Cameron apologises for Tourette's jibe at Balls
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16458524
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God almighty, do you have to apologise for everything you say now?
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"God almighty, do you have to apologise for everything you say now?"
God almighty - taking the Lord's name in vain - I think you owe an apology ;-0
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Sun 8 Jan 12 at 09:56
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>> "God almighty, do you have to apologise for everything you say now?"
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>> God almighty - taking the Lord's name in vain - I think you owe an
>> apology ;-0
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It wasn't so long ago that I used to get berated here for that CG. It would appear that the management have 'backed off' a little these days. Recession perhaps (-0:0-)
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Bit more godless here now perhaps?
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I once posted the following on HJ, in reference to the sticky that urged everyone not to refer to political or other -ists and -isms:
CENTRIFUGAL TENDENCIES IN THE CHURCH OF HJ
Be sure to keep your HJ backroom jokes
Devoid of ists and isms,
For that can get those moderating blokes
In frightful paroxysms.
Yet, men like Bell Boy, who are humorists,
And coin neologisms
Are holding back heresy, and with iron fists
Repressing schisms.
It was removed immediately, by our Rob I think, for reasons never explained. But he did let on he thought it was all right on some level.
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Not often I find myself in sympathy with Cameron but FFS!! Balls has found a way of getting under Cameron's skin and the PM has found an analogy for what Ed's doing.
How long before being 'blind to consequences' or 'deaf to appeals' is regarded as offensive?
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sun 8 Jan 12 at 09:59
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I didn't get the fuss over football pundit Alan Hansen referring to 'coloured' players when discussing the race row between two of them.
'Black' lacks accuracy, because not all non-white players who may be the subject of racial abuse could properly be described as such, some are dark-skinned, but not black.
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>> I didn't get the fuss over football pundit Alan Hansen referring to 'coloured' players
...and would "players of colour" have been OK? It seems to be in the US - if I were Hansen I'd be asking what the difference is.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_color
I think we did this one before, and short of referring to a specific ethnic origin (the whole vocabulary of this topic is euphemistic or mealy mouthed) "non-white" was doing OK until somebody pointed out that it is a bit offensive to be described by what you aren't.
Last edited by: Manatee on Sun 8 Jan 12 at 10:16
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The use of the term coloured has, for whatever reason, been unnacceptable for something like twenty years. Possibly down to it's assocation with racial classification in apartheid SA. Hansen should have known that and avoided using it.
There are plenty of alternatives around ethnic minority or BEM/BME. The term 'ethnics' however is definitely out. It's only used by people who pronounce it with two f's being just bright enough to avoid the N por P words.
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...BEM/BME...
?
Not trying to catch you out, I genuinely don't get it.
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The letters are for Black and Minority Ethnic. The zealots argue over which characteristic should have the lead position.
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...The letters are for Black and Minority Ethnic...
Thanks, I've learned something this morning.
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>>There are plenty of alternatives around ethnic minority or BEM/BME.
I take it you mean "black and ethnic minority" or something like that. The Wiki article suggests that "minority" has been found offensive by some as it implies "subordinate".
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Is a sense of wry humour a criminal offence yet?
One of Britains and Briton's great strengths is the ability to make some humour out of all stressful situations, that needs to be preserved before we lose it altogether.
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As for the referrals to peoples colour and background, the only people who seem to take real offence for accidental gaffes are professional apologists and trouble makers, rarely of the same race as the supposed offended, more often English white trouble makers making mountains out of molehills.
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I'm a mole, and I think you should apologise for that remark.
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...I'm a mole...
Surprised you could read it, you're supposed to be blind.
Or should that be 'without sight?'
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>> ...I'm a mole...
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>> Surprised you could read it, you're supposed to be blind.
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>> Or should that be 'without sight?'
Visually Impaired. Get it right you blind git
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...Get it right you blind git...
That's more like it, I'm back in my comfort zone now.
'Visually impaired' is a better description anyway because, I read somewhere, moles do have limited sight.
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-:)...and i apologise for my half wit dog sticking its hooter deep inside your hills, which i might add you put in some unsightly places.
edit...very sharp Iffy..;)
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sun 8 Jan 12 at 10:38
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>> -:)...and i apologise for my half wit dog sticking its hooter deep inside your hills,
>> which i might add you put in some unsightly places.
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>> edit...very sharp Iffy..;)
As your faithful canine companion, I am most upset at that sweeping generalisation.
Fido the Visla
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>> Fido the Visla
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Obviously no generalisation then seeing as you don't even know your own name or sex, you respond to Stinky but the terms 'Pussy Cat' or 'Bone' or 'Din Dins' or 'Sockies' or 'Walkies' do get responses with Pussy Cat being the best by far....whoosh gone.
Your reading's coming on well though, and the sex thing will be sorted out next Monday by the V E T..;)
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>> Your reading's coming on well though,
See! not even a bone for my typing skills, you ever tried it with paws?
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>> See! not even a bone for my typing skills, you ever tried it with paws?
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You've just munched through two lamb backbones greedy little blighter, and as i type are sleeping curled up on the Captains chair in the office beside us, and breaking some serious silent but deadly wind quite regularly this morning i might add.
Carry on like this and you'll resemble a Vietnamese pot bellied pig soon.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sun 8 Jan 12 at 11:13
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Vietnamese pot bellied pig
Can you actually say that...?
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Oink.. I resent that - on behalf of all downtrodden Vietnamese pot bellied.. oh sod it far too much to type..
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>> Vietnamese pot bellied pig
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>> Can you actually say that...?
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I think not...
That's racist, drugist, fatist, and plan rude!
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'Spastic' used to be a common term of mild abuse for someone being clumsy or inept, but has fallen right out of favour for the sort of reasons some of these other terms have. Surprising really because I think it has fallen out of medical use too.
'Giant' and 'pygmy' used to be contrasting terms to express scale usually of human characteristics, e.g. 'intellectual giant', 'moral pygmy'. The latter term has for some years been frowned on in Africa and until recently may well have been illegal in the Republic of Gabon whose president for 42 years, Omar Bongo, wore elevator shoes and was, er, not very tall.
A member of the Bateke ethnic group, he converted briefly to Islam after a visit to Libya in 1973 and once tried to force Miss Peru, a beauty queen, into his bed, leaving her stranded in Gabon when she refused until she was rescued by international feminist groups.
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international feminist groups.
I have a distinct mental image.
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>> I have a distinct mental image.
Careful Rob. You don't want to annoy them.
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>> Careful Rob. You don't want to annoy them.
Doesn't matter, they're fairly permanently annoyed from what I can gather. Must be quite wearing, waking up everyday feeling the need to protest.
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I can't help finding the term 'posh' oppressive and humiliating too. Of course none of us here are posh, heaven forfend, but it is a term that has been used to denigrate the prime minister and his wife. This is most unkind when they have done their best - they aren't very good at it poor darlings - to sound as common as muck when interviewed on television.
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Perhaps it shows the true colour of the man when he has to stoop to personal insults?
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Posh is a stupid term really as its used often by the Left to suggest wealth but some of the poshest people I know arent very well off at all, nor are they the stuffy, ultra conservative types that the image also brings to mind.
Its a rather meaningless term applied to people based on how they talk. Its about as useful as 'working class' often used to describe people who are rarely in work.
Theres no doubt the Camerons are somewhat financially above most of us, but the same can be said of the ministers/shadow ministers on all sides and posh can equally be applied on all sides of the house. Which makes it rather silly to take shots at ones own - I hear Davy Milliband is doing rather nicely atm.
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>> done their best - they aren't very good at it poor darlings - to sound as common as muck when interviewed on television.
It occurs to me that they could take lessons from our personable young princes, William and Harry, and indeed the Duchess of Cambridge who also wears unpretentious nightdresses on most occasions. All three manage with grace to sound impeccably Essex. And with the monarchy on its uppers with these cruel T*ry cuts, they would find the fees useful.
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>> Vietnamese pot bellied pig
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>> Can you actually say that...?
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He didn't, he wrote it.
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>> I didn't get the fuss over football pundit Alan Hansen referring to 'coloured'
Yes you did, once it had been explained to you, you crippled humbug. You're just trying to cause trouble as usual.
:o}
(Actually in real life I hope the hip is improving).
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Rather than go on about black women and white men putting their feet in their mouths, you could instead discuss something that affects us all i.e. Tony Blair who channels away £millions via chicanery to avoid paying tax.
The British Catholic Blair is worth c£45 million
Then there is Irene Rosenfield, CEO of Kraft foods who bought out Cadbury pledging to keep open the factory near Bristol but promptly flogged it to Taylor Wimpey moving production to Poland with the loss of 400 jobs,
The American jew Rosenfield earns c$17 million pa.
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And what has all that to do with the price of fish? Start your own thread. and I'll ask you what being British or American, Catholic or Jewish has to do with being grasping or dishonest!
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I do everything I can do to reduce my tax bill. Since when is that chicanery?
Tax avoidance is legal. Tax evasion is not.
Never believe what a CEO says. They always have an agenda.
What does religion have to do with anything in these contexts - are you suggesting Jews are liars and Catholics are tax evaders?
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To balance the books:
The Right Honourable The Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare
Church of England
Conservative
Convicted for perjury!
But lets be fair, politicians on both the Left and Right have been found guilty of expenses fraud recently.
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>Irene Rosenfield, CEO of Kraft foods who bought out Cadbury pledging to keep open the factory near Bristol but promptly flogged it
For the record, I think that Cadbury's had already moved the plant to a new factory in Poland before the Kraft takeover. The failure of the Kraft management was not knowing that this had happened before they pledged to keep the factory open.
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Isn't Balls's name a bit humiliating? I am sure polite people call him Testicles.
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Dog's Danglies is the term you're looking for, I think AC :)
Pat
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Insults are, and have always been, part of what politicians do. They are sensationalised by the Press in order to sell copies to stupid people who buy papers to read about the insults rather than try to understand the important issues.
Not something to get worked up about.
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A good insult is a work of art, something to be applauded rather than scorned.
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>>>A good insult is a work of art, something to be applauded rather than scorned.
Agreed. But there is a different class to "having someone with Tourette's sitting opposite you"
and
Lady Nancy Astor:" Winston, if I were your wife, I’d poison your tea."
Churchill: "Nancy, if I were your husband, I’d drink it"
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On another forum to which I subscribe someone started a thread about what a sexist Cameron was after his "Calm down dear" jibe at Harriet Harman (Bromptonaut might remember this). Things got a bit heated as the debate went on and the original comlainant managed to put his foot firmly in his mouth by asking someone, "What's the matter, is it your time of month?", to great mirth and derision from those who'd been telling him that the Cameron comment wasn't the misogynist hate crime he'd claimed it to be.
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>>his "Calm down dear" jibe at Harriet Harman <<
Or maybe Angela Eagle...
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I think people overlook that the House of Commons has always had quite a sense of humour in certain exchanges. Shame it's being driven out by the PC extremists.
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......are we talking about the Ed. Balls who actually DID wear a Nazi uniform to a party?
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>> ......are we talking about the Ed. Balls who actually DID wear a Nazi uniform to
>> a party?
And what if??
The picture we've all seen shows a man in WW2 era German military uniform. Was it offensive then to go to a party as Rommel or Galland? Or even as Goering or Adolf himself?
Judging past activity by today's standards is ridiculous.
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>> The picture we've all seen shows a man in WW2 era German military uniform. Was
>> it offensive then to go to a party as Rommel or Galland? Or even as
>> Goering or Adolf himself?
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>> Judging past activity by today's standards is ridiculous.
It shows lack of judgement, for he must have been aware of the outcome and figured it could always be used against him numerous times in the future.
These people live and survive in their chosen career by their public image. To ignore that shows them to be stupid or arrogant. Or both.
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>> Judging past activity by today's standards is ridiculous.
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I agree. There must have been a time when wearing a Nazi uniform in the UK was publicly acceptable.. Mosely and the Blackshirts in the 1930s..
And Balls was born in ? 1967...
Last edited by: madf on Mon 9 Jan 12 at 11:17
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>> And Balls was born in ? 1967...
So was it unnacceptable to attend a fancy dress event in 1987 as Rommell?
I dont remeber that it was. And I was born in 1959.
Blackshirts et al strutting their stuff en masse on the streets is a differnt issue.
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Its ok for the likes of you and me to go to a fancy dressed as the Waffen SS, Himler, or even Hitler. Indeed I have done so (its such a sexy uniform after all)
If however your job is your public image, then you would be exceptionally stupid to do so. It does not take an IQ of a single cell amoeba to realise what will be made of it.
For masters of the media image, they all seem to fail to grasp how fast and pervasive the new media is. You have to assume that *everyone* is carrying a camera, and it will be public knowledge before you have even needed your next toilet break.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 9 Jan 12 at 11:35
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I doubt anyone in 1987 would grasp how fast & pervasive media would be a quarter century later. Anymore than they would grasp wearing a uniform to a party might be seen as extreme bad taste.
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Waffen SS police force picking up Jewish people and carting them in lorries off to the death camps.
Not a uniform I would wear!
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>> >> There must have been a time when wearing a Nazi uniform in the
>> UK was publicly acceptable..
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The Duke of Coburg wore German army uniform at the funeral of his cousin George V in 1936. There is a photograph of him looking pathetically out of place as he stumped along in his coalscuttle helmet.
And it was probably acceptable to ridicule and caricature nazis for some time after the war.
There is no logic to acceptability. It's probably OK to dress up as Lenin or Stalin or Mao Tse Tung.
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>> A good insult is a work of art, something to be applauded rather than scorned.
>>
I reckon the Cameroon got it right, referring to Ed. Testes in that fashion.
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Nothing wrong with Ed Balls,
He'a an asset like Ed Miliband.
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A Downing Street spokesman said that David Cameron only opens his mouth to yawn or to change his feet over.
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Cameron levels foot-in-mouth score - Robin O'Reliant
