mockney piers

The evidence in the States doesn't really support the whole National Service'll learn 'em thing. There they've drastically reduced some of the bars to entry in the military to address the recruitment crisis; most notable tattoos, most particularly gang tattoos. These guys are going off to war, and far from goign "ooh, that's what it's really about, I'll behave myself" they actually return, well versed in squad tactics, fire suppression, able to shoot straight and being cool under fire. Quite often they also have managed to smuggle a whole load of confiscated weapons. All told, bad idea, bad idea. Police armed? I'm against the bobby on the beat having a gun, but seeing as the majority of patrol cars have firearms in them, the debate is somewhat moot.

Blimey, just tried to withdraw some money unsuccessfully only to discover someone in Benin's been doing it for me....every day....for the last 5 days... ?1900 !!!!!!!! I don't even own a car!!!

The Normans brought over about 20,000 people into a population of 2 million, so it's unlikely they had much of an impact genetically. Indeed latest research indicates that the same is true of the Saxon 'invasions' post Roman Britain. The genetic map of the UK is surprisingly homogeneous. That's not to say there aren't lots of smatterings of other stuff. Non invasion immigration has been more or less constant since, well since the end of the ice age. Scandinavians, Teutonic types, Jews, Dutch, French, Italians, Poles, Irish and many more have blended into the makeup of these lands, not to mention how many of our sailors, soldiers, merchants and emigres have returned (sometimes after generations) with new exotic bloodlines added to the mix. Our own dear Huguenot can trace himself back to their arrival 500 odd years ago, indeed they're responsible for building much of what is now S. Camberwell. God knows what I am, I can trace my family back to Samuel Pepys best mate, but that hardly makes me a pure blooded Englishman. Talk of "indigenous" is inevitably heavily loaded with political meaning, rather than having any basis in reality whatsoever.

just post a link to this image :)

Here's something you can use whenever you've had enough of a troll

You're mistaking the rhetoric and with implementation. New Labour remained 'true' to it's 'vision' throughout the Blair years, because all it involved was saying how lovely things could be, bleating about how much progress your making and not rocking the boat too much. Meanwhile in the background they mismanaged everything. With the shiny sparkle gone we're now seeing what's behind the curtain in a wizard of oz stylee. Cameron just wants to bring back the sparkle. Good luck with your vote, try not to get conned into wasting it again ;)

How do you get more centre than this unashamedly populist, business leaning labour party mandated by you?

Not really any hidden gems that way I'm afraid, well a couple in some mews, but gems in the sense of they're still real pubs, and characterful in that 5 ft square way. Here's a something that might suit if you don't mind throwing your stone really hard http://www.fancyapint.com/pubs/pub2307.html

Ah, that's be Mullato with an extra T. those nasty Americans are wont to corrupt words aren't they. In Spain it's a pre slavery, in fact pre America (well, our discovery thereof) word. Though it originally had to do with breeding donkeys.

We've seen off your common-or-garden trolls before, we'll see this lot off too. Great thing about this forum is we have thick skins and a good sense of humour (well, I speak for others obviously, I'm a humourless t0sspot, but that's another matter entirely). Or is this classic reverse psychology working here? You're one of them aren't you!!!!!!! ;-)

Nothing wrong with inane banter VBC. I rather like the term we use in Spain 'Mulato/a' which means of mixed heritage. It's not judgemental, and the female even has connotations of exotic beauty to it. I guess the closest English equivalent is mongrel, which has both positive and negative associations. If we accept that pedigrees are handsome and shiny but stupid, and mongrels may be a bit mangy but are sharp, clever and healthy, then I'm happy with that (coming from a hispano-anglo-hibernian-teutonic background).

or just instill an education, that does it for most things really.

Indeed, we'll take it fairly easy on the friday then it's a nice strolling drink. Hopefully we can thus avoid the fear that results from several days solid drinking.

I imagine the Baghdad stats for 2005 were pretty scary too.

You may have a point there. The likes of John Humphries*, Larry Grayson et al are curiously sexless. If you flaunt genuine (rather than oops missus, look at mrs sloacombe's pussy) homosexuality like Oscar Wilde did, you serve 2 years hard labour!! Of course having said all this, none of this should detract from Muffintop's experience. And if you think Racism is less of a problem these days, you really should leave London a bit more, the ignorance variety is still pretty rife out in the territories. *Edit - oops, John Inman & Mr Humphries' love child perhaps? We need to be told.

Just paid for honeymoon, I don't think I'll be doing anything ... at all ... for the rest of the month :(

Mind you Mr Humphries entered the nation's hearts only 5 years after Homosexuality was decriminalised in England, and 8 years before the same thing happened north of the border. Never underestimate the power of doublethink.

Might as well link the new(ish Get your war on

Good shouts from both of you. This made me chuckle

Got the new sigur Ros album. It seems to be thing in reviews to talk about how their sound is thawing out, you can hear the icicles dripping etc ad nauseum. But then, I can see their point. Regardless of what metaphors you choose to apply it is a truly beautiful album and does indeed have much greater pop sensibilities than their older stuff, I'd almost call it perky!!

The George is downright marvellous on a sunny evening. I could have done with shades though.....and temperance frankly..ouch

Ah sorry, I missed that whole thread and the infamous spangles. Interestingly she's possibly the first to link rates of gun crime to quality of butchers. That's a bit pirates - global warming isn't it. I promise to try and pay more attention, but a bit snowed under at the mo :(

Insipid? That's a bit harsh msJ. He's many things (a hit man quite possibly among them), but I'd never describe him as that!!

True enough Annaj, but then I've some middle age spread which is entirely natural. Doesn't mean I go round in a t-shirt that only goes slightly below my nipples now ;)

Passed a girl in the street earlier and my (female) colleague said "eww muffintop". I was totally shocked and thought she knew you for a moment; I had no idea it had a meaning!!!