UK Politics XIII: The Kingdom for a Horse

[Jaime's Wench]

Can I just come in and say I love the title of this thread. Perfect.

[Maltaran]

I enjoy a good pun as much as the next man, but in attempt to move this thread on to more serious matters, the EU budget cut. I wonder how Cameron's going to sell this - the budget is being cut like the Tories wanted, but since the rebate's also being cut (which I understand can be blamed on Blair), our contribution is actually going up.

[Hereward]

Yeah, I heard the BBC saying how Cameron will be treated as a hero by Eurosceptics, but my limited sample didn't give a damn that the overall budget had gone down "in real terms", if our contribution had risen.

Still, they shouldn't look a gift lasagne in the mouth.

[Opisthokont]

It still needs to pass the EP, where a lot of people are apparently pissed that the cuts are in things like infrastructure, energy, and research, while agricultural^* subsidies and regional policy programs are virtually untouched.

* This probably includes horses.

[Blue Roses]

*nods* It's leaving me rather hoarse.

They shoot hoarses, don't they?

[Which Tyler]

Last lasagne I had gave me the trots - Findus should pony up for their mistake, I still haven't reined them in; Doc assures me they're stable though

[Zoë Sumra]

Sorry to hear that. May I recommend a large Bacardi and grenadine?

I settled for a glass of Pinot Grigio. Remembered too late that it possibly shouldn't be mixed with this much of an array over-the-counter medicine, especially when I couldn't walk in a straight line before the wine... though I did remember to bring it upstairs before drinking it, to remove that particular variable from things I might fall over.

It's interesting to hear that Richard III may have spoken in a West Midlands accent. Anyone from the Dudley area want to ask for a lasagne?

We've had Gove changing his mind in a sensible way recently: it's unfortunate that the DWP, like George Osborne, is unlikely to change direction on something that isn't working properly, even when other MPs have mounted a detailed criticism. At least there's been a minor addition of sanity to the PIP process, though it wasn't particularly trumpeted in the press.

I can no longer spell so am going to sleep. Good night.

[Lummel]

This thread is galloping off!

...It's interesting to hear that Richard III may have spoken in a West Midlands accent...

...it's unfortunate that the DWP, like George Osborne, is unlikely to change direction on something that isn't working properly, even when other MPs have mounted a detailed criticism. At least there's been a minor addition of sanity to the PIP process, though it wasn't particularly trumpeted in the press...

yes. I'm not sure its helpful to describe him as speaking with a west midlands accent since he would have been speaking with what ever XVth century accent he had which may or may not be similar to any current west midlands accents. And the researcher was assuming that he was spelling phonetically and basing his conclusions off only two letters. Modern editions of the Paston Letters or any other medieval English text invariably have standardised spelling while the manuscripts don't. A small corpus, like just two letters, isn't going to capture the possible variety of his spelling and given his assumption, potential range of pronunciation. But the little reading was interesting.

With regard to the testing of disability claims I wouldn't say that it isn't working correctly. It's WAD (working as designed). The system was designed to classify a large proportion of people notionally fit for work and it does. The fact that the test doesn't reflect reality is neither here nor there. The system produces the results that it was designed to do, that it was politically required to do and in that sense is working perfectly correctly.

Anyway Duck Houses and ex-police horses all round!

[Which Tyler]

not to mention - which West Midlands accent?

Coventry =/= Rugby =/= Warwick =/= Stratford =/= Birmingham (if there's a single accent there) =/= Worcester =/= Hereford =/= Shrewsbury

Of course, you're right, the answer is "non of them"

[A wilding]

Indeed. This "West Midlands accent" bloke is clearly a stooge (I note he has some connection with Leicester university), put up as part of their effort to prevent Rickard's bones being buried in York where they belong.

[Datepalm]

I was hoping they'd like done something weird with the skull and figured out his accent by the shape of his jawbone or something mad like that. This seems a bit weak. Could have done it at any time, really. Jumping on a bandwagon. Come on, scientists, you have this whole awesome skeleton. Entertain us.

[Winter's Knight]

I was hoping they'd like done something weird with the skull and figured out his accent by the shape of his jawbone or something mad like that. This seems a bit weak. Could have done it at any time, really. Jumping on a bandwagon. Come on, scientists, you have this whole awesome skeleton. Entertain us.

Relax, I'm sure the mane reveals are still to come.

[Derfel Cadarn]

My doctor says i need to watch what i eat.

So i've bought tickets for the Grand National

[Lummel]

... Jumping on a bandwagon. Come on, scientists, you have this whole awesome skeleton. Entertain us.

I think the limelight has led to too much show jumping and now there is no space left on the bandwagon:

After experts this week confirmed bones found in Leicester belonged to the monarch, killed at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, a historian called for Newport to be included in any future heritage trail in search of Richard III...

...Mr Trett said: "There is nothing to say he personally came to Newport, but he was the man in authority and made the ultimate decision on what to do with the ship. I’m guessing they suddenly stopped working, with it possibly too difficult to repair."...

[Datepalm]

I wonder what other bits of UK journalism could use a bit of R3? "Dear Richard, I think my boyfriend is cheating. What should I do?"/"Dear Cheated, do you think you can bury him somewhere where he won't be found for 500 years?"

[The Iceman of the North]

At least this was the last lost remains of a king in England since Alfred or so.

In Norway we only know of the remains of a handful of kings, although there's some strong suspicions that Harald Hardråde, who was killed at Stamford Bridge, is located somewhere in the sewers of Trondheim.

[Maltaran]

not to mention - which West Midlands accent?

Coventry =/= Rugby =/= Warwick =/= Stratford =/= Birmingham (if there's a single accent there) =/= Worcester =/= Hereford =/= Shrewsbury

Of course, you're right, the answer is "non of them"

Even if you just restrict it to the county of the West Midlands (which rules out all of the above except Birmingham and Coventry) there's still probably four or five distinct accents to choose from.

[Fragile Bird]

BTW, they didn't find Jimmy Hoffa with Richard, did they?

[Lummel]

Was he a kentucky derby winner?

I wonder what other bits of UK journalism could use a bit of R3? "Dear Richard, I think my boyfriend is cheating. What should I do?"/"Dear Cheated, do you think you can bury him somewhere where he won't be found for 500 years?"

Dear Richard III,

Me and my brother had a really good relationship until he got married, but his wife is so possessive that she has totally taken over his life. We hardly talk at all now and we are just drifting further and further apart. What can I do?

Lost in Leicester

Dear Lost in Leicester,

Some in-laws can be real witches. Has your arm become withered at all? I advise waiting until your brother dies and then having her arrested for witchcraft.

Dear Richard III,

I am depressed because of my health, I can't help it because I was born this way, but everybody looks down me and treats me as scrounging scum.

Glorious son of York

Dear Glorious son of York,

Don't ever let other people's attitudes and expectations hold you down. There is no reason why you can't scheme and backstab your way to the highest office in the land.

Dear Richard the Turd,

I was eating my beef lasagne the other night when I heard it was made out of horse meat!

Dick, Gloucester

Dear Dick,

A horse? A horse! My kingdom for a horse!

etc etc

[paddington]

Was he a kentucky derby winner?

If he was we have probably eaten him by now.