Observations from a Hill

  Gratuitous food post tonight. The state of the world is beyond bearing at the moment and I really can't be bothered to try and make sense of any of it at this juncture; so, pictured is tonight's repast of jazz chicken curry and naan. Even though I've got all the base notes I wanted to include in the sauce, including ginger, green chilli, amchoor, etc., it still erred on the sweet side of what I had intended. Nevertheless, it ate well and this time was of my own invention and therefore not a porkie on my behalf, and so I can honestly lay claim to its invention. I've still a long way to go until I find my holy grail - the Brummagem Madras - but the joy I guess is in the quest itself. I was musing earlier on how pathetically limited the lives of stupidly-rich people must be; when they can afford anything they see at any time. No searching, no questing, no lusting after the unobtainable, and no imagination or personal creativity. How fucking boring must that get: all tha...

So, Trump's gone and pulled the trigger on the Middle East, and started what might just be the prelude to the World War that so many have speculated that one day would emerge from the region: who knows? Whatever the ultimate outcome, Trump has bought himself time and breathing space to divert attention away from his domestic politics and personal problems, not least of which is the Epstein Files issue, and the divisions that are starting to show in his MAGA base. Does he actually care about the purpose or outcome of his invasion? Of course not. Will his oft-voiced 'plans' for regime change in Iran actually happen? Of course not: the Iranian regime has been planning for the eventual death of its ageing leader and his replacement for some time, and they have sufficient powers of governmental control to seriously limit any potential popular uprising of their critics, as they have demonstrated so brutally in recent weeks and months. It is unlikely that much in the way of domest...