No, no, that's not an insult, it's a compliment, despite what you might think! Of course, there are certain, er, difficulties involved given that she's 71 and I'm 76 - mind you, an exceedingly vigorous 76, let me tell you, well, I will be after I have taken my meds!
To be serious, Ms. Daley is an American-born journalist who I do not think would be insulted to be described as an Anglo-American given that a great deal of her life has been spent here where, amongst other things, she has become a regular commentator at The Daily Telegraph. I gather that in her youth she was a red-flag-waving Leftie which is hardly surprising given that she attended the University of California, Berkely - yeeeeeeees, quite! Well, we all do silly things when we're young but real growing up entails recognising the silliness later on.
She is a woman with wide interests including philosophy, art, design and literature as well as politics. Her commentary is almost always astute to the point where you, the reader (oh, alright then, me!) tend to end up slapping your forehead and wondering aloud why you didn't think of that! Today she points to the real tragedy/comedy of the Greek-Euro stand-off as a clash between to two political philosophies which are so out of date that it's rather like watching Monty Python knights fighting each other with plastic swords.
She sums up the position of the Greek people with exquisite wit:
To the extent that they have had any involvement – or culpability – in this matter, the Greek people must come to terms with the consequences of electing Russell Brand to head their government.
Oh God, I wish I'd thought of that one!
But there is something to be learned from this: there has to be, doesn’t there? Otherwise it would just be too grotesquely stupid, too appalling, too depressing to be endured. The key is in the drama’s tragic inevitability (a subject which Greeks understand well): the two antagonistic camps in this epic confrontation are playing up to the worst possible caricatures of themselves. The EU or, properly speaking, the troika of international financial governance, are presenting themselves as a parody of merciless, demonic money-lenders who are now determined to humiliate and pauperise their victims. This theme of public mortification is one that Syriza has made much of. And their punitive repression appears to license childish rebellion on the part of those who resist their diktats.
This pair of outmoded maniacs are re-fighting battles which were won and lost decades ago. 'Russell Brandism' is the stuff of student unions and, 'as any fule do no', there is no one thicker than your average 'Uni' student - except possibly some of their tutors! The outmoded old coots in Brussels are simply refighting the post WWI world all over again. A world in which free peoples voted in favour of Hitler and Mussolini (and even those without a vote in Russia simply adored their 'glorious leader', Joseph Stalin!), thus, there can be no more democracy permitted because 'The People' (dread words!) cannot be trusted.
What we used to call, back in the '40s and '50s, "the man in Whitehall" who always, according to him, "knew best" has now metastasised into the Brussels apparatchik who will bring down ruin and starvation in your land if you fail to obey orders! There will be added relish to their disciplinarian regime when they get around to applying it to us British. Despite old enmities built up over the centuries between the various European nations, they will bury them all on an instant when given the chance to express their mutual detestation of all thing British.
Don't say I, er, and the distinguished Ms. Daley, didn't tell you!
"Despite old enmities built up over the centuries between the various European nations, they will bury them all on an instant when given the chance to express their mutual detestation of all thing British". That's why God put the English Channel where He did. He knew something could one day go very wrong on the east side of it.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 05 July 2015 at 16:44
Speaking of outmoded maniacs, I see Unite has backed Jeremy Corbyn for Labour leader. I wish them every success.
Posted by: Uncle Mort | Sunday, 05 July 2015 at 19:00
Yes, indeed, 'Whiters', 21 miles of precious sea - if only our leaders would remember!
Ah yes, Mort, 'McCluskey & Corbyn', a marriage made in hell - unless you're Tory, of course, in which case one cheers them on - jolly good show, should keep us in power for 20 years!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 05 July 2015 at 19:10
By George, it looks like Grand Dame Hellen, senior of seniors in the great Western family, has shown the Jerries the bird.
And 60 - 40 too, so no civil war.
2,000 years and it seems the Greeks have grown a fine pair.
Now, if I was Irish (which as y'all know I am, albeit Anglo-Norman Irish), Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian, I'd be unfurling my middle finger and raising my right arm PDFQ in support. Why should I live as a Jerry vassal and EU / ECB / IMF debt colony when others are free?
About time Blighty hits the D-Day beaches in support of the continental resistance before it's too late to join the victory parade without blushes? Wouldn't want to miss the chance to shape Europe to the Anglo-Saxon model, would we?
Or are we going to do a Ukip runner, and show the world we seem to have lost our pair over the last 2,000 years?
SoD
Posted by: Lawrence Duff | Sunday, 05 July 2015 at 21:10
Nothing much. Just thank you for your scribblings. Always interesting, often amusing. Your drinking companions are very fortunate.
Posted by: Doonhamer | Sunday, 05 July 2015 at 22:46
Wow, just imagine what will happen to the Euro if Greece starts printing 20 Euro notes and creating Euros electronically, while at the same time putting a claim through the ECJ in defence of its action on the basis of failure by the EU / ECB to implement a stable currency, which could take years to conclude? : -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11719688/Defiant-Greeks-reject-EU-demands-as-Syriza-readies-IOU-currency.html
If the markets don't shred the Euro on that news, I don't know what will,
SoD
Posted by: Lawrence Duff | Sunday, 05 July 2015 at 22:53
Thanks, 'Doonhamer', and count yourself lucky that you only have to read my scribblings. Listening to me in full flood down at the local empties the saloon bar in record time!
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 06 July 2015 at 07:55