DP Durlston Powell
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durlstonp.bsky.social
DP Durlston Powell
@durlstonp.bsky.social
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Semiretired Systems Engineer. Author of the other #Commander book - http://amzn.to/3orjYEi. Disillusioned F1 fan. Grassroots #EDH player. Wales, UK. He/Him
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durlstonp.bsky.social
As a policy/procurement specialist, Lagasse's proposals can't add to the bureaucracy crippling that part of MOD, or spread it into real-time operations. Being a red card holder is already challenging enough without Vietnam War era political intervention. We need a military accountable but empowered.
Description of the lecture, copied from its own webpage: ‘War is too important to be left to the generals’ (French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau). It is also too important to be left to governments alone: legislatures have an equally important role, but frequently lack the capacity or motivation to provide adequate oversight. Drawing on over a dozen case studies from across the globe, Philippe Lagassé has proposed realistic reforms to strengthen military accountability to elected officials and the public. This event will see the launch of his new co-authored book, Overseen or Overlooked? Legislators, Armed Forces, and Democratic Accountability, which will then be critiqued by two expert discussants.
November 25, 2025 at 1:31 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
Given the FBI definition of terrorism, ICE raids conducted without a judge-signed warrant would be a terrorist act, and ICE itself would be a terrorist organisation.

It could be an interesting charge to bring on the agents waiting at courts.
Terrorism definitions International terrorism: Violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups who are inspired by, or associated with, designated foreign terrorist organizations or nations (state-sponsored) Domestic terrorism: Violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature Related reports: Strategic Intelligence Assessment and Data on Domestic Terrorism: June 2023 | October 2022 | May 2021
August 15, 2025 at 4:49 AM
durlstonp.bsky.social
First Trump came for the immigrants and did you speak out - despite not being an immigrant? Now he's come for the homeless and do you speak out - despite not being homeless? When he comes for the LGBTQ will you speak out - despite not being LGBTQ? Then when he comes for you and there is no one left who will speak out for you?
August 13, 2025 at 12:41 AM
durlstonp.bsky.social
Pre-election he was talking about camps for the homeless. Voluntary camps that they could leave at any time. They would be arrested & thrown in jail if they left, but the camps were going to be 'voluntary'. The public didn't care then. They won't care now. US citizens sent to camps for being poor.
First they came for the Jews First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the communists and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak out for me. Pastor Niemöller (14 January 1892 - 6 March 1984) First Trump came for the immigrants and did you speak out - despite not being an immigrant? Then he came for the homeless and did you speak out - despite not being homeless? When he comes for the LGBTQ will you speak out - despite not being LGBTQ? Then when he comes for you and there is no one left who will speak out for you?
August 13, 2025 at 12:04 AM
durlstonp.bsky.social
If you're that far across the country, you may want to drop into Lacock (lay-cock) for an hour or so. Very 1900s British village that has been kept. The home of true photography (by Fox Talbot) rather than daguerreotypes.

Lacock, Wiltshire | National Trust share.google/aYVsV0PogukY...
The village shop in Lacock, Wiltshire. Cotswold sandstone construction. A gas lamp outside, a few signs, and an old bicycle. The house to the left looks very similar while the one to the right is red brick. All 3 have old slate tiles on their roofs. The scene is timeless & could be from 1880 to today. It's from today. Power lines, phone lines, cable, electric street lamps, and the like are all banned in the village. Modern amenities are there, but as the entire village is owned by the National Trust, they require all such mod-cons to be routed underground and not be visible. The village is frequently used for the filming of period-dramas. It's well worth a visit for an hour otlr 2. Plus, it was the site of the first silver oxide photography, i.e., film photography, and the oldest conventional photograph is of a window in Lacock Abbey (which isn't actually an Abbey, but Brits do love to add a layer of mystery to confuse tourists.
July 1, 2025 at 9:51 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
Sorry that my post upsets you. That was never my intent. Honestly.

I used the word purposely as I have seen reports from some states on the issue where there has been no mention (& so I make no assumption) of rape. What I've seen reported more closely matches most dictionaries' primary definition:
From the Merrium-Webster dictionary: Molest. mō-lest. Verb. 1. To make unwanted or improper sexual advances towards (someone), especially to force physical and usually sexual contact on (someone). He was sent to prison for molesting children. 2. Somewhat old fashioned: to annoy, disturb, or persecute (a person or animal), especially with hostile intent or injurious effect.
June 18, 2025 at 10:26 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
Really?

Though, I suppose this cop is in shape. The shape of a sphere.
Ridiculously fat US traffic cop riding his police motorbike on the highway. I mean really, really fat. Almost spherical. Imagine a 6 foot wide water melon with fatty tree trunks for legs. It looks like he's not really riding the bike, more like it's been surgically inserted between his butt cheeks. His is the only motorbike that should be forced to display a wide load sign. I'm sorry that this may not be the most respectful alt text, but it's hard to describe this cop on a bike that's so big that Jabba the Hutt would be like "Daaaamn! You be fat!" Seriously, think of an inflatable beach ball for his body with an apple balanced on the top for his head, and you'll be getting close to the horror I'm forced to look at. I regret that I'll never be able to un-see 600lbs of pure fat masquerading as a traffic cop. Never mind 3 kids in a trenchcoat trying to get into the movies. This is the whole orphanage in a ludicrously tight comedy cop's uniform.
June 18, 2025 at 9:20 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
Does youth have any link to understanding "the problems affecting the generations of the working class"?

Big Balls, Musk, Shapiro, and Carson all fall in the working age, but do any of them understand the problems of the working class? I'd take Bernie over any of them.
"Big Balls" and Elon Musk. Both are children cosplaying grownups via their doggy scam agency. Ben Shapiro. Part outrage merchant, part slimeball, all wrong. Tucker Carlson with his trademarked "worried face." This is exactly the same as all his other lunatic faces, except his mouth is closed.
May 15, 2025 at 9:47 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
Why are representatives of genocidal countries allowed to compete in Eurovision? I thought the precedent was clearly set with the dropping of Russia in 2022. Now Israel has publicly admitted it intends to annexe Gaza, the country deserves the same treatment as Russia.
Photo of the Israeli contestant for Eurovision 2025. Not that there should be an Israeli contestant. Russia was rightly kicked out for illegally invading Ukraine. Meanwhile, Israel is bombing women and children in Gaza, starving them, blocking medical aid, and using them for sniper practice. They are as bad as Russia and worse than Apartheid South Africa. Israel should be shunned.
May 15, 2025 at 8:36 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
I was going to buy Lie-Nielsen tools to match some that I already own. Except why would I buy from a country that has imposed arbitrary tariffs on the UK (which has a trade deficit with the US) when equally good Canadian tools are also available? #BoycottTrump #BoycottUSA
A boxed cabinet scraper and low angle spokeshave by Veritas (a Canadian brand).
May 7, 2025 at 4:22 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
As I thought. Very brownshirty.
A senior lady is dragged out of her seat at a town hall event by uniformed thugs after having asked a question on when her Representative would stand up for the rule of law against the Trump administration. Text above the photo says, "If you ever wondered how Hitler and his brownshirts managed to subdue the masses enough to kill 17 million people in the deathcamps without domestic opposition, look below." Text below the photo says, "They didn't. They silenced the opposition. But this photo isn't 1930s Germany. It's the USA today. Resist. Millions of lives may depend on you."
May 5, 2025 at 5:45 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
Hell, no. At least Domri got a part in the story. The dirtiest of dirty was definitely tacking Dack's name onto a random casualty list!
MTG card: Back Fayden, planeswalker.
April 30, 2025 at 10:23 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
Who cares about any other cardinal than Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa? Seriously, he could be Pope Pierbattista Pizzaballa!
Photo of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa.
April 30, 2025 at 9:42 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
When will he realise that every line on a map is artificial?
A map of the US showing Wyoming. A map of the US showing Utah. A map of the US showing Colorado.
April 28, 2025 at 5:55 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
"Follow live updates"? Seriously, AP. Do you think his condition is going to change?
The AP headline reads, "Pope Francis, the Catholic Church's first Latin American pontiff, has died. He was 88." But immediately beneath it, AP writes, "Follow live updates..." Why? Do we think that his condition may change?
April 21, 2025 at 2:59 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
No judge? Allow me to present...
Judge Aileen Cannon
March 21, 2025 at 2:35 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
We now have @aoc.bsky.social, @petebuttigieg.bsky.social, @avindman.bsky.social on bluesky. As @cherijacobus.bsky.social is calling for, they need to stake out media ground with a daily briefing. If you want to know what that looks like, @straczynski.bsky.social showed us 30 years ago!
February 16, 2025 at 1:20 AM
durlstonp.bsky.social
I found that they've turned off posting for reporting errors, but you can add photo updates. 😁
An update to the Gulf of Mexico on Google Maps, showing a map of the Gulf of Mexico clearly labelled, and the comment, "It's the Gulf of Mexico. Just because one orange idiot is trying to distract the US doesn't mean that the rest of the world has to play along with the make-believe.
February 13, 2025 at 10:52 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
Of the 17.5 million people killed by the Nazis in camps, 11 million of them were not Jewish. The Jews weren't even the largest single ethnic group killed. That was the Soviets, at 8.7 million.
January 29, 2025 at 9:10 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
On this Holocaust Memorial Day, let's not choose to ignore the 11 million non-Jewish people who were also slaughtered by the Nazis. The world needs to remember that facism doesn't limit its abhorent cruelty to whoever it gets the public to hate. Europe remembers the Holocaust.
January 27, 2025 at 8:47 AM
durlstonp.bsky.social
I can picture it now.
January 12, 2025 at 4:46 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
That the nazis killed 1.1 million there is sickening. That it was just 1 of the death camps that killed over 17 million in 5 years is mind-bogglingly disgusting. I do wonder what the 50 survivors have to say about the shift from "Never Again" to what Israel has done to Palestinians over 70 years.
A graph from statistica showing a breakdown of the people killed primarily in Nazi death camps. It is titled, "17 Million Fell Victim to the Nazi Regime." The 17 million deaths is broken down to: 6,000,000 Jews 5,700,000 soviet citizens 3,000,000 soviet prisoners of war 1,800,000 Polish civilians 312,000 Serbian civilians 250,000 institutionalised or disabled people (upper estimate) 250,000 Sinto & Roma people (i.e., travellers) (upper estimate) 70,000 repeat criminal offenders & "undesirables" (lower estimate) 3,000 homosexuals (lower estimate) 1,900 Jehovah's witnesses The graph could legitimately be criticised for bias as it groups all Jews (primarily civilians, but also any prisoners of war), making it the largest single grouping while dividing the 8,700,000 soviets into 2 distinct groups. This could be construed as pro-Jewish bias (emphasising their victimhood) or anti-soviet (playing down the reason why Russians are so triggered by claims that any other government is Nazi). Whatever the cause of bias, the top 3 data points on the graph would be better displayed as 8.7 million soviets, 6 million Jews, 1.8 million Poles, with the other groupings making up the remaining half a million people murdered by the Nazi Regime.
January 11, 2025 at 5:15 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
The national average is level 2 (according to OECD), though 18% are at level 1 or below. For reference:
The OECD defines literacy proficiency levels across six levels, from **Below Level 1** to **Level 6** - **Below Level 1**: Adults can read brief texts on familiar topics and locate a single piece of specific information. Only basic vocabulary knowledge is required. - **Level 1**: Adults can read relatively short digital or print texts to locate a single piece of information. They can recognize basic vocabulary, determine the meaning of sentences, and read short paragraphs. - **Level 2**: Adults can make matches between the text and information. They can paraphrase or make low-level inferences. - **Level 3**: Adults can read and navigate dense, lengthy, or complex texts. - **Level 4**: Adults can integrate, interpret, or synthesize information from complex or lengthy texts. - **Level 5 and 6**: These levels indicate the highest proficiency, where adults can comprehend lengthy texts, infer relevant information, perform causal reasoning, engage in reflective tasks, and deal with abstract or counterintuitive concepts.
January 5, 2025 at 3:55 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
The fat cats at the top never give a damn about the workers that they literally see beneath them. It's long overdue the time to unionise Santa's Grotto.
A cartoon-like image of elves on a picket line outside Santa's Grotto, holding up placards saying "Give us Elf care"
December 24, 2024 at 3:39 PM
durlstonp.bsky.social
I'm afraid my German written comprehension is poor, but the US press was printing unquestioning articles like this:
A long newspaper column under the headline "Reischtag Fire Blamed on Red Terrorist Plot" that parrots, at length, the Nazi line on the fire and martial law imposition. This was in papers in Pennsylvania at the time. It blithely states, 'Evidence uncovered today indicated that... [the fire] was deliberately set by a Dutch communist named Van Der Luebens, acting in concert with a number of other conspirators." It illustrates that the US media has a history of unquestioningly going along with what governments say. It's almost as if MSM has primarily been about business, not truth and rarely about holding the powerful to account.
December 24, 2024 at 12:49 PM