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Proceedings of the Castle Aching Parish Council, 1905


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1 minute ago, Clearwater said:

people saying "why oh why didn't you let the shops stay open longer and reduce crowding?."  Now that particular genie is out of the bottle, they have to go with it and it fits with their general "let the market decide philosophy."

 

My point was that I don't believe it will be to the shops' advantage to be open throughout the small hours, so it's unlikely to happen.

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2 minutes ago, Clearwater said:

I would far rather internet shop for certain things but searching for small, awful, stocking fillers for small children is much easier in a real shop as is the desperate searching  / panic buying careful, tender choosing of gift for my wife!

 

I could have written that myself.

 

I might even make one commando-style raid on a couple of shops, under the cover of darkness, which shouldn't be a challenge since it seems to be dark all day and night at the moment, for stocking-fillers.

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1 minute ago, Compound2632 said:

 

My point was that I don't believe it will be to the shops' advantage to be open throughout the small hours, so it's unlikely to happen.

 

Ah, ok- but the Government's argument will be that individual shops are better placed to make that judgement than the person in Whitehall.   That may be right but the consequence of that may be on those people who are not given an option as to whether they want to work the overnight shift.

 

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8 hours ago, Annie said:

Possibly not.

 

 

I reckon that you New Zealanders have never forgiven us for stealing Russell Crowe.

 

 

And Phar Lap.

 

You often  express it through the medium of The Flight Of The Conchords.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

A life?   Yes, definitely.

 

 

I know people who have lives.  They seem very complicated and far too time consuming.

 

For the time being, I'll stick to having an existence.

 

Adrian

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18 hours ago, teaky said:

Well, no alcohol after 6pm in Wales.  What was it our thread host said several weeks ago?

AHEM!!!

 

I object! I thought that in this thread was the host!

 

I hereby resign from this committee!

 

(Looks around hopefully, wishing to see panic and sorrow on the other members' faces, begging him to come back. Mr E. Dwardian shows him the door...)

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Hosts are judged on the generosity of their hospitality.

 

Locking-up the grog after tea time, and having us all sing endless choruses of "Bread of Heaven" until bed is only going to ensure that everyone is "busy washing their hair" next time an invitation ("Bring tin plate and lava bread") is extended.

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Quote

From todays  Sydney Morning Herald

 

Will not be bullied': citizens around the world told to buy Australian wine in stand against China

 

London: Millions of people around the world are being urged to buy an Australian bottle of wine or two, as a way of showing Chinese President Xi Jinping that the world will not be intimidated by his "bullying of Australia".

 

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), comprising more than 200 MPs from a range of political parties and representing 19 country legislatures, has launched a campaign to convince people to buy and drink Australian wine in December, as a show of solidarity.

 

It comes after China slapped tariffs of up to 212 per cent against Australian wine producers, which Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said would spell a "hellishly tough time for Australia’s winemakers."

The global alliance of cross-party representatives, who have banded together to try to counter China's increasing aggression particularly against Australia, released a video in which MPs from Japan, Italy, Germany, the United States and even Australia's wine-producing rival New Zealand, among others, urge their citizens to enjoy an Australian drop. The video is subtitled in Chinese and English.

 

"Italy is the country that exports the most wine of any country in the world," Italian Democratic Party Senator Roberto Rampi says in Italian, holding up a bottle of Italian red.

 

"C'mon, who needs wine when you have Aquavit?" jokes Norway's former Liberal party leader and MP Trine Skei Grande.

 

"You know what? Japanese sake is the best!" says Shiori Yamao, an independent member of Japan's House of Representatives before Republican Senator Ted Yoho declares "two words - Napa Valley", before saying it is time to "drink something a little bit different" and buy Australian wine, "because our friends need our help".

 

"We are asking you all to join us in standing against Xi Jinping's authoritarian bullying," says Miriam Lexmann, a Christian Democrat Member of the European Parliament.

 

"By drinking a bottle or two of Australian wine and letting the Chinese Communist Party know that we will not be bullied," says Swedish Christian Democratic, Elisabet Lann, a municipal councillor who holds up a glass of Penfolds.

 

The video features one Australian MP — Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching from Victoria — who said that China's attempts to bully Australia, including its list of 14 grievances, was an attack on "free countries everywhere".

 

It also features footage of Zhao Lijian, the Chinese government spokesman and Foreign Ministry official, who posted an inflammatory tweet on Monday showing a fabricated image of an Australian soldier slitting the throat of a child.

 

"Australia is not alone," Samuel Armstrong, London-based spokesman for the IPAC told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. "When China threatens Australia, it threatens us all. Standing up for our allies and shared values is sometimes costly but when the drinking is this good, doing nothing to protect our Antipodean friends would not just be immoral, it would be a good bottle wasted."

 

The IPAC was founded by former Tory party leader Iain Duncan Smith in June, when it counted with 19 legislators who wanted their governments to take a tougher and collective stance towards China. Its stated aim is to collaborate to safeguard the international rules based order, uphold human rights and promote trade fairness among others.

 

Florida Republican Ted Yoho, who in July had an infamous clash with New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez whom he called names, joined the campaign.

 

The campaign follows a groundswell of online support amongst diplomats and China-watchers across Europe who have also urged the drinking of Australian wine.

 

"It’s not a bad idea to buy some extra wine these days to show solidarity," Sweden's former prime minister Carl Bildt said this week. He predicted that China's attempts to weaponise trade in its political disputes would backfire but urged the world to pay attention to the developments.

 

Even the US National Security Council tweeted that Australian wine would be featured at a White House function this week. "Pity vino lovers in China who, due to Beijing’s coercive tariffs on Aussie vintners, will miss out," the post said along with the hashtag "AussieAussieAussieOiOiOi".

 

But any drive to drive sales of Australian wine will need to be significant to have any impact for winemakers.

 

Australia exports wine to 117 countries but 39 per cent of it goes to China. Its next biggest markets are the US and the United Kingdom which make up 15 and 14 per cent of total Australian wine exports respectively.

The export market was valued at $4 billion in September, before the tariffs came into place.

 

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4 hours ago, sem34090 said:

AHEM!!!

 

I object! I thought that in this thread was the host!

 

I hereby resign from this committee!

 

(Looks around hopefully, wishing to see panic and sorrow on the other members' faces, begging him to come back. Mr E. Dwardian shows him the door...)

Oops!  Sorry.

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7 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

I suggest that the Premier of Australia smiles ever so sweetly and tells the Chinese that he will agree, quite conciliatory, to match EXACTLY, every import/export tariff with China. In a spirit of fairness and equality.

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Well, I vow not to buy a single bottle of Guangdong Province Cabernet until all this nonsense is over.

 

In other news, I buy a lot of Aussie wine, but plan to buy much, much more (purely as an act of solidarity, you understand).

 

Australia, I drink to you!

 

(PS, send more supplies, quickly, hic!)

 

 

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Speaking of bullies, and much as I generally dislike our tendency in the UK to invoke the spirit of our Finest Hour at every turn, I reflect that if Brits and Aussies share one salient characteristic, I suspect that would be Sheer Bloody Mindedness, a quality that bullies often overlook to their cost.

 

So, I was rather put in mind of this scene ....

 

 

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56 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

Speaking of bullies, and much as I generally dislike our tendency in the UK to invoke the spirit of our Finest Hour at every turn, I reflect that if Brits and Aussies share one salient characteristic, I suspect that would be Sheer Bloody Mindedness, a quality that bullies often overlook to their cost.

 

So, I was rather put in mind of this scene ....

 

 

 

I have always loved the way Ralph Richardson was able to act anger without moving his arms.

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11 hours ago, Welchester said:

 

I have always loved the way Ralph Richardson was able to act anger without moving his arms.

 

I notice that recently you ceased to be a prelate and lord spiritual. Have you quit your palace?

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Having worked in Tescos on maintenance , lots of people shop there at all hours of the day and night. Now it's December you'll find whole families with multiple shopping trolleys, sometimes obviously wearing pyjamas under a coat.  The place is only closed for one day!! (two if you include New years day).

Oh and  It's not just food they buy either ..

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8 hours ago, Edwardian said:

 

I notice that recently you ceased to be a prelate and lord spiritual. Have you quit your palace?

 

I never was a bishop; just a humble (don't laugh) parish priest. It was the first name that came to mind when I signed up. Des idées au-dessus de ma gare.

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17 hours ago, Ian Simpson said:

It's nothing that a bit of sensitive Australian diplomacy can't sort out.

Had a teacher at school called Patterson. You can guess his nickname... ...until we found out that really was his forename! He later became a county councillor. Bit of a step down from “Sir”.

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22 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

I see QUANTAS are suggesting a 'No Covid vaccination, no seat' policy.  Fits in with the Australian attitude to all vaccinations.  One we could do to copy.

 

Jim

 

QANTAS - no U in QANTAS  .......

 

It's a straight out name derived from Queensland And Northern Territory Air Services.

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