Thank God it's nearly over: Er, that's August, I'm referring to, the boring-snoring, eye-stabbing, no-news month of the year. Instead of proper news, all we get are never-ending stories about Princess Di or that ridiculous clown boxing match in Las Vegas which might have been better if they had used rubber truncheons and buckets of water! Even 'The Donald' seems to have gone somewhat somnolent. Mind you, remembering what they say about "interesting times", perhaps by mid-September I'll be wishing for August again.
The escape from Stalag Luft 28: Could our frightfully brave British chaps make their escape down the tunnel from Europe just in time? I ask because according to The Telegraph moves are afoot to form a European Federal Finance Department. There have already been hints that a European Tax Authority might be set up. We'll see just how much all those 'Remoaners' really 'lurve' Europe when they receive their first tax bills!
Don't mention the weather: It is, of course, one of our more irritating British habits that we can rarely get through a conversation without moaning about the weather. And of course, the further south you live in this 'our septic Isle', as any coal-engrimed northerner will tell you, the weather is positively balmy and yet we still take any opportunity to moan and groan at the slightest drizzle. As I write, I am aware that I do have a regular reader from Texas and in view of what they are going through, I promise not to whinge about the weather again - well, at least for a week! Oddly enough, this Bank Holiday the weather has been brilliant . . . but that just means it's going to be hell in the Winter!
Who is, or was, Steve Bannon? I think I may have just found out, thanks to an excellent article at The Coffee House (where else?) by James Kirchick. To be honest, despite all the non-stop 'SHLOCK-HORROR' stories that either leak from the White House or are invented by the American media, I find the White House as mysterious as the Kremlin. At least this article clarifies that whilst it might resemble a mad house, under the guidance of the exceedingly crafty Mr. Bannon it was actually working to a plan - and the plan is succeeding! In essence, Bannon was jabbing and stabbing the Dems into an incoherent fury which, as their juvenile supporters re-acted with violence and extremism, merely added to the contempt felt by many Americans for the Left and which resulted in Trump winning the election. According to Mr. Kirchick, the fact that Bannon has gone, due to the massive ego of 'The Donald', does not mean the plan has been changed. Expect more provocations from the GOP and watch the silly Dems froth at the mouth and erupt on the streets - thus sealing a Republican victory at the next election. Perhaps Mrs. May should consider a similar tactic 'over here'!
Today's race should be a corker! Waddya mean what race? The Belgian Grand Prix, of course, with that impeccable British gentleman, (Sir) Lewis Hamilton on pole and that damned Hun next to him on the front row. Assuming they both make it round the first corner without 'kissing' each other then this should be a terrific race. Starts at 1.00pm Brit time, Channel4.
And it was a corker! Two of the very greatest drivers battling for first place on one of the greatest race tracks in the world - and (Sir) Lewis won - jolly good show! But Lewis, please do something about your hair style if you want to impress 'Her Maj' or she might use the sword to give you a short back and sides!!
Sorry, ladies, but you just can't hack it: I am happy to confess to my low-brow reading taste for thrillers. I have read several Brazilian rain forests worth of them over the years. I started when I discovered Micky Spillane as a nipper and was thrilled with the naughty bits at the time. Just recently my reading has been somewhat more heavy - in the case of Lord Salisbury's bio, heavy in all senses of the word. Happily, the other day I discovered an old gift token for Waterstones Bookshop which was still valid, so to give myself a break I popped in and bought four thrillers, two by men, two by ladies. This broke my golden rule which states that ladies just can't write thrillers. Of course, 'back in the day', the likes of Agatha Christie et al could write superlative 'who dunnits' but they are not quite thrillers. Anyway, serves me right because both the ladies' books missed by a mile!
An Australian Prime Minister? Surely not! Apparently, the former PM of Australia, Mr. Tony Abbot, has admitted that in 2009 he missed a crucial financial vote in his parliament because he had passed out drunk. I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked! Mind you, dear old Winnie guided us through WWII on nothing short of two bottles of whisky a day!
Now I know they're all going mad in America: Apparently, the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis is intending to ban one of the greatest films ever made which was based on one of the greatest novels ever written - and by a lady, too! Gone With The Wind has, er, gone with the wind!
No more rumbles today
Well not so bad...in a while I shall crawl into my pickup truck and go off for a day of bass fishing! My brother special ordered a new fishing rod for me and he has it with him. Now I just have to give him the $196.00 the thing cost him.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 10:30
Whitewall all you need is one depth charge and you'll have enough fish to last a year or to feed the whole crew of a destroyer.
Mind you the odd stray depth charge can be had to come by in the civilian world so a couple of sticks of "jelly" will do the same.
Posted by: AussieD | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 11:50
AussieD, they frown on depth charges around here. Now an occasional stick of dynamite has been used to "raise the catfish", but naturally I would never do such an unsporting thing! Besides, depth charges tend to upset any nearby boats as well as their operators.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 11:57
Whitewall it is some time since I had access to and the authority to use "pressure bait". They did however mean that there was fresh fish for the whole crew - an fortuitous side benefit to "essential training exercises".
Good luck with the Bass. I hope the new rod does its work properly.
Duffers on my trips to the UK I always took wet weather gear and never used it once - likewise the trip in 2015. I think all this talk of it constantly raining is a figment of the Brit imagination to discourage visitors.
Posted by: AussieD | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 12:24
We are OK. The hurricane settled down to a mere 'himicane' in a few hours, and now we only have the rain, the rain, my God, the rain.
Of course, the devastation down on the coast is pretty impressive, but the eye seems to have hit Rockport, a little fishing village or tourist haven, rather than Corpus Christi, so that even the damage is much less than it might have been.There was a fire in an apartment building, and right at the height of the storm, such that the firefighters could not get to it. One man died. That's very sad, but, the other thirty million Texans just partied on.
Remember, Texans do not need alcohol to get giddy. Rain does it to us just about as well. People do like to ride out the storms, both to protect their property from thieves and vandals and for the sheer adventure of it. We do not have a mandatory evacuation law, and there'd be a much worse storm if the Legislature tried to pass one, but the authorities obtain much of the same effect by constantly telling people who are riding it out to write their names, Social Security numbers, and name and 'phone number of the next of kin on a prominent place on the body. It gets the point across quite effectively.
Posted by: Michael F Adams | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 14:05
David, you've been led astray. James Kirchick doesn't always write things calculated to appeal to the rightist point of view. Here's the Amazon review of his book 'The End of Europe: Dictators, Demagogues, and the Coming Dark Age':
"Once the world’s bastion of liberal, democratic values, Europe is now having to confront demons it thought it had laid to rest. The old pathologies of anti-Semitism, populist nationalism, and territorial aggression are threatening to tear the European postwar consensus apart. In riveting dispatches from this unfolding tragedy, James Kirchick shows us the shallow disingenuousness of the leaders who pushed for “Brexit ..."
Sounds rather bleak. He also goes a bit easy on Bannon, who is one of the main players dividing the Republican party and who represents an element of Kirchick's European nightmare over here. Ironic.
Posted by: Bob | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 14:09
Bob, I don't always read things "calculated to appeal to the rightest point of view". I just read opinion pieces and then use such judgment as I have.
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 14:57
Michael, I'm delighted and relieved that all is well with you. I was a bit worried because I know that you always do things bigger and better in Texas!
AussieD, dammit, you must tell me the next time you visit!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 15:16
Did you see those crowds that came out with pitchforks to support the white racist rallies of the Profa faction of the Republican Party? No you didn't. Three hundred white supremacists and forty thousand anti-white supremacist protesters. Not so good boys. And everyone with half a brain knows who Steve Bannon is. How could one not know he was the mind behind the white supremacist douche site Breitbart? So he wants to play identity politics? I know that game. And silly blogger, that is the whole point of Brexit isn't it? I foresee a bit of a problem there mind. I seriously doubt all those Europeans you despise are waiting for an opportunity to give your government what you want. Which so far consists of pleas not to change anything. In return for which you offer venom and bile.
Posted by: Peter G | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 17:42
David, I look forward to your posting links to the Guardian and Daily Mirror.
Posted by: Bob | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 18:21
Tut, tut, Bob, you are obviously not reading me closely. What I wrote was "I just read opinion pieces and then use such judgment as I have." Doing so precludes most of the 'Graun' and the 'Mirror'.
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 18:34
I applaud your modesty, David.
Posted by: Bob | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 20:52
Classic Duff! On the basis of reading exactly four books he comes to the conclusion that woman cannot write. Next up he will compare the ethnicity of various writers and also conclude they cannot write presumably because they did not write in English.. Finally using the paint color cards obtained from the paint store he will do an advanced corporal grade literary comparison to determine that writing talent and skin tone correlate.
So you've been reading the genre for years and it's only now you have come to this conclusion? On the basis of reading exactly two books written by women! What! An! Idiot! We've all done dumb things in our time but few boast of their stupidity.
Posted by: Peter G | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 21:26
"We've all done dumb things in our time but few boast of their stupidity."
Thet there'ns a gem Pompous. 'Preciate your honesty.
Oh. An' thisun:
"What! An! Idiot!"
This here blog of David's gots more fun than commentors.
Posted by: JK | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 22:10
On the offchance one of "my fellow readers" doesn't immediately recognize where my chuckling originates - as David states in his final rumble of today:
"[O]ne of the greatest novels ever written - and by a lady, too!"
From Pompous' above comment:
"On the basis of reading exactly two books written by women!"
By my counting our David's read, at least, three.
So much for Pompous' boasting.
Posted by: JK | Sunday, 27 August 2017 at 22:51
because he had passed out drunk
"Pissed as a cricket" is the local term for it and it would be better if they were that way when ever they made any momentous decisions as they would surely be better than the crap ones they make when sober.
Duffers I would reckon that SWMBO and I may get to the UK one more time as her mobility is not likely to improve much. If/when we do I'll make sure Zummerzet is on the itinerary. 2019 looks promising.
An old "Squaddie" and an old "Pusser" could keep the locals amused for hours over a pint or several.
Posted by: AussieD | Monday, 28 August 2017 at 00:16
Don't hang around, AussieD, by 2019 I might not be too mobile, either!
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 28 August 2017 at 08:13
I might not be too mobile, either!
We only have to be mobile enough to make it to the Tippling Philosopher where we could dazzle them all with our wit, personality and astounding knowledge of everything.
Posted by: AussieD | Monday, 28 August 2017 at 11:11