D&N Health Warning: Do not, under any 'circs', read Peter Hitchens today! To do so might well ruin your health, destroy any vestiges of good humour remaining in you and even nudge you to "to take up arms against a sea of troubles'! It might even drive you to 'do an Epstein'! You have been warned!
'Her Maj' is above and beyond all praise: As we approach the anniversary of the explosive slaughter of Lord Mountbatten, his 14-year old grandson and a local lad helping with the boat, I am reminded of the way in which 'Her Maj' conducted herself when forced, by State business, to shake hands with the smirking, murderous psycho, Martin McGuinness. That she did so with impeccable manners is a tribute to her deep attachment to a sense of duty. Happily, McGuiness died young aged 66 of a particularly gruesome and painful condition called amyloidosis. Perhaps there is a God!
Only 74 days to go! Apparently, according to the 'meeja', the Brexit Secretary, Stephen Barclay MP, has just signed the 'commencement order' which releases the brakes on the process by which we leave the EU on 31st October. Note to self: must order in some 'Champers'!
I'm hooked on "Downton Abbey": They have started re-running the series during the afternoons on one of the more obscure TV channels and the 'Memsahib' was captivated, so I suggested we buy the DVD box set and watch it in our own time. It is a superb piece of 'TV theatre'. Exceedingly well written and exellently performed, in particular by Ms. Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary. Born and raised in Romford - yeah, Romford, innit, know wot I mean?! - her upper-class accent is superb - not least the way she very slightly elongates the last syllable of the last word she delivers. It is impeccable acting of the first order and she is far from being the only one!
Another stray thought on "Downton Abbey": Of course, the 'toffs' of those times enjoyed an exceedingly comfortable life-style but I am not sure I could have put up with the plethora of servants constantly surrounding them. As a 5-star, lazy bugger of the first order, I would be happy for a team to follow me around picking up everything I carelessly drop but I suspect that after a while I would demand solitude!
Another difference between 'pros' and 'ams': I would never have made it as a professional actor - and not just because I wasn't a very good actor! Yes, it's wonderful, Darling, if you are one of the chosen few who make it to the top of the tree but just think about the vast majority doomed forever to play 'walk-ons' or even worse, perhaps, to be cast in a tiny role with five lines in a show that runs and runs and runs!
No more rumbles
D&N warning. Our public schools as well and beginning in the 1960s. These efforts to degrade education in Western countries has been deliberate and steady. Bad ideology has replaced fact based learning. Government control to what ever degree eventually spoils the targeted institution : Education, family, religious life etc.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 18 August 2019 at 13:56
Downton Abbey! I toldja! Not sure where you are in the series...but stick around.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 18 August 2019 at 15:34
Funny, Hitchens whinges, quite rightly, about the rotten post-60's UK education system and its shallow thinking world-owes-me-a-living output, and remarks how the young cabinet and shadow cabinet are largely products of the early stages of that rotten system.
And then in a second breath he supports "take back control" Brexit whereby sole stewardship of Blighty will be handed to said dullards.
Give me the well-groomed brains of the baccalaureate educated Brussels mob any time over the Westmonster morons. Or at least acknowledge that the governmental oversight of Brussels that has tempered the ignorant authoritarian excesses of Westmonster in the last 45 years is worth keeping.
But no, into the valley death will ride Dad's Army and the Bolsheviks.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 18 August 2019 at 16:31
As for Lord "Mount Bottom" as he was not so affectionately known by his matelot chums on account of his penchant for handsome young sailors, who wasted lives unecessarily during WW2 and in India, held the highest undemocratic post, that of Viceroy of India, in the British empire, and plotted to usurp Blighty's democracy and install himself as prime minister with a coup, what can one say about his death at the hands of one of his anti-imperialist enemies, the IRA?
"Live by the sword, die by the sword" at best. Or in the regrograde parlance of his generation "Good riddance to the arrogant, imperialist batty-boy" at worst?
McGuiness and amyloidosis did us all a favour by removing two of the worst pols of the 20th century from these islands whose hands were covered in unecessary blood and that of innocents.
As for the innocent victims of the bombing, would a predator drone that "we" use on a regular basis have faired any better?
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 18 August 2019 at 17:09
I grant you we are blessed in having Her Maj on top, though. When you consider the other members of her family, having them "on top" has a whole different meaning, especially if you were an in-mate of Epstein's "House if Horrors" ...
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/08/18/duke-york-pictured-inside-mansion-convicted-paedophile-jeffrey/
Her Maj must have received a pair of recessive genes and turned out to be an ordinary person, against all the odds for her blood-thirsty, pol-gened lineage. Anyone who says, "I honestly don't know why anyone would want the job" to the new PM is one of us and alright by me.
Long live our gracious Queen - and please Lord, at least longer than that cow-fart obsessed, congenitally bossy boots, dimwitted, next in line son and heir of hers.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 18 August 2019 at 19:26
"Would a predator drone that "we" use on a regular basis have faired any better?"
Reckon that depends SoD.
Is your military aware of the Hellfire missile variant the R9X?
https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2019/05/14/ninja-bomb-is-a-bladed-anvil-that-shreds-terrorists-with-no-risk-of-collateral-damage-pentagon-says/
Don't know SoD if any Steve Miller tunes made it across the pond to you but if any did, familiar with the one I believe entitled The Joker?
Goes like this, ♫♪♪ ♪♪ I'm a slicer, I'm a dicer ♫♫♪♪ ♫♪
Posted by: JK | Sunday, 18 August 2019 at 19:46
I saw an article on that munition a while back, JK.
There was a similar projectile used by navies back in the black powder days like an umbrella but with blades instead of the spines and shoved down the barrel tip first. On exiting the muzzle the blades would open out as the air resistance played on them, if I remember rightly it was used against rigging and sails. But I guess if one happened to pass through an enemy porthole then job done also!
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 18 August 2019 at 20:05
Whitewall, the 1964 Labour Gov attacked the Grammar Schools where our technical experts and tradesmen got vocational education. The big thing is now university education where you can obtain a media study degree and such helpful things for society.
Posted by: Glesga | Sunday, 18 August 2019 at 20:50
SoD, off topic, I sent you two e-mails this morning!
Posted by: David Duff | Sunday, 18 August 2019 at 22:05
I have spent most of my life NOT watching much TV but now, in my dotage, I have a TV running almost 24 hours a day. And so I have just ordered the first 2 years of Downton Abbey, on your recommendation, Mr Duff!!
You will hear from my people if I am not amused.
Be warned!!
Posted by: Andra | Monday, 19 August 2019 at 00:44
Well I hate to be the odd one out but I thought Downtown Shabby was bloody boring. Akin to watching paint dry.
Posted by: AussieD | Monday, 19 August 2019 at 07:55
Well Duffers I ignored your advice and went to Mr Hitchens' site and ended up scrolling through it until I came to this gem.
personal attacks on members of the Royal Family in heavily republican Australia
Mr Hitchens should have done a bit of research as back in 1999 we voted on this issue and rejected the idea of becoming a republic and while there is a Republican movement here in Oz it doesn't get much traction as we are not all that keen on putting a "pollie" in the driving seat of our country.
The latest movement in that direction did not get any traction either.
Constitutional Monarchy may not be ideal but it is a better option than the alternatives including that of "the cousins". Not for the power it wields but for the power it denies.
Posted by: AussieD | Monday, 19 August 2019 at 11:55
I tolerated 13 minutes of Downton Abbey.
Aussies don't do forelock tugging.
Posted by: Andra | Thursday, 22 August 2019 at 00:50
https://www.claremont.org/crb/article/why-hasnt-brexit-happened-yet/#
David?
Cate to put your esteemed brain to that then, utilizing those considerable powers of discernment recognized the Anglo-World over, whittle it down to its essential bits?
I assure you David, your devoted (and equally esteemed audience) wait with bated breath your pronouncements.
Posted by: JK | Thursday, 22 August 2019 at 08:29
Oops.
Regards my opening word 'Cate' David, I had in mind employing the name Cato but fearing your fandom might not appreciate my referencing yourself in such way decided to go with the word 'Care.'
Alas I could not completely excise that noble Roman from my arthritic fingers 'muscle memory' whilst typing so early this morning. My apologies. Allow me to re-state:
David, Care to put your esteemed brain ...
Posted by: JK | Thursday, 22 August 2019 at 08:36
Andra, get a grip! It's just social history and it is, first and last, about people, above and below stairs!
Posted by: David Duff | Thursday, 22 August 2019 at 10:15