Boris Johnson: Why is a proven liar in power?

[661-Pete]

Never my intention, the posts were meant to be informative

Whoa whoa! Not accusing you mate!

I looked up in my Fowler (1966 vintage) and it says the same as Mike Sales's copy. But I suppose I was being a bit jocular on purpose (how can one be otherwise, when referring to CC and his posts? Sorry CC!)

On the other hand, perhaps language has moved on a bit since then?

[Cunobelin]

Never my intention, the posts were meant to be informative

Whoa whoa! Not accusing you mate!

I looked up in my Fowler (1966 vintage) and it says the same as Mike Sales's copy. But I suppose I was being a bit jocular on purpose (how can one be otherwise, when referring to CC and his posts? Sorry CC!)

On the other hand, perhaps language has moved on a bit since then?

It does

For many years the word "Queer" was derogatory, but has now been embraced by the LGBTIQ community as a descriptor and is acceptable in that context

[Fairweather]

Never my intention, the posts were meant to be informative

Whoa whoa! Not accusing you mate!

I looked up in my Fowler (1966 vintage) and it says the same as Mike Sales's copy. But I suppose I was being a bit jocular on purpose (how can one be otherwise, when referring to CC and his posts? Sorry CC!)

On the other hand, perhaps language has moved on a bit since then?

It does

For many years the word "Queer" was derogatory, but has now been embraced by the LGBTIQ community as a descriptor and is acceptable in that context

Indeed 'Queer' has been adopted not only by the community but in various film and TV productions over the last few years. Finally, it appears it's not a crime to be openly gay, but as we've seen recently in the press homophobia and violence towards gay people is still ongoing.

[Cugel]

Never my intention, the posts were meant to be informative

Whoa whoa! Not accusing you mate!

I looked up in my Fowler (1966 vintage) and it says the same as Mike Sales's copy. But I suppose I was being a bit jocular on purpose (how can one be otherwise, when referring to CC and his posts? Sorry CC!)

On the other hand, perhaps language has moved on a bit since then?

It does

For many years the word "Queer" was derogatory, but has now been embraced by the LGBTIQ community as a descriptor and is acceptable in that context

Well, I resent the annexation of words with wide and various useful meanings to their employment by some tiny group to mean only a tiny thing. Why should homophobes be awarded the word "queer" to use only as a verbal cudgel? Why should those eventually freed of this virtual cudgeling themselves retain such words as "queer" or "gay" for their semi-private use?

I often feel gay but even now cannot say so without imparting an incorrect meaning to those I might wish to tell about my jolly and carefree mind-state. There are many queer things abroad that I would wish to describe as such with the word ... but meaning "disturbingly unusual" or far from the general norm-scape" or " apparently self-contradicting in this mode", not inclined to a certain sexuality and "proud" of it. That sexuality is (and always was) far from being queer in the wider sense, although the homophobes would have liked to have thought otherwise.

Whilst English words do morph i' their meanings over the ages, it seems a poor-do that they should be shrunk to some tiny meaning relevant only to some currently-prominent cultural fashion or frenzy. I don't mind, for example, that the meaning of "nice" is different now than it was during Elizabethan times. But even then, it would be an ideal word (the Elizabethan version) for describing certain prissy behaviours of the petit-bourgeois.

Cugel, against most forms of copyright, legalistic kinds or otherwise.

[Paulatic]

I can still hear my English teacher, nearly 60 yrs on, if I’d handed in an essay using the word 'nice'.

[pete75]

I wouldn't want to have to read your research when you start to get thorough!
You rely a lot on precedent for somebody who was stressing the primacy of usage.

I was merely reinforcing length of usage.

[mercalia]

flooding and austerity


The warnings in the Pitt review have proved correct, yet that expertise was ignored by Conservative governments – just as they ignored the opinions of a majority of macroeconomists over austerity, and the opinions of a majority of trade experts on Brexit. There is an obvious pattern here. Tory governments are more interested in policy-based evidence than in evidence-based policies. Why?


I suppose he will lie himself out of this also?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/23/tories-ignored-flood-advice-austerity-pitt-review

[PDQ Mobile]

So where is our great new PM?
This leader who wanted to be like Churchill.

There are some of the worst floods in living memory in parts of the country.

And the likelihood of a global viral pandemic, the like of which many of us have never seen, looks ever more likely.
((We're well prepared for that in the UK, a Govt spokesman said; not if the waiting times and overfilled hospitals that already exist round here are anything to go by.))

And on an even more morbid note, waiting time for a slot at the local Crem. is at least around 2 weeks as I write!?
And Johnson has simply dissapeared as far as I can see.

Anyone seen or heard of him?
Botis Johnson - man of mystery.
Perhaps he's taking elocution lessons.

[Psamathe]

So where is our great new PM?
This leader who wanted to be like Churchill.

There are some of the worst floods in living memory in parts of the country.

And the likelihood of a global viral pandemic, the like of which many of us have never seen, looks ever more likely.
((We're well prepared for that in the UK, a Govt spokesman said; not if the waiting times and overfilled hospitals that already exist round here are anything to go by.))

And on an even more morbid note, waiting time for a slot at the Crem. is at least around 2 weeks as I write!?
And Johnson has simply dissapeared as far as I can see.

Anyone seen or heard of him?
Botis Johnson - man of mystery. :shock:
Perhaps he's taking elocution lessons. :wink:

His absence does completely beggar belief. Maybe he feels he no longer needs the electorate so [rude word removed] them.

He does not have to visit the floods. Even a statement about sympathy and offering Welsh Government assistance ... but, as you say nothing. He really does not seek to care atall.

Ian

[RickH]

I got rid of my Hoover. It was just sitting around collecting dust

We keep our food in our Hoover!!!



Our fridge freezer is Hoover branded but are vacuum cleaners aren't.

[RickH]

He does not have to visit the floods. Even a statement about sympathy and offering Welsh Government assistance ... but, as you say nothing. He really does not seek to care atall.

Ian

I don't do twitter generally but I thought I would check his feed (& the UK prime minister one too but they seem to be largely the same) yesterday.

He had expressed sympathy for the victims of the London mosque incident & sympathy for the Germans affected by the recent, apparently, right wing attack. But not a mention of the flooding in either Wales, England or Scotland!

[Oldjohnw]

And now we find that even life expectancy has fallen in my native north east, thanks to austerity.

The Tories, instead of getting the economy going after the crash focused on the artificial target of eliminating the deficit. Austerity has tortured people and whilst the deficit has reduced the debt has doubled at the expense if the least able to shoulder the burden.

And Johnson's spend spend spend is not for the many but the few, mortgaging our future, not for good houses and clean cities and green coordinated transport but for white elephants.

[661-Pete]

I got rid of my Hoover. It was just sitting around collecting dust

We keep our food in our Hoover!!!
Our fridge freezer is Hoover branded but are vacuum cleaners aren't.

In my childhood, my Mum had a washing machine branded 'Hoover'. It was a simple, open-top tub which you filled with hot water and soap powder, then you put in the clothes and turned on the motor which would set spinning a small flanged wheel set into the side of the tub. Anyone remember those? When you reckoned the wash was done, you switched it off, lifted out the clothes with a wooden paddle, and passed them through a 'mangle' mounted on top of the tub. Rinsing, of course, was done by hand in the sink.

I vaguely remember (but I hope this may be a false memory) being narrowly stopped from putting the cat into the machine. I must have been a beastly little horror in those days!

[pwa]

And now we find that even life expectancy has fallen in my native north east, thanks to austerity.

The Tories, instead of getting the economy going after the crash focused on the artificial target of eliminating the deficit. Austerity has tortured people and whilst the deficit has reduced the debt has doubled at the expense if the least able to shoulder the burden.

And Johnson's spend spend spend is not for the many but the few, mortgaging our future, not for good houses and clean cities and green coordinated transport but for white elephants.

I kind of agree with your analysis of what has happened over the last decade, but I am waiting to see how Boris turns out in regard to spending. I'm not getting the feeling that austerity is his style. Like you say, he may spend on the wrong things, but even there I am inclined to just wait and see.

[PDQ Mobile]

I kind of agree with your analysis of what has happened over the last decade, but I am waiting to see how Boris turns out in regard to spending. I'm not getting the feeling that austerity is his style. Like you say, he may spend on the wrong things, but even there I am inclined to just wait and see.

Why are you getting this "feeling"?
What do you base this "feeling" on?
Gut feeling maybe?

Election promises?
Now long gone I fear.
Or something more concrete that I have missed?

As I see it there is little else to suggest what you are saying.

Even the Javid the Chancellor has gone, a sign there is no solid direction in this Govt.
The new Chancellor is at his best making the tea! A blooming high risk tea boy.

No statements from any Cabinet member on any of the important things taking place right now.

The negotiations with the EU look as if they will be fraught and difficult.
All for what?
What was so bad (that was not caused by UK policy alone)?