Showing posts with label Great Britain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Great Britain. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Omphaloskepsis, odium and oikophobia...


You may not have guessed but the blog title is describing the BBC. Omphaloskepsis is basically navel-gazing, here I use it as a literal modern sense, self-absorbed unaware narcissistic wokeness, not that of the omphalopsychite who meditates by gazing at the navel. The BBC simply hate this country and all it stands for and has stood for. Oikophoboa obviously meant in the modern sense of Roger Scruton [PDF] but put very simply would be 'home hating', "Oikophobia and Xenophilia" [Wiki] gives more of a clue.  a "seeming loss of national loyalty is a feature of our political élites, but it is not shared by the English people."...I would add, though in the text they are not connected, "the British generally, and the English in particular".
"Oikophobia is a stage through which the adolescent mind normally passes. But it is a stage in which some people — intellectuals especially [Ows: IYIs even more especially] — tend to become arrested. As George Orwell pointed out, intellectuals on the Left are especially prone to it, and this has oftenmade them willing agents of foreign powers."



The point of the above is that Laurence Fox has called the BBC exactly that, on Talk Radio, the YouTube interview HERE is well worth a listen (only 7 minutes, and what he says is 100% true).

The BBC re the current Last Night of the Proms is kowtowing to BLM and "Black Studies" racists, who also all seem fairly ignornant of the meaning of the words, the history of slavery in general and especially The Slave Trade Act (1807), the Slavery Abolition Act (1833)
etc. 

Both those interviews were yesterday.

Omphaloskepsis, odium and oikophobia...


You may not have guessed but the blog title is describing the BBC. Omphaloskepsis is basically navel-gazing, here I use it as a literal modern sense, self-absorbed unaware narcissistic wokeness, not that of the omphalopsychite who meditates by gazing at the navel. The BBC simply hate this country and all it stands for and has stood for. Oikophoboa obviously meant in the modern sense of Roger Scruton [PDF] but put very simply would be 'home hating', "Oikophobia and Xenophilia" [Wiki] gives more of a clue.  a "seeming loss of national loyalty is a feature of our political élites, but it is not shared by the English people."...I would add, though in the text they are not connected, "the British generally, and the English in particular".
"Oikophobia is a stage through which the adolescent mind normally passes. But it is a stage in which some people — intellectuals especially [Ows: IYIs even more especially] — tend to become arrested. As George Orwell pointed out, intellectuals on the Left are especially prone to it, and this has oftenmade them willing agents of foreign powers."

The point of the above is that Laurence Fox has called the BBC exactly that, on Talk Radio, the YouTube interview HERE is well worth a listen (only 7 minutes, and what he says is 100% true).

The BBC re the current Last Night of the Proms is kowtowing to BLM and "Black Studies" racists, who also all seem fairly ignornant of the meaning of the words, the history of slavery in general and especially The Slave Trade Act (1807), the Slavery Abolition Act (1833) etc. 

Both those interviews were yesterday.

Monday, February 03, 2020

Outwardly on our own; openly optimistic...




Alone again although not quite: we are open for business with the world. I still am not 100 percent convinced by BoJo but by God it makes a hell of a differnece to have an overtly optimistic and patriotic Prime Minister again.



Today his written statement is promising: "The Government remains committed in all circumstances to securing all those benefits for the whole of the UK and to strengthening our Union."..."In its negotiations with the EU, the Government will be acting on behalf of the UK Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories: the whole UK family. The UK proposes to agree similar arrangements with the EFTA states."

But...today's speech is outstanding.


"And - you know where this is going - today if we get it right, if we have the courage to follow the instincts and the instructions of the British people, this can be another such moment on the launching pad."



"We are re-emerging after decades of hibernation as a campaigner for global free trade.




"And frankly it is not a moment too soon because the argument for this fundamental liberty is now not being made...



...And since these notions were born here in this country, it has been free trade that has done more than any other single economic idea to raise billions out of poverty and incredibly fast."

We do extraordinary things as I never tire of telling you.

Tea to China, cake to France, TV aerials to South Korea and so on.

Boomerangs to Australia - Nigel Farage to America. Then he came back of course.
[Ows: Thank God!]


We are embarked now on a great voyage, a project that no one thought in the international community that this country would have the guts to undertake, but if we are brave and if we truly commit to the logic of our mission - open, outward-looking - generous, welcoming, engaged with the world championing global free trade now when global free trade needs a global champion,

I believe we can make a huge success of this venture, for Britain, for our European friends, and for the world.


Very well worth a read of the whole thing, or a watch and listen (speech begins @3:25, don't miss Q&A at the end, LOL).



Plus another good read: Leaving the EU is a joyous expression of national self-confidence. For that, we have Thatcher to thank. (Conservative Home):

"However, Thatcher changed everything. Her radical reforms, unapologetic patriotism, uncompromising will and remarkable character lifted the nation out of its post-war torpor and restored its self-confidence... 



"A British ‘economic miracle’ was being enviously mooted on the continent – a truly remarkable turnaround from the stagnation and misery afflicting the nation just 10 years earlier...


"Most important, though, was the national pride restored by Thatcher’s indomitable spirit and sense of moral purpose. 



"If Britain joined what was to become the EU in a moment of disorientation and self-doubt, it voted out as a confident, self-assured, optimistic, outward-looking and independent nation state.

"For this, we have Thatcher to thank. And as a delicious accompaniment, she posthumously drove a stake through the heart of her vampiric nemesis, Michael Heseltine. Victory has never been sweeter."

Outwardly on our own; openly optimistic...


Alone again although not quite: we are open for business with the world. I still am not 100 percent convinced by BoJo but by God it makes a hell of a differnece to have an overtly optimistic and patriotic Prime Minister again.

Today his written statement is promising: "The Government remains committed in all circumstances to securing all those benefits for the whole of the UK and to strengthening our Union."..."In its negotiations with the EU, the Government will be acting on behalf of the UK Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories: the whole UK family. The UK proposes to agree similar arrangements with the EFTA states." But...today's speech is outstanding.
"And - you know where this is going - today if we get it right, if we have the courage to follow the instincts and the instructions of the British people, this can be another such moment on the launching pad."
"We are re-emerging after decades of hibernation as a campaigner for global free trade.
"And frankly it is not a moment too soon because the argument for this fundamental liberty is now not being made...
...And since these notions were born here in this country, it has been free trade that has done more than any other single economic idea to raise billions out of poverty and incredibly fast." We do extraordinary things as I never tire of telling you. Tea to China, cake to France, TV aerials to South Korea and so on. Boomerangs to Australia - Nigel Farage to America. Then he came back of course. [Ows: Thank God!]
We are embarked now on a great voyage, a project that no one thought in the international community that this country would have the guts to undertake, but if we are brave and if we truly commit to the logic of our mission - open, outward-looking - generous, welcoming, engaged with the world championing global free trade now when global free trade needs a global champion, I believe we can make a huge success of this venture, for Britain, for our European friends, and for the world.
Very well worth a read of the whole thing, or a watch and listen (speech begins @3:25, don't miss Q&A at the end, LOL).

Plus another good read: Leaving the EU is a joyous expression of national self-confidence. For that, we have Thatcher to thank. (Conservative Home): "However, Thatcher changed everything. Her radical reforms, unapologetic patriotism, uncompromising will and remarkable character lifted the nation out of its post-war torpor and restored its self-confidence... 

"A British ‘economic miracle’ was being enviously mooted on the continent – a truly remarkable turnaround from the stagnation and misery afflicting the nation just 10 years earlier...
"Most important, though, was the national pride restored by Thatcher’s indomitable spirit and sense of moral purpose. 

"If Britain joined what was to become the EU in a moment of disorientation and self-doubt, it voted out as a confident, self-assured, optimistic, outward-looking and independent nation state.
"For this, we have Thatcher to thank. And as a delicious accompaniment, she posthumously drove a stake through the heart of her vampiric nemesis, Michael Heseltine. Victory has never been sweeter."

Saturday, February 01, 2020

Obsigned: ostensibly out...







Image credit BOB in The Daily Telegraph, 31/01/20

1,317 days. Or 3 years, 7 months, 1 week and 1 day (interesting number repetition there) since we found out the result of the Brexit referendum. After voting to Leave the EU on 23rd June 2016 we are now finally - 'sort of' - out; as Kathy Gyngell writes at The Conservative Woman "We are however under no illusions. This is just the end of the beginning."



And from Raedwald, copied here (he says it so well)...



"Dear Ursula

Many thanks for the kind words from the floor of your assembly. The United Kingdom will also always love the nations of Europe - and those nations will remain our favourite holiday and retirement destinations. Many of them even use the same notes and coins, which makes it easier!

However, I should point out that we're not actually leaving Europe. Of which we're of course an integral part. And we'll be marketing our many fine comestibles products across the world as 'Food from Europe' as well as 'Made in the UK'. And we remain proud of our continent of 730m people, of whom some 460m are also 'citizens' of your Federation thing.

We'll have a year more to enjoy the madcap, mouth-frothing, carpet-chewing antics of your rantiest stars - Hof's histrionics, petulant posturing and insane rhetoric keep us all in good spirits and we enjoy immensely his little You Tube clips. After that, I'm not sure who we will have to laugh at - unless Labour have elected a new Leader by then, of course.

Anyhow, must close. Good luck with those criminal investigations against you - after all, anyone can accidentally wipe two mobile phones containing incriminating criminal evidence on the same day. If you're not in jail, we'll correspond again in eleven months.

Best -

Britain."


Obsigned: ostensibly out...


Image credit BOB in The Daily Telegraph, 31/01/20
1,317 days. Or 3 years, 7 months, 1 week and 1 day (interesting number repetition there) since we found out the result of the Brexit referendum. After voting to Leave the EU on 23rd June 2016 we are now finally - 'sort of' - out; as Kathy Gyngell writes at The Conservative Woman "We are however under no illusions. This is just the end of the beginning."

And from Raedwald, copied here (he says it so well)...
"Dear Ursula Many thanks for the kind words from the floor of your assembly. The United Kingdom will also always love the nations of Europe - and those nations will remain our favourite holiday and retirement destinations. Many of them even use the same notes and coins, which makes it easier! However, I should point out that we're not actually leaving Europe. Of which we're of course an integral part. And we'll be marketing our many fine comestibles products across the world as 'Food from Europe' as well as 'Made in the UK'. And we remain proud of our continent of 730m people, of whom some 460m are also 'citizens' of your Federation thing. We'll have a year more to enjoy the madcap, mouth-frothing, carpet-chewing antics of your rantiest stars - Hof's histrionics, petulant posturing and insane rhetoric keep us all in good spirits and we enjoy immensely his little You Tube clips. After that, I'm not sure who we will have to laugh at - unless Labour have elected a new Leader by then, of course. Anyhow, must close. Good luck with those criminal investigations against you - after all, anyone can accidentally wipe two mobile phones containing incriminating criminal evidence on the same day. If you're not in jail, we'll correspond again in eleven months. Best - Britain."

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Outstanding Olympics over III...




Ows's words from August 2012: "I don't want to end what has been a fantastic Olympics - especially for for Great Britain - on a sour note but...this is as good as it gets, as good as it will get: the Rio 2016 table may well have a similar top ten but we won't be third (and first or second is simply not going to happen)" [sic]. Well blow me...down with a feather. Great Britain and Northern Ireland came 2nd in the Olympic Games last month and the just completed Paralympics this month. A truly magnificent effort from everyone. Tokyo 2020...surely this is as good as it will get? :-)














Outstanding Olympics over III...


Ows's words from August 2012: "I don't want to end what has been a fantastic Olympics - especially for for Great Britain - on a sour note but...this is as good as it gets, as good as it will get: the Rio 2016 table may well have a similar top ten but we won't be third (and first or second is simply not going to happen)" [sic]. Well blow me...down with a feather. Great Britain and Northern Ireland came 2nd in the Olympic Games last month and the just completed Paralympics this month. A truly magnificent effort from everyone. Tokyo 2020...surely this is as good as it will get? :-)


Sunday, April 17, 2016

Out, out, out II...




Not to everyone's taste and I'm at least a week late on this but Dan the Man is on fine form. An optimistic message about the the blossoming of a free people after Brexit: "Daniel Hannan emphasises the importance of promoting the positives on why we should leave the EU. This is a must see for the undecided and those who still believe we should remain." Be patient if you are bored by the first few minutes, it builds well.


[Edited: 'dead' image/video removed] 

It harks back to Dan's great piece in the DT last year: "A vision of Britain outside the EU - confident, successful and free".
"Released from our Eurochains, pessimism withers and the economy grows as we become great again."

Out, out, out II...


Not to everyone's taste and I'm at least a week late on this but Dan the Man is on fine form. An optimistic message about the the blossoming of a free people after Brexit: "Daniel Hannan emphasises the importance of promoting the positives on why we should leave the EU. This is a must see for the undecided and those who still believe we should remain." Be patient if you are bored by the first few minutes, it builds well.

[Edited: 'dead' image/video removed] 

It harks back to Dan's great piece in the DT last year: "A vision of Britain outside the EU - confident, successful and free". "Released from our Eurochains, pessimism withers and the economy grows as we become great again."

Wednesday, April 06, 2016

Olympic opening...






If someone were to ask what James Brendan Bennet Connolly and the small town of Much Wenlock in Shropshire, UK had in common most would be stumped. Me too, until today: US athlete Connolly [Wiki] was the very first Olympic champion of the modern Olympic games (those games are 120 years old today) held in Athens in 1896) when he won gold in the Triple jump (he also got the silver medal High jump and bronze in the Long jump); Much Wenlock actually had hosted its own annual local 'Olympics' [The Olympian Class in 1850:


..."for the promotion of the moral, physical and intellectual improvement of the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Wenlock and especially of the working classes, by the encouragement of outdoor recreation, and by the award of prizes annually at public meetings for skill in athletic exercise and proficiency in intellectual and industrial attainments"

"It was devised by local doctor William Penny Brookes and is still held to this day." [Indie] One of the Independent's "Five things you didn’t know about the first modern Olympic Games that took place 120 years ago" goe son to tell us that "Baron Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin visited the town in 1890 and was inspired by the townspeople participating in the Games so he founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC)". Excellent, we can claim that too :-) ... as well as "Britain is one of 4 countries (including Australia) to have participated at every games since 1896, but is the only country to have won a gold medal at every games"...if Romacitizen's comments are more fact based than the Independent's 5 points (they got one wrong!).

Olympic opening...


If someone were to ask what James Brendan Bennet Connolly and the small town of Much Wenlock in Shropshire, UK had in common most would be stumped. Me too, until today: US athlete Connolly [Wiki] was the very first Olympic champion of the modern Olympic games (those games are 120 years old today) held in Athens in 1896) when he won gold in the Triple jump (he also got the silver medal High jump and bronze in the Long jump); Much Wenlock actually had hosted its own annual local 'Olympics' [The Olympian Class in 1850:
..."for the promotion of the moral, physical and intellectual improvement of the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood of Wenlock and especially of the working classes, by the encouragement of outdoor recreation, and by the award of prizes annually at public meetings for skill in athletic exercise and proficiency in intellectual and industrial attainments"
"It was devised by local doctor William Penny Brookes and is still held to this day." [Indie] One of the Independent's "Five things you didn’t know about the first modern Olympic Games that took place 120 years ago" goe son to tell us that "Baron Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin visited the town in 1890 and was inspired by the townspeople participating in the Games so he founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC)". Excellent, we can claim that too :-) ... as well as "Britain is one of 4 countries (including Australia) to have participated at every games since 1896, but is the only country to have won a gold medal at every games"...if Romacitizen's comments are more fact based than the Independent's 5 points (they got one wrong!).

Sunday, January 04, 2015

Overtly optimistic ovine O...






Well said Matt Ridley: a highly optimistic outlook as one would expect from 'the Rational Optimist'; also published in The Times with excellent comments (£ Link £): "Britain's best years", a New Year's offering: "800 years after Magna Carta and 200 after Waterloo, the UK's in good shape". Worth a read in full but something Matt says chimes true:


"All my life I have been told that Britain is in decline. But stand back and take a long, hard look. Even by relative standards, it just is not true."... ..."Compared with many other countries, we have enviable opportunities ahead of us."

Not forgetting of course how much of that history was England. Just in case you're wondering about the title of this blog-post, in one month the Chinese Year of the Sheep/Ram starts and 'O' is the 15th letter of the alphabet. :-)

Overtly optimistic ovine O...


Well said Matt Ridley: a highly optimistic outlook as one would expect from 'the Rational Optimist'; also published in The Times with excellent comments (£ Link £): "Britain's best years", a New Year's offering: "800 years after Magna Carta and 200 after Waterloo, the UK's in good shape". Worth a read in full but something Matt says chimes true:
"All my life I have been told that Britain is in decline. But stand back and take a long, hard look. Even by relative standards, it just is not true."... ..."Compared with many other countries, we have enviable opportunities ahead of us."
Not forgetting of course how much of that history was England. Just in case you're wondering about the title of this blog-post, in one month the Chinese Year of the Sheep/Ram starts and 'O' is the 15th letter of the alphabet. :-)

Monday, April 21, 2014

Octogésimo octavo...






Or Ochenta y ocho (88), eighty eighth...many happy returns Elizabeth II. Her Majesty the Queen celebrates her 88th birthday today, in commemoration of which this new portrait by David Bailey has been published (it was taken last month at Buckingham Palace and commissioned on behalf of the government's Great Britain campaign).



May I be so bold as to say that the "grinning granny" image suits Her Majesty, described by Bailey as a "very strong woman" with "very kind eyes with a mischievous glint". During the day the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired a 41 gun royal salute (Green Park*) and later a 62 gun salute from the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London**. Eighty eight facts about Elizabeth II from Royal Central  HERE, e.g. The Queen is the only British Monarch to have visited China and proved she is and was always ahead of the game by sending her first email in 1976!



In case you wondered:

* The standard Royal salute is 21-guns; another 20 guns is added when the salute is from a Royal Park or Palace.

** The 62 gun salute is the aforementioned 41 guns (the Tower is a Royal Palace) plus 21 for it being from the City of London.

Octogésimo octavo...


Or Ochenta y ocho (88), eighty eighth...many happy returns Elizabeth II. Her Majesty the Queen celebrates her 88th birthday today, in commemoration of which this new portrait by David Bailey has been published (it was taken last month at Buckingham Palace and commissioned on behalf of the government's Great Britain campaign).

May I be so bold as to say that the "grinning granny" image suits Her Majesty, described by Bailey as a "very strong woman" with "very kind eyes with a mischievous glint". During the day the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired a 41 gun royal salute (Green Park*) and later a 62 gun salute from the Honourable Artillery Company at the Tower of London**. Eighty eight facts about Elizabeth II from Royal Central  HERE, e.g. The Queen is the only British Monarch to have visited China and proved she is and was always ahead of the game by sending her first email in 1976!

In case you wondered:
* The standard Royal salute is 21-guns; another 20 guns is added when the salute is from a Royal Park or Palace.
** The 62 gun salute is the aforementioned 41 guns (the Tower is a Royal Palace) plus 21 for it being from the City of London.