CoffeeHousers' Wall, 5 January - 11 January

Tim Hedges

Does anyone feel we are talking up this recession bcause it's news-worthy? The general feel in the press seems to be that we are entering a new paradigm, the political, economic, constitutional settlement whatever is changed, whereas in fact capitalists assume there will be periodic recessions and it is just that, not a diaster but some bad news. I think we should lighten up.

Susan Hill

What is the phrase that makes your heart sink most when you hear it because you know it is code for 'It won`t get done.'
I vote for 'I`ll give it some thought.'

Verity

Susan Hill: "Lessons will be learned". Code for, "We don't give a monkey's."

Susan Hill

Excellent. Like 'Heads must roll.' They never do.

mckenzie

'Its a global crisis which started in America, and it is the right thing to do'.

translated:

'God knows what happened, its all been a mystery from day one. There is nothing we can do because we haven't been actually doing anything anyway!'

Hysteria

mine would be

"The government will...[insert your chosen phrase here]"

Susan Hill

or even 'Leave it with me.'

Paul B

Anyone else enjoying the cold weather we are having? Here in North Oxfordshire, Jack Frost seems to have taken up permanent residence, painting the trees and hedgerows with hoar frost. The sky is liquid black at night with the stars, planets and the moon twinkling and beckoning.

Owls seem to be everywhere, with with Kestrels and Buzzards to be seen clearly in the naked winter trees, silhouetted against the clear blue sky. There is even Red Kite to be seen flying low, regularly, over the fields of Glympton. Cock Pheasants are resplendent in their beautiful plumage, tis a pity they are so stupid. Soon snowdrops, will line the roads.

England is truly a beautiful country, my home and where my heart is.

mac

Susan Hill: "It's six o'clock on --day, the -- of -- and this is 'Today' with James Naughtie . . . "

Would that he were Stourton-ed, and preferably sent off solo into the Grampians for the entire Winter with a shovel, a sack of rock salt, his trusty manual ('The Boys Own Book of Being a Better Labour Luvvie') and a heartfelt envoi:
"Here Jim, awa' an' keep our old friend the A9 at Tomintoul open this Winter".

Hysteria

Paul - thanks for that - as a (temporary) exile in Houston it made me quite homesick!!

Wilhelm

Mr Sunshine Gordon Broon has a lot of stock phrases

1. IM getting on with the job of governing.
2. WE are getting on with the job of governing.
3. The government is getting on with the job of governing.

Yes Gordon , I thnk we get the bloody picture.

Commondog

It's not a pity at all that Pheasants are stupid. This allows me to stun them on my way to work in the van and take them home for tea. Yummy.

The cold weather is truly lovely I agree. The TV weather people are fab, speaking of Arctic blasts whilst the footage shows a frightening half inch of snow/frost.

England your home? Enjoy it while it lasts my friend. Nip over and see what Archie Cranners has to report on the most popular name in the nation.

Now there's a forecast to make you shiver.

Wilhelm

Hysteria

You are smart, you aint living in Britainistan.
Im pissssssssed off cos of 40 years of lefty liberal multiculturalism rammed down my throat has wrecked the country.

If you liked Britain the way it was, go to New Zealand.

Paul B

I`m a glass half full type of person and I believe that within a a relatively short space of time England and Britain will recover from this current madness dragging her down.

Ted Tedford, Norfolk

Here's a new thread. This got my never-long-latent indignation surging, warming me during my very cold morning walk today.

The Royal Mail's postcode finder never lists counties. It's increasingly unusual to see counties listed on any typed or comptuer-produced correspondence. What's going on?

I hate to sound like an 'evil EUrocrats are stealing our bendy fruit', but is there a better explanation for this gradual erosion of traditional regional identity than the EU's obsession with destroying heritage? Is it self-imposed amnesia or plain ignorance by UK-based enterprises? Or both? Is it also a veiled attack on the aristocracy and the lords lieutenant? Or a combination of some or all of these factors?

And isn't it strange that it should happen so soon after the resurrection of many old county names, and amid growing interest in local history?

And what can we do to reverse this absurd situation, other than persist in marking our letters, e.g., 'The East Riding of Yorkshire'?

Tiberius

For those who haven't read Mark Steyn lately, do look at this.

http://www.steynonline.com/content/view/1613/26/

and this

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/gaza-israel-think-2272631-hamas-president

Hysteria

Wilhelm - thanks for the advice :)

but actually I prefer to stay and fight....!

I love Britain (all of it) and have no intention of permanent residency any where else !

Paul B

I will stand alongside you Hysteria, why would anyone want to emigrate to country with a bunch perennial losers in the rugby world cup anyway!!!

Further notes on the cold weather snap, on a road just outside a village called Hook Norton this morning, my car thermostat registered -8.5 which is blooming cold in anyone's books. The sunrise was absolutely glorious on the A44, between Woodstock (Blenheim Palace) and Chipping Norton. A large burnt orange and red orb of stunning intensity, truly magnificent , which only a painter of the sublime ability of Turner could do justice to.

Notes on the recession. Speaking to a lad who I have known for many a year today, who is a top class spark, and will work ANYWHERE as a subbie on site as second or first fit, either commericial or residential development, cannot get a start for either love nor money. No privates either to fit so much as a light switch. Hes lives in Reading and will go anywhere along either the M4 or 40 corridor. Tis bad out there.

Lastly, can anyone tell me a more stupid bird than the pheasant, it is truly brain dead. Mixy rabbits will stare into the headlights, but pheasants will run towards them. Personally, I have never enjoyed pheasant either, find it dry- anyone recommend a receipe, because it is cheap and plentiful out here.

Augustus

Paul B., I love the odd roast pheasant, with a good glass of Burgundy. Having consulted my wife, she tells me that she lards them with streaky bacon, and pops a lump of butter and a small apple inside them to keep them from going dry. Hope that helps.

Paul B

Thanks Augustus, I will give it a try, Im out shootingon Saturday, and hopefully will pot a brace.

Notes on England cricket- KP has had his wings clipped- whats the opinion here, will be in the side or is that it, barring Indian Premier League and Hampshire?

Raffles

Those of you wishing for a good laugh must read Anatole Kaletsky in the Times this morning. I have felt sorry for him recently as he has been pilloried so relentlessly for his hopeless calls on the market by readers but today he has clearly cracked.Brown is not actually the most dangerous man to be running the country. Next to Kaletsky, he is a paragon of reason.

Joe Camel

@ Verity

A New Year's present for you:

http://obamaclock.org/

Enjoy!

With warmest regards,
JC

Rather Anon than Left

Ted Tedford -

I don't believe we've had any real say in Post Office admin for ages; I do know that all our inefficient international mail goes through germany. This makes me want to write anti-eu things on my letters, though I don't as I prefer greetings cards to reach their destinations(eventually) and never wish to embarrass recipients.

Of course, regional name-changing started back in the 70's and, again, I suppose it was the thin edge of the eussr takeover. Personally, I ignore it as far as possible-Yorkshire is Yorkshire, and I don't imagine modern germans know a Riding from a seat!

I do get disoriented about Cumberland and Westmorland, occasionally; fortunately, I still have my father's school atlas (and his 100th birthdate is coming up...).

As a sort of PS - and linking to Pete Hoskins' article on Ayn Rand and lefty writers - I know many of the largest (English language) publishing houses are presently owned by germans. Not being on the inside, I have no idea what their policies are about what we must read. Still, I have reason to suspect that literary departments at some universities favour lefties - and sometimes tell students they must write in a marxist vein or lingo (the franco-german theory thing) if they want to be published. Such 'educators' may well discriminate against non-compliant students (especially if they are Christian, conservative or, sometimes, English).

I wonder if anyone has further insight on this?

Verity

Joe Camel - I wrote back thanking you immediately, but my post seems to gone into the dead posts file in the Speccie cyberspace attic.

Thank you again, and I have sent it off round the world.

Kind regards, Verity

Ian C

How to keep the left on a leash? by Angela Merkel and the Germans.

http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2009/01/14/51109/germany-to-ban-exces