Friday 6 September 2013

Tall Poppy Syndrome


I listened to the radio between 5.00 am and 9.00am this morning, but although I am just about as clued-up on current affairs as it is possible to be, I was asleep through most of it, so I may not be the best person to ask what is going on in the world.

One item which woke me up through it's sheer momentousness though, was a snippet about the ongoing G20 conference being held in Russia, where all the all the Heads of State who are any Heads of State are supposed to be discussing world economics.

Of course, the main topic of conversation is Syria and U.N. involvement, and this has provided President Putin with some excellent opportunities to insult Prime Minister Cameron in particular, and Great Britain in general.

Putin has simply pointed out the obvious by saying that "Britain is a small island which nobody takes any notice of", but I bet that smarted to the already wounded Cameron.

I have been longing for the time when nobody takes any notice of Great Britain (and here I should remind Johnny-Foreigner that the word 'Great' only means the collection of even smaller islands which go to make up the whole), and I began to wonder if it would ever come about in my lifetime. When people take notice of you, it becomes both expensive and dangerous, and we simply cannot afford the attention these days.

We cannot even afford to defend ourselves now, thanks to our small island being economically overrun by almost every industrial nation other than our own, not that we have been industrial for many years since She Who Must Not Be Mentioned dismantled our industry-base.

Now that the USA is about to pull up the tent pegs and go home, we are actually talking of Germany as our closest potential ally! Germany, with France a close second!  Both the UK and Germany will have to ask France if we can borrow some nuclear weapons if things get a bit out of hand in the future. The United States of Europe is fast becoming a reality.

At last. Britain - officially - no longer rules the waves (except for a tiny stretch of water just off Gibraltar which 'we' have made unnavigable by dropping a few hundred tons of old concrete blocks into).

Now I can go on holiday to Spain this weekend a little more relaxed, knowing that at least one reason to kill me has been taken away from the hoards of militant terrorists that roam around Europe waiting to pounce on innocent civilians, even though I will be visiting Christian churches built in the ruins of medieval Mosques.

And now for the winner of the competition: Oh, there isn't one. The last job that I completed this week (see post)  is a marble cap (see above) to a pillar-shaped plinth, but I would not have expected to you guess that. It is far more boring than all your suggestions about what it might be, despite looking like a 1950s flying saucer when upside-down.

40 comments:

  1. But dear Putin WAS reminded that Little Britain's economy is far greater than that of Giant Russia. I bet that hurt even more!

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    1. There are 4 main listings of world economies; the UN, IMF, World Bank, and CIA World Factbook. In all four listings the UK comes above Russia. So there!

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    2. What they are talking about is legitimate business - Russia does not need - or want - it's gross domestic income listed by any of the above, especially the CIA.

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    3. Anyway, since when have you trusted the facts and figures of the UN, World Bank, or the CIA? China has taken a bit of a downturn recently, or so I hear.

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    4. China's economy will fall flat on its face within a generation or so. One child policy happily ignores the ageing process.

      The only thing I trust is 'The pound in my pocket', but the UK is still an economic power to be reckoned with.

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    5. Funny you should say that, because I am whiling the day away waiting for a rather large amount (to me) of money to be put into my bank so I can pay some bills before I go away, and hopefully drink something other than water when I do.

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  2. This is so full on, to think of the UK as a sad has-been. How did my nation begin? Turns out it was but a thrusting, rutting version of Empire sending its genomic tadpoles to the antipodes. Fuck. I feel so violated, like I've just had a nasty encounter in the wood shed with my uncle.

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    1. Just think of the UK as having gone into well-deserved retirement. Running the entire world takes it out of you after about 180 years. Noticed how old Obama is looking these days?

      The sun never used to set on the British Empire, but now we don't have to do night-shifts any more, either.

      Uncle in the woodshed? I hope you're not speaking from experience.

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    2. It's our election eve. We may wake up in the morning with a Thatcher for breakfast.
      FFS. It is really fucking frightening.

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    3. Oh yes, I forgot. Good luck - I hope it's not your turn to rule the world.

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  3. Putin is buff. :)

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    1. Oh really - you go for men who ride white stallions without a shirt on? I am disappointed in you, Susie.

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    2. Actually, I go for smart, funny guys. Putin spends too much time in the gym, most likely.

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    3. Most definitely. He also gives impromptu martial arts exhibitions in which he usually wins by selecting his own opponent, but recently it backfired on him when some real expert kicked the shit out of him in public!

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    4. Putin is buff ...
      just fucking sad (Me).

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    5. Sorry. I'm so cranky tonight. The polls say that the conservatives are on a landslide win.
      It's got nothing to do with being a spinster who has made some shitty choices about her career. I'm pissed because the right wingers against marriage equality, climate change, childcare and social equity are about to rule. AFuckingGain.

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    6. Also, what went viral in Australia this week:
      http://dontbeafuckingidiot.com/

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    7. I'll have to look that one up.

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    8. I just looked it up. What amazes me is that I can actually HEAR the Ozzie accent. People with strongly-held beliefs...

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  4. Now kindly arrange for six counties to be returned to their rightful guardians, before you go to sunny Spain please?

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  5. The US and Britain have almost as long a history as mankind and dogs. Hope you can stop anticipating disaster and go have a good visit.

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    1. In my experience, most disasters are held off because they have been anticipated. This is why I always get H.I. to walk slightly ahead and to the right of me in hostile areas, so that my best arm can intercept he who is foolish enough to try and snatch her bag. The formation is well recognised by potential bag-snatchers, and works very well. I once jumped on a young man who crept up on her in a department store, but he was only trying to give her a little surprise.

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    2. You really need a vacation. Enjoy.

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  6. Good for you two to go to holidays in Spain - but oh so sorry: then you will not be in Bath when I (out of the blue I got the offer) will ship (!) by?

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  7. Ah: and to cheer you up:
    http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2013/sep/06/david-cameron-g20-small-island-video

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    1. I have enough videos to view already, but I will look up yours (ping-pong!) as soon as I have the chance. You're coming to Bath? Again? When?

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    2. Ha ha! Just looked it up! Wonderful - I never saw it before, and this is Cameron at his best - like Boris Johnson.

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  8. Now I have run out of rollie papers.
    Damn the conservatives.

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  9. The conservatives, Tom.
    Can't you just hear the Australians in that link I sent you? Isn't it the best piece of work ever? Unfortunately it doesn't mean much. Look at the news tomorrow and know I will be a sad person. Jesus wept.

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  10. The Kounty Kent has nothing on our provincial fucking outpost. We just voted in a prize Kunt.

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    1. He sounds like one - "Australia open for business again".

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