The British Empire Strikes Back (Again): Barry Who?
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Who is Barry Obama?
I have no idea. Indeed, we the British public have no idea. To start with he decided Barack was better than Barry, which, at first glance, could be a worry. Although I am reliably informed he was never Barry at all….I wonder who he was then? It’s a mystery across the water….
Anybody that prefers a silly name to a name that, whilst not necessarily having the gravitas a President prefers is at least vaguely reasonable, will always be treated with a healthy scepticism.
Still, when you’re known as ‘Four Dinners’ the term ‘kettle’ and ‘pot’ springs to mind.
Last Sunday’s post, which briefly and, I gather, slightly bizarrely, appeared on Sunday prior to vanishing and reappearing on Monday, was an intentional…shall we say?…Wind up.
It has long been considered in Britain, and indeed much of the world, that Americans are not overly endowed with the ability to laugh at themselves. Well, at least unless it is on their terms.
Self irony is not considered to be fashionable in the dear old USA.
Obviously, the Great God Homer Simpson should squash such a vicious rumour immediately but, it is often considered that Americans in general don’t realise that much of the world view them as Homer’s or Marge’s. (Affectionately in many countries I hasten to add, and, as Homer has virtually been deified in England you are all nearly Gods over here).
Our good buddy Mike considered that I had received something of a ‘bruising’ after last Sunday’s piss take….sorry..post.
Perhaps, but it was very worthwhile!
The evidence is mounting that many Americans, love them though we may, are taking themselves waaaaaay to seriously.
Sorry people of America. You don’t count.
To me you do. To the people of Great Britain you do. To many people in Europe you do. (I’m not sure about the Germans but historically you need to be wary of them)…;-)
And let’s not forget the French who have the unfortunate habit of eating snails, frogs legs (what do they do with the rest of the frog?), and horses….not necessarily in that order…
Still, I digress…as usual…
To your politicians? You really think you count? Your politicians give a stuff for you?
Barry (Barack…I’m sorry, he should have stuck with Barry or some similar nom de plume. At least you don’t have to clear your throat) may well be an honest man – I doubt it. Politician / honest man. No no no no no no no….-
I do understand that the health reform business is a bit special over there. I really really do!
We have what is called a National Health Service. Health care is free to all over in Britain. Relatively.
Well, not exactly ‘free’. We pay ‘National Insurance’ for it but I’m sure what we pay barely touches the edge of the true cost.
Speaking of ‘true’. True : Many particularly elderly patients go into our National Health hospitals feeling a wee bit poorly. Sadly many of them fail to re-emerge due to contracting MRSA (I have no idea but it seems quite fatal to the elderly) which is termed a ‘super bug’ primarily contracted when you are in hospital hoping to recover.
So you see people of America? It’s all well and good having health care for all in principle but it isn’t free. Not really. In our ‘consumer’ society ‘free’ means all too often, shite.
Ours is, at least technically, free and old people die from the loving care they fail to receive in many of our hospitals. On the plus side they haven’t had to pay for it…..
I was in one of our hospitals 3 years ago with a suspected heart attack. It wasn’t and I was fine. I admit my nursing care was excellent. Philippine Nurse Rochelle gave me an excellent ‘bed bath’….but I will say no more on that…;-)…..well go on then….The medical bods had shoved a camera ‘up’ my groin area and Rochelle cleaned said area up…with the effect you would expect….a smile and, for want of a better way of putting it, considerable understanding she made my own stay in hospital particularly enjoyable….perhaps it was a Philippine thing?
I may even retire to the Philippines as a result…;-)
However. A madman from the Psychiatric Ward appeared in the bed next to me. The Psycho Ward not having the facility to monitor possible heart problems.
I spent an entire night hanging onto his neck to prevent him leaping out of what was a fifth story window. Rochelle being extremely petite had no chance.
By 6 a.m I rather wished I’d let the mad bastard jump so I could get some sleep.
One young chap died of dehydration recently because the nurses were ‘too busy’ to attend his needs.
I salute Barry (cough cough Barack) if he can really succeed in getting every American citizen health care but please…..
Failing to understand anothers irony is, ironically, one thing, but failing to understand that we, the little people, mean relatively little – even to ‘cough cough’ – is stretching it a bit.
Anything must be better than little old ladies who run out of money being deposited on the sidewalks by taxi, but be watchful America.
Politicians look out for Politicians.
And the world turns.
This is currently showing as an Advertisement on YouTube.
We’re all victims of the advertising media dear friends. Sadly, some believe what they read…..Maybe he’s the ‘real deal’ as Americans so quaintly put it.
I would like to think so but, like our own dear Cameron, ultimately, I very much doubt it. Cynical bastard that I am.
I had a small haemorroidectomy (is that how you spell it?) last Wednesday. I am delighted to say that the benefits of this operation – unable to sit down, unable to lie down properly, extraordinarily painful farts suggesting the insertion and removal of a red hot poker – cost me nothing at all. Can’t say fairer than that eh?
“Are you alright dear? I thought I heard you scream.”
“I’m fine love. Just farted again.”
“Well don’t complain. The agony didn’t leave us with a large medical bill.”
Yours faithfully until next Sunday….
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Good morning / afternoon / evening all.
Firstly, I apologise for my extended absense from the comments sections. I am reading your posts with considerable enjoyment / bewilderment / interest but, sadly, I can still only type standing up due to last Wednesdays operation.
Once I can sit down again without the fires of hell hurtling around my bottom, I will cheerfully resume, in comfort, commenting again.
I can’t even dispose of my usual quota of bottled goods due to extremely powerful pain killers which have led to several interesting delusions – my current favourite being the night
I attempted to fly out of my bedroom window with my petite wife apparently hanging desperately onto an ankle. Fortunately I keeled over again before my inaugural flight could take place.
Normality (?) will resume in the Dinners household as soon as I am healed.
As for ‘Stodgy’ Brown, ‘Princess’ Tony, ‘Call me Dave’ Cameron, Peter ‘The Great old Queer’ Mandelson et al…
…Give me ‘cough cough’ anyday!!!!
I’m not going spend another minute listening to this long-winded, patently jealous, anti-Obama homily. The Brits just don’t like to concede that a leader across the Pond from them has a corner on eloquence. It didn’t bother them a bit when they had that smoothy, lying poodle Tony Blair sharing the stage with our George Bush. But they can’t stand it when Barack (you can call him Barry if you want) Obama totally out classes the stodgy old, over-stuffed, boring, plodding Gordon Brown. If I were British, I would be at least a 3rd as embarrassed by Fat Gordie as head of state as I was embarrassed by brainless and clueless George! And, that’s saying a lot!
I agree with the “stodgy, over-stuffed, boring, plodding”, but Fat Gordie, more pleasantly plump I’d say.
Barack Obama has always been named Barack. He used Barry as a nickname for a while when he was young — having an odd-sounding name made things tough on a kid in those days.
Americans are not overly endowed with the ability to laugh at themselves.
THAT’S NOT FUNNY!!!!!!!
🙂
what do they do with the rest of the frog?
Trust me, you don’t want to know.
Our good buddy Mike considered that I had received something of a ‘bruising’ after last Sunday’s piss take….sorry..post.
Sounds like one of you must have been pisstaken about that.
Politician / honest man. No no no no no no no….
Politicians are the same species as other humans, and probably have the same mix of honest and dishonest as everyone else. I fear, venerable legume, that you are misdirecting cynicism. Cynicism leads to a conviction that nothing can ever be accomplished politically, which leads to inaction, which leads to always losing while the other side wins. We need to be spreading cynicism among the right-wingers, not here. Munitions makers don’t test their wares on themselves.
Not really. In our ‘consumer’ society ‘free’ means all too often, shite.
But the life expectancy in your country is two years longer than in ours. You must be doing something right.
85% of Americans get good-quality treatment (though my last stay in hospital lacked an “understanding” Philippine nurse — perhaps I should sue), and the other 15% get as close to nothing as the system can get away with. That’s the problem.
painful farts suggesting the insertion and removal of a red hot poker — cost me nothing at all. Can’t say fairer than that eh?
Indeed. Do you have any idea what a dominatrix in this country would charge for the red-hot poker treatment?
The cost of a red hot poker inserted in nether regions would cost about $500 here. The cost of the poker about $25, heating it about $75 and $400 for the pleasure of the insertion, which no doubt, nurses and doctors would be fighting over the privilege. I make my guess of $500 based on it costing at least $15 for two aspirin.
ROFLMAO!!!!
You are a pleasure to read, 4D.
4D with your recent entries into your medical facilities and the fact that you still maintain your sarcastic wit seems to suggest that you Brits must be doing something right. The part about the nice nurse sounds better than I got during my last trip to the hospital. One thing is for sure though, a politician is for a politician first and foremost.