To my British Friends:

My condolences for this terrible act of violence. You will be in my prayers. I wish that there was SOMETHING that I personally could do to help. All I can do from here is try to help you put today's events in their proper perspective. On September 11, 2001 I experienced the horror, the revulsion that I'm sure that many of you are feeling. I asked myself, "Why? What have these people done to deserve such a fate? Why would a loving God let this happen?" I still don't have the answers to those questions. Perhaps there are no answers. But that is not what I'm trying to get at; rather I want Britons to remember their proud nation's beleagured past.

The terrible violence wrought by the IRA in years past, the near total destruction of London during the Battle of Britain during WWII. None of these things broke the British spirit. Even farther in the past, the Norman conquest, or the Roman occupation remind us that Britain has seen its share of dark days. But they have always passed. ALWAYS. This time shall be no different. The British are a tough as nails, resolute people, perhaps more so than any other. These bombings will do nothing to harm your nation's spirit. The perpatrators did not achieve their goal. These acts of violence will only serve to unite the British people behind a common cause. There is nothing so mighty as a democracy enraged. Whoever was responsible for these terrorist acts is going to find that out the hard way, I assure you. On September 11, it was said by many people in your country, "Today we are all Americans." Though I wish that the events that compel my sentiments had never occured in the first place, I am nonetheless proud to say, "Today, we are all Britons." Again, my heartfelt sympathy is with my British brothers and sisters.

To brighten your spirits, here are some inspiring quotations from Sir Winston Churchill:

One ought never to turn one's back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half.

To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day.

We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire. Neither the sudden shock of battle nor the long-drawn trials of vigilance and exertion will wear us down. Give us the tools and we will finish the job.

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.

Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy

All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in single words: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.

Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events.

I'd say that, if there is anything we can all do, it's to help make sure that when our countries do unite, it's behind a policy that realises that the way to defeat the bombers is to behave properly towards the large populations from which they try to draw support. When people are treated fairly, they are not prey for the psychopaths and cult-builders who'd want to kill anyone who disagrees with them.

Sir Winston, isn't I imagine, everyone on Du's cup of tea but the Old Maverick was certainly an inspired and skilful wartime leader and has surprisingly wise and moderate things to say about war, as your quotes remind us.

The Skin

We appreciate you.

your sig pictures yourself ?

They're delightfully disturbing.

I came across a delightful little site a few months back showing the Muppets... well doing things that you never saw on the Muppets Show :)

When I first came across my current signature picture I think I laughed for about an hour at the horror and absurdity of it.

Here are some links to previous sig pics that you might like to see/have (in case you want to save them to your PC):









From Arrested Development...


...and in all it's glory...

Those are great !!!
I LOVE The Muppets, Beaker is my favorite, one of my cats is named after him.

You might appreciate this exchange, start with this post :

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4039746&mesg_id=4040139

what is it of (apart from the obvious). who took it or is it a 'created' picture. the resolution on my computers a bit fucked so can't make it out too well.

Not my handiwork though. There was a famous Vietnam photo of a South Vietnamese Chief-of-Police executing a suspected Vietcong guerilla.

Ernie looks surprisingly happy though.