fide continent. (Or Echo Beach. One of those two.)

Love me! Love my meme!

The robot is bound to bring something which is almost, but not quite, inedible.

Bad idea for wire pullers to keep yelling, "Hey! Look at me pulling all these wires."

Boring opinion: if people know the name of the Downing Street Chief of Staff, the CoS is not doing a good job.

One thing I learnt from Mike Dash's very entertaining book was that tulips will never again be as beautiful as they were in Rembrandt's time.

Mandelson: You knew damn well I was a snake before you let me in.

Starmer saying "Mandelson" like it's the name of the main villain in a tv show

Nice to have some figures.

If your children got teargassed today I want to hear from you

Damn! Why didn't I think of that? I'm an open borders zealot, when I remember to be.

As the Vogon guard said it's a good job. The hours are good even if the actual minutes are mostly horrible.

In memoriam I will ask the nutrimatic drinks machine for a cup of something that is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea.

Scott Adams dying at 68 rather than 69 is the perfect capstone to a life of being almost — but not quite — funny

A very happy Coptic Christmas to those celebrating!

“Every empire, however, tells itself and the world that it is unlike all other empires, that its mission is not to plunder and control but to educate and liberate.” – Edward W. Said

Among his top priorities are...

“Top priority”.

Oh well! Mustn't grumble.

"She's turned the weans against us!"

I HATE it when my family argues about politics at Thanksgiving. My House Indoril dad is yelling at my House Hlaalu cousin for being an Imperial collaborator while my House Telvanni aunt conjures a scamp inside the tofurkey and my Sixth House uncle speaks in tongues and here I am, an Ashlander.

I'm reminded of how puzzled I was about*Bosscat* when I was a child.