Boris Johnson: Spitting Image puppet unveiled ahead of series relaunch (Autumn).

[Alan France]

But it sadly looks like fireworks were exploding before the Ammonia Nitrate exploded.

 

Once again it appears that warlords and corrupt politicians don’t work.

 

Its pretty bad when you hear a local resident say on Sky News this morning not to send aid to the Lebanon Government because they’ll steal it. What a mess.

[Blatman]

1 hour ago, Lyonspride said:

I can't stand twitter, it's the cesspit of the internet.

 

I agree for the most part, but for getting an insight to a few chosen individuals it can be both entertaining and eye-poppingly bad.

 

1 hour ago, Lyonspride said:

Of course now that Trump has made this speculation, if it turns out to be true,

 

That is a seriously long odds bet. But it seems like you're prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt? Cognitive disonance anyone?

 

Ammonium Nitrate, when left, will attract water. This congeals the powder/granules into one large rock. If ignited it is actually far more explosive in this form. 

The AN had been in storage for a few years. Even in the desert they get condensation. I'm betting a significant part of the stored material was in fact one large lump.

I suspect Trumps take is a mis-reading or a mis-understanding of the generally accepted situation at this time:

 

Quote

The disaster was preceded by a large fire at the Port of Beirut, on the city's northern Mediterranean coast. In videos posted on social media white smoke could be seen billowing from Warehouse 12, next to the port's huge grain silos.

Shortly after 18:00 (15:00 GMT), the roof of the warehouse caught alight and there was a large initial explosion, followed by a series of smaller blasts that some witnesses said sounded like fireworks going off.

 

 

Full story here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-53668493

No bias required for this one.

 

The article includes this:

 

Quote

Experts say that ammonium nitrate is relatively safe when stored properly. However, if you have a large amount of material lying around for a long time it begins to decay.

The real problem is that over time it will absorb little bits of moisture and it eventually turns into an enormous rock," Andrea Sella, professor of chemistry at University College London, told the BBC. This makes it more dangerous because if a fire reaches it, the chemical reaction will be much more intense.

Ammonium nitrate has been associated with deadly industrial accidents. In 1947, a ship carrying 2,000 tonnes of the chemical exploded in Texas, killing 581 people.
 

 

 

And this:

 

A fire appears to have triggered the explosion of the ammonium nitrate in Beirut.

Lebanese broadcaster LBCI and Reuters news agency cited sources as saying the fire was started by welding work being carried out on a hole in Warehouse 12.

The port's general manager, Hassan Koraytem, confirmed that maintenance was conducted on the door of the warehouse before the explosion.

"We were asked to fix a door of the warehouse by State Security and we did that at noon, but what occurred in the afternoon I have no idea," CNN quoted him as telling OTV.

 

[Lyonspride]

On 06/08/2020 at 18:03, Alan France said:

But it sadly looks like fireworks were exploding before the Ammonia Nitrate exploded.

 

Once again it appears that warlords and corrupt politicians don’t work.

 

Its pretty bad when you hear a local resident say on Sky News this morning not to send aid to the Lebanon Government because they’ll steal it. What a mess.

Well, I won't be going there for new years, most boring fireworks ever made, all the same colour. 🤣

[jeff oakley]

I have money on Trump winning again as the opposition is just playing into his hands. To us he is a nut job but as a president to those who voted for him he is delivering and the items he cannot is down to the Democrat party line to object to everything he does.

 

He is a loose canon but his comment about the cause of the explosion has now been suggested by the president of Lebanon to have been one which was no accident, but at the moment no one knows. Trump was told by a number of generals it could not just blow up so in his mind instead of waiting he shot his mouth off.

 

We have friends in the US and outside of the metropolitan bubbles he has support but it is a bit like with Brexit, anyone saying they supported it and him get abuse so they say nothing and will give their view in November.

The police and military especially support him from their lobby groups.

 

But a bit like Labour it appears the Dems do not want to win. Put up a weak opponent who has a lot of racist baggage, supporting segregation for example in the past, appearing a bit handsy with young girls. Then they have so many Dem areas supporting defunding the police. Then the gun issue which last figures I saw suggested that 67% of the public want to keep the right to own a gun, a similar number want more control on things like machine guns, but to go for the NRA and to even suggest that they want to restrict gun ownership, is not a vote winner.

Throw in the large religious groups opposed to abortion and it is a mess.

 

My gut feel is the Dems knew they stand a chance of losing, so no front runner will stand up until 4 years time when it will be two new candidates. If Biden wins then he will be replaced inside the first term on ill health which is why they still have not got the running mate settled yet. Get the wrong one and they are in front for four years time.

 

But back to the main subject, "Spitting image" was so successful because they had great writers who did not take sides. They ridiculed Maggie, Tebbit as a thug, her cabinet as weak sheep but equally made Kinnock look an idiot as well as everyone being sprayed when Roy Hattersley spoke along with the Queen and the Queen mother being an old soak. If they change that into what Lyonspride suggest then it will fail.

[Blatman]

51 minutes ago, jeff oakley said:

the Queen and the Queen mother being an old soak.

 

Wasn't it Princess Margaret they lampooned as a soak rather than The Queen?

[jeff oakley]

my memory is the Queen mother rather than the Queen

[Blatman]

It was definitely the Queen Mother but you said the Queen as well. I don't think even Spitting Image would lampoon the Queen as a drinker. I think they drew the line there. But I'm off to Youtube for a gander...

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

...and the president’s brain is missing would take on a whole new life!

[DonPeffers]

2 hours ago, Blatman said:

It was definitely the Queen Mother but you said the Queen as well. I don't think even Spitting Image would lampoon the Queen as a drinker. I think they drew the line there. But I'm off to Youtube for a gander...

https://www.businessinsider.com/queen-of-england-cocktails-2017-8?r=US&IR=T#:~:text=Queen Elizabeth II drinks four,glass of Champagne before bed.

 

"The Queen of England drinks 4 cocktails every day".

 

"The INSIDER Summary:

Queen Elizabeth II drinks four cocktails a day, including one before lunch.

The queen celebrates mid-morning with a glass of gin and Dubonnet on the rocks with a slice of lemon.

She follows it up with a glass of wine at lunch and then a dry martini.

Queen Elizabeth sips on a glass of Champagne before bed."

 

At 94 years of age quite admirable IMO and who is going to tell her to do otherwise?

[jeff oakley]

9 hours ago, Blatman said:

It was definitely the Queen Mother but you said the Queen as well. I don't think even Spitting Image would lampoon the Queen as a drinker. I think they drew the line there. But I'm off to Youtube for a gander...

Sorry my bad explanation. I meant they lampooned every one including the queen and the family Who can forget the ears on Charles? 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

16 hours ago, jeff oakley said:

Sorry my bad explanation. I meant they lampooned every one including the queen and the family Who can forget the ears on Charles? 

 

Or Phil the Greek!

 

Used to love Spitting Image in it's hayday.