Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

No.

But analysis of attempts at humour by others, or oneself, can also be very informative of underlying motivation.

(Sometimes by the association of the "symbols" frequently chosen.)

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I am going on holidays, before it to late. I hope you have left France in a decent state.

January 2010 when Gordon Brown announced the recession had ended

Massive Celebrations in Britain's Streets as Recession End Announced

LONDON - England - All across the country there were celebrations and street parties to rival even the Queen's Golden Jubilee, the BBC reported.
From Land's End to John O'Groats, from Grimsby to Grimtowne, Britain's streets were today awash with people dancing and celebrating after Gordon Brown announced the end of the biggest recession since the last Labour government was in power.

"I've lost my home, my wife and kids, my job, everything I owned and even my dog. But, when I heard the announcement that Britain's GDP rose by 0.00001% today and that we're out of the recession, I fuckin' jumped up in joy and said by gawd I'm going to vote for Labour again. What a genius Gordon and his boys are, innit," George Numpty, 45, a resident of the Northern Yorkshire town of Grimness, told the BBC.

Even a homeless man living under Waterloo bridge threw up his arms and was all praise for Gordon Brown: "Gordo's done it again, last year I had a successful business, a house and a future. Today, I've got a cardboard box and a rolled up Mirror newspaper. I'm so glad I voted for Labour, they're financial geniuses they are. With the recession over, I think I might upgrade to a plyboard or MDF box."

Unelected Prime Minister, Gordon Brown even made an appearance at a home for destitute pensioners, where they are processed before put in coffins and buried. He was cheered as he walked into the home to witness how the pensioners are disposed of. Waving resolutely, he even managed a smile before being ushered into the Nil by Mouth processing centre.

It would seem the same effect Andrew Lansley reform of the NHS are having.

But there must be somebody else to blame.

Oh I know, the Hunt of Murdoch fame.

I see the government is going to have another attempt at distorting the unemployment figures by raising "school leaving age" and claim the policy is a success for the youth of the UK.

========

Must pack another paper bag.

Another own goal from Fred. The law raising the school leaving age was drawn up by Labour in 2007.

fred - yes but am back on our boys' annual cycling jolly around loches (near tours) and poitiers at end august

cynic
I thought that you were in the Tour de France.

When I get back I will examine the goal.

But, I bet the con party will use the change to booster their own flaky confidence.

Must help the slaves load the luggage.

Raising the school leaving age has been found to reduce teenage pregnancies.

i was going to enter until i found they didn't stop after 10 miles for a coffee and after 30 for pastis and then a while after for a nice picnic by the river .... bloody fools if you ask me :-)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23475230

But Labour said the home secretary needed to look at how to measure immigration more accurately "as a matter of urgency".

Like they done when they were in power

British soldiers have returned to an area of Afghanistan for a week-long operation to clear Taliban insurgents.

Yes its a much safer country then when we first went in 10 year's ago , so we can now get our troop's back home. It will be as safe as Iraq is now.

And has Tony Blair said , it was to make the street's of the UK safe from terrorist

Vince Cable on the Andrew Marr show:

Asked about today's report from the Public Administration Select Committee, which said that migration statistics are "little better than a best guess" and probably understate migration into the UK, Mr Cable said: "We are not a totalitarian state. We don't count every single person but actually it's quite difficult being an illegal immigrant in Britain.

"You can't work, certainly legally, you can't have access to benefits. So, the idea that there's some vast, hidden army of people, is almost certainly completely wrong.

"It only really matters if you are pursuing some target. There's this sort of net immigration figure, which the Conservatives are very preoccupied by.

"It's not a government objective, make it absolutely clear.

"This idea that you are pursuing a net immigration figure is very misleading because, amongst other things, the largest number of people counted as immigrants are overseas students, who are not immigrants, they are visitors but under the United Nations classification they are regarded as immigrants, but they are good for the country.

"So obsessing about this net immigration number is not helpful."

Mr Cable said: "We are not a totalitarian state. We don't count every single person

Do you have to be a totalitarian state to do that ? I think not.

it's quite difficult being an illegal immigrant in Britain

What planet is he living on. The Lib/dem's had they chance in Government and have blown it.

I don't think some politicians live on the same planet as the rest of us aldwickk, that's part of the problem. Cable has obviously been living in outer space for quite a number of years judging from these comments.

i wonder if fred and his ilk will berate gromit for holidaying in the south of france, in at least reasonable luxury too i dare say

"it is now impossible for a landlord to make even a reasonable living from just selling beer,"

Not true anymore cynic:

What started as a small idea is now becoming a big movement with almost 30 micropubs now operating in the UK

When Martin Hillier spoke at CAMRA’s AGM in Eastbourne in 2009 about his concept of a micropub few would have been predicted that three years later 22 are now listed on the Micropub Association website, six more have opened since the list was updated, and many more are planned.

The latest to join the ranks was the Weavers in Kidderminster, which opened in June. Martyn said that he knew of up to 10 more which were in the planning stage, or due to open in the next few months - seeing the total top 40.

Martin opened, the Butcher’s Arms, Herne Hill Kent in November 2005. It was the country’s first micropub which has gone on to become the template for many others.

It all started because of the 2003 Licensing Act which made it surprisingly easy to secure an on-licence for pretty much anywhere — in an old shop, a post office, garage, in a front room of a house or as in the case of the Butchers a former florist.

His concept is simple – the space for the pub needs to be small in size, have low overheads and into the mix is thrown good conversation and draught beer.

And the Butchers is small. There is only seating for 12 people in a space about three metres square. There is no bar and the cellar is squeezed into a corridor on the way to the loo. The pub is only open five days a week, yet it sells more than 500 pints a week and is making a profit.

His Eastbourne presentation had quite an effect. Within months CAMRA member Phil Ayling from Newark had opened the Just Beer in an empty art gallery.

Also in the Eastbourne audience was Pete Morgan from Hartlepool who opened the Rat Race in a tiny taxi office at Hartlepool railway Station in November 2009.

Soon after the Marlpool in Heanor, Derbyshire opened in a former Methodist chapel pulpit.

And already this year six have opened – including a third in Herne Bay the Bouncing Barrel.

And now according to Stu Hirst, who with Martin set up a trade association for micro pub owners, many more are planned.

Information on how to set up your own micropub can be found at www.micropub.co.uk

profitable? ..... reasonable living? ..... well i guess it's a matter of degree as to how you determine that ..... certainly our small and growing local brewery (rebellion) is doing very well, and i think they actually own one proper-sized pub about 1/2 mile from the brewery site

At the end of Oct last year there were more than 1000 micro breweries in the UK.
The numbers since then have continued to increase.
London alone has 47,up from 36 in 2912 and another 11 gearing up.
Hackney alone went from 5 to 6 in the last month.
There are lot of free houses selling these beers from London and the
rest of the UK. I personally use 15 of these, spread from High Barnet
to Twickenham and Stratford. They also sell a wide variety of ciders
on hand pump and gravity.They also do not sell the majors.

an interesting fact but your point is?

"it is now impossible for a landlord to make even a reasonable living from just selling beer,"

The point is that it is not.. got it now?