Thought of the Day

War to the death against the peasants.

-- Joseph Stalin justifying his policy of forced famine which killed an estimated 7 million "kulaks" in Russia in 1932-33

I come to the categorical conclusion that precisely at this moment we must give battle to the Black Hundred clergy in the most decisive and merciless manner and crush its resistance with such brutality that it will not forget it for decades to come. The greater the number of representatives of the reactionary clergy and reactionary bourgeoisie we succeed in executing for this reason, the better.

-- Vladimir Lenin, translated, found in The Unknown Lenin : From the Secret Archive (1996) edited by Richard Pipes

An injustice has been done today. I think he was found guilty because of political pressure and mobocracy - the pressure of the mob. This is bad for freedom of speech in Indonesia. I think this is a very sad day for democracy.

-- Bambang Harymurti, senior editor, Tempo magazine, on the conviction and jailing of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama ("Ahok") on blasphemy charges instigated by a political opponent.

I'm surprised by how much material is now available

-- TV report from Aftonbladet in Sweden about the quantity of antiquities being sold by Da'esh / ISIS

It was an argument between the crew and the couple who were flying in economy and wanted to be up-graded to executive

-- Portuguese air port spokesman after the BA plane was forced to divert and land

It's more than a Christmas miracle - Michael Schumacher can walk again.

-- The false statement published by Bunte magazine for which it has been ordered to pay the driver €50,000 in damages.

Slowly but surely English is losing importance in Europe

-- European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker addressing a conference in Italy. In French.

They call me The Seeker
I've been searching low and high
I won't get to get what I'm after
Till the day I die

--- The Who from The Seeker

Perhaps the most significant risk for financial markets now is the risk of complacency and self-delusion.

-- Luiz Awazu Pereira da Silva and Előd Takáts, Bank of International Settlements, May 2017

Under the right circumstances, if it would be appropriate for me to meet Kim Jong-un, I would absolutely. I would be honoured to do it.

--US President Trump 1 May 2017

After our May Day celebration yesterday, a bit more Old England: Morris Dancing.

May Day has been celebrated in England for Hundreds of years - and it has nothing to do with keeping the red flag flying.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

More about May Day:
http://www.medieval-life-and-t...
http://www.projectbritain.com/...

Bolshevism is not a policy; it is a disease. It is not a creed; it is a pestilence.

Winston Churchill, 1919.

I'm fed up with "disruptive technology." When will someone make something that makes life simpler?

- Nigel Morris-Cotterill, Head, The Anti Money Laundering Network, www.countermoneylaundering.com

You can communicate dogma but not balanced argument in 140 characters.

- Bryan Edwards, Motorsport editor, www.chiefofficers.net.