Proceedings of the Castle Aching Parish Council, 1905

[Hroth]

5 hours ago, Edwardian said:

 

Oh how perfect.  Actually, I now have to work Gloom Monger as a literal trade into the world of the novel I'm writing!

 

I can see the title now.

 

"Castle Aching: The Glooming"

or perhaps

"The Glooming of Aching"

 

I just thought.  Will it be Gloomish enough for Zombies?  Its not that far from Wroxham.......

 

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by Hroth

[Compound2632]

8 minutes ago, CKPR said:

Decimal points, eh ? Aren't they're forrin ? It's fractions from now onwards.

 

Aye, foreign they are - Scottish. 

[burgundy]

8 minutes ago, CKPR said:

Decimal points, eh ? Aren't they're forrin ? It's fractions from now onwards.

 

 

My apologies CKPR. It should of course read 

The correct gauge for OO is 65/100", for EM it is 71653543/100000000" and for S4 it is 74133858/100000000". 

I hope that that helps?

Best wishes 

Eric 

[Caley Jim]

26 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Aye, foreign they are - Scottish. 

And how would you have got on in Maths without him???

 

Jim  (Mods, can we have a saltire emoji, please?)

[Ian Simpson]

53 minutes ago, Caley Jim said:

And how would you have got on in Maths without him???

 

Jim  (Mods, can we have a saltire emoji, please?)

 

53 minutes ago, Caley Jim said:

And how would you have got on in Maths without him???

 

Jim  (Mods, can we have a saltire emoji, please?)

NO! My maths teacher used to cover my trig homework with little saltire emojis ...

[Hroth]

10 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

And how would you have got on in Maths without him???

 

 

Surely Log Tables would be the province of the Woodwork Department?

 

[Edwardian]

In the news .... 

 

Words give rise to concepts. It amuses me sometimes to reflect on why certain words we use are coined in the language from which they derive and what that might say about national characteristics, though it is an exercise to be taken with the tongue firmly in cheek, I suggest.  I playfully contest that there are good reasons why, say. the Germans came up with schadenfreude, and that is no coincidence that chauvinism was a gift from the French.

 

The current diplomatic spat over Australia's decision to upgrade its submarine fleet in the light of China's recent assertiveness, which has escalated in a remarkable way by France recalling her ambassadors from two allies, the US and Australia, reminds me that the origin of the word pique is also French.  

 

Such is the overwhelming need of Élysée Palace to snub all those concerned in this moment of national humiliation that it has treated Britain with an absolutely wonderful piece of gallic snubbery that really only the French could come up with; France has decided not to recall her ambassador from the Court of St James because we are only a junior partner in the affaire; we are not worth the trouble of insulting.  It might be insensitive here to point out that being a junior partner is perhaps preferable to being an ex-partner, but, still, all credit to the French for both inventiveness and effort.

 

Let's hope that France gets over itself before our mutual enemies take too much comfort from this self-important sulking.

 

EDIT:  I'll add only that the context of this post is, of course, my general disdain for the absurd self-obsessed posturing by Governments of Nations that were once major powers, but which no longer have the might commensurate with persistently inflated self-image and who must, therefore, learn to listen and to contribute to a Better World in a more appropriate and thoughtful way. Or, if preferred, you could just stick it to the French and put crowns on pint glasses, because, obviously, that's a perfectly fair alternative to a coherent global economic and political strategy consistent with the needs and ability of your nation.  I just think it happens to be the French who this week convincingly walk away with the Prix Absurde for their preposterous and self-unaware flouncing.

 

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by Edwardian
Balance

[drduncan]

Well it took over 30 years from them to get over their last security sulk when they withdrew from the military organisation of NATO…

[DonB]

Since we were last invaded (by the Romans) I wonder why the Hon David frost is retaining to Arabic numbers.

But Douglas Adams answer to the Ultimate Question would'nt seem so funny written as ... XLII  

Edited September 18, 2021 by DonB
retain (not returning)

[rocor]

3 hours ago, Edwardian said:

In the news .... 

 

Words give rise to concepts. It amuses me sometimes to reflect on why certain words we use are coined in the language from which they derive and what that might say about national characteristics, though it is an exercise to be taken with the tongue firmly in cheek, I suggest.  I playfully contest that there are good reasons why, say. the Germans came up with schadenfreude, and that is no coincidence that chauvinism was a gift from the French.

 

The current diplomatic spat over Australia's decision to upgrade its submarine fleet in the light of China's recent assertiveness, which has escalated in a remarkable way by France recalling her ambassadors from two allies, the US and Australia, reminds me that the origin of the word pique is also French.  

 

Such is the overwhelming need of Élysée Palace to snub all those concerned in this moment of national humiliation that it has treated Britain with an absolutely wonderful piece of gallic snubbery that really only the French could come up with; France has decided not to recall her ambassador from the Court of St James because we are only a junior partner in the affaire; we are not worth the trouble of insulting.  It might be insensitive here to point out that being a junior partner is perhaps preferable to being an ex-partner, but, still, all credit to the French for both inventiveness and effort.

 

Let's hope that France gets over itself before our mutual enemies take too much comfort from this self-important sulking.

 

EDIT:  I'll add only that the context of this post is, of course, my general disdain for the absurd self-obsessed posturing by Governments of Nations that were once major powers, but which no longer have the might commensurate with persistently inflated self-image and who must, therefore, learn to listen and to contribute to a Better World in a more appropriate and thoughtful way. Or, if preferred, you could just stick it to the French and put crowns on pint glasses, because, obviously, that's a perfectly fair alternative to a coherent global economic and political strategy consistent with the needs and ability of your nation.  I just think it happens to be the French who this week convincingly walk away with the Prix Absurde for their preposterous and self-unaware flouncing.

 

 

 

Maybe Britain could respond to the French snub of not withdrawing their ambassador, by withdrawing ours.

 

Britain had been playing the snubbing game for a year with the first EU ambassador to Britain. Before finally, earlier this year granting him and the European Union’s mission in London full diplomatic status.

[Nearholmer]

Difficult to know which words that we invented characterise our National attitudes, because most of our words have roots in French/Latin or Anglo-Saxon.

 

Currently, we seem to be going through a phase of being antagonistic, BJ’s ‘forward leaning stance’, but that word seems to be from Greek via French.

[Regularity]

I have heard it said that very few words in the English language have no etymology:

Pig, dog, lord, lady.

Not sure what that says about the language or culture, other than it has a history (from the Greek for “to enquire”) of absorbing and adapting “foreign” words, just as our history shows we have absorbed and adapted other cultural influences, to make something unique and strangely universal at the same time.

[Regularity]

On 10/09/2021 at 08:32, Edwardian said:

Sovereignty is an abstract concept. Every international treaty a country enters is a partial surrender of it. Once you overcome the amorphous and essentially meaningless emotive view of sovereignty, you realise that it is merely a tradeable commodity, like anything else, rather than some 'mystic soul of the nation' tosh. That realisation enables us to understand how Britain has recently exchanged a relatively good bargain for a relatively bad one.  I fear the Scots are on the verge of doing likewise.

I missed this before.

It’s very good, but how ironic that the party which prides itself on its understanding and support of trade, as the party of capital and commerce as well as law and order, has made such a shambles of all that, and continues so to do.

Liz Truss as Foreign Secretary? Almost as absurd an idea as Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, or Priti Patel as Home Secretary. Oh, wait a minute…

[Edwardian]

12 minutes ago, Regularity said:

I missed this before.

It’s very good, but how ironic that the party which prides itself on its understanding and support of trade, as the party of capital and commerce as well as law and order, has made such a shambles of all that, and continues so to do.

Liz Truss as Foreign Secretary? Almost as absurd an idea as Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, or Priti Patel as Home Secretary. Oh, wait a minute…

 

Not sure whether the Thank, Agree or Laugh as priority here, so have all 3!

[figworthy]

11 hours ago, drduncan said:

Well it took over 30 years from them to get over their last security sulk when they withdrew from the military organisation of NATO…

 

Credit where it is due, you couldn't accuse them of making a half hearted job of it.

 

Oh, and talking of French military success (665 years ago tomorrow):

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Poitiers

 

 

Adrian

[Compound2632]

8 hours ago, Regularity said:

I have heard it said that very few words in the English language have no etymology:

Pig, dog, lord, lady.

 

Lord and Lady are from Anglo-Saxon or Old English (whichever you prefer to call it) meaning "guardian of the bread" and "kneader of the bread" respectively. 

[Edwardian]

12 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Lord and Lady are from Anglo-Saxon or Old English (whichever you prefer to call it) meaning "guardian of the bread" and "kneader of the bread" respectively. 

 

Which reflection makes me feel slightly less upset when vestigial feudalists throw their weight around in my vicinity; Loafward Barnard is not someone I need take that seriously. 

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, figworthy said:

Oh, and talking of French military success (665 years ago tomorrow):

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Poitiers

 

Its a pity that we brexited, I was hoping for the establishment of a late-Autumn Bank Holiday to split the drought of public laziness between August and December.

 

The 21st October would be suitable, and is ideally situated to get up the noses of our Gallic neighbours....

 

 

[Edwardian]

Mark Steel on Barnard Castle (first broadcast 2015); the main comic theme is that no one has heard of Barnard Castle.

 

Effing Dominic Cummings ....

 

BBC Sounds

[CKPR]

22 hours ago, rocor said:

Maybe Britain could respond to the French snub of not withdrawing their ambassador, by withdrawing ours.

The French would probably insist on making an  inventory of the silverware before our ambassador left (perfidious albion and all that).

[Regularity]

2 minutes ago, CKPR said:

The French would probably insist on making an  inventory of the silverware before our ambassador left (perfidious albion and all that).

Can’t recall who, but a distinguished Frenchman commented that the reason the sun never set on the British Empire was that God wouldn’t trust an Englishman in the dark…

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, Edwardian said:

Effing Dominic Cummings ....

 

In so, so many ways!

 

Paint him green and he'd become a Treen.  Little bug-eyed monster.

 

[Regularity]

Re Nadine Dorries, maybe this Getty Images photo on the BBC explains why Boris has promoted her (obviously they have airbrushed out pink certain things)?

[Nearholmer]

A willingness to massage his ego seems a prime requirement for promotion.

[Compound2632]

Is this spot the ball again? Seems to be in vogue.

 

1 minute ago, Nearholmer said:

A willingness to massage his ego seems a prime requirement for promotion.

 

Ah, sorry, not the ball, his ego. I've not come across it called that before, but it fits.