UKMT June: Emu was Rod Hull's patsy

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > UKMT June: Emu was Rod Hull's patsy

Disgusting Coward: Feb 17, 2014

His wife is loving mental, I know that much. She were on Radio 4 banging on about how she lusts after Dante Alighieri and how, if you think about it, Dante is just like her husband.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 06:33

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# ? Jun 7, 2024 09:37

some plague rats: Jun 5, 2012; by Fluffdaddy

Disgusting Coward posted:

His wife is loving mental, I know that much. She were on Radio 4 banging on about how she lusts after Dante Alighieri and how, if you think about it, Dante is just like her husband.

With any luck, currently trapped in a hell of his own devising?

# ? Jun 9, 2014 06:44

goddamnedtwisto: Dec 31, 2004; If you ask me about the mole people in the London Underground, I WILL be forced to kill you; Fun Shoe

baka kaba posted:

Sheer wilful ignorance? Hubris?

Gove's problem isn't that he's unintelligent, he just seems to believe his own opinions are all the insight anyone could need, and that having to listen to anyone else (say experts in the field, or anyone who disagrees with him) is some kind of imposition. He doesn't seem as completely dull-witted as someone like Cameron, but he has this air of self-important authority that makes him dangerous in the hosed up system of power we have.

He's the ideal Tory in a way, because he can control and remake a major part of the state according to belief and ideology, without bowing to inconveniences like the need for facts or evidence or expertise, and he can talk bollocks all day long to justify it. The damage will be done long before anyone actually calls him out on any of it.

I think all of these are products of the way politics is done nowadays. The electorate (or at least the press and the political machines) value consistency and conviction far more than any other quality. It's a strain more visible in American politics than British but one that I think exists to a greater or lesser extent in all political systems because politicians have to be ego monsters to start with and so are always going to be pretty unwilling to admit they're wrong and see doing so as the greatest sin.

Look at any politician when they're actually in a situation where they have to say sorry for completely cocking something up - there will always be a variation of the words "I genuinely believed that I was right", often with an undercurrent of criticising reality for daring to differ from that whole-hearted conviction. It's always something to keep in mind when you're looking at a politicians psyche too - it's not that they do what they do (from deliberately crash-landing the entire economy to invading a foreign country for literally no reason) because they just want to see the world burn (well maybe not just because of that), it's much more worryingly that they absolutely do believe that they're doing the right thing and they go to their graves convinced either that they did actually do the right thing or that it would have all worked if it weren't for other people foiling their plans.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 07:21

Saki: Jan 9, 2008; Can't you feel the knife?

HortonNash posted:

Trouble is, outside of the masturbatory fantasies of the right, teachers don't want to cane children. So I'm not sure who exactly Gove would get to beat the children (a G4S/Serco contract would probably just lead to the beating of dead, non-existent or innocent children or "accidental" deaths)

I've never come across a disciplinary problem that I thought could be solved with physical violence against a child, in fact even shouting isn't that effective.

Personally, even if corporal punishment in schools was legal, I would take all the necessary actions to intervene to prevent a child from receiving a caning or beating, or to stop it if it was taking place.

What on earth are you on about?

# ? Jun 9, 2014 12:02

Darth Walrus: Feb 13, 2012

Saki posted:

What on earth are you on about?

That, as a teacher, they disagree with the popular right-wing talking-point of 'bring back the cane'? This doesn't seem too hard.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 12:13

Saki: Jan 9, 2008; Can't you feel the knife?

Yeah so it's all completely irrelevant. Nobody is bringing back the cane and nobody has talked about bringing it back.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 12:39

StoneOfShame: Jul 28, 2013; This is the best kitchen ever.

Crane Fist posted:

With any luck, currently trapped in a hell of his own devising?

Actually, he passed from purgatory and then into heaven where he's busy trying to understand how the divinity of Christ aligns with him also being human, poo poo I've read the Divine Comedy too much. I sort of want to listen to that radio interview to see how she makes the comparison, I mean Dante specifically wrote in the language of the people not the formal language that literature was expected to be in at the time, this is exactly the sort of thing Gove is against. Though I can see a slight comparison between how Gove speaks about teachers and how Dante has Beatrice speak about the priests of the time.

Beatrice in Paradiso posted:

Christ did not say to his first company:
'Go, and preach idle stories to the world;
but he gave them the teaching that is truth,

and truth alone was sounded when they spoke;
and thus, to battle to enkindle faith,
the Gospels served them as both shield and lance.

But now men go to preach with jests and jeers,
and just as long as they can raise a laugh,
the cowl puffs up, and nothing more is asked.

But such a bird nests in that cowl, that if
the people saw it, they would recognize
as lies the pardons in which they confide."

Or maybe she's just insane and is trying to create a cult of personality around her lunatic husband.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 12:52

Pork Pie Hat: Apr 27, 2011

Once you understand that Gove wants all schools to be like the one in the film he was in, everything starts to make sense.

http://youtu.be/_auQPmnh1q8

# ? Jun 9, 2014 13:09

Rude Dude With Tude: Apr 19, 2007; Your President approves this text.

We're all in this together! http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/mps-claim-so-much-for-rent-they-have-no-idea-about-crisis-in-capital-9512468.html

Evening Standard posted:

MPs �claim so much for rent they have no idea about crisis in capital�

MPs are clueless about how difficult it is to pay sky-high rents because �generous� allowances cover their costs, campaigners claimed today. Research from the pressure group Generation Rent shows 335 MPs claim for renting a second home, with 201 taking properties more expensive than the London average.

They include Employment Minister Esther McVey, Housing Minister Kris Hopkins and shadow front-benchers Gloria De Piero and Luciana Berger. It comes as Labour today published data claiming the government�s housing benefit bill will rise by �1 billion over the next few years. Official figures for February show housing benefit is now being claimed by over one million people who are in work but still have difficulty paying soaring rents.

Generation Rent spokesman Dan Wilson Craw said: �Just living in a rented house doesn�t make an MP an expert on private renting. Because it�s not their money they have no idea what it�s really like to see half your income eaten up by rent, or scrimp together the fees involved in moving home. And because the allowance is so generous, they can afford the type of accommodation most private renters can only dream about.�

Of the 335 MPs who claim for rent, 254 claimed more last year than any London housing benefit recipient received from the Government. Meanwhile 201 MPs claimed more than �15,600, or �1,300 a month, which is the median average in London. Generation Rent said it did not object to MPs being able to claim for a second home but called on Parliament to take more action to help hard-up renters. In particular they hit out at MPs who opposed a Labour proposal to ban letting agents� fees.

Ms Berger claimed �19,806 for second home rent payments last year, though her office suggested the figure may be revised down. Meanwhile, Ms De Piero claimed �19,306. Both were amongst those who backed the ban on fees. Mr Hopkins claimed �18,045 in rent payments for his second home last year and Ms McVey claimed �17,227.

While they opposed the ban on fees, the coalition has brought forward a plan to make letting agents publish all fees they charge. Ministers say it will allow renters to better shop around. Shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves published new figures from the House of Commons library today suggesting a huge rise of �1 billion in the housing benefit bill by 2018.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman hit back, saying government action to reduce the housing benefit bill would save the taxpayer some �6 billion by the end of this Parliament.

Free houses for the rich! Or at least, for the government.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 13:15

Tally: May 26, 2011

Always wondered why the Government just doesn't provide homes for MPs London lodgings directly rather than giving them an allowance?

# ? Jun 9, 2014 14:27

goddamnedtwisto: Dec 31, 2004; If you ask me about the mole people in the London Underground, I WILL be forced to kill you; Fun Shoe

Tally posted:

Always wondered why the Government just doesn't provide homes for MPs London lodgings directly rather than giving them an allowance?

Would you want to live in a block of flats with a bunch of MPs? Neither would they.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 14:30

thehustler: Apr 17, 2004; I am very curious about this little crescendo

They'd have frat parties

# ? Jun 9, 2014 14:39

winegums: Dec 21, 2012

goddamnedtwisto posted:

Would you want to live in a block of flats with a bunch of MPs? Neither would they.

So you buy 650 houses around the area instead. The block of flats thing would be a security nightmare.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 14:42

goddamnedtwisto: Dec 31, 2004; If you ask me about the mole people in the London Underground, I WILL be forced to kill you; Fun Shoe

winegums posted:

So you buy 650 houses around the area instead. The block of flats thing would be a security nightmare.

What on earth makes you say that? You get a massive economy of scale if all you have to do to guard the entire cabinet is put a couple of rozzers on the concierge desk of a nice block instead of having Special Branch sleeping in cars all around London. Unless you're worried about Clancy-esque masturbatory decapitation strike fantasies, that is.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 14:47

Obliterati: Nov 13, 2012; Pain is inevitable.
Suffering is optional.
Thunderdome is forever.

goddamnedtwisto posted:

What on earth makes you say that? You get a massive economy of scale if all you have to do to guard the entire cabinet is put a couple of rozzers on the concierge desk of a nice block instead of having Special Branch sleeping in cars all around London. Unless you're worried about Clancy-esque masturbatory decapitation strike fantasies, that is.

Surely they don't have to actually guard MPs like that, at least not by default? It's not like the US where they go around with bodyguards 24/7.

That said piling them all into one specific block might remind them that they're there to do their jobs rather than just trousering expenses. Another option would be just to abolish expenses entirely, add a flat amount to salaries to compensate and then have them sort out their own arrangements without any system to game.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 14:53

Rude Dude With Tude: Apr 19, 2007; Your President approves this text.

winegums posted:

So you buy 650 houses around the area instead. The block of flats thing would be a security nightmare.

Yeah there's no way you could look after all of the members of parliament and lords all in the same place together it's impossible I mean they're not even all at this http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/occasions/stateopening/

# ? Jun 9, 2014 15:06

Saki: Jan 9, 2008; Can't you feel the knife?

The flat amount would have to be location based and since MPs move around a lot, that might get complicated. I think expenses work fine, the crackdown on their misuse just has a lot of work to do. The system's been really corrupt for a long time and it takes a while to fix.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 15:06

Averrences: May 3, 2008

Rik Mayall has died

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27770266

# ? Jun 9, 2014 15:56

Gonzo McFee: Jun 19, 2010

Aw naw.

He was good.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 16:00

goddamnedtwisto: Dec 31, 2004; If you ask me about the mole people in the London Underground, I WILL be forced to kill you; Fun Shoe

Obliterati posted:

Surely they don't have to actually guard MPs like that, at least not by default? It's not like the US where they go around with bodyguards 24/7.

That said piling them all into one specific block might remind them that they're there to do their jobs rather than just trousering expenses. Another option would be just to abolish expenses entirely, add a flat amount to salaries to compensate and then have them sort out their own arrangements without any system to game.

Most of the cabinet get Special Branch (yes I know they're not actually called Special Branch any more) protection, and high-ranking back benchers and members of the shadow cabinet get it if it's considered appropriate depending on the current situation. Additionally since Stephen Timms was stabbed all MPs can request "advice" from the Police which may also extend to (uniformed, local) police officers guarding them at public events.

We're not talking US-style three dozen blokes with sunglasses and bulging suits flanking them at all times, most of the time it's just an officer or two in their car and sitting around outside their homes.

To be honest the actual practical objection to MP Towers is the fairly wide amount of personal circumstances involved - you'd never be able to provide the right amount of bedrooms if nothing else, and of course various MPs in the Home Counties (and maybe further afield) may choose to just commute in on some terms but to stay in London in others (especially if they get promoted to Cabinet) so it'd be pretty loving wasteful.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 16:08

Rude Dude With Tude: Apr 19, 2007; Your President approves this text.

goddamnedtwisto posted:

Additionally since Stephen Timms was stabbed all MPs can request "advice" from the Police which may also extend to (uniformed, local) police officers guarding them at public events.

I think they've been able to do that for a while, causing embarrassment to themselves round my way

# ? Jun 9, 2014 16:22

FiftySeven: Jan 1, 2006; I WON THE BETTING POOL ON TESSAS THIRD STUPID VOTE AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS HALF-ASSED TITLE; Slippery Tilde

Averrences posted:

Rik Mayall has died

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27770266

This is the worst loving thing.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 16:32

Cerv: Sep 14, 2004; This is a silly post with little news value.

Gonzo McFee posted:

That's not really an excuse.

and the topic wasn't "good or bad" it was "vote winner or loser with this particular demographic"

# ? Jun 9, 2014 16:33

HortonNash: Oct 10, 2012

Saki posted:

Yeah so it's all completely irrelevant. Nobody is bringing back the cane and nobody has talked about bringing it back.

Except when the issue was raised by someone in the thread.

Or, when a poll suggested that upto 49% of parents support caning children in schools.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 16:38

Rush Limbo: Sep 5, 2005; its with a full house

Averrences posted:

Rik Mayall has died

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-27770266

His essence has entered the body he's been carefully nurturing for years now. Someone should get round to Greg Davies' house pronto because some spectacular stuff is probably going to be happening.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 16:42

Chocolate Teapot: May 8, 2009

Not the People's poet.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 16:45

Tsietisin: Jul 2, 2004; Time passes quickly on the weekend.

Reports are coming in that apparently you CAN overdose on laxative pills.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 16:50

looming resonance: Sep 7, 2010

Tsietisin posted:

Reports are coming in that apparently you CAN overdose on laxative pills.

I feel so bad for laughing at this.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 16:52

goddamnedtwisto: Dec 31, 2004; If you ask me about the mole people in the London Underground, I WILL be forced to kill you; Fun Shoe

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad posted:

I think they've been able to do that for a while, causing embarrassment to themselves round my way

Well she was being shown around by the local plod, who were the ones who told her to wear the vest. Whether or not there was some Tuckering going on there I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions about.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 16:52

Pistol_Pete: Sep 15, 2007; Oven Wrangler

Chocolate Teapot posted:

Not the People's poet.

Do you understand nothing?! How can Rik be dead, when we still have his poems!

# ? Jun 9, 2014 17:00

StoneOfShame: Jul 28, 2013; This is the best kitchen ever.

Alan B'Stard posted:

Remember my friends, God is dead. Marx is also dead. But the market lives. The market must become your new God.

Rik Mayall dying is awful, time to watch some New Statesman.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 17:05

ClownSyndrome: Sep 2, 2011; Do you think love can bloom on bob-omb Battlefield?

Chocolate Teapot posted:

Not the People's poet.

I HOPE YOU'RE SATISFIED THATCHER!

Really sad news, was a massive fan of his stuff

# ? Jun 9, 2014 17:11

Rush Limbo: Sep 5, 2005; its with a full house

If Adrian Edmondson goes then this country will truly not be worth living in.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 17:16

goddamnedtwisto: Dec 31, 2004; If you ask me about the mole people in the London Underground, I WILL be forced to kill you; Fun Shoe

(p)Rick is the patron saint of this thread and the title should be at half-mast to reflect this.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 17:16

SybilVimes: Oct 29, 2011

He was one of the funniest on and off the stage

# ? Jun 9, 2014 17:23

Seaside Loafer: Feb 7, 2012; Waiting for a train, I needed a shit. You won't bee-lieve what happened next

Linky to the best episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haqDFrFIpeE
("ugly, stupid, poor people should not be allowed to have children")

Back when the ITV was sometimes good.

e:oh sorry i thought i was still in the uk tv thread, its pretty applicable though so i'll leave it

Seaside Loafer fucked around with this message at 17:30 on Jun 9, 2014

# ? Jun 9, 2014 17:25

Barry Foster: Dec 24, 2007; What is going wrong with that one (face is longer than it should be)

Man, this is the worst

# ? Jun 9, 2014 18:01

Kin: Nov 4, 2003; Sometimes, in a city this dirty, you need a real hero.

Gonzo McFee posted:

Aw naw. He was good.

No he wasn't:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-obZ9OG_XKA

# ? Jun 9, 2014 18:33

Ms Adequate: Oct 30, 2011; Baby even when I'm dead and gone
You will always be my only one, my only one
When the night is calling
No matter who I become
You will always be my only one, my only one, my only one
When the night is calling

baka kaba posted:

Sheer wilful ignorance? Hubris?

Gove's problem isn't that he's unintelligent, he just seems to believe his own opinions are all the insight anyone could need, and that having to listen to anyone else (say experts in the field, or anyone who disagrees with him) is some kind of imposition. He doesn't seem as completely dull-witted as someone like Cameron, but he has this air of self-important authority that makes him dangerous in the hosed up system of power we have.

He's the ideal Tory in a way, because he can control and remake a major part of the state according to belief and ideology, without bowing to inconveniences like the need for facts or evidence or expertise, and he can talk bollocks all day long to justify it. The damage will be done long before anyone actually calls him out on any of it.

Yeah that's all fair enough and I probably need to reassess how I see Gove.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 18:41

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# ? Jun 7, 2024 09:37

namesake: Jun 19, 2006; "When I was a girl, around 12 or 13, I had a fantasy that I'd grow up to marry Captain Scarlet, but he'd be busy fighting the Mysterons so I'd cuckold him with the sexiest people I could think of - Nigel Mansell, Pat Sharp and Mr. Blobby."

Kin posted:

No he wasn't:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-obZ9OG_XKA

Yeah unfortunately it seems that he was very good at playing a prick because because he probably was a prick.

Still, only bastards.

# ? Jun 9, 2014 18:44

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > UKMT June: Emu was Rod Hull's patsy

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