QUOTE OF THE DAY. TRIPPS ORIGINAL

[Stanley]

On R4 vthis morning a man who keeps a large herd of reindeer was talking about how he handles them. If he wants to move them, he goes in the field, attracts their attention and then sprints off, they follow him at the gallop! Here's what he said next.... " you get their attention and then sprint off. At this point it is a good idea not to trip!"

[Tripps]

"But not so much in the South I think......"

Truly brilliant response - but I think here might only be me and you that understands it. It seems to have finally defeated Mr Google.

I had the bright idea of passing a sheet of A4 round the table and asking for interesting /relevant website addresses to be written on it. I put Oneguy at the top, and gave it a great plug - explaining briefly the charms of the town. I photographed the sheet, and spent the evening afterwards exploring the results. Amazing.

Quite remarkable - If I'd known to whom I was speaking to, perhaps I would have been more deferential, and perhaps not been so cheeky. I actually got a definitive and authoritative answer to my recent question about the power of local rivers to drive the many local mills. I'll tell you more later. Do you know what half a mill is? - I do now.

I laid on my mild 'Daily Mail' type views a bit heavily, but on two occasions I paused, and asked for anyone to point out, where what I had said wasn't true. There was no reply.

The Film Maker in residence to the University ( I was disappointed that he didn't know of Daniel Meadows) said afterwards he had enjoyed the debate, and a chap took me aside. and said he was PPE (Oxon), and agreed with almost every word I'd said, but subtly gesturing in the general direction of his 'partner', implied it was better she didn't know that.

I impressed the Mongolia man (of whom more later), with the brief video that I have on my phone, of Tuvan throat singing with wonderful background shots of their horses. His daughter (of course), is currently doing a serious study of Central Asian horses. Everyone should have such a clip - you never know when it will come in handy. I'll put it up on Youtube. You never know.

[plaques]

Tripps, There are those who try to be eccentric, and those who are eccentric but don't know it. Your 'Brains trust' sounds as though its firmly in the second camp. I'd love to see the list of web sites that 'normal' people think are interesting.

[Stanley]

That's a brilliant post David.....
For any of you who are interested, "Not so much in the South I think" comes from the late great Stephen Potter's books on how to navigate life. It is the standard response to be used in any conversation where you are completely out of your depth.

[Tripps]

The art of 'Oneupmanship' etc etc. Sephen Potter

"When I was in Munsterlager - which is not a million miles away."

[Stanley]

I once met a man who had a good line..... "I remember when I was at 23,000 feet in the Himalayas....."
Trouble was you knew it was true!



Here he is in the flat cap, Norman conning us over to Eigg in a small yacht between two Force 10 winds. His glasses were crusted with salt and he couldn't see a thing. Can't remember his surname but reputed to be the youngest submarine commander in WW2. An interesting and impressing bloke!

[Stanley]

Heard on World Service this morning in a discussion about Brexit in terms of a divorce from Europe. A lady diplomat asked the question..... "Where does the second marriage come from? Will anyone want to marry a disgraced divorcee?"
Good questions......

[Tripps]

From the Sunday press - disgraceful - it's enough to make you think about voting Labour!

"The vulture fund that owns HMV took almost £50m in fees out of the struggling music retailer during its five-year ownership, while HMV paid no corporation tax. The cost of any statutory redundancy payments will be borne by taxpayers."

[Stanley]

When a business gets into trouble like that it becomes Wild West territory. Time something was done about it but to legislate would hurt the vultures and they are big party funders......

[Stanley]

"You will be judged by what you succeed at gentlemen, not by what you attempt. Prime Minister Clement Attlee to his cabinet, 1945."
From today's Bob's Bits......

[Tizer]

Kenneth Heaton commenting on Surgeon Captain 'Peter' Thomas Latimer Cleave:
"...he was recording differences in disease patterns over time and space long before the epidemiology of chronic diseases was a recognised discipline … [and] he painted with broad strokes on the biggest possible canvas when others were focusing on ever more minute areas of investigation."
See We Are What We Eat: LINK

[Stanley]

[Tizer]

Fraser Nelson, editor of The Spectator, was speaking on The Long View episode on Divided Parties. He commented: `The Conservative Party is usually seen as cruel but effective. Without effective what have you got left?'

[Stanley]

I heard that Tiz and it is a very perceptive statement.

[Stanley]

Heard this morning on Start the Week.
Talent is the ability do do something well that is extremely difficult. Genius is recognising and addressing something difficult that has escaped notice.
I may have got that slightly wrong but you get the drift...

[Tripps]

From the likeable Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley Jess Phillips



‘Perversely, since I was elected I have met many people who earn way more than £30,000 and have literally no discernible skills, not even one. I met none before—I thought I had met posh people before I came here, but I had actually just met people who eat olives. I had no idea of how posh a person could be. Waitrose is apparently not the marker for being really, really posh.

[Stanley]

She's dead right..... The poshest person I ever spoke to was Princess Alexandra but she had the advantage of being a nice woman. Princess Anne made you feel like a bit of dirt on her riding boot.

[Tizer]

Leave.EU and an insurance company owned by its founder Arron Banks have been fined £120,000 over data law breaches. Banks has been quoted as saying:
Gosh we communicated with our supporters and offered them a 10% Brexit discount after the vote! So what?
The `So what?' says all we need to know about him!
(Could it be that Banks by his actions has invalidated the result of the referendum?)

[Stanley]

There are enough worms in the can without adding that one Tiz......

[Tripps]

From the Clarion House at Roughlee, from a 'regular' during the visit by Michael Portillo.

"You can tell he's a Tory - he hasn't paid for his tea yet"

[PanBiker]

That was Charles, ILP and Clarion Cycling club member, regular visitor. Jack Burrows who was chatting in front of the house is our Clarion House and ILP historian. I wonder if Michael Choo Choo put a donation in our Mini Clarion House at the side of the serving hatch?

[Stanley]

I always think of him as Portaloo.....

[Tizer]

Paraphrasing and combining a couple of comments on the BH radio programme this morning:
`Mrs May is kicking the can down the road but we've nearly run out of road and the can is empty.'

[Stanley]

Classic case of mixed metaphors but I like it, it works.
The mother of a friend of mine was once heard to say "Don't encourage them, they'll be round you like a flock of bricks!" We all knew exactly what she meant and that's the point isn't it.
Time for my Stafford Beer Quote! Asked to paraphrase communication he said "It isn't what is conveyed or how it is transmitted and received, it's what is understood". Perfect.......

[Stanley]

"To talk but fail to act risks our nation being seen as little more than a paper tiger,"
Gavin Williamson yesterday bigging up his fantasy version of our defence capabilities. He got that bit right at least......