The Political Thread

[COMMANDO FORCES]

It was talked about in my school. My history teacher was an old fighter pilot and I presume he took the view that you could make your own mind up with the facts he gave.

[TordelBack]

It's pretty hard to avoid in Dublin - our only 'marble arch' (well, granite) is at the entrance to St. Stephen's Green, and it's a memorial to the Fusiliers who died at Ladysmith, Hart's Hill and Laing's Neck, names that fascinated me as kid passing under it en route feed the ducks (there's some others I've forgotten). St. Patrick's Cathedral is also bursting at the seams with Second Boer War memorials, but i didn't notice that 'til later.  I confess I probably got the whole thing mixed up with Zulu as a kid, but the exciting exotic names meant I always paid attention to Boer War stuff, particularly the Young Churchill strip in ancient Eagles.  Even so I wouldn't be surprised if it was Pat Mills that clued me in on the concentration camp thing.



In fact other than ones related to our own parochial squabbles I'd say the only war memorial that's more prominent than Fusiliers' Arch is the Wellington Monument in the Phoenix Park, which has the benefit of massive and entirely kewl relief panels of our reluctant stable-born son thrashing the frenchies cast in bronze from cannons taken at Waterloo (I said it was kewl).  It's no coincidence that this is technically a Testimonial rather than a memorial.

Great War memorials are of course everywhere, but here they tend to be hidden in churches, cemeteries, private schools or embodied as CoI parish halls, although there's a few plaques in train stations too. Point being, I don't think there was anything as publicly prominent as Fusiliers' Arch in Dublin when I was a kid.

[maryanddavid]

There is a 'Mons Terrace' here in this remoter part of the Island, apparently houses built by the CoI for returning Connaught Rangers Veterans, and in the RC Church there is a glorious stained glass windows, paid for by the Connaught Rangers. Little memorials in plain view.

[Professor Bear]

Say what you like about Dave, at least he helps out his fellow lizards.  Currently doing the rounds on Twitter, someone does some detective work to reveal that a housing benefit meant to help "poor single mums" get a rung on the housing ladder is just as helpful to well-off two-income families who want to funnel money into their own housing companies: http://legalaidandme.proboards.com/thread/8301/audacity-cameron-hypocrisy-help-buy?post-20923=undefined

[Old Tankie]

"a housing benefit meant to help 'poor single mums'"!!  You're having a laugh.  The scheme's also open to poor single dads, quite comfortable couples, hard-up grandpas and grandmas, Eton toffs, and anybody else who happens to meant the criteria.  It's easy enough to have a pop at Cameron by getting the facts correct, you don't have to make them up!!

[Jim_Campbell]

"a housing benefit meant to help 'poor single mums'"!!  You're having a laugh.  The scheme's also open to poor single dads, quite comfortable couples, hard-up grandpas and grandmas, Eton toffs, and anybody else who happens to meant the criteria.  It's easy enough to have a pop at Cameron by getting the facts correct, you don't have to make them up!!

For fuck's sake. Since you clearly didn't read the linked story before knee-jerking your response: the 'poor single mum' reference is quite clearly with respect to the linked story, in which Call-Me-Dave is shown with a woman and her child and their lovely new home, father nowhere in evidence, and we are led to believe that this is 'Help To Buy' in action. Except that the woman in question is a sales director of a property services company which was marketing the house that Help To Buy supposedly helped to buy...

[Old Tankie]

I'll respond any way I like, I don't need your permission to "knee jerk."  'Bye for now.  I'm sure you'll be back!

[Jim_Campbell]

I'll respond any way I like

In a way that clearly shows you hadn't read the link you were criticising. If you want to keep making a fool of yourself, I'm certainly not going to try and stop you.

Jim

[Old Tankie]

Thanks for that, all I've ever wanted is your approval.  You don't know how much it means to me.  Thanks again.  With all my love.

[The Legendary Shark]

And a Happy New Year one and all.

[Professor Bear]

The scheme's also open to poor single dads, quite comfortable couples, hard-up grandpas and grandmas, Eton toffs, and anybody else who happens to meant the criteria.  It's easy enough to have a pop at Cameron by getting the facts correct, you don't have to make them up!!

If only I'd remembered to put "poor single mums" in some kind of quotation marks or something, so that people knew I was referring to a specific story that I posted a link to!

[Old Tankie]

So, exactly where on the link you supplied, are the words "poor single mums"?  As I said, you're having a laugh!

Thanks, Sharky, Happy New Year to you and yours.  All the best for 2014.

[The Legendary Shark]

Thanks, Tankie

.
New Year's Resolution - it's only politics. If I let it upset me that means Mark Carney wins.

[The Legendary Shark]

Double post, sorry.

[Professor Bear]

So, exactly where on the link you supplied, are the words "poor single mums"?  As I said, you're having a laugh

If don't know the difference between context and direct quotation that's unfortunate.