20 years ago today the worst week in this country's post-war history began.

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Originally Posted by Burney

This whole thing has got very bowel-centric. WES has just talked us through the 'massive' bowel movement he plans to unleash upon his (presumably) loving family as soon as he arrives home.

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I must say my bowels are of a most sanguine humour; they give little trouble to me or to anyone else. On balance, I'm quite pleased with the bowels I was given.

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Originally Posted by Sir C

I must say my bowels are of a most sanguine humour; they give little trouble to me or to anyone else. On balance, I'm quite pleased with the bowels I was given.

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Mine seem to do a job quietly and efficiently. Like Gilberto.

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Originally Posted by Burney

Mine seem to do a job quietly and efficiently. Like Gilberto.

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WES's sound more like Terry Hurlock. Predictably destructive and carrying an air that they could lose their shít at any time.

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Originally Posted by Burney

The week in which this country abandoned quiet dignity, reserve and stoicism and instead embraced hysteria, emotional incontinence, narcissistic displays of grief and - worst of all - public weeping.

And we'd just drawn 0-0 with Spurs.

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Luckliy, when I woke early that morning to hear the news on the radio, I was off to Spain for a week on business. I hated travelling for work (and travel generally tbf) but I knew immediately that I'd been handed a fùcking lifeboat on that one.

Back in London on the saturday of the funeral, all the shops by my home off the Chalk Farm Road were shut, except for a motorbike shop and a french restaurant. I nearly bought a motorbike as a sign of disrespect.

It might have been a certain Mr B O'N who at the time came up with the phrase 'Mourning Sickness' to capture what you've described there.

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Originally Posted by Monty92

WES's sound more like Terry Hurlock. Predictably destructive and carrying an air that they could lose their shít at any time.

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Eh? Sorry, where does this come from?

My bowels are just fine, thanks. They even worked through that 12-14 year old Galician steak in a Glasgow steakhouse with surprising ease.

Wd my bowels.

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Originally Posted by Burney

I just don't understand the mindset. :shrug: But try and express the view that you really didn't care that much at the time and you had a good chance of getting punched. It was weird.

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That is kind-of what it feels like much of the time to be a republican, tbh. Just turned up to eleven.

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Originally Posted by Burney

Where is la? Has he gone on holiday or something?

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I recall he was giving me both barrels over the EU in that strongly-worded manner of his when he suddenly said "Enjoy the game (Lester), chat to you on Monday". Doesn't sound like someone about to go on holiday for three weeks. I think he has a policy of avoiding politics on here and so has taken a hiatus. He's done it before.

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Originally Posted by Monty92

Hitchens of the Peter variety is quite interesting on Diana here (written yesterday)

http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co....na-affair.html

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Didn't manage to get through that tbh. It got rather dull.

Where do you stand on the monarchy, Monts? I know you generally sign up to all the standard-issue rightist shibboleths, but you strike me as the sort who who would see that particular institution as an illusion designed to bind together stupid people, rather than bowing and scraping to it deferentially.

I'm not having a go at the monarchy here btw, before anyone feels the obligation to fly in studs-up.

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Originally Posted by Sir C

I just remember sitting at the bar staring into my pint as we lost.

la would have all the details to hand, of course.

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Timothy Taylor Landlord at a guess.

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Originally Posted by Ash

Didn't manage to get through that tbh. It got rather dull.

Where do you stand on the monarchy, Monts? I know you generally sign up to all the standard-issue rightist shibboleths, but you strike me as the sort who who would see that particular institution as an illusion designed to bind together stupid people, rather than bowing and scraping to it deferentially.

I'm not having a go at the monarchy here btw, before anyone feels the obligation to fly in studs-up.

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Its an illusion that binds together badly designed branches of government and state. It does its job and saves us from having some ghastly elected head of state.

Of course, if you want a head of state, a written constitution, a disestablished Church of England then it is a significant barrier.