Month: September 2020

SWITZERLAND HAS SPOKEN AND WILL BE LISTENED TO

Bern

So, Switzerland yesterday voted in a referendum to reject limiting the number of EU citizens able to live and work in their country, knowing as they did, that continued freedom of movement of labour also meant that the other three freedoms of movement would remain safe … movement of capital, goods and services.

Interestingly, several years ago, there was a similar referendum, very very narrowly won by the other side, but rejected by the federal government when it became clear how much damage it would do.

The turnout in this referendum was higher than other recent referendums at almost 60%, and possibly one reason for that was the closeness of the result last time around together with the news that has reached Switzerland from the UK about just how difficult it can be to turn your back on the biggest reading block in the world.

Another interesting fact, of course, is the percentage of votes for Switzerland to retain its complex series of contracts with the EU was pretty much identical to the voting for Scotland to remain within the EU. Around 62-38.

Happily for Switzerland, their vote will be listened to and acted upon. In short, how they voted matters.

Scotland’s vote, as a member state of the UK, has not been listened to; no concessions have been offered, and indeed, in order to facilitate the jumping through hoops that will now be expected of the UK, some, if not many, of the devolved powers will be taken back into the unsafe hands of a man who needed to go to Durham for an eye test.

Aye, Better Together, UKOK and Blue Passports…

Swiss passport - Wikipedia

Hey, there’s a thought. Did anyone promise the Swiss blue passports?

And what about Swiss busses? No promises of 415,413,250.00 CHF per week?

Bus advertising Geneva | full cover | rear | tram ads

Jeez, they missed a trick, huh?

SOPPY SUNDAY

1. Morning, Munguinites. How are you this fine morning?
2. It’s party time in Bulgaria… as usual!
3. Helsinki.
4. Bulgarian Tom the Catortionist.
5. Dad, why do we have to share the pool with these leaves? Where is Tris the pool boy?
6. We’ve “goat” to wear these silly hats or we don’t get to “goat” to the party. OK, I’ll get my goat…erm, I mean coat.
7. Just as well you don’t live with Munguin, Minnie. If you turned up at the table looking that kind of mess, he’d banish you to the nether regions of the Towers. He’s most particular about etiquette, is our Munguin.
8. I do requests… but it’s extra.
9. It seems to me that there’s been an abundance of very small cats on the Republic recently. So I suggested to Munguin that an appearance from a proper cat would be in order…and here I am. When you’re this big, even Munguin listens.
10. Anyone want a mushroom omelette?
11. I spy with my little eye a decided lack of big DOGS on Munguin’s Republic recently!
12. No, headmaster, it was all my own work. I was just keeping an eye on this dog for my neighbour.
13. This is my best buddie.
14. I’ll say this for Pyongyang, at least there’s a bit of colour in it.
15. Stop narking. Munguin won’t mind a little bit of dirt. It’s not like he’s a fusspot…
16. I guess Zebras don’t get COVID?
17. Monteverde Forest, Costa Rica.
18. Do Zebras climb trees?
19. No, Tris, I’m an “giant ant” eater: your overweight “great aunt” Matilda is quite safe with me.
20. I know it looks like we’re in the gaol… (although I probably shouldn’t have stolen them bananas), but actually we’ve just been rescued and I’ve got my mummy with me and we’re safe. Now, you’ve had quite enough excitement for one day. Munguin says thank you to John and Dave, and to Kay and Claire and hopefully to Marica … and to everyone else for tuning in.

YET MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS

Touted as the next leader of the Tory Party with the task of keeping their glorious union together…
I’m pretty sure he would rather not have this one broadcast about the place, especially as he may soon have to present himself at Buck House to kiss hands. It’s not often I feel sorry for the queen, but there’s a limit to what she should have to endure.
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So, this old fella has reminded us Jocks today that “the Union is not voluntary”, which kinda makes us a colony taken over by force. That may not be the image he was aiming for, but then communication with the lower orders isn’t one of his strong points. Neither, though, it would seem, is being accurate.
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Thanks to David Wilson for that little reminder. Please, please, please… are there any Tories in Scotland who know their elbows from their backsides?

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Back to good old Kent, and Mike Galsworthy tweeted this little gem..

Not a million miles away from one of today’s Tory poster boy> After all, Gove was one of the Liars in Chief in the Brexit campaign. (No one had ever heard of Alister at the time. Possibly not even his family.
I thought you might need a titter after all that… and whilst I see no reason to compare him with Hitler, I’m, nonetheless, never averse to laughing at the idiotic pomposity of this bloke and his family.

MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS

Remember when they told us there was no border between Scotland and England? Hmmm it must have run away to Kent!
Now, off and write that on the side of a bus. English drivers used to have access to 27 EU countries, now they can’t even get into Kent. Still… Blue Passports, eh.
Hope they didn’t have to go through Kent. I’ve heard there are tailbacks for 2 days…

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The recently appointed branch supervisor of the Con Scotland brigade has been wittering ill-informedly about education in the last few days. He’s bemoaned falling standards in Scotland’s schools, apparently unaware of how well Scotland’s students do at getting into higher education, particularly compared with just over the border where his government runs the show.

He’s also been talking about the importance of free school meals, seemingly having forgotten that he voted against them in his parliament when they were debated for England.

I imagine that this was Mr Cummings’ idea because I’m pretty sure Dross doesn’t know what an idea is. Anyway, he’s talked a lot about it and even made a nauseating video about it as you can see.

He really is an unappealing candidate for FM.

Compassionate Conservatism, eh? Still, we must never forget the Blue Passports. Incidentally whatever happened to dear old Esther?
Derek sent me this pic with the following annotation, taken from his blog. (I imagine we all know about Kevin the dog food salesman’s analysis of GERS…) Well, Derek has his own and here it is.

A: Amount of Scottish Deficit.

B: Amount that Scotland borrows from the Uk standing on a scaffold with both hands tied behind its back and its head in a noose.

C: Amount that Scotland could borrow in the open market so that it could elect the government of its choice, run its economy as it saw fit and prosper like a normal country.

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And lest, in all this misery, we forget… at the end of all this Brexit hassle, this is what we shall have achieved:

Paul Lewis sur Twitter : "British pride to be restored in October 2019 when the passport changes to Croatian EU blue https://t.co/FKR3B6IF8N We could have had a blue passport since 1988. We

Oh sorry, wait… Something went wrong

Here you are… that’s better:

Home Office insists 'iconic' blue UK passports are not black

What’s that you say, Munguin?

Oh… Munguin says we might be able to use that one to get into Kent (although not out of it), but if we still want to be a part of the world, we will need one approved by foreigners, in Canada… that can be read by internationally recognised electronic readers from Kalaallit Nunaat to Kenya and beyond.

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RANDOM THOUGHTS

Also, lose weight.
Munguin doesn’t much go in for promoting other people’s products, but James Felton is hilarious. I bought his last book and I’m off to buy his new one. It’s called Sunburn and it rips the hell out of The S*n.
If Dido Harding did road signs.
If Boris Johnson did government…
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Yep. This is an actual Tory MP. Not a very bright one, I grant you, but an actual one, nonetheless. The rant was about James Robb and I doubt he really is anti British, whichever way she spells it. It seems that if you fail to adore Mr Johnson, as she does, that makes you anti-British. Count me in.
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Erm, is the new advice not to wear a mask, and has it changed now that I’ve typed the rest of this sentence? Jings, Mickey, you’re no Mona Lisa at the best of times, but that gurning does you no favours, trust me.
So weird': Matt Hancock branded 'golden retriever in disguise' in awkward MP video - Manchester Evening News
Seriously, mate, who stands that close to someone on an actual tv interview? Benny Hill ?

I read this morning that Matt Hancock was surprised to learn that people who are asymptomatic can spread the virus. And this despite a warning from SAGE that it was entirely possible. And while on the subject of the delightful Hancock he is complaining that it is no wonder that there is a shortage of tests because they are available for free. Erm, I think, Handsy, you will find that we paid for them. You know, through our taxes.

JUST FOR A LAUGH

“_The Confessions of James Joyce”_
Published in The Freeman, 19 July 1922.

James Joyce (Author of Dubliners)


“_Of three things beware; the teeth of a dog, the horns of a bull, and the word of an Englishman_.”

1.

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19.

And today’s Andi and Munguin honour goes to…

20.

++++++++++

A few bonus toons…

A.

B.
C.

Thanks to Andi, Brenda, Tom, Erik, and John…et merci à Claudine ma chère amie parisienne.

Claudine’s cartoon is about the maid/cleaner working from home. She’s phoning in instructions to the employer… Open the cupboard below the sink and you’ll find the detergent and the hard soap. The “cloths” (although that word translates as mops) are the bottom drawer.

SOPPY SUNDAY

1. Indonesia, Borneo, East Kalimantan | 2017 08 02 | A FOUR PAWS team and the Indonesian partner organization Jejak Pulang have taken an orphaned orangutan baby from the Indonesian authorities into their care. The orangutan baby named “Gonda” is the first orphan who can move into the new orangutan forest school.
2. Uncle John… is my breakfast ready yet?
3. Bulgarian silk tree.
4. Close up.
5. Way down upon the … nah, not there.
6. Oslo.
7. Cluck cluck, would you look at that cat!
7 Places to See Penguins in the Wild
8. The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Penguins.
9. Dear heavens, what have we come to?
10. What a motley crew wanting access to my field. Go smarten yourselves up first.
11. Fancy a race?
12. What do you think of the garden then? Nicer than Munguins?
13. Just in time for breakfast. It’s last night’s left over grass, but still fresh… help yourself. Oh, no, not that bit… erm that’s where I… ummm!
14. What is generally known here abouts as a Puddock Stail.
15. Welcome to my humble abode!
16. Incase you want to know, he eventually stirred his stumps and got me my breakfast. Now I need to stretch and stuff before I settle down to 40 winks…well, maybe 50 winks actually.
17. La Paz, Bolivia.
18. Could you let Munguin know I’m here for morning coffee. What d’ya mean, where?
19. Do I remind you of Joan Hickson in Miss Marple?
20. Oh, before you go, I don’t suppose I could borrow your comb, could I?

Thanks to Kay, John and Dani. And Marica in advance! (Maybe, after me not putting chocolate in yesterday’s post, we’ll be flat out of luck)