Lord Ridley socks it to the HoL on our behalf!

[threegee]

...and he added a bit at 2:40 just for Merc!

[Canny lass]

Nice one at 1.23 as well:

”In the part of the world where I come from, in Ashington, Bedlington and Cramlington, they will say – and I paraphrase - How dare that unelected panoply of panjandrums and pampered popinjays think they know better”.

Paraphrase? Is he serious? To paraphrase is to express the meaning of something in different words to make it EASIER to understand! Any Bedlingtonian or Cramlingtonian would have been more easily understood (not sure about Ashingtonians, as I don’t know enough of them to be able to judge).

Ah well, it is the HoL!

On a positive note – some nice rhetoric touches. I particularly liked the strong alliteration in “panjandrums and pampered, popinjays” and three is truly a magic number is it not!

And, the A, B, C (in that order) of Ashington. Bedlington, Cramlington is also a nice threesome. Oh, Lordy. I almost thought I’d died and gone to a rhetorical heaven!

[ex Bedlingtonian]

He never mentioned Bedlington at all - Ashington, Blyth, Cramlington.

[Canny lass]

Quite right ex Bedlingtonian! Blyth it was but the rhetorical impact is the same and I'm sure that even someone from Blyth, could have said it in a more easily understandable way. I wondered why he needed to paraphrase at all and have yet to decide if the slur was directed at the language skills of all Ashingtonians, BLYTHONIANS(?) and Cramlingtonians or the HoL's lack of the same.

[Vic Patterson]

3 hours ago, Canny lass said:

 even someone from Blyth, could have said it in a more easily understandable way.

That's rather rude! as bad as the original comment.  

[Canny lass]

2 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

That's rather rude! as bad as the original comment.

Sorry if it caused you offence, Vic. That was not my intention. I think you may have misunderstood my use of the word 'even'.

 ’Even’, in its adverbial capacity, has several uses. It can, on the one hand be used to emphasize something unexpected or surprising (which I believe is your interpretation here):

Even a person from Blyth can say it in a more easily understandable way (and therefore somebody from  Ashington, Bedlington or Cramlington certainly can).

On the other hand, it can be used to invite comparison of a previously made assertion (as was my intention):

Even a person from Blyth (and not only a person from Ashington, Bedlington or Cramlington) can say it in a more easily understandable way.

Hope that’s cleared it up a bit.

[Vic Patterson]

All in jest CL and not offended, but being only from Blyth the rest of your explanation is wayyyy over my head, 

[Canny lass]

13 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

but being only from Blyth

My family as well, Vic - every generation before me, that is.

I understand that the explanation I gave may have beeen a bit difficult to understand, but it's nothing to do with you being from Blyth. It's just that we have different areas of interest and expertise. If it's any comfort, I have the same problem with mining related explanations - but please keep them coming because even if I don't understand everything I'm always a bit wiser after reading them. 

Knowledge shared is a wonderful thing and there's a wealth of knowledge, covering a diversity of subjects on this site: History, mining, computers, politics, Bedlington, and, dare I say it,  language. Long may we keep sharing.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

 

On 2/3/2018 at 18:53, Canny lass said:

 ’Even’, in its adverbial capacity, has several uses. It can, on the one hand be used to emphasize something unexpected or surprising

Even a voted to stay to avoid even this - I'm surprised, and not even expecting   

[Canny lass]

You should talk Eggy! I wasn't even allowed a vote but even if I had been allowed one, I'm not sure how I'd have used it - or even if I'd have used it. Being as I am, an immigrant, I'll have one foot in and one foot out of EU so for me the odds are even. And now - in the even of my life -  even my pension is half and half, though both halves are no longer equal one half having recently decreased greatly in value. It's strange that. My old man is a mathematical wizard and even he can't understand it. He thinks it may have something to do with the B-word.

Not to worry, I'll soon be able to buy my whisky tax-free when I go through the airport at Newcastle on my homeward journey. Even the darkest cloud can have a silver lining it seems.

[threegee]

Correction CL: you are a LEGAL immigrant! You're also someone who isn't lying about persecution, or even where they come from, in order to obtain economic advantage. I also doubt that you are in touch with fifty relatives who also want to sneak in without paperwork. And... if the Swedes say ENOUGH you probably won't call them racists for not wanting the major social problems that unlimited immigration causes.

Anyway, it's Spring here and all starting up again. The offer is still open: tell me how many you want and I will point them your way. Something even more worrying is that there are now significant numbers of Pakistanis in the boats.

I've just done a bike up for my Nigerian friend "Happy" so he can get from his hotel to the supermarket car park on the other side of town with less risk of being own down on these treacherous roads, and the way things are shaping up here this might not be a genuine accident. Happy - like all the Nigerians - is perfectly honest that he comes from what Trump quite correctly calls a s-hole country. He probably won't be quite so honest with officials though, as the network tells him exactly what he needs to say to gain max Merkel brownie points. He speaks far better English than most locals and has no intention of taking the brain dead German government up on their language lessons offer. Like all the others he'll be on his way before too long, and I hope he gets a good price for the bike to help him along.

P.S. Don't worry about your Sterling pension; another Eurozone crisis coming. The "more free stuff" EU will run out of other people's money in true socialist fashion before too long, and their friends the bankers need to move things around wildly at intervals in order to keep up their lifestyle. Think swings and roundabouts.

[mercuryg]

8 minutes ago, threegee said:

Something even more worrying is that there are now significant numbers of Pakistanis in the boats.

 

That's terrifying. Every time I see a Pakistani I hide. I'd suggest digging a bunker. 

[Canny lass]

1 hour ago, threegee said:

Correction CL: you are a LEGAL immigrant! 

Correction? What correction? An immigrant is an immigrant - whatever their legal status. There's nothing to be corrected.

 

[Canny lass]

1 hour ago, threegee said:

Think swings and roundabouts.

Think medication!

[threegee]

5 hours ago, Canny lass said:

Think medication!

If you can't see the core difference between someone who sneaks into a country flouting all the rules, and someone who goes through the proper immigration procedures and is accepted or rejected on their basic merits and value to another society, then I'm happy to pass on this medication to someone who is in far greater need - you!

Please tell us where this universal right to the product of other people's (and their ancestor's) labours ends?  With most socialists it seems to end at their own doorstep.  BTW I'm told that Happy was over the moon with his new bike and sent me his regards, but I think that he's still waiting for your address and phone number.  In view of the above you shouldn't have a problem with the fact that he (in common with the others, and on good sound advice) threw his temporary papers away.

 

[threegee]

7 hours ago, mercuryg said:

That's terrifying. Every time I see a Pakistani I hide. I'd suggest digging a bunker. 

We don't need to dig our own bunkers here as there are plenty of illegals who will dig anything for peanuts.  In fact Italy is now discovering the British lawn - formerly impossible due to the 24/7 labour intensive nurturing of real grass.

No, bunkers aren't necessary anywhere; though I would advise avoiding any public gatherings in a few years time when the sleeper jihadists are activated.

[Canny lass]

On 2018-02-05 at 09:55, Canny lass said:

I am, an immigrant

“I am an immigrant”.

That’s exactly what I said. How on earth do you read from that statement that I do not know the difference between a legal- and an illegal immigrant? An immigrant is an immigrant, like you, myself and presumably this Happy fellow you mention.  We are, all three of us, immigrants regardless of any nominal modifier you may care to attach. The nominal phrase in my statement, an immigrant, is of the simplest construction. It has one specifying element, the indefinite article an, which serves only to narrow down the reference to a single member of a class – in this case immigrants. To add the words ‘legal’ or’ illegal, serves only to further narrow down the reference.

Let me try to demonstrate that. This requires only two one and a half grey cells working so I’m sure you’ll get the gist of it.

I’m sure you will remember Mary’s lamb: little, white, fluffy, three legged thing with a penchant for following its owner to an unnamed academic institution?  Let’s see if he can help us.

We’ll start with the easy bit.

·         Mary had a lamb.

According to The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, a lamb is “a young sheep”. So, if Mary had a lamb she was, in fact, the owner of a young sheep (that’s one of those animals that’s covered in wool, says baa and leaves small heaps of ‘dottles’ here, there and everywhere).  I have determined that this animal is no particular lamb. He’s just a lamb, any lamb. He’s simply one of a class – in this case lambs.

·         Mary had a little lamb.

Here, the addition of the word little narrows down the field a bit. It tells us something of the lamb’s size. It is not large. However, the fact that the lamb is little does not change the fact that it is still a young sheep with the usual propensities for growing wool, saying baa and leaving small heaps of ‘dottles’ here, there and everywhere.

·         Mary had a little, white lamb.

Another word, another bit of information and we narrow down the field even more. We now know the colour of Mary’s lamb. It is white but never the less it’s still a young sheep. It’s still growing wool, still saying baa and still leaving heaps of ‘dottles’ all over the place.

·         Mary had a little, white, fluffy lamb.

Another word, more information. So we now know not only the lamb’s size and colour but even the quality of its wool. Has the lamb turned into a goat because of this new characteristic? Not on your Nelly! It’s still a blinking young sheep, still growing wool, still saying baa and still sh*tting all over the place.

·         Mary had a little, white, fluffy lamb with three legs.

Do I need to say more! It doesn’t matter how many appendages you dangle from this lamb, it’s still going to be a young sheep.

Now let’s apply that to my statement:

·         I am an immigrant.

According to The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, an immigrant is “a person who has come to live permanently in a foreign country”. So, if I am an immigrant I must also be a person who has come to live permanently in a foreign country.

·         I am a legal immigrant.

Here, the addition of the word legal only tells you something about the manner in which I entered the foreign country. That is to say, I came with the necessary, official permission to enter and reside. Does that mean I am no longer an immigrant? Does that mean I am here on holiday? It certainly doesn’t. The fact remains that I came here to live permanently in this foreign country and am, therefore, an immigrant.

·         I am a British, legal immigrant.

Another word, another bit of information. You now know that I’m not only a legal immigrant but also that I originate from Britain. Does that mean I’m here to visit my maiden aunt? Does being British take away my immigrant status? I’m afraid not! I’m still an immigrant.  I came here to live permanently in a foreign country.

·         I am a British, law abiding, and legal immigrant.

Another word, another bit of information. You now know a little bit more about the type of person I am but being law abiding doesn’t either alter the fact that I am an immigrant. The fact still remains that I chose to come here and to  live permanently in a foreign country.

In other words: A lamb is a lamb and an immigrant is an immigrant, regardless of any appendages you may choose to dangle from them. Q.E.D

I AM AN IMMIGRANT! It’s nice to know we have something in common, you, myself and Happy.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Canny lass

[Steve Turnbull]

This is the greatest post in the history of posts.

[Steve Turnbull]

Oh and 3G, those ‘sleeper activists’. This isn’t a TV show. 

[threegee]

No CL, I'm not an immigrant!  I'm British, and my documents clearly say "resident".  I'm not going to argue with that in any way at all. 

Quite unlike foreign residents from the EU who come to the UK, I don't get to tell my hosts how they should run their country, and that is how it should be.  I wasn't permitted to vote in the recent referendum on constitutional change, and I wouldn't have presumed to do this anyway, as at best I've only a lifetime interest.  If I'd been forced to vote I'd have agreed with the majority, and said "we don't trust the EUrophiles".  They are actually about to vote again, and I don't think you (or Brussels) will like the result.

[threegee]

3 hours ago, Steve Turnbull said:

Oh and 3G, those ‘sleeper activists’. This isn’t a TV show. 

Islam's time horizon is a lot longer than any Brit's (including me).  Islamists are still living the crusades, and if you think this is a fiction I''d be happy to enlighten you.

This afternoon I cycled 35Km over the dirt roads on the coastal plane here - no Italian would do this. I was chased by feral dogs but got a glimpses of the conditions many (mainly) sub-Saharan Africans are living in and spoke to a couple.  Stick to your illusions - until the wake up call!  There are millions more on the way!

[pilgrim]

immigrants?? oh that would be them Vikings, and them normans, and afore that them roman chappies and even further back the Phoenicians that came over for the tin-- I really would like to see dna profile of the good folk of the shire (lets face it - most families ANYWHERE cant name anyone past 3 generations back with certainty)

we seem to forget that England expelled the jews on two occasions - yet that isn't mentioned as a diaspora. (very convenient)

difficulties - and there shouldn't be difficulties, but there always will be- will always occur in any post colonial era - look at France and Algeria etc etc.

we now live in a multicultural and cosmopolitan world  and should embrace that not shun it - and not be afraid - the fear is of the making of the minority and the dread of the majority.

here is some food for thought -  do you really feel threatened? 

Ethnic-Group-KS201EW_2011-Census.xls

and if you really want to worry about something - compare these

http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/last-72-hours

and reflect on what a wonderful area we live in 

 

oh and the crusaders were the invaders and the aggressors 

[threegee]

2 hours ago, pilgrim said:

here is some food for thought -  do you really feel threatened? 

Quote

....in the eighty years between 1851 and 1931, the population born abroad increased by only about one million. It increased slowly after the Second World War, growing by less than two million in the forty years between 1951 and 1991. In the late 1990s the pace and scale of migration increased to a level without historical precedent. Indeed the foreign born population of England and Wales more than doubled, increasing by nearly four million in the twenty years between the 1991 and 2011 censuses. It has now reached 13.4% of our population. This massive increase dwarfs the scale of any previous inflow in our history.

https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/briefing-paper/48

Note that the above in no way represents the ongoing dilution of the native population it's simply new immigrants.  The last census was seven years ago now, and can't include illegals - of which the government hasn't a clue how many.  If you are advocating further mass immigration then you need to tell us how many is enough Pilgrim?

I can tell you right now that the population HERE really does feel threatened.  All that is keeping a lid on things is EU slush/hush money, a lot of which is going into the hands of unscrupulous people.  That money can't continue, and the numbers are still going up.  I ask you again: how many is enough?

[Steve Turnbull]

10 hours ago, threegee said:

Islam's time horizon is a lot longer than any Brit's (including me).  Islamists are still living the crusades, and if you think this is a fiction I''d be happy to enlighten you.

This afternoon I cycled 35Km over the dirt roads on the coastal plane here - no Italian would do this. I was chased by feral dogs but got a glimpses of the conditions many (mainly) sub-Saharan Africans are living in and spoke to a couple.  Stick to your illusions - until the wake up call!  There are millions more on the way!

And you somehow draw a link between this and ‘sleeper cells’? I had you down as intelligent but with radical views. I’m now wondering whether you’re just another who believes what the Daily Mail tells them. I’m not the one with the illusions.

[mercuryg]

Looking at that graph, I'm at odds to see what's so surprising or alarming about it. of course there are vastly more foreign-born in the UK now than ever before, as there will be with many of the world's developed countries. If cheap and easy travel had been available in, say, 1911, far more people would have travelled here from elsewhere. As you rightly say in other posts, there can be no clue as to how many illegal immigrants there are, so this must surely relate to those who are here legally? Then the next question: why is it such a problem? As Pilgrim rightly points out, this is a multicultural world; it's not 1911 any more, or 1951, or even 1981. Far from immigration being the problem, it's the 'us and them' mentality that breeds the contempt. The simple fact is this: foreigners are here, and will continue to come here. They bring with them their religions, their beliefs. It's not going to go away, so the longer the 'we have to do something to stop it' (what, precisely?) brigade continues such a tirade, the longer we foster problems that should not really be there. I understand you believe you have a deeper insight into the 'Islam problem' - for want of a better word - than others, 3G, but I really don't think you do. So you cycled across the badlands, where no local would go (really? Have you been following the series of tweets and posts from people who have been happily traversing the UK 'no-go' areas that the likes of Britain First has warned everyone to avoid, as they are over-run with Muslims who will likely drive you out with large sticks? They make great reading; one guy posted along the lines of 'went in, bought loaf of bread, got out alive') and spoke to a couple of the immigrant population, while fending off their feral dogs (love the feral dogs bit, adds the Hollywood element). That doesn't make you an expert on what's going to happen in the future (regards the 'sleeper cells' you warned us of); it just makes you someone who cycled across the Italian badlands, spoke to a couple of immigrants, and fended off their feral dogs. That's not insight. We all know the population of the UK now has a larger foreign contingent than before; guess what, I went into Boston the other day, did some shopping in a Polish supermarket (great value, lovely people) and spoke to a couple of foreigners also! I'm no expert on Eastern European culture, even though I did pat a couple of likely Polish Alsatians. Back to the point, oh yes, we (I talk of the general we) know the UK population has a large foreign contingent; rather than look at ways to alleviate that, we live with it, it's happened. It's no great shakes; it's not the end of the UK as we know it. It's 21st century life, it's what we have here and now. Rather than foster hatred for a group of people who follow a certain religion, of whom the vast majority do no harm whatsoever, we should be finding the right balance to live alongside them, as that's what we have to do. After all, there's a billion odd of them in the world, so that's a lot of people to ignore. Anyway, our postman is a Muslim. Should I expect a letter bomb off him any time shortly?