Proceedings of the Castle Aching Parish Council, 1905

[Edwardian]

8 minutes ago, Ian Simpson said:

 

And in particular Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has just been made something called a "Brexit Opportunities Minister". 

 

Just now, Regularity said:

I view this as his opportunity to something really bad, and make it even worse. 
Because he has invested in various funds which require that to happen, so that he can become even richer.

 

If this was going on in, say, an African nation, he would be among the first to call it corrupt and a banana republic.

 

You're not wrong.

 

Only this week the National Audit Office has come up with the facts and figures that prove BREXIT has, so far at least, made everything we do as a trading nation more difficult and expensive.

 

Still, who could possibly have anticipated that?

 

And, of course, we can take consolation that these are earlier days in the Flexing of our Might as Global Britain.  There are bound to be "teething problems" but one day soon Vindication will come, around the time of World Peace and the Rapture, I reckon.

 

Simon, understandably given his viewpoint, takes me to task frequently for my thought that I might need to vote against my conscience and inclinations for reasons of economic self-defence. To this I say two things, by way of explanation rather than excuse:

 

(a) The viable alternative problem. Labour is a tribe, or an increasingly fragile alliance of tribes. I don't belong to any of these various tribes. As a party it never appears to have supported or even much tolerated any tribe to which I might be said to belong, or shown itself trustworthy. Thus, a wasted vote according to my conscience is generally how I avoid an unsatisfactory choice between the Devil I know and the Devil I don't.

 

(b) All the Starminator needed to do was not default to attacking the hard-working squeezed middle classes trying to educate their kids in the best way they can in the context of a broken State system and instead go after the Big Money and I would have left him be.  That just made my potential choices hard and all of them less satisfactory.  Honestly, I could have kicked him for that. 

 

 

[Edwardian]

4 minutes ago, alastairq said:

Much depends on where James wants to live? 

Or, where he needs to live?

 

Within reach of my kids' school.  One is in the middle of A levels and the other is mid-way through GCSEs.  Neither needs to move school or, alternatively, lose contact with their father, right now.

 

In addition, my daughter has health issues and needs a lot of support, including from her school and she could not be at a better place in that regard.

[Nearholmer]

In many ways, I’m surprised that anyone is surprised that public services are perpetually under-funded.

 

There is, of course, the “well intentioned overstretch” problem, where governments of all colours, and people of all stripes, set higher and higher ambitions for public services: ever more advanced treatments on the NHS; higher standards and a tighter curriculum from schools; local councils fulfilling their ever-expanding social care, refugee care etc obligations.

 

But that ain’t the whole picture, because good old fashioned greed plays an immense part. Those who have accumulated large piles of pennies are very keen indeed to cling onto them, and not share them around. They don’t like being taxed, and the more powerful, who have built for themselves entire fortresses of pennies, use every means at their disposal to defend their piles, notably spinning the stories in the media in their own favour.

 

Result: a crisis of expectations, and a perpetual unwillingness to “get real” about what could/should be done, an infantile dialogue where people are schooled to demand the very ultimate, while simultaneously demanding not to pay for it.

 

We need to grow up, but actually, that’s the last thing anyone wants.

[Regularity]

On 11/02/2022 at 11:50, Edwardian said:

Simon, understandably given his viewpoint, takes me to task frequently for my thought that I might need to vote against my conscience and inclinations for reasons of economic self-defence.

Oh, I don’t disagree with you, James, as I too despair at this stupid posturing by the left. I just think it a shame that you have been put into this invidious position by Starmer bowing down to those who would bring us down to mediocrity rather than getting them explain how we could restructure things, and how we would fund it. I’ll be next in line for giving the Kiermaster at least a verbal kicking for being such a prat.

My approach to any such issue promoted by the extremes would be, “Great ideal. Now how do we turn it into a great idea? Come back when you have a practical answer.”

It also demonstrates that by being puritanical in their ideological fervour, the left wing can be as dogmatic, inflexible and above all divisive as those on the other side.

 

Anyone who simply puts their children’s needs (as they perceive them) first is being a good parent: we can only work within the current social, political economic circumstances and do the best we can, no matter what we would like to see. By the time your children finish secondary education, you may be released from this particular burden.
 

But I still ain’t going to vote for Boris and his cronies!

Edited February 12, 2022 by Regularity
Posted because I understand and sympathise with James, not to prolong the debate.

[rocor]

14 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

When a chap has just had bad news, he's entitled to feel miserable and grumpy, and even a bit self-pittying.

 

If you want further and more detailed particulars, have a read about the Kuebler-Ross Grief Cycle.

 

And, try a few platypuses that might help move him on to the next stage.

 

As I did not imagine that you were referring to the duck-billed animal, I had to look up platypus for reference, to discern its meaning in context. Most enlightening, which of the definitions had you in mind? 

 

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Platypus

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

21 minutes ago, rocor said:

 

As I did not imagine that you were referring to the duck-billed animal, I had to look up platypus for reference, to discern its meaning in context. Most enlightening, which of the definitions had you in mind? 

 

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Platypus

 

 

The council has signs along our local riverbank telling people to keep their dogs leashed because of the platypuses.  (platypii).

 

I will no longer be able to pass these signs without thinking of definition number 5. 

[Nearholmer]

I’ve never been able to form a mental picture of a platitude, but the image of a well meaning platypus has always appealed to me.

[alastairq]

It certainly appealed to a certain ''bank?''

[rocor]

18 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

I’ve never been able to form a mental picture of a platitude, but the image of a well meaning platypus has always appealed to me.

 

So, deliberate malapropism, rather than autocorrect failure, then.

[Nearholmer]

Correct.

[Tom Burnham]

8 hours ago, rocor said:

 

As I did not imagine that you were referring to the duck-billed animal, I had to look up platypus for reference, to discern its meaning in context. Most enlightening, which of the definitions had you in mind? 

 

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Platypus

 

 

http://www.shrivenhamheritagesociety.co.uk/downloads/paltypus-poem-by-barrington.pdf

[wagonman]

10 hours ago, Regularity said:

 

But I still ain’t going to vote for Boris and his cronies!

 

Hell would freeze over before I'd vote Tory!

[Regularity]

13 hours ago, wagonman said:

 

Hell would freeze over before I'd vote Tory!

Fair enough, but that’s not what I actually said: I was far more specific, and certainly less tribal.

[Regularity]

From the Papua New Guinea Courier - this is scary as it shows how poorly perceived the UK is in a small country on the other side of the world.

[Nearholmer]

Amazing.

 

Is The Papa New Guinea Courier widely read?

 

Or, is that actually a bit of fakery, made-up by an anti-BJ wit?

[Regularity]

Yes.

Doubt it.

No idea, but it’s well written.

[Compound2632]

Spoof - but an entertaining bit of black humour.

[Andy Hayter]

7 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

 

 

Or, is that actually a bit of fakery, made-up by an anti-BJ wit?

 

As Stephen says a spoof.  There is a PNG Post Courier (circ. 41000) but no PNG Courier.

[Compound2632]

8 hours ago, Regularity said:

From the Papua New Guinea Courier - this is scary as it shows how poorly perceived the UK is in a small country on the other side of the world.

 

 

By the way, it's huge - the third largest island country. About the same population as Scotland, though. And like the Scots, the Papuans have to share their island with less civilised neighbours.

[monkeysarefun]

On 11/02/2022 at 09:17, Nearholmer said:

 

 

1 hour ago, Compound2632 said:

 

By the way, it's huge - the third largest island country. About the same population as Scotland, though. And like the Scots, the Papuans have to share their island with less civilised neighbours.

Handily close enough for our mining companies to pillage and come home for the weekend. 

 

A major  export is Rugby League players to the NSW and QLD NRL comp.

 

Looked at with great affection by Australians for the support they gave our troops during the New Guinea campaign of WW2. Carried supplies through the jungle to the front lines and returned with our injured. Hid our  troops from Japanese patrols despite the certainty of death if caught.

In response given the affectionate if perhaps a bit racsisty nickname The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels. 

 

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[Schooner]

1 hour ago, Compound2632 said:

And like the Scots, the Papuans have to share their island with less civilised neighbours.

 

Hey! What did the Welsh ever do to you?!

Edited February 13, 2022 by Schooner
Okay, so they're more 'across the way' than neighbours, but it's not the most serious comment...

[Regularity]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

By the way, it's huge - the third largest island country. About the same population as Scotland, though.

I was thinking about the size of the population/economy, although I stand corrected.

 

Boris really upset them a couple of decades ago, so they probably have it in for him.

[alastairq]

11 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

And like the Scots, the Papuans have to share their island with less civilised neighbours.

It's the Picts!

Everybody has trouble with the Picts....

[Regularity]

2 hours ago, alastairq said:

Everybody has trouble with the Picts....

Including defining who they were…

[wagonman]

On 12/02/2022 at 12:14, Regularity said:

Fair enough, but that’s not what I actually said: I was far more specific, and certainly less tribal.

 

I know. I was merely expanding on the theme. As for tribalism, blame my parents and my schooling!