CoffeeHousers' Wall, 21 April - 26 April

Michael Booth

I see that Tony Blair is being touted as the first President of the European Union, having secured the (begrudged) backing of the Prime Mentalist (anyone else seen his video performance on MPs allowances? No? It's a hoot!) The thing is, how do we say 'No' to the Irresistable Rise of Arturo Ui aka B.Liar?

Pete Hoskin

Apologies that the Wall is a day late this week. Better late than never, I guess.

RayD

David Cameron should say ex premiers should be ineligible, after all, they're ex for a reason, and that the UK will have to consider its position if the appointment goes ahead.

Then the French go for Blair to spite us, we get out, and everybody gets what they deserve.

Conservative Cabbie

To the Spectator Team

I'm new to the wall so don't know if this has been mentioned before, but what has happened to Americano? It's bad enough that the American election can no longer be debated, but to not have a dedicated blog on American politics only adds to my withdrawal symptoms.

Perhaps, if the powers that be at The Spectator have given up on Americano, they may consider blog posts from those who wish to continue having the interesting and good quality discussions that were becoming a feature before it was 'shut down'.

Tim Hedges

Don't we all have to agree the Lisbon Treaty before we can have a President? The easiest way to stop him is to support the Irish NO.

Michael Booth

and on the subject of Brown's proposals on MPs allowances, it seems the new rules (based on attendance at the House of C)will not apply to Northern Ireland MPs - why? Because they would no doubt upset the Sinn Feiners who do not attend Parliament...

Michael Booth

And... whilst I am on a roll... I see Clare Short has invited Hamas to speak to Parliamentarians etc via video conferencing... So, it's Yes to Hamas and No to Geert Wilders. Comments anyone?

THX1138

Michael Booth-William Hague on top form re TB being made President of Europe.

http://tinyurl.com/cq38gs

Utterly brilliant!!

James Forsyth

Cabbie, Apologies my bad. Normal service will be resumed shortly. As ever, James

seb

Michael Booth

I have a clipping from the Financial Times bearing a 2002 date. The clipping is in fact an article planted by, probably, Campbell, and says that Britain - yes, that's apparently all of us - is behind Princess Tony's bid to become President of the United States of Europe. In fact, I believe the job would be an appointment to head the European Council and nothing like the American presidency.
Previous to this, Mandrake's column in the Telegraph mooted the idea as, naturally, a cause for hilarity.

Any evident support the Prime Minister has given the idea must have been extorted from him. Brown would rather we had a cat as European president than Blair.

Naturally, no sane person wants Blair to return to public office in any capacity. Exactly what is behind the seven year old campaign to parachute him into some Euro-supremo role defeats me. Is it simply that people like Merkel and Sarkozy don't realise what Blair is?

Michael Booth

Thanks THX1138

That was just brilliant! When Hague is on form he is ON FORM!!!

seb

THX1128
Thanks. Hague is, predictably, brilliant. Was The Moron not in the house at the time? Seems not. Miliband found it amusing. Will Brown get Matron to give the lad's backside a caning later on?

This is every bit as fantastic a youtube clip as Dan Hannan's speech.

Forlornehope

THX1138 - Thank you for that link, better than first rate.

The reaction from the Labour benches, Milliband in particular, was very interesting.

But, Hague needs to be delivering this kind of punch to Brown & Co in public. Not too many people will have seen this.

egh

Tim Hedges - You know a way we can vote against Lisbo? [Or a way the Irish can keep the 'no' going...] Do tell!!!

Michael Booth

I think you are right about the Lisbon Treaty Tim, but...
it is unlikely you or I will ever get that vote and pressure is being put on the Irish (by their own govt) to vote 'correctly' next time, so we shall have to see.

Michael Booth

Cheers Seb,

A seven year conspiracy eh? Didn't read the Mandrake column, will look it up now you have tipped me the wink! Am still chuckling at Hague's demolition job...

David Ossitt

THX1128

Nice one; but I am a bit biased he is a Yorkshireman.

Paul B

THX, thanks for the link to Hague, excellent.

PS Im addicted to The Wire, can`t wait for my season 2 fix.

Conservative Cabbie

James

Thankyou for that good news.

Florence Nightingale

Michael Booth @5.11pm

Perhaps because the Muslims are nuLabours chosen people?

David Ossitt

Paul B

She who must be obeyed let me purchase the whole of the Sopranos in boxed sets, but as yet has not let me play any, she says it is too soon.

I am a martyr to my wife!

Rhoda Klapp

Is it time for a shakeup over on the right hand side of the page? Of the seven blogs, one is hyperactive (but a little obsessive), one OK, four moribund and one non-responsive.

Oh, and while you're at it, how about a right-wing blogger?

Hysteria

I hate that expression "my bad"

Wilhelm

Last week the Spectator asked the readers to put questions to Eric Pickles, the questions they chose were truly tragic and pathetic, straight out of kids television like,

Whats your favourite colour Eric ? and
If you were a tree, what tree would you be ?

The head honcho, the big chief, the numero uno at the Specatator didnt pick my brilliant question about the mass immigration into this country, the biggest invasion since the Spanish Armada or is the chattering classes who live in the westminster bubble arent interested in that subject and are more concerned about the price of fairtrade coffee at the local Waitrose ?

Its over to you Peter Hoskins.

Verity

I second Rhoda Klapp's suggestion.

I assume the hyperactive but "a little obsessive" one is Melanie Phillips, who I don't visit any more despite the stellar quality of her writing. I'm guessing the "OK" one is Alec Massie of the rebellious uni hairdo and I drop in occasionally. I can't imagine anyone on the right tuning in to Martin Bright, given that we are swamped, drowning in socialist journalism. To my mind, Clive Davis is a cypher. The same with the Faith one, although it might be visited by people interested in these specific issues, so I don't want to be condemnatory.

Re Ms Klapp's suggestion, may I suggest Ann Trenenman? Or Quentin Letts? Either one would be terribly engaging. What about Peter Oborne? What about the handsome and beautifully turned out (with a nice haircut, too!) Daniel Hannan?

THX1138

Thanks everyone.... I think I'm going to cry!

Paul B I'm so glad you're enjoying The Wire, did you see Mcbride quoted Omar from The Wire after he was fired.

"The game is the game"

Verity

Wilhelm - re your mass immigration question, you should be grateful that you were not sent away for "re-education". Or, as it has been renamed, as it got such a bad name under Mao and the USSR, "diversity training".

Rush-is-Right

On Sunday 19th April in Turkish North Cyprus a left of centre pro-EU and pro-settlement government was thrown out. It's a massive two fingers to the EU and to the previous tax and spend government. I don't see it being reported and I didn't hear it on the BBC.

seb

Michael Booth
Call it what you will, the Blair for President campaign is at least seven years old. Blair and Blairsm have been analysed to death but little attention has been paid to this bizarre facet of the man, the presidential obsession. Is it simply egomania? The well-intentioned but cretinous wisht that Europe should also enjoy the blessings of Tony-ism? Or is it that Blair can't settle down and retire and has to have a job and anything will do?

I think the idea of Blair as the President of the European Council would nauseate most voters in this country.

Dog Snob

seb.

The European Council nauseates most voters in this country.

THX1138

I went to see State of Play last night a film that should appeal to all Coffee Housers posters & commenters alike, a tense political thriller, All The Presidents Men meets the current 24 that also explorers our world of blogs and the slow death of printed newspapers.

A crusading young congressman (Ben Affleck) is investigating a Blackwater-type private security company when his chief researcher, who is also his mistress, is pushed in front of a subway train. Was she murdered by the company, which is seeking billions of dollars in government contracts? The investigative reporter Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe), a close friend of the congressman’s, gets on the case and chases the main issue—private security’s potential domestic role—while his sweary editor played brilliantly by Helen Mirren, is worried about her newspaper’s survival, wants to pursue only the tabloid side of the story.

Via the Rachl McAdams character a very pretty but cocky blogger working for the paper (obviously based on Pete Hoskins) the film delves into the murky world of the post it and f**k it, fast and furious opinion over fact world of the blogs over serious slow painstaking investigative journalism. The Editor admits she is only there because she is cheap and turns out a ton of copy to fill up the on-line addition. When she teams up with Russell Crowe she has to learn how much work goes into actual reporting.

It's a great new take on Eisenhower's media/military industrial complex with a great plot, fine acting & tight writing . The film has a hefty Brit Involvement from Paul Abbot from original BBC Series as Exec Producer; the film it's made by the superb Working Title a genuine national treasure and of course it's directed by a huge new talent Kevin Macdonald (Touching the void & the Last King of Scotland)

Go see it ...

The Bellman

Anti-State Rant #94.

I heard some prize booby on the Today programme on Tue 21 April saying that the State should be the 'first resort' for care for children at risk. An independent social worker was on hand to rebutt this, but from a predictably wet position: according to her, the main problem was that being collected from school by State carers would make children 'different' and thus prone to teasing.

No mention that the fact that the proposal was being discussed at all indicates just how much citizens are prepared to surrender almost reflexively the most crucial functions of life to an already over-mighty State structure. The fact that the State has *any* role in parenting - beyond ensuring the peace and order of the country as the background in which families interact - is regrettable; but to suggest that it takes primacy is appalling.

There was a cracking article in *Standpoint* last month about the way adoption has been all but ruined by leftist group-think. There are hundreds, thousands of childless couples out there who could provide a stable, loving base for adopted children, but whose 'lifestyle' choices or beliefs mean they are subject to extraordinarily intrusive, intimidating and politically contentious interrogation, and are deterred from adopting where they are not disbarred outright. So children frequently end up in state-run homes. As though being a ward of the State were less morally damaging than being 'exposed' to a 'bad' diet or - the horror - 'unacceptable' or 'judgemental' opinions about homosexuality or religion.

Here we have another example of what a poster on another thread described amusingly as the Rahm Emmanuel school: never let a crisis go to waste - use it to expand the scope and confiscatory power of the State.

Damn them. Damn them all.

Kevyn Bodman

Good to see Paul O'Connell as captain of the Lions.
Probably the best touring party available to the selectors.
Interesting centre selecions,and I can't think which combination wil start the First Test.

Lee Byrne/Rob Kearney for 15 and Martyn Williams/David Wallace for 7 will cause some debate beteween my Irish friends and me.

Dog Snob

The Bellman.

Well said sir. Agree with every word - except use of the verb 'parenting'. What a dreadfully engineered concoction foisted on the language and by that, on our regard for the act of bringing up children.

The Bellman

Not really a great topic for debate, but allowing briefing papers to be photographed by No 10 paparazzi appears to be an approved way of bypassing not only parliament but even the light grilling of lobby hacks and the State broadcasting studio.

What a truly disgusting band of dwarves this government is.

(And that isn't a dig at Hazel Blears, who seems for a politician to be a perfectly likeable, if slightly irritating, person.)

Guy Gin

Today, April 22, is Earth Day, aka Lenin’s Birthday. Why has the Spectator not gone to the officially approved colourful lengths (e.g. today’s Google logo) to draw this splendid date to the attention of its readers? For readers who, like myself, make a point of obediently complying with all requirements dictated by our statesmanlike* leaders, here’s a suitably comemmorative link:

http://tinyurl.com/einhorn865

* Sorry, make that statespersonlike.

Wilhelm

I notice my blitzkrieg against the odious Trevor Philips hasnt appeared yet, is the Spectator checking with the lawyers and the police ( the para military wing of the liebour party ) for any libel ?

Verity

I'd like to see it, Wilhelm. Trevor Phillips is indeed odious. And a parasite.

Paul B

Kevyn ,I will come back to you on my thoughts on the Lions squad, at present and I`m just too angry with the budget and the mess of the country Brown has made.

I would have preferred BOD as captain, but hey ho, thats splitting hairs, POC is fine player, not major complaint from me there. I would pick Williams as my No7, best British (Isles) No 7 since Back imo, both great players with street cred & cunning. Pleased to see Shaw selected, we will need his grit,size and experience.

egh

seb and Dog Snob: but B-Liar and the EC have their ways! Niether recognizes 'voters' in this country...

Bellman - whichever way the wind blows, it looks as though we ought to consider our options on Children.

Nothing I come up with seems helpful, but perhaps somebody can suggest non-linear approaches for producing positive 'outcomes'. Depends on the point of view, of course, but I'm not counting eugenics as positive...

On my linear scale, clearly the middle way (inaction and wait for a chance to vote?), like democracy, is moribund.

At one pole: We might consider having so many children that the Old Woman can't cope with them. But I think that's no fairer to the children than the Old Woman is.

At another pole: We could stop having children. That might be best for us and for the children. Then the Old Woman can euthanase us in the 'hospitals' whenever she wants - she's already demolished all the assets, anyway.

I don't count emigration as an option - can't see anywhere that's any different. Point is that they've all taken over this place and re-made it in their own images.

So ???

mac

Pete/James?Fraser:

Congrats on your speedy and analytical blogging on Budget Day; two dozen posts from you, the editor and various other luminaries made CoffeeHouse the best place to follow the story.

THX1138

mac agreed, did you notice how few comments the politicians got. I wonder why?

James Forsyth

Mac, That's kind and most appreciated. James

Pete Hoskin

Yes, thank you, mac.

Onwards!

Paul B

Happy St Georges Day everyone.

egh

Happy St. Georges Day from me too.

Kevyn Bodman

Indeed, congratulations to all of you for whom St. George is Patron Saint.
I like his symbol, a lot.

Steve.W

Boris Johnson for PM? Read all about it here -

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23679892-details/By+George!+Boris+Johnson+starts+No10+battle/article.do

Wiilhelm

''Welcome to the latest CoffeeHousers' Wall. For those who haven't come across the Wall before, it's a post we put up each Monday, you’ll be able to say whatever you like in the comments section, ''

Provided you dont talk about immigration, disagree with the multiculturism creed and diversity, slag off islam, Trevor Philips, Shami Chakrabatty, Yasmin Alibaba Brown, snake oil salesman George Galloway , they like to sue , they are after all sewers .

So keep it light folks, just write about candyfloss and fluffy dog stories on the coffee
house wall. Thats what we are interested in at the Spectator.

JY

Happy St George's Day to all.

Following the Budget, does anyone know where I can get one of the Gordon Brown "Epic Fail" t-shirts from episode one of Charlie Brooker's Newswipe?

PayDirt

Govt hypocrisy on promoting electric vehicles:

"Subsidies for all categories of electric vehicles are already available in other European countries. Even countries that are supposedly behind the environmental curve, such as the US and China, offer grants of $7,500 and $8,800 respectively. The Government’s announcement that a UK grant will be available, but not until 2011, will only create a sales vacuum for two years and cause widespread damage to the fledgling UK EV business, already fragile as a result of the recession."

http://www.itmworld.com/newswire_detail.php?iResearchId=9854

Pete Hoskin

Wilhelm: erm, you left a rather crucial caveat out of your quote:

"...provided your writing isn’t libellous, crammed with swearing, or offensive to common decency..."

Forlornehope

Let's try a test.

I have read the Quran. It contains many beautiful and deeply spiritual passages that any Christian could respond to. It was obviously written by someone who had some deep religious insights. However, it also contains much that is contradictory and simply terrifying as a creed and the author's insights did not stop him doing some terrible things. Whereas a Christian reading the Sermon on the Mount has to jump through some intellectual hoops not to be a pacifist, a Muslim reading the Quran has to exercise even harder to avoid taking the sword to his infidel neighbour. I just happened to be in the USA on 11 September 2001 and was working with a Muslim colleague. His distress at the events was deeply moving. But, the jihadists have a point when they describe this view of Islam as apostasy. I actually don't know what constitutes a "correct" interpretation of Islam. Unfortunately, I suspect that by going to the Quran the jihadists are closer to the truth than my generous, civilised and deeply distressed colleague.

Now will this criticism of Islam get through the moderator? If it does I might even have a go at the Zionists!

Your NOT alright, Jack

Well, here's my effort to pen a nasty party, non-candyfloss comment: as one who shares a surname, but hopefully nothing else with the late, unlamented Trade Union leader Jack Jones, can I say how disgusted I am by the sentimental British tendency to go all gooey abt people who just happen to get really old, irrespective of how appalling their personalities, or damaging their politics? (And, lest I be accused of fascism, I felt exactly the same about that horrible, wizened old Nazi Diana Mosley, so beloved of Spectator literary editors for so many years. Even if she did write terribly amusing pieces, she was still a Hitler-loving Holocaust denier). [Don't worry Peter - you can't libel the dead]. Similarly, at the other end of the spectrum in Jack Jones we had a man who in his youth fought hard for a murderous Stalinist Spain - he suffered a shoulder wound in the process, it would have saved us all a lot of pain later had the bullet been a few inches nearer the centre) - and in his middle age almost brought this country to its knees with his activities as boss of the TGWU. At best, he was a Communist dupe, at worst ( at least according to Oleg Gordievsky, who should know) - he was an actual KGB agent of influence, doing his best to turn this country into a Soviet hellhole.
And yet - the moment he shuffles off this mortal coil the BBC airwaves are clogged with tear-stained tributes from the likes of the idiotic Tony Benn. ( Ye Gods, can you imagine what it will be like when HE goes?). Let's call a spade a bleeding shovel: this man, even if he did campaign for OAPs in his own old age, was bad for Britain, bad for his beloved 'working class' and rammed even his own union into the buffers. Now that he's dead, it behoves us all to say so. Bloody good riddance.

Paul B

Hope to see State of Play on Monday, if its showing in up here in the rural wilds of Banburyshire, do I miss dear old London.

David O, Sopranos was another US series I missed and I`1m kicking myself over, the trouble is they-the Yanks- produce so many quality programmes it hard to keep up.

THX, I note your a Bobby Dylan fan,me to, his Blood on the Tracks album, ranks in my Top Ten of all time.

Football wise, really annoyed with myself, was working the night of Chelsea/Liverpool. Set the Sky + settled down to watch the match the next day, only to find I had recorded News at Ten D`oh.

Watched first half of Liverpool/Arsenal, Mrs B moaned at me so switched over out of courtesy to some trashy BBC1 drama with Sarah Lancashire & Neil Pearson, bored witless by it, zapped to the football quickly to see yet again I had mossed a classic. What a plonker.

THX1138

Paul B - I'm luckiest man alive (apart from bloody Darling stealing all of our money that is) I have a brace of tickets for the Bob Dylan gig at the Roundhouse in Camden on Sunday. I'm a seasoned gig goer but I'm really, really excited about this one.

I've had a few Sky+ horrors too, bloody thing hung re-booted only to lose about 5 unwatched episodes of BSG, had to wait for the box set on amazon.

Go see State of Play you'll love
it and you know you can trust me.

Paul B

Anyone se QT last night. David Starkey really stuck it to Labour, ably assisted by the lady from the Institute of Ideas. Starkey was superb, especially in his first intervention. Do see

Paul B

You tube link for Starkey
http://tinyurl.com/dgu699

Forlornehope

Government announcement on the Gurkhas is disgraceful. Joanna Lumley goes ballistic:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8014265.stm

A quick response on this is needed from the Conservatives. They should only have to wait for the next election to get justice.

IanB

"...we should really be concentrating our attention upon the poor. And the best thing we can do for them is to stop bloody taxing them."

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/04/24/budget_missed_opportunities/

Thrasymachus

First time poster on the Coffee House Wall, but by necessity. The Speccie seems utterly obsessed by the budget this week: to the absolute exclusion of everything else.

I wish to echo Forlornehope here, we need a posting on the continued disgraceful treatment of the Gurkhas.

It seems that the government is completely determined to place absolutely unrealistic conditions on allowing Gurkhas leave to remain. Gallantry medals and 20 years service etc.

The French put us to complete shame here. It is a fact that a foreign national need only serve 5 years with the French Foreign Legion to be guaranteed a passport and residency.

The media should be spitting with anger against our government's unconscionable treatment of the bravest of the brave.

Peter

State of Play - no why would an earnest, po-faced drama like that appeal to THxself-publicist?

Oh, I remember now.

William

Forlornehope and Thrasymachus, you beat me to it. I was just coming here to ask if we could have a post about the Gurkhas - people who have actually given something for this country and are receiving contempt in return - and less about the dreary 50p tax which affects a very tiny minority in this country.

William

Paul B, I thought Starkey came across as a pig-ignorant racist.

Each to their own, I suppose.

Forlornehope

Ignorant, hardly, unless you have a rather strange definition of the word, racist, not on the clip I listened to. Intolerant of bullshit from a self-satisfied government minister, absolutely.

Steve.W

Wilhelm – Apr 23rd – 1.32pm and Peter Hoskin – 2.37pm, I'm sure I've posted that Yasmin Alibhai Brown is total fluff, I'm right, she is.

THX1138

An anonymous self publicist!

So how does that work?

mac

Thrasymachus,

Alex Massie has now blogged on the Ghurka case.

mac

Steve.W:

I suspect that you could offer a less diplomatic view of the opinionated Ms Y A-B. I imagine it's a view I'd share . . .

Wilhelm

Peter Hoskin

"...provided your writing isn’t offensive to common decency..."

This is a briliant line because it covers all the bases from A to Z and its all in the eye of the beholder. A spectator journalist, I cant remember who said '' I dont think Geert Wilders should be allowed to express his views because he is a bore.

Now that is a pretty lame excuse and Im not buying it, I think the truth is the whole subject of the slow islamification of this country is sooooo radioactive, the Spectator journalist didnt want to touch the topic, and who can blame him. Who wants 1000 nutty muslim radicals screeeeming outside your door at 6.00 am in the morning ? Theo van Gogh was murdered and look at the Danish cartoons. Melanie Philips is the only one in England who gets it.

As for Trevor Philips, let me put it this way, Peter. I completely and utterly understand your predicament for not allowing comments criticizing Philips. After all Trevor is a big shot in the London establisment, you probably run into him all the time at press conferences, dinner parties, media junkets and you may by accident be caught in an elevator with him and the '' Wilhelmsgate comment '' might come up.

So Peter, you dont want to rock the boat
because you've got a wife and family to support, thats understandable.

Finally, to finish off, Peter, I'll leave you with a candyfloss comment because I know you get a kick out of them.

Aren't West Highland terrriers adorably cute ?

mac

"Gurkha", sorry.

Pete Hoskin

Wilhelm: you're selectively quoting again. "Offensive to common decency" wasn't the only caveat. I also said that libellous comments wouldn't get up, and that's what happened in the case of your original Trevor Phillips comment.

You'll find that most websites won't put libellous comments up, so I don't know quite why you're duking it out with us. If anything, I think we're fairly open-minded in these parts. And, as I've consistently said before, if you feel you've been unfairly moderated, you can email me on phoskin @ spectator.co.uk and I'll happily look into it.

Two other points:

Erm, I wrote a post on Coffee House arguing that Geert Wilders should have been allowed into the country. You can read it here:

http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/3353146/banning-wilders-is-bad-for-social-cohesion.thtml

And I don't have a wife and family to support! Too young for all that.

Rhoda Klapp

Twas Massie who called Wilders a boor. However he did not say the man should not be allowed to speak, rather that even though he is a boor he has the right to show his film.

Verity

Rhoda K - Did the Alec say Wilders is a boor or a bore?

Wilhelm, I don't wish to be contentious or say anything libellous or against common decency, but although all terriers have their undisputed charms, cats are smarter. And have a more posey sense of self. My little black and white female cat has realised that I am looking at her and has struck a pose. Dogs don't do that.

Rhoda Klapp

Verity, boor

http://www.spectator.co.uk/alexmassie/3355411/geert-wilders-is-not-a-hero.thtml

I saw Wilders interviewed on Fox (not much chance of him getting a go on a UK channel?) and he seemed like a well-spoken well-mannered reasonable person.

DW

Please can you moderate faster, especially over the week end.
I comment, and three hours later the comment is still not up (nor anyone else's.) It's really frustrating as a lot of blogs thrive on speedy interaction.
How does it work? Is one of you on duty working through a log jam in between breakfast in bed, browsing the papers and the pub?

Alex Massie

Verity: I think Wilders a boor and a bore and, for that matter, a bigot. But he should have been permitted entry to show his film. Rhoda K has summed up my views pretty well. If Britain had a First Amendment I'd be pretty much a First Amendment Absolutist.

Also: who would choose terriers over spaniels?

patricia

For ME :)

stereodog

Does anyone else think it just a little bit poor that on the first Sunday after the budget they cancel the Andrew Marr Show in favour of the London Marathon? I know that Marr isn't exactly Paxman but he does get the top guests and I do think that given the economic crisis the BBc could have shifted Marr over to BBC 2 instead of cancelling it. The same thing happened (more understandably)on Easter Sunday during the Damian McBride scandal.

Rhoda Klapp

DW, there's only Mr. Hoskin, and as he will insist he needs to eat, sleep, commute, go to the pictures and generally have a life there are times when he can't put our comments up.

Disgraceful I calls it.

Verity

Alex - Who would choose terriers over spaniels? Frankly, who would choose dogs over cats? (But dogs are dear and have their merits.)

I, too, am a First Amendment absolutist and I'm sorry Britain doesn't have one. Actually, we probably do, as part of the things that are not forbidden and are therefore legal. I wouldn't volunteer to test it against the socialist SS Thought Fascists, though.

Wilhelm

Peter Hoskin

''I don't have a wife and family to support! ''

By the way, do you mind if I ask a personal question ? have you ever given serious thought and consideration of adopting a puppy to keep you company ? a Scottish terrier perhaps ?

I think Rod Liddle has a goldfish, it keeps him company, its cheaper than a wife.

egh

Well the best dog I ever knew is a Chorgi. Mind you, there's a pretty good miniature Schnauzer about, too; then there was that dear old Golden Cocker Spaniel. Mr. Cat was pretty special, on the feline side; and I never met a horse I didn't like.
On the whole, my acquaintanceships suggest that the animal capacity for goodness and caring far exceeds........

London Calling

Why has this wall not been knocked down?