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http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b095vp3p/horizon-2017-goodbye-cassini-hello-saturn Very much enjoyed this resume of the whole Cassini mission. Well worth watching.

Because contraception is not 100% effective. Because sometimes passion overcomes caution. Because sometimes vulnerable people give in to demands for sex and frankly, may not be calm and sensible enough to go for the morning after pill. That's before you even begin to consider rape or incest. But in the final analysis, and trumping all the other good reasons, a woman should have the right to do what she damn well pleases with her own body and the law should stay out of it as far as possible.

Cleavers is a nightmare, very invasive. I would not really call it a herb, although it can be eaten as a wild vegetable. Personally, I regard a herb as a plant used for its flavour and cleavers just tastes like bitter greens, a bit like spinach.

Well, as I remember, Rebus was pretty rock 'n roll. Did he smoke it?

I don't understand the shock either at the reality or at the reporting. As a motorcyclist, you are a human body traveling at speeds far beyond what the structure of the body has evolved to survive in the event of impact. Dismemberment, decapitation and crushing are common. It does no harm at all to be reminded of this.

Woody, your position is hardly unexpected given your usual posts on this and other subjects. I don't think you are right. I note that Verhofstadt has escalated this proposal to a negotiating objective for the EU and watch with interest.

There is EU precedent for non-binding acceptance if member states agree. It applied to the Treaty of Lisbon, for example, before full ratification. The fact is that the exit of the UK has no close precedent, and trying to predict now what might end up being agreed is foolish Protecting the rights of EU and UK citizens has always been a major policy heading in the negotiation, and extending the right of individual membership to UK citizens could form part of the ratified agreement, But even if treaty change was required, it wouldn't make it pointless just because it might take some time to negotiate. Frustrating yes, but not pointless. I am far more fearful that the U.K. Government will block the provision in U.K. Law, in an attempt to impose some sort of national unity.

Originally it was destined for the paper on treaty change, but if you read this new report, Verhofstadt considers it too important and pressing to leave for treaty change, and intends to table it as part of the negotiations.

Individual EU Associate Membership. I now consider that Guy Verhofstadt and the EU will be the ones who are negotiating in my interests as a European citizen and that Mrs May will be the one who is negotiating my rights away. This way, the 48% of us who voted to remain would have a way to keep some of the rights we currently enjoy. I would take the opportunity without a second thought, even if I had to opt-in to a European Union tax in order to do it. If the U.K. Blocks this, I would definitely be prepared to take to the streets in protest. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-eu-citizenship-keep-freedom-of-movement-guy-verhofstadt-chief-negotiator-opt-in-passports-a7465271.html

Just chill and have a doobie, Inspector.

Mar y Lago probably. But the Kissinger meeting recalls a certain other presidency that ended badly.

Another superb meeting for Trump to have today! He's on his way .....

Nope, Tarne, I am not saying that. I thought his very public re-opening of the HC email server enquiry was utterly appalling. The point is that Trump is on record as being delighted about that. The other point is that he is sacking the guy who is investigating the Russian connection to Trump's campaign for an utterly implausible reason.

I think Trump is about 50 - 60 % fucked now. If and when the Republican majority in Congress changes, he'll be 100% fucked. His reasons for sacking Comey are utterly implausible. He actually praised Comey's bravery and integrity when Comey publicly re-opened his investigation into HC's email server. Who's Trump been talking to the day after? Oh, Sergey Lavrov. What a surprise.

New corgi. Harry has been revealed as a wizard. Abdication.

Yes, a managers house, boathouse and some holiday accommodation. Also a kayaking center of some kind, presumably managed by said manager and storing kayaks in the boathouse. All quite low key, possibly even anticlimactic as I seem to remember a modest fanfare for the plans at the early stages.

under 2% is the uk's income from wto rules according to the treasury uk is a member, has a seat just doesn't have an account... Do you mean 2% of the UK's export income derives from exports under WTO rules?

Woody here is the WTO source for tariffs. Obviously, the UK doesn't appear on the tables at present as it trades as the EU under WTO rules outside the union. Can't see anything resembling 2% on any off the tables. The tariffs vary greatly but appear a lot more than 2%. https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tariffs_e/tariffs_e.htm

ffs based on what? wto is cheaper.... To be honest, Woody, this is getting a bit tedious. It ought to be obvious that if I preface something with 'I'd be very surprised if ....' that what follows is my opinion based on the redlines the EU has already flagged up. Can you provide facts to back up your assertion that the World Trade Organisation would be cheaper? Because I don't think there are any certainties around any of the BREXIT outcomes. We abandoned the fully understood option for trade when we decided to leave.

I agree that NATO and nuclear deterrence kept the peace throughout the cold war as regards war with the Soviet Union and China. I am talking about war within Western Europe, which was far from a given during the 20th Century and is now just that bit more likely than it was. The importance you place on sovereignty depends on how you perceive it. I favour a United States of Europe, and my hope is that the EU will evolve into something with a more developed democratic structure than at present. We are now unlikely to part of it. Naturally, there will be those that applaud that and those that, like me, mourn it.

I'd be very surprised if there is any departure from the EU's stated position that we cannot have a trade agreement that allows access to the free market without a quid-pro-quo on free movement of people. I'd be very surprised if there is no financial settlement between the EU and the UK. Gibraltar and Ireland will have to be addressed. There will be an issue about Scotland and the unity of the UK. Sure, we could walk away and revert to the WTO Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, but we would be a lot worse off as a nation and we would still face all the internal issues of unity such a brutal exit would pose. The ideal and entirely democratic solution would be to submit the negotiated agreement to a referendum and for the agreement to include a clause calling the whole thing off if the referendum so decides. Then the British electorate could make an informed decision. And yes, that would include a huge cost, but that is the penalty for collective poor decision making.

Well that goes for everything, doesn't it? I was quoting EU responses to the UK invocation of article 50. The full text has been reported in the press. I wasn't quoting media op ed.

so just bullshit then as you have nothing to backup your claims.... Woody, there's no need to insult me. The point is that I'm backing up my statement about the elephant in the room with facts that have been well reported in the press, viz. the EU's documented responses on the issues I've quoted.

@woody I don't want to bloat quote, but yes, see my post 1584 and also the press over the last few weeks since the article 50 letter was delivered.

Sounds like more of the usual unfounded gloominess. Hardly unfounded. We have invoked article 50 and set out our negotiating position and received responses from the EU citing exactly those issues as red lines. I am gloomy, it's quite true. Gloomy at losing my rights as an EU citizen, gloomy about the UK leaving the European project, gloomy at turning the clock back to a 19th century Europe of nation states with all that followed. Above all, what the community has secured is peace in Western Europe and this is now in jeopardy. All because of a cat fight in the Tory party, as Guy Verhofstad said, and because the alienated and disaffected of the UK were lied to. I understand fully that this view will probably attract an epithet with -tard appended to it from some quarters.