Thal and Ahinton - the odd couple?

[general disarray]

My wife actually travelled to Edinburgh to perform there at the festival. From what she was saying, she actually liked the city and people very much.
Should I be worried about her and her taste?  

No!  She married you.  She has taste! 

But marik, do you mind if I ask what's mrs. marik's instrument? 

My bet is that she's a violinist or a singer.

Best,

Whit   

[opus10no2]

(and it's not that long, actually)...

..you say so modestly.

[m]

But marik, do you mind if I ask what's mrs. marik's instrument? 

My bet is that she's a violinist or a singer.
  

Nope, she doesn't play instruments, she is a dancer... to avoid any leading questions --professor of modern dance at university.

Best, M

[ahinton]

Nope, she doesn't play instruments, she is a dancer... to avoid any leading questions --professor of modern dance at university.

Just as a matter of interest, why might you suppose that this information could give rise to "leading questions" and of what kind?

Anyway, I am mightily relieved to note the topic being moved at last to the subject of Mrs Marik; sometimes, off-topicness can be most welcome, especially if it diverts less than necessary attention away from oneself...

Best,

Alistair

[m]

Just as a matter of interest, why might you suppose that this information could give rise to "leading questions" and of what kind?

Out of experience, Alistair, out of experience.
While I highly doubt this bit of information would raise any kind questions from you, sometimes for some individuals (admittedly, usually for younger ones) for some unexplainable reason the word "dancer" is associated with something like "night club", at very least. Moreover, some individuals, thinking they are cool and perfectly entitled to ask ANY kind of questions, in fact, have enough guts to make some comments or jokes about it.
So now I hope you see that it is better not to leave any room for temptation, to start with.

Best, M

[ahinton]

Out of experience, Alistair, out of experience.
While I highly doubt this bit of information would raise any kind questions from you, sometimes for some individuals (admittedly, usually for younger ones) for some unexplainable reason the word "dancer" is associated with something like "night club", at very least. Moreover, some individuals, thinking they are cool and perfectly entitled to ask ANY kind of questions, in fact, have enough guts to make some comments or jokes about it.
So now I hope you see that it is better not to leave any room for temptation, to start with.

OK, I get your drift now - although I have to say that, for all that dance is pretty much a closed book to me, the prospect that it be associated in the minds of anyone at all with night clubs alone surely demostrates a woeful ignorance of the subject on such people's part that is infinitely greater than mine (which is in any case less an ignorance than a lack of understanding).

Best,

Alistair

[general disarray]

Nope, she doesn't play instruments, she is a dancer... to avoid any leading questions --professor of modern dance at university.

Best, M

Oh, ye of little faith! 

If you said mrs. marik were a violinist, I'd have assumed an eminent chamber player or soloist -- not a gypsy playing for pennies in subway stations.  If you said, mrs. marik were a singer, I'd have assumed some oratorio-soloist specialist -- not a back-up screecher for Madonna. 

Trust, sir.  You must trust.   

(gawd, it's too early here to be awake.  I'm demented.  Trade winds stopped and it's hotter than hell right now.  I'd take a dip, but I don't want to be shark food -- they seem to eat what they can't see clearly and it's still too dark yet.  )

[thalbergmad]

not a gypsy playing for pennies in subway stations. 

These are mainly found in London.

A few moved to Scotland, but they didn't get any money, so they came back.

Thal

[thalbergmad]

Then your dream will be wasted, since we oil producers - whether Scots, Middle Eastern, Venezuelan or otherwise - have an agenda to keep the prices UP

The price of oil does not effect the average Scot, it is the price of carrots.

This is because the main form of transport is the donkey.

Thal

[ahinton]

The price of oil does not effect the average Scot, it is the price of carrots.

This is because the main form of transport is the donkey.

Oh, but it does (at least to the extent that the current British non-government mahy presently allow) - and when Scotland goes independent of the disunited queendom, watch whatever spaces you need to watch on this one...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

and when Scotland goes independent of the disunited queendom

I am pretty certain this will not happen. Whilst the Scots might like to be rid of us, they cannot afford to.

No more free education, free cancer drugs and £85,000,000 Parliaments.

Thal

[ahinton]

I am pretty certain this will not happen. Whilst the Scots might like to be rid of us, they cannot afford to.

I'm not at all suggesting that the majority of Scots wish to "get rid " of the English and their influence and dictats, but since the dictats of Brussels will soon directly affect and at least seek to govern Serbia, Sudan, and possibly even Somalia, why would you even think to worry about such possible consequences?

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

govern Serbia, Sudan, and possibly even Somalia

They can do what they bloody well want to them.

Thal

[richard black]

The price of oil does not effect the average Scot, it is the price of carrots.

This is because the main form of transport is the donkey.

You're showing your ignorance there, old sport. Donkeys don't like such cold climates: the Scots prefer oxen and highland sheep. Which also has the advantage that when they're done with carting, you can eat them.

[thalbergmad]

You're showing your ignorance there

I would have hoped it was not just there.

Thal

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I am pretty certain this will not happen. Whilst the Scots might like to be rid of us, they cannot afford to.

Thal

Tell you what, you can keep Gordon Brown and we'll keep the oil. Sounds fair to me muahahaha.

[ahinton]

They can do what they bloody well want to them.

That's as may or may not be, but it doesn't address the question of Scots wanting (or not) to "get rid of the English", as you put it; there are, after all, so many English living north of the border and so many Scots living south of it that this notion is already dead in the water and, for the record, I know of no Scots that "want to get rid of the English".

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

I would have hoped it was not just there.

Don't worry, Thal, old chap; I doubt very much that it was...

Best,

Alistair

[pianochick93]

Y'know...In history today we got told that the Scots were from Ireland first. Then they got rid of the Picts and moved in.

[concerto_love]

 

[pianochick93]

I'm not sure, but this thread was what came to my mind when I heard that. Well, that and 'oh damn I answered wrong'

[thalbergmad]

I know of no Scots that "want to get rid of the English".

Robert Bruce??

[thalbergmad]

Y'know...In history today we got told that the Scots were from Ireland first. Then they got rid of the Picts and moved in.

Then the English got rid of the Scots and moved the sheep in.

Thal

[ahinton]

Robert Bruce??

I did not know him personally - and, as is surely clear, I was writing about the here and now...

Best,

Alistair

[ahinton]

Then the English got rid of the Scots and moved the sheep in.

I suspect that you're wrong about this in that quite a few of the sheep were there before either the Scots or the English...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

I suspect that you're wrong about this in that quite a few of the sheep were there before either the Scots or the English...

I suspect that you are wrong, as the Scottish sheep were 9th Century Norwegian imports. The Scots were already there so to speak.

The sheep had been domesticated by our European friends even further back in history and it is thought that spinning wool originated sometime around 3500BC. The Scots worked out how to do it around 1850AD.

Thal

[ahinton]

I suspect that you are wrong, as the Scottish sheep were 9th Century Norwegian imports. The Scots were already there so to speak.

The sheep had been domesticated by our European friends even further back in history and it is thought that spinning wool originated sometime around 3500BC. The Scots worked out how to do it around 1850AD.

OK - but does it really matter? Scots, English and sheep have safely grazed together (albeit for the most part at respectable arm's length) for so long that it is surely of little or no consequence in terms of your unfounded argument about Scots wanting to "get rid" of English; we're all Europeans (the sheep included, if you really must invoke them as well), so there isn't a problem and no one is seriously trying nowadays to "get rid" of anyone else in the way that you suggested...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

no one is seriously trying nowadays to "get rid" of anyone else

If we did, as a Country we would have far less problems and a reduced benefits bill.

Thal

[ahinton]

If we did, as a Country we would have far less problems and a reduced benefits bill.

I suppose that you'd "rid" England of everyone who is not demonstrably pure English - which would have a most fascinating effect, since it would result in there being no one left there at all; I'm less than convinced that such a move would be a positive one for the economy, however. A reduced benefits bill could in any case be achieved far less drastically without getting rid of anyone other than the government folk that devise and maintain the benefits system as it is now...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

I suppose that you'd "rid" England of everyone who is not demonstrably pure English

That would be taking things a bit to far.

I would just start off with the Eastern Europeans and the Scots.

Thal

[ahinton]

That would be taking things a bit to far.

I would just start off with the Eastern Europeans and the Scots.

So you'd leave all the Middle Eastern, African, American, Russian (unless you consider them to be Eastern European), Asian and Western European immigrants to stay in UK, then? OK, that's your prerogative, of course (or would be were you to be in charge of UK immigration, which many would doubtless say is fortunately not the case), but what value do you place on the so-called "United Kingdom" if you'd include the Scots in this mass deportation exercise? - and why only them, in any case and not also the Welsh and the (so-called "Northern") Irish? Some joined-up thinking on that subject might not exactly come amiss...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

So you'd leave all the Middle Eastern, African, American, Russian (unless you consider them to be Eastern European), Asian and Western European immigrants to stay in UK, then? 

Not at all, they would have to go eventually.

I was just getting rid of the worst first.

Thal