This is the dark day on which, in 1798, William Pitt the Younger, heroic drinker and youthful Prime Minister, introduced the first Income Tax to afflict the nation. It was a modest affair and, of course, presented as a one-off, never-again measure etc. Back then, Tax Freedom Day - the day when we can start working for ourselves - was probably about January 3rd; now it's moved into June. Such is the modern state - and under Brown it will only get worse...
Pitt's dying words were, of course, 'I think I could eat one of Bellamy's veal pies' (or 'My country! O my country!' according to choice). He didn't die on this day, but Bert Lahr, Benjamin Britten and Frank Zappa all did. And thus I have made this post match its title.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
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A blog about, among other things, imaginary ideas - What ifs? and Imagine thats. What if photographs looked nothing like what we see with our eyes? Imagine that the Berlin Wall had never come down. What if we were the punchline of an interminable joke? All contributions welcome.
Frank Zappa did not die - he just kinda floated off. By the way - "Veal Pie"?? Are you sure about that - it sounds a bit dodgy to me and I am an expert on pies.
ReplyDeleteFantastic post, Nige, a poem in its brevity and shapeliness.
ReplyDeleteA masterpiece of economy Nige. Slow day then at Dacre Acres? Barry Humphries has something (on a bronze manhole cover) in Sydney Harbour: I spied a poem as lovely as a pie or something like that. Someone will know the right words. Can we have lots of pie pictures on the blog, for those who are too fat to eat them.
ReplyDeleteWell here's all you need on veal pies, complete with recipe. All part of the service.
ReplyDeleteThats very exciting! I have posted about Pukka Pies, and Fray Bentoes Pies and I have a Pie group on Facebook - I shall study the Veal ones with interest!!
ReplyDeleteYum yum. Slow food? Beef and oyster pies?
ReplyDelete