Always splendid when a delivery man takes the time to deliver a note saying he was sorry he missed you (presumably because he didn't actually bother knocking on the door).
Always splendid when a delivery man takes the time to deliver a note saying he was sorry he missed you (presumably because he didn't actually bother knocking on the door).
Or if they're delivering to a business and they state no one available to sign. Probably the best one was to a friend who works at an estate agent and the driver confirmed delivery with a signature at 2:30AM
A very long read, and fascinating to read the factual details of the intricate planning.
Could have been done without the Guardian's typical negative view of the monarchy intertwined with it though.
Guardian's negativity pales in insignificance to the pasting Wills and Kate "Antoinette" have been getting in the Mail and Sun this week.
One wonders whether even the pink newsreader lady in Pyongyang will intonate all this ceremony in a way that suggests she thinks these Brits are totally mad.
And, as with the Olympics, it will be the feeling that we are, indeed, slightly bonkers, that will be the emotion most likely to get to me and swell the pride in my chest.
Yet more good positive news on overseas investment. It's almost as if large non-EU companies see Britain as a successful nation in the future.
Good news for South Derbyshire. Although any more staff will make the A50/A38 rouundabout even busier at shift changes, damn them.
An anecdote: in the late 1980s the wife of one of my dad's workmen started an evening course in spoken Japanese, on a whim. Shortly after she finished the course the Burnaston plant was announced by Toyota, and she applied for a job. She was one of the first employees to be employed there (I think they wanted locals for PR purposes), and went from being a receptionist/secretary to management before she retired.
Not bad for a housewife!
Obviously congratulations are (?were) due to the lady, but bearing in mind Liam Fox’ recent remarks about doing away with workers rights, do these large organsations think it worthwhile to come here and pay a small-ish tariff because they will be operating in a worker-unfriendly country.
Do you have a link to Fox's remarks? I missed them. TIA.
It was a quote ex the FT in something else, possibly the Indie. Can’t find at the moment.
Beware historical quotes:
Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, in 2012 described some workplace rights as “unsustainable”
The notion a Prime Minister (or indeed an entire Cabinet) can be wholly ignorant of a Chancellor's Budget statement before he or she stands up in the Commons is absurd.
The Budget would require the political sign off of the Cabinet - the economics would be left to the Chancellor - that's their remit.
I'm inclined to the view May thought the NiC issue wouldn't get the traction it did but the way she threw Hammond under the proverbial bus was enlightening. Even more than Cameron, May wants to be liked and doesn't do unpopularity. The thought of people and especially those she sees as prospective Conservative voters (everyone except me and the mad cat lady who lives four doors down the street) not liking her is anathema.
The problem with that is you can't please (or fool) all the people all the time. There are occasions when the unpopular thing is actually the correct thing - being liked or having high poll ratings isn't the same as doing a good job.
She doesn't seem to be taking this approach when it comes to Brexit though....
Tele reporting that Phil Hammond had Theresa May's well aimed stiletto dug into him!
Maggie's handbag Vs Theresa stiletto?
Its not a smiley moment at all. This is a decent chancellor trying to do the right thing who has been undermined, and is now being subject to the forces of hell by the rabid press and No 10. Its making me feel quite ill to be honest... Hammond seems to be the new Alistair Darling.
Hammond brought all this on himself. He broke the manifesto commitment and he failed to consult. If he had consulted he would have realized he didn't have the numbers to get this through... Quite obviously a large number of Tory MP's were going to combine with DUP MP's and the government didn't have the numbers.
May quite wisely realized this and told Hammond to buck his ideas up... If he'd lost a parliamentary vote on NIC'c that really would have been resignation time.
May saw the headlines in the right wing press and buckled.
I suspect people are overanalysing this. It slipped through/they thought they could wing it. When it started looking tricky, having learnt from the Dave & George Cornish Pastie Horror Show decided - together - a quick climb down was in order and Hammond would have another rummage down the back of the sofa by the Autumn.
Media organisations aren't keen on 'government shambles' stories being shut down....so they're trying to keep it going.
The government's opponents are running with 'disorganisation and lack of backbone augers badly for BREXIT' stories, while supporters, naturally think 'flexibility and willingness to listen' augurs well....
I mostly agree. Philip Hammond took the blame so Theresa May didn't have to. We shouldn't be surprised. If she doesn't show her support for him in other ways however, she risks alienating yet another colleague. She has few enough friends already. There's a narrative that hard Brexit factions in her party and amongst the press are gunning for the Chancellor because he hasn't sufficiently bought into the rhetoric. Being seen to appease that faction won't help her deliver the somewhat mitigated Brexit that the success of her premiership depends on.
Always splendid when a delivery man takes the time to deliver a note saying he was sorry he missed you (presumably because he didn't actually bother knocking on the door).
Or if they're delivering to a business and they state no one available to sign. Probably the best one was to a friend who works at an estate agent and the driver confirmed delivery with a signature at 2:30AM
My favourite
'Overly enthusiastic' delivery man surprises customer by leaving his parcel waiting for him on the ROOF
The notion a Prime Minister (or indeed an entire Cabinet) can be wholly ignorant of a Chancellor's Budget statement before he or she stands up in the Commons is absurd.
The Budget would require the political sign off of the Cabinet - the economics would be left to the Chancellor - that's their remit.
I'm inclined to the view May thought the NiC issue wouldn't get the traction it did but the way she threw Hammond under the proverbial bus was enlightening. Even more than Cameron, May wants to be liked and doesn't do unpopularity. The thought of people and especially those she sees as prospective Conservative voters (everyone except me and the mad cat lady who lives four doors down the street) not liking her is anathema.
The problem with that is you can't please (or fool) all the people all the time. There are occasions when the unpopular thing is actually the correct thing - being liked or having high poll ratings isn't the same as doing a good job.
Didn't Andrew Rawnsley reference that in one of his books? Iirc one year the only thing Brown would tell Blair was what date the budget would be on. It was revenge for Blair leaking Brown's white rabbit the year before on one of the Sunday shows.
The notion a Prime Minister (or indeed an entire Cabinet) can be wholly ignorant of a Chancellor's Budget statement before he or she stands up in the Commons is absurd.
The Budget would require the political sign off of the Cabinet - the economics would be left to the Chancellor - that's their remit.
I'm inclined to the view May thought the NiC issue wouldn't get the traction it did but the way she threw Hammond under the proverbial bus was enlightening. Even more than Cameron, May wants to be liked and doesn't do unpopularity. The thought of people and especially those she sees as prospective Conservative voters (everyone except me and the mad cat lady who lives four doors down the street) not liking her is anathema.
The problem with that is you can't please (or fool) all the people all the time. There are occasions when the unpopular thing is actually the correct thing - being liked or having high poll ratings isn't the same as doing a good job.
She doesn't seem to be taking this approach when it comes to Brexit though....
You are making the assumption Brexit is the "correct thing" rather than the "popular thing"
Yet more good positive news on overseas investment. It's almost as if large non-EU companies see Britain as a successful nation in the future.
Good news for South Derbyshire. Although any more staff will make the A50/A38 rouundabout even busier at shift changes, damn them.
An anecdote: in the late 1980s the wife of one of my dad's workmen started an evening course in spoken Japanese, on a whim. Shortly after she finished the course the Burnaston plant was announced by Toyota, and she applied for a job. She was one of the first employees to be employed there (I think they wanted locals for PR purposes), and went from being a receptionist/secretary to management before she retired.
Not bad for a housewife!
Obviously congratulations are (?were) due to the lady, but bearing in mind Liam Fox’ recent remarks about doing away with workers rights, do these large organsations think it worthwhile to come here and pay a small-ish tariff because they will be operating in a worker-unfriendly country.
Do you have a link to Fox's remarks? I missed them. TIA.
It was a quote ex the FT in something else, possibly the Indie. Can’t find at the moment.
Beware historical quotes:
Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, in 2012 described some workplace rights as “unsustainable”
A very long read, and fascinating to read the factual details of the intricate planning.
Could have been done without the Guardian's typical negative view of the monarchy intertwined with it though.
Guardian's negativity pales in insignificance to the pasting Wills and Kate "Antoinette" have been getting in the Mail and Sun this week.
The monarchy is currently living on good will towards HMQ personally. Après elle, le déluge, and it is indicative of the thickness and complacency of Chas n Wills and their advisers that they are not trying a little bit harder to look like attractive people in their own right. There will be monarchy refs, certainly in the colonies and very probably here.
Technical question, sort of - life is busy and I'm awlays happy to read PB headers and skim the comments elow the line, but I almost never have time to sit down and listen to a podcast, so the admirable effort in making them completely passes me by, even when it sounds interesting, as it often does. Is that unusual, and most of you are keenly listening?
Not unusual at all. A transcript, if anyone's offering, would be marvellous.
Always splendid when a delivery man takes the time to deliver a note saying he was sorry he missed you (presumably because he didn't actually bother knocking on the door).
Or if they're delivering to a business and they state no one available to sign. Probably the best one was to a friend who works at an estate agent and the driver confirmed delivery with a signature at 2:30AM
My favourite
'Overly enthusiastic' delivery man surprises customer by leaving his parcel waiting for him on the ROOF
Last year I ordered a mobile phone for someone who didn't have a card for use online. I got delivered a box about the size of a small filing cabinet. This turned out to be a lockable prescription cabinet that should have gone to a GP surgery near Finchley.
When I returned this cabinet to the local courier depot and retrieved the phone, I had some manager there getting all stroppy demanding to know how this cabinet was in my possession.
Netherlands As parliamentary seats are allocated in exact proportion to a party's vote share, the VVD will need to go into coalition with three other parties.
Always splendid when a delivery man takes the time to deliver a note saying he was sorry he missed you (presumably because he didn't actually bother knocking on the door).
Or if they're delivering to a business and they state no one available to sign. Probably the best one was to a friend who works at an estate agent and the driver confirmed delivery with a signature at 2:30AM
A couple of weeks ago the delivery man woke me up knocking on the front door to ask me to take a parcel for my next door neighbour. I signed the form and took the parcel. Two mins later I got a text to say "We tried to deliver your parcel but you weren't in, so we left it w your neighbour".. checked the parcel and it was for me!
Netherlands As parliamentary seats are allocated in exact proportion to a party's vote share, the VVD will need to go into coalition with three other parties.
Technical question, sort of - life is busy and I'm awlays happy to read PB headers and skim the comments elow the line, but I almost never have time to sit down and listen to a podcast, so the admirable effort in making them completely passes me by, even when it sounds interesting, as it often does. Is that unusual, and most of you are keenly listening?
Not unusual at all. A transcript, if anyone's offering, would be marvellous.
If a full transcript cannot be made available, then some podcasts give approximate times various segments begin.
But the podcast is well worth a listen to if you have the time.
A very long read, and fascinating to read the factual details of the intricate planning.
Could have been done without the Guardian's typical negative view of the monarchy intertwined with it though.
Guardian's negativity pales in insignificance to the pasting Wills and Kate "Antoinette" have been getting in the Mail and Sun this week.
The monarchy is currently living on good will towards HMQ personally. Après elle, le déluge, and it is indicative of the thickness and complacency of Chas n Wills and their advisers that they are not trying a little bit harder to look like attractive people in their own right. There will be monarchy refs, certainly in the colonies and very probably here.
I agree. The Monarchy has to justify it's existance. At the moment it's not in doubt, but as soon as Charles is King, then they're be questions.
A very long read, and fascinating to read the factual details of the intricate planning.
Could have been done without the Guardian's typical negative view of the monarchy intertwined with it though.
Guardian's negativity pales in insignificance to the pasting Wills and Kate "Antoinette" have been getting in the Mail and Sun this week.
One wonders whether even the pink newsreader lady in Pyongyang will intonate all this ceremony in a way that suggests she thinks these Brits are totally mad.
And, as with the Olympics, it will be the feeling that we are, indeed, slightly bonkers, that will be the emotion most likely to get to me and swell the pride in my chest.
Apparently the Chinese TV commentators were enthusiastically explaining the whole opening ceremony to their viewers until the queen parachuted out of the helicopter....another observed that this was the night the world went 'okaaay.....and edged slightly away...'
It’s hard to imagine any other nation willing to make so much fun of itself on a global stage, in front of as many as a billion viewers. It takes nerve to look silly; the cheesy, kaleidoscopic history lesson that took Britain through its past, from pasture through the workhouses and smoke stacks of the Industrial Revolution to World War I and, of course, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” was like a Bollywood version of a sixth-grade play.
But bad taste is also a part of the British heritage. The imagery mixed the glory of a royal Jubilee with the grottiness of a Manchester pub-crawl. Britain offered a display of humor and humbleness that can only stem from a deep-rooted sense of superiority.
Yet more good positive news on overseas investment. It's almost as if large non-EU companies see Britain as a successful nation in the future.
While trade barriers might under the conventional economic paradigm be seen as a bad thing generally, that paradigm owes much to the weight given to international competition in empowering consumers in globalised markets. In practice, in a country with an endemic balance of payments deficit, there is some merit in the introduction of selective tariffs between the market that is pretty well solely responsible for that balance of payments deficit while aiming to reach trade deals elsewhere. The point is: if Renaults, VWs, Skodas etc are going to become less competitively priced in the UK, maybe the opportunity opened up in UK markets for import substitution will at least match and maybe exceed the losses in exports. Car manufacturers based in the UK will become very competitive in UK car markets.
One other thought: Maybe May and Hammond were prepared to back away from the problem of growing losses of revenue from self employment because they were mindful that the gap might be plugged by the revenue that seems likely to come their way from tariffs on EU imports, something they'd prefer not to shout from the rooftops for now.
A very long read, and fascinating to read the factual details of the intricate planning.
Could have been done without the Guardian's typical negative view of the monarchy intertwined with it though.
Guardian's negativity pales in insignificance to the pasting Wills and Kate "Antoinette" have been getting in the Mail and Sun this week.
One wonders whether even the pink newsreader lady in Pyongyang will intonate all this ceremony in a way that suggests she thinks these Brits are totally mad.
And, as with the Olympics, it will be the feeling that we are, indeed, slightly bonkers, that will be the emotion most likely to get to me and swell the pride in my chest.
Apparently the Chinese TV commentators were enthusiastically explaining the whole opening ceremony to their viewers until the queen parachuted out of the helicopter....another observed that this was the night the world went 'okaaay.....and edged slightly away...'
It’s hard to imagine any other nation willing to make so much fun of itself on a global stage, in front of as many as a billion viewers. It takes nerve to look silly; the cheesy, kaleidoscopic history lesson that took Britain through its past, from pasture through the workhouses and smoke stacks of the Industrial Revolution to World War I and, of course, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” was like a Bollywood version of a sixth-grade play.
But bad taste is also a part of the British heritage. The imagery mixed the glory of a royal Jubilee with the grottiness of a Manchester pub-crawl. Britain offered a display of humor and humbleness that can only stem from a deep-rooted sense of superiority.
Netherlands As parliamentary seats are allocated in exact proportion to a party's vote share, the VVD will need to go into coalition with three other parties.
Nightmare.
Why is it a nightmare ?
Hard for a government to agree what to do.
Compromise is not always best when decisive action is needed.
Totally O/T but on the subject of gin, my wife & I went on Saturday to a local food festival, and were struck with number of ‘artisan’ gin stalls. Normally there are a few alcohol stalls, mostly wine, but this time there must have been four of five small-scale gin producers. My wife is currently working her way through the product of one of them. Slowly, I should add!
And this lunch-time we’re going out to lunch at a local pub which makes a feature of the different varieties of gin it has on offer. Sadly I shall be driving.
Do you not have taxis in Essex, Mr. Cole?
There has indeed been a very rapid growth in the number of these artisan gin distilleries in very short space of time. So much so that I am suspicious. I wonder if the excise people are really on top of the game and how much of the stuff is dirt cheap gin imported, rebottled with a fancy label and flogged on with a 100% mark-up.
A very long read, and fascinating to read the factual details of the intricate planning.
Could have been done without the Guardian's typical negative view of the monarchy intertwined with it though.
Guardian's negativity pales in insignificance to the pasting Wills and Kate "Antoinette" have been getting in the Mail and Sun this week.
The monarchy is currently living on good will towards HMQ personally. Après elle, le déluge, and it is indicative of the thickness and complacency of Chas n Wills and their advisers that they are not trying a little bit harder to look like attractive people in their own right. There will be monarchy refs, certainly in the colonies and very probably here.
I agree. The Monarchy has to justify it's existance. At the moment it's not in doubt, but as soon as Charles is King, then they're be questions.
People said the same about Edward VII.
One thing to remember about the monarchy is that (almost) each regeneration of the sovereign begins in a wave of popular sympathy: their parent has just died.
Charles will do fine as a king. He'll modernise some things and, as he does so, people will accept that some things needed modernising.
The trick of the survival of the monarchy is to be constantly about 30 years behind the times.
Totally O/T but on the subject of gin, my wife & I went on Saturday to a local food festival, and were struck with number of ‘artisan’ gin stalls. Normally there are a few alcohol stalls, mostly wine, but this time there must have been four of five small-scale gin producers. My wife is currently working her way through the product of one of them. Slowly, I should add!
And this lunch-time we’re going out to lunch at a local pub which makes a feature of the different varieties of gin it has on offer. Sadly I shall be driving.
Do you not have taxis in Essex, Mr. Cole?
There has indeed been a very rapid growth in the number of these artisan gin distilleries in very short space of time. So much so that I am suspicious. I wonder if the excise people are really on top of the game and how much of the stuff is dirt cheap gin imported, rebottled with a fancy label and flogged on with a 100% mark-up.
One of my former colleagues became a part time artisanal gin maker. It turns out to be pretty simple. You buy alcohol, add 'botanicals', pay duty, and then spend a lot of time trying to persuade bars and restaraunts to stock your gin.
I misread that for a second as The Queen has resigned
Give the woman a chance. PB has only just reported that she signed as Middlesboro manager .... surely we can only speculate on a resignation when she gets the dreaded "vote of confidence".
I also doubt the Queen will resign. She doesn't do abdication.
Totally O/T but on the subject of gin, my wife & I went on Saturday to a local food festival, and were struck with number of ‘artisan’ gin stalls. Normally there are a few alcohol stalls, mostly wine, but this time there must have been four of five small-scale gin producers. My wife is currently working her way through the product of one of them. Slowly, I should add!
And this lunch-time we’re going out to lunch at a local pub which makes a feature of the different varieties of gin it has on offer. Sadly I shall be driving.
Do you not have taxis in Essex, Mr. Cole?
There has indeed been a very rapid growth in the number of these artisan gin distilleries in very short space of time. So much so that I am suspicious. I wonder if the excise people are really on top of the game and how much of the stuff is dirt cheap gin imported, rebottled with a fancy label and flogged on with a 100% mark-up.
We do have taxis, but in our relatively rural area they are a bit few and far between.
On your second point I suspect there’s some of that. Went, a few weeks ago, to a 'Gin Dinner’ at the pub down the road; where marination and sauces were appropriate gin was used, and the sorbet was a gin-and-tonic one. Between courses we had a talk on gin, with (sadly) small tasters.all from a gin producer in a nearby town, who claimed, IIRC, that they distilled and prepared it themselves. However another such producer I was talking to later asserted that they imported or otherwise brought in the basics and did little or no distilling themselves. Distilling, from my chemistry days is easier in theory than practice.
Intriguingly the Animal Rights party gets the VVD-D66 (I assume coalition) - perhaps with CDA support to 75. So that might be a very good thing.
I'd like that, of course! The Animals Party is an interesting niche phenomenon (maybe the oldies party is too, don't know much about them) of the kind you get in a PR system. They are made up of very dedicated activists who feel that what's done to animals (factory farms, extreme experiments, etc.) is so appalling that it needs to be given priority. They would potentially be up for a deal if they got a major concession in those areas. The problem for them is that the activists are instinctively also very left-wing and anti-establishment, so becoming part of the Government's support base would be really counter-intuitive for them - kind of like Peter Tatchell promising to support the Tories on everything else if they did what he wants on the LGBT rights.
Conversely I know right-wing Dutch animal rights people who agonise over this - they really want to support the Party for the Animals but they want to be tough on welfare, immigrants, etc. too, which the party wouldn't touch with a bargepole.
Netherlands As parliamentary seats are allocated in exact proportion to a party's vote share, the VVD will need to go into coalition with three other parties.
Nightmare.
Why is it a nightmare ?
Hard for a government to agree what to do.
Compromise is not always best when decisive action is needed.
What exactly does the Netherlands need decisive action on though ?
It's a prosperous nation facing no imminent crisis. Supporters of all parties except DENK support Rutte's line on Turkey/Erdogan, and they are definitely not leaving the EU any time soon. They've bowled along happily with coalitions since forever and a few sops to either pensioners (50+) or animal rights should see their budgets through. Interestingly Groene Linke supported the 3% fiscal compact back in the 2012-17 government, so they might be a potential confidence supplier too.
Yet more good positive news on overseas investment. It's almost as if large non-EU companies see Britain as a successful nation in the future.
While trade barriers might under the conventional economic paradigm be seen as a bad thing generally, that paradigm owes much to the weight given to international competition in empowering consumers in globalised markets. In practice, in a country with an endemic balance of payments deficit, there is some merit in the introduction of selective tariffs between the market that is pretty well solely responsible for that balance of payments deficit while aiming to reach trade deals elsewhere. The point is: if Renaults, VWs, Skodas etc are going to become less competitively priced in the UK, maybe the opportunity opened up in UK markets for import substitution will at least match and maybe exceed the losses in exports. Car manufacturers based in the UK will become very competitive in UK car markets.
One other thought: Maybe May and Hammond were prepared to back away from the problem of growing losses of revenue from self employment because they were mindful that the gap might be plugged by the revenue that seems likely to come their way from tariffs on EU imports, something they'd prefer not to shout from the rooftops for now.
Balance of payment deficits are the consequence of consumers spending too much and saving too little. Switzerland has expensive labour, an expensive currency, free trade with almost everyone (including China) and a large balance of payments surplus. Why? Because its savings rate is something like 12-13% of GDP.
Spain has gone from a huge trade deficit to a reasonable trade surplus. Why? Because it's gone from a low savings rate to a high one.
Countries with balance of payment deficits - notably the US and the UK - have low savings rates. Countries with supluses - like Germany, Switzerland and China - have high savings rates.
UK governments, since the GFC, have followed a policies designed to depress the UK savings rate. This has kept consumption up, and the economy humming, but at the expense of ever increasing inbalances.
I misread that for a second as The Queen has resigned
Give the woman a chance. PB has only just reported that she signed as Middlesboro manager .... surely we can only speculate on a resignation when she gets the dreaded "vote of confidence".
I also doubt the Queen will resign. She doesn't do abdication.
Not many people truly know how to do "on and on and on....."
She doesn't seem to be taking this approach when it comes to Brexit though....
I'm not sure I follow.
At the moment, everyone's expectations and desires for our life outside the EU sit with her, "Global Britain" is a meaningless platitude but as such it satisfies the internationalists, the xenophobes and all in between. Arguably we were "Global Britain" until 1973 but as no one under 65 remembers that, the modern connotation can mean anything to anyone.
Thus does May keep her stratospheric approval ratings, by doing nothing and saying the kind of things anyone and everyone can't help but support. "I want the best for Britain" - who can possibly argue with that ? Even if Corbyn were Prime Minister, he'd say that. The PM has to be the ultimate cheerleader for the country - anything less and they would be swept from office.
The problem is while A50 will be dressed up by May and her propagandists as a triumph for her and for Britain (what else could they say ?) on the scale of Dunkirk (which was in reality a dreadful military defeat saved from catastrophe by Hitler's own bunglings and the gallant British (and French) rearguard), the truth will be different. Yes, we will get some of what we want but in other areas, the EU will get what it wants and that might not be wholly to Britain's advantage but those things will be masked and ignored in favour of the "wins".
That's how politics works, my friend. May is no different from Blair and Cameron in her desire not to pick a fight with her own side. That's sensible but as we've argued on here, the unwillingness of Conservatives to look at the triple-lock enjoyed by pensioners hampers attempts to control the public finances in general. Throwing money at the NHS and education without internal reform is no different to a Labour policy in truth.
In 2015, the Dutch government ran a budget deficit of over 12 billion euros, i.e. 3 billion euros lower than in 2014. At 1.8 percent of GDP, last year's budget deficit means the Netherlands remained below the 3 percent reference value for the third consecutive year.
A great day to be part of the liberal elite or whatever the cat fetishing fascists call it these days.
Calling someone here a fascist, despite how thinly veiled, just isn't really cricket.
On the other hand, being called a cat fetishist is a compliment.
There is something seriously wrong with a person if they don't love kittens!
Roasted or fried ?
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and coming from you, Sir, I am honoured as well as flattered. (see 9.30am)
You two are barbarians. Does no one else steam things?
Kittens should be roasted after stuffing with sage & thyme. Do not baste them as they tend to be rather greasy. As an option, pierce the meat and squeeze lemon juice over it as this assists with the breakdown of excess fats (rather like doing kleftiko)
175C at 30 mins per 454g weight
I am pretty sure I have had Kleftiko made with - how can I put this? - something other than the advertised ingredients!
Traditionally, the main ingredient is stolen sheep. I have been told that kleftiko is Greek for "stolen"
A great day to be part of the liberal elite or whatever the cat fetishing fascists call it these days.
Calling someone here a fascist, despite how thinly veiled, just isn't really cricket.
On the other hand, being called a cat fetishist is a compliment.
There is something seriously wrong with a person if they don't love kittens!
Roasted or fried ?
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and coming from you, Sir, I am honoured as well as flattered. (see 9.30am)
You two are barbarians. Does no one else steam things?
Kittens should be roasted after stuffing with sage & thyme. Do not baste them as they tend to be rather greasy. As an option, pierce the meat and squeeze lemon juice over it as this assists with the breakdown of excess fats (rather like doing kleftiko)
175C at 30 mins per 454g weight
Gas mark 4 30mins/lb in old money...
As a europhile remoaner cook, I am strictly metric.
When it comes to cooking measurement, the one true abomination is "cups"
May wants to be liked and doesn't do unpopularity.
That's just what the Police Federation & President Obama said.....
Another comment I don't understand. One of the problems of this site is it becomes very cliquey and full of references to what one poster might or might not have said years ago.
10 years ago this site only had 10 posters - we were Gods among men (and indeed women). As the colossi or old, we ruled the waves of debate changing the political landscape with but a single sentence or emoticon.
Mr. 1000, the savings rate hasn't been assisted by the Bank of England keeping rates at 0.5% for so long and then cutting them. They should rise forthwith and posthaste.
What's you view on the earlier thread discussion on dead cat bait for Fen eel fishing ?
Do you take the position that deceased moggy make an appropriate and entirely correct contribution in sustaining an endangered and skilled rural craft or should the recycling of pussy be outlawed as an outdated country pursuit without meaning in the brave new world of the Labour Party animal right movement?
Totally O/T but on the subject of gin, my wife & I went on Saturday to a local food festival, and were struck with number of ‘artisan’ gin stalls. Normally there are a few alcohol stalls, mostly wine, but this time there must have been four of five small-scale gin producers. My wife is currently working her way through the product of one of them. Slowly, I should add!
And this lunch-time we’re going out to lunch at a local pub which makes a feature of the different varieties of gin it has on offer. Sadly I shall be driving.
Do you not have taxis in Essex, Mr. Cole?
There has indeed been a very rapid growth in the number of these artisan gin distilleries in very short space of time. So much so that I am suspicious. I wonder if the excise people are really on top of the game and how much of the stuff is dirt cheap gin imported, rebottled with a fancy label and flogged on with a 100% mark-up.
We do have taxis, but in our relatively rural area they are a bit few and far between.
On your second point I suspect there’s some of that. Went, a few weeks ago, to a 'Gin Dinner’ at the pub down the road; where marination and sauces were appropriate gin was used, and the sorbet was a gin-and-tonic one. Between courses we had a talk on gin, with (sadly) small tasters.all from a gin producer in a nearby town, who claimed, IIRC, that they distilled and prepared it themselves. However another such producer I was talking to later asserted that they imported or otherwise brought in the basics and did little or no distilling themselves. Distilling, from my chemistry days is easier in theory than practice.
Thanks, Mr. Cole I am certain commercial distilling is very difficult to do. To keep the excise people happy the process must produce alcohol of consistent strength and that requires careful control applied at all stages everytime.
I am grateful to yourself and Mr. Robert for confirming my suspicion that much of the artisan gin now been sold is rebottled cheap alcohol, possibly with some additional flavouring, flogged on at a massive mark-up.
A great day to be part of the liberal elite or whatever the cat fetishing fascists call it these days.
Calling someone here a fascist, despite how thinly veiled, just isn't really cricket.
On the other hand, being called a cat fetishist is a compliment.
There is something seriously wrong with a person if they don't love kittens!
Roasted or fried ?
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and coming from you, Sir, I am honoured as well as flattered. (see 9.30am)
You two are barbarians. Does no one else steam things?
Kittens should be roasted after stuffing with sage & thyme. Do not baste them as they tend to be rather greasy. As an option, pierce the meat and squeeze lemon juice over it as this assists with the breakdown of excess fats (rather like doing kleftiko)
175C at 30 mins per 454g weight
Gas mark 4 30mins/lb in old money...
As a europhile remoaner cook, I am strictly metric.
When it comes to cooking measurement, the one true abomination is "cups"
I misread that for a second as The Queen has resigned
Has she complained yet about how the Sun quoted her in favour of Brexit on its front page the day before the referendum, thereby winning it for Leave? Talk about an "enemy of the people"!
Mr. 1000, the savings rate hasn't been assisted by the Bank of England keeping rates at 0.5% for so long and then cutting them. They should rise forthwith and posthaste.
Its not entirely that though is it ? The ECB has also had low rates.
I bought a new suit on Sunday. Feeling in a particularly frivolous mood I splashed out on wool rather than a polyester one... Yet I think people go to the shops and spend eye watering amounts of money they don't have every week !
Mr. 1000, the savings rate hasn't been assisted by the Bank of England keeping rates at 0.5% for so long and then cutting them. They should rise forthwith and posthaste.
I agree. Really low interest rates also encourage misallocation of capital, storing up problems for the future.
Ryanair Chase 2.50. Uxizandre each way. Winner of this race in 2015 and 2nd here in 2014 over a similar trip he should be there or thereabouts.
Stayers Hurdle 3.30. Snow Falcoln each way. Said to be going well when falling behind the favourite for this race Unowhatimeanharry last November. Has the beating of Shaneshill on the form book last time out. Shaneshill is a great Cheltenham yardstick having come 2nd in each of the last 3 festivals.
Yet more good positive news on overseas investment. It's almost as if large non-EU companies see Britain as a successful nation in the future.
While trade barriers might under the conventional economic paradigm be seen as a bad thing generally, that paradigm owes much to the weight given to international competition in empowering consumers in globalised markets. In practice, in a country with an endemic balance of payments deficit, there is some merit in the introduction of selective tariffs between the market that is pretty well solely responsible for that balance of payments deficit while aiming to reach trade deals elsewhere. The point is: if Renaults, VWs, Skodas etc are going to become less competitively priced in the UK, maybe the opportunity opened up in UK markets for import substitution will at least match and maybe exceed the losses in exports. Car manufacturers based in the UK will become very competitive in UK car markets.
One other thought: Maybe May and Hammond were prepared to back away from the problem of growing losses of revenue from self employment because they were mindful that the gap might be plugged by the revenue that seems likely to come their way from tariffs on EU imports, something they'd prefer not to shout from the rooftops for now.
If carmakers based in the UK import parts from elsewhere in Europe they will also be paying tariffs. If they make most of their cars for the non-UK market, their costs will increase substantially - to the point where they may feel they are better off locating somewhere else. What we may well see in the car market is price increases across the board and jobs moving elsewhere.
A great day to be part of the liberal elite or whatever the cat fetishing fascists call it these days.
Calling someone here a fascist, despite how thinly veiled, just isn't really cricket.
On the other hand, being called a cat fetishist is a compliment.
There is something seriously wrong with a person if they don't love kittens!
Roasted or fried ?
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and coming from you, Sir, I am honoured as well as flattered. (see 9.30am)
You two are barbarians. Does no one else steam things?
Kittens should be roasted after stuffing with sage & thyme. Do not baste them as they tend to be rather greasy. As an option, pierce the meat and squeeze lemon juice over it as this assists with the breakdown of excess fats (rather like doing kleftiko)
175C at 30 mins per 454g weight
Gas mark 4 30mins/lb in old money...
As a europhile remoaner cook, I am strictly metric.
When it comes to cooking measurement, the one true abomination is "cups"
Bone china, pottery or bra ?
Any of them.
I use the Metric Cup but some recipes use a "Customary Cup" (which is smaller) or an "Imperial cup" which is larger. There is an Australian Cup, a US Cup, etc, etc... all different sizes.
Now bra cups... this is a whole new conversation. It varies by manufacturer and your size may have to change depending on whether you are talking T-Shirt bra, Balcony bra, Strapless bra, push-up bra, and so forth. Where would you like to start Mr W?
Edited extra bit: McLaren's also signed Hakkinen as an ambassador. Interesting, as they already have Button. But, it seems, Button is a Honda chap... [so sayeth Twitter, so take with a pinch of salt].
Apparently, in addition reported now the German finance ministry in Berlin intercepted a parcel bomb sent to Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble on Wednesday.
Ryanair Chase 2.50. Uxizandre each way. Winner of this race in 2015 and 2nd here in 2014 over a similar trip he should be there or thereabouts.
Stayers Hurdle 3.30. Snow Falcoln each way. Said to be going well when falling behind the favourite for this race Unowhatimeanharry last November. Has the beating of Shaneshill on the form book last time out. Shaneshill is a great Cheltenham yardstick having come 2nd in each of the last 3 festivals.
Un De Sceaux for me in the Ryanair, I've followed you in on Snow Falcon though :>.
A great day to be part of the liberal elite or whatever the cat fetishing fascists call it these days.
Calling someone here a fascist, despite how thinly veiled, just isn't really cricket.
On the other hand, being called a cat fetishist is a compliment.
There is something seriously wrong with a person if they don't love kittens!
Roasted or fried ?
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and coming from you, Sir, I am honoured as well as flattered. (see 9.30am)
You two are barbarians. Does no one else steam things?
Kittens should be roasted after stuffing with sage & thyme. Do not baste them as they tend to be rather greasy. As an option, pierce the meat and squeeze lemon juice over it as this assists with the breakdown of excess fats (rather like doing kleftiko)
175C at 30 mins per 454g weight
Gas mark 4 30mins/lb in old money...
As a europhile remoaner cook, I am strictly metric.
When it comes to cooking measurement, the one true abomination is "cups"
Bone china, pottery or bra ?
Any of them.
I use the Metric Cup but some recipes use a "Customary Cup" (which is smaller) or an "Imperial cup" which is larger. There is an Australian Cup, a US Cup, etc, etc... all different sizes.
Now bra cups... this is a whole new conversation. It varies by manufacturer and your size may have to change depending on whether you are talking T-Shirt bra, Balcony bra, Strapless bra, push-up bra, and so forth. Where would you like to start Mr W?
It's most awfully kind of you to ask for my appreciation of your bra dispositions but without recourse to a most thorough and exhaustive examination of same and environs therein I must reluctantly demur .... Mrs JackW advises me ....
The home secretary stunned delegates at the Police Federation conference in Bournemouth as she criticised officers for in some instances displaying a "contempt for the public" in their handling of sensitive cases.
The home secretary, Theresa May, defied the American authorities on Tuesday by halting the extradition of British computer hacker Gary McKinnon, a decision criticised by the US state department
Ryanair Chase 2.50. Uxizandre each way. Winner of this race in 2015 and 2nd here in 2014 over a similar trip he should be there or thereabouts.
Stayers Hurdle 3.30. Snow Falcoln each way. Said to be going well when falling behind the favourite for this race Unowhatimeanharry last November. Has the beating of Shaneshill on the form book last time out. Shaneshill is a great Cheltenham yardstick having come 2nd in each of the last 3 festivals.
Un De Sceaux for me in the Ryanair, I've followed you in on Snow Falcon though :>.
Re: the Dutch elections. Much of the mainstream news along with several European leaders are breathing a sigh of relief that the 'populist' failed to win whilst ignoring that fact that the losers yet again are the mainstream parties. The problem with this is the overwhelming message seems to be that everything is fine and we continue as before. I'm unconvinced that this is right for the Europe of today. There really is a dangerous level of complacency here when an extremist party comes a very respectable 2nd and everyone thinks 'panic over'!
Another comment I don't understand."May wants to be liked and doesn't do unpopularity"
"We don't do panic", "He doesn't do resignation", "She doesn't do unpopularity" - file under lazy unthinking journalistic pillock-phrases. Theresa May has a managed image. Hold the front page.
Re: the Dutch elections. Much of the mainstream news along with several European leaders are breathing a sigh of relief that the 'populist' failed to win whilst ignoring that fact that the losers yet again are the mainstream parties. The problem with this is the overwhelming message seems to be that everything is fine and we continue as before. I'm unconvinced that this is right for the Europe of today. There really is a dangerous level of complacency here when an extremist party comes a very respectable 2nd and everyone thinks 'panic over'!
Rutte took a perfectly sensible line regarding the Erdogan situation and has been justly rewarded (VVD outperformed polling) by the electorate.
Re: the Dutch elections. Much of the mainstream news along with several European leaders are breathing a sigh of relief that the 'populist' failed to win whilst ignoring that fact that the losers yet again are the mainstream parties. The problem with this is the overwhelming message seems to be that everything is fine and we continue as before. I'm unconvinced that this is right for the Europe of today. There really is a dangerous level of complacency here when an extremist party comes a very respectable 2nd and everyone thinks 'panic over'!
Rutte took a perfectly sensible line regarding the Erdogan situation and has been justly rewarded (VVD outperformed polling) by the electorate.
By losing 8 seats. You have to be a LD with that kind of logic.
"Traditionally, the main ingredient is stolen sheep. I have been told that kleftiko is Greek for "stolen""
When I was out there the Cypriots translated Kleftiko as "meat made by thieves", whether the making referred to the cooking method or how the meat was acquired I never asked. Traditionally the method of cooking involved digging a hole slightly larger than the clay put in which the meat had been marinating overnight. Fill the hole with wood and leave it to burn through so that the base of the hole is covered with the hot embers. Seal the pot's lid with bread dough, place in the hole, and cover with earth of turf. Leave for about 12-15 hours. Delicious.
On a side note, it is interesting how the roots of some words card across into other languages in surprising ways. The greek for "steal" is "klévo" and a thief is "kléftis". When I was in the army a lot of expressions from from Hindi and Urdu were still in use (some still are as far as I can make out) and a thief was known as a "Klifty-Wallah".
The home secretary stunned delegates at the Police Federation conference in Bournemouth as she criticised officers for in some instances displaying a "contempt for the public" in their handling of sensitive cases.
The home secretary, Theresa May, defied the American authorities on Tuesday by halting the extradition of British computer hacker Gary McKinnon, a decision criticised by the US state department
Both moves cheered to the rooftops by the right wing press.
Edited extra bit: McLaren's also signed Hakkinen as an ambassador. Interesting, as they already have Button. But, it seems, Button is a Honda chap... [so sayeth Twitter, so take with a pinch of salt].
Wouldn't surprise me if Honda are paying Button's wages - after all he was with them before and would have won the world championship with them if they hadn't left F1...
Comments
Probably the best one was to a friend who works at an estate agent and the driver confirmed delivery with a signature at 2:30AM
And, as with the Olympics, it will be the feeling that we are, indeed, slightly bonkers, that will be the emotion most likely to get to me and swell the pride in my chest.
Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, in 2012 described some workplace rights as “unsustainable”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-workers-rights-cuts-ministers-margot-james-eu-holiday-a7249716.html
The PM has been consistent on this.....and much as Labour & the SNP would love a scare I doubt you'll find anything from Fox in his current role....
Hhhmmm ....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-39282466
'Overly enthusiastic' delivery man surprises customer by leaving his parcel waiting for him on the ROOF
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3328577/Overly-enthusiastic-delivery-man-surprises-customer-leaving-parcel-waiting-ROOF.html
Iirc one year the only thing Brown would tell Blair was what date the budget would be on.
It was revenge for Blair leaking Brown's white rabbit the year before on one of the Sunday shows.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39285486
How many gold rings does Mrs W have?
I got delivered a box about the size of a small filing cabinet.
This turned out to be a lockable prescription cabinet that should have gone to a GP surgery near Finchley.
When I returned this cabinet to the local courier depot and retrieved the phone, I had some manager there getting all stroppy demanding to know how this cabinet was in my possession.
"Because you soppy c*nts delivered it to me!"
As parliamentary seats are allocated in exact proportion to a party's vote share, the VVD will need to go into coalition with three other parties.
Nightmare.
The wally with the brolly becomes a molly !!!!!!!!!
Has she singed the King of Spain's beard?
But the podcast is well worth a listen to if you have the time.
defender and the former manager of English club Middlesbrough.
It’s hard to imagine any other nation willing to make so much fun of itself on a global stage, in front of as many as a billion viewers. It takes nerve to look silly; the cheesy, kaleidoscopic history lesson that took Britain through its past, from pasture through the workhouses and smoke stacks of the Industrial Revolution to World War I and, of course, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” was like a Bollywood version of a sixth-grade play.
But bad taste is also a part of the British heritage. The imagery mixed the glory of a royal Jubilee with the grottiness of a Manchester pub-crawl. Britain offered a display of humor and humbleness that can only stem from a deep-rooted sense of superiority.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/28/sports/olympics/at-olympic-opening-ceremony-britain-journeys-through-past.html
One other thought: Maybe May and Hammond were prepared to back away from the problem of growing losses of revenue from self employment because they were mindful that the gap might be plugged by the revenue that seems likely to come their way from tariffs on EU imports, something they'd prefer not to shout from the rooftops for now.
Mr Bean on the piano was the highlight for me.
Compromise is not always best when decisive action is needed.
There has indeed been a very rapid growth in the number of these artisan gin distilleries in very short space of time. So much so that I am suspicious. I wonder if the excise people are really on top of the game and how much of the stuff is dirt cheap gin imported, rebottled with a fancy label and flogged on with a 100% mark-up.
One thing to remember about the monarchy is that (almost) each regeneration of the sovereign begins in a wave of popular sympathy: their parent has just died.
Charles will do fine as a king. He'll modernise some things and, as he does so, people will accept that some things needed modernising.
The trick of the survival of the monarchy is to be constantly about 30 years behind the times.
I also doubt the Queen will resign. She doesn't do abdication.
On your second point I suspect there’s some of that. Went, a few weeks ago, to a 'Gin Dinner’ at the pub down the road; where marination and sauces were appropriate gin was used, and the sorbet was a gin-and-tonic one. Between courses we had a talk on gin, with (sadly) small tasters.all from a gin producer in a nearby town, who claimed, IIRC, that they distilled and prepared it themselves. However another such producer I was talking to later asserted that they imported or otherwise brought in the basics and did little or no distilling themselves.
Distilling, from my chemistry days is easier in theory than practice.
Conversely I know right-wing Dutch animal rights people who agonise over this - they really want to support the Party for the Animals but they want to be tough on welfare, immigrants, etc. too, which the party wouldn't touch with a bargepole.
Good analysis here:
https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-03-02/in-the-netherlands-a-party-for-animals-is-winning-over-voters
It's a prosperous nation facing no imminent crisis. Supporters of all parties except DENK support Rutte's line on Turkey/Erdogan, and they are definitely not leaving the EU any time soon.
They've bowled along happily with coalitions since forever and a few sops to either pensioners (50+) or animal rights should see their budgets through. Interestingly Groene Linke supported the 3% fiscal compact back in the 2012-17 government, so they might be a potential confidence supplier too.
Spain has gone from a huge trade deficit to a reasonable trade surplus. Why? Because it's gone from a low savings rate to a high one.
Countries with balance of payment deficits - notably the US and the UK - have low savings rates. Countries with supluses - like Germany, Switzerland and China - have high savings rates.
UK governments, since the GFC, have followed a policies designed to depress the UK savings rate. This has kept consumption up, and the economy humming, but at the expense of ever increasing inbalances.
EDIT Present company excepted, of course Jack
In 2015, the Dutch government ran a budget deficit of over 12 billion euros, i.e. 3 billion euros lower than in 2014. At 1.8 percent of GDP, last year's budget deficit means the Netherlands remained below the 3 percent reference value for the third consecutive year.
What did you use?
When it comes to cooking measurement, the one true abomination is "cups"
10 years ago this site only had 10 posters - we were Gods among men (and indeed women). As the colossi or old, we ruled the waves of debate changing the political landscape with but a single sentence or emoticon.
Happier times...
No, still don't know what you are on about.
If he meets Donald Trump on his coming visit to America, he plans to express concern about the President's treatment of women.
https://twitter.com/PoliticalPics/status/842329892696006656
What's you view on the earlier thread discussion on dead cat bait for Fen eel fishing ?
Do you take the position that deceased moggy make an appropriate and entirely correct contribution in sustaining an endangered and skilled rural craft or should the recycling of pussy be outlawed as an outdated country pursuit without meaning in the brave new world of the Labour Party animal right movement?
I am grateful to yourself and Mr. Robert for confirming my suspicion that much of the artisan gin now been sold is rebottled cheap alcohol, possibly with some additional flavouring, flogged on at a massive mark-up.
I bought a new suit on Sunday. Feeling in a particularly frivolous mood I splashed out on wool rather than a polyester one...
Yet I think people go to the shops and spend eye watering amounts of money they don't have every week !
Ryanair Chase 2.50. Uxizandre each way. Winner of this race in 2015 and 2nd here in 2014 over a similar trip he should be there or thereabouts.
Stayers Hurdle 3.30. Snow Falcoln each way. Said to be going well when falling behind the favourite for this race Unowhatimeanharry last November. Has the beating of Shaneshill on the form book last time out. Shaneshill is a great Cheltenham yardstick having come 2nd in each of the last 3 festivals.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-39285486
My legs are still firmly crossed.
I use the Metric Cup but some recipes use a "Customary Cup" (which is smaller) or an "Imperial cup" which is larger. There is an Australian Cup, a US Cup, etc, etc... all different sizes.
Now bra cups... this is a whole new conversation. It varies by manufacturer and your size may have to change depending on whether you are talking T-Shirt bra, Balcony bra, Strapless bra, push-up bra, and so forth. Where would you like to start Mr W?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/39290908
Edited extra bit: McLaren's also signed Hakkinen as an ambassador. Interesting, as they already have Button. But, it seems, Button is a Honda chap... [so sayeth Twitter, so take with a pinch of salt].
Apparently, in addition reported now the German finance ministry in Berlin intercepted a parcel bomb sent to Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble on Wednesday.
Will Explicite's debate on Facebook, scheduled 1.5 hours before the TF1 one, and to which it is inviting all candidates, go ahead? (#LAutreDébat).
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/may/21/theresa-may-police-federation-power
The home secretary stunned delegates at the Police Federation conference in Bournemouth as she criticised officers for in some instances displaying a "contempt for the public" in their handling of sensitive cases.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/16/gary-mckinnon-not-extradited-may
The home secretary, Theresa May, defied the American authorities on Tuesday by halting the extradition of British computer hacker Gary McKinnon, a decision criticised by the US state department
Uncle Rup won't be happy.
Leavers 50 - 0 Remainers
When I was out there the Cypriots translated Kleftiko as "meat made by thieves", whether the making referred to the cooking method or how the meat was acquired I never asked. Traditionally the method of cooking involved digging a hole slightly larger than the clay put in which the meat had been marinating overnight. Fill the hole with wood and leave it to burn through so that the base of the hole is covered with the hot embers. Seal the pot's lid with bread dough, place in the hole, and cover with earth of turf. Leave for about 12-15 hours. Delicious.
On a side note, it is interesting how the roots of some words card across into other languages in surprising ways. The greek for "steal" is "klévo" and a thief is "kléftis". When I was in the army a lot of expressions from from Hindi and Urdu were still in use (some still are as far as I can make out) and a thief was known as a "Klifty-Wallah".