This was a criticism that the Nazis used against liberal democracies. They saw this as a fatal weakness and used it as a justification for keeping in power themselves, once they had achieved it.
Various dictators have said much the same as well.
However, looking at the track record of democracies vs dictatorships or single party states, I think that the data will show that pluralist democracies typically last longer.
Hell, that's going back a way. I don't think that I have heard one of those since the 90s. They really haven't aged well - not that they were exactly the height of PC humour back then.
What's the difference between a shopping trolley and an Essex girl?
A shopping trolley has a mind of its own.
This is a noted issue with Ticks. When removing them, unless you do it properly, you may end up with the mouthparts left embedded in your skin.. However, even with those, the body will usually deal with it without too many problems.
Mosquito proboscii are much smaller and so I would not anticipate any issues for anyone with a functioning immune system to deal with without ever noticing.
I don't think that I ever did feel like a kid when I went back to my parents for Christmas. Instead, it felt cloying, cluttered and claustrophobic - and as far as I can tell, it is entirely coincidental that all three of those start with 'cl'. I felt out of place and constrained and it seemed irrelevant to anything else in my world. Mum and my siblings were all doing their usual things, but I felt in the same stiff, un-natural position that 'posh' visitors were always put in back when I was living there as a child. There was a sense that it was all a performance for my benefit - but one that never really convinced.
- At work - recruiting another team member, so we are not all constantly plate spinning and I might actually have chance to spend time planning.
- At home - finally getting the pictures etc up on the walls.
- Nationally - voting the Tories out.
It would depend on the setting, I'd think.
In an SF setting, then maybe: it could be the chemical qualities of blood that they need.
In a fantasy setting, then probably not: what they need is life taken from another. Blood is simply the material component of that life force.
It is the Federation's we do not discuss it with outsiders thing. It confuses time travelling Klingons.
Well, by a convenient coincidence phasing out continued human existence is beginning to look like an increasingly realistic alternative, so that's OK then.
It is fairly mild and not a big deal, but most people probably wouldn't want their 5 year old daughter saying it to their great aunt Mary.
It's my birthday - same date as a close friend too. We are having a relaxed tea and cakes on the lawn thing with other friends if the weather is up to it. Tea and cakes inside if not. I'll probably get out for a hike somewhere on the other day too.
The following weekend I am having an 'official birthday' and my SO has arranged a mystery outing to somewhere that she tells me isn't often open - hence the delay. I'm guessing some kind of specialist museum-y thing but I have no idea what exactly. Looking forward to it anyway.
That implies that the others have got complete maps - which I find much more surprising. Every time that I have had any dealings with any utility companies - which I do as part of my job - it becomes apparent very early on that they don't have anything like accurate maps in whatever area I am looking at. And not just for old lines that they inherited - as seems to be the issue here - but for things like fibre optics that I saw them lay myself just 18 months earlier.