Saturday, January 31, 2009

This Fatal January 2

Not long to go now. Mystic Malty wonders if this has been the worst month since October 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis. He may be right. But February is not promising. The inevitable recessionary industrial unrest has begun and will get worse. Expect Jarrowesque marches on London. Meanwhile, Wendy Cope has added to the generally rancorous atmosphere by saying the post of Poet Laureate should be abolished. I don't like this because a)I quite like having a PL and b)by saying that she's poisoned the award for whoever actually gets it.  There's more slaughter to be depressed about in Sri Lanka. The weather's turned nasty - we're freezing and the Aussies are on fire and not in a good way. Perhaps the best we can hope for is that fewer of us will die. But, for the moment, so long, January '09, it wasn't remotely good to know you.

12 comments:

  1. You miserable sod Bryan!
    You're in good health (I presume or I'm sure we would have heard about it) nobody's yet shelling your house and your children haven't had their limbs blown off, you have slimmed down to a size you are proud of by stumbling on the wonder diet, you're doing something you love and you've got enough money to live well in town and country.
    Don't you think that's a fair place to start from to enjoy the beauty of the world?

    "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen,
    Before we go to Paradise by way of Kensal Green."

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  2. 1) There's going to be a global economic depression.

    2) The global economic depression will coincide with the tipping point of global warming.

    3) There will be increased global levels of famine, poverty and disease.

    4) There will be greater competition for resources.

    5) Competition for resources is a historic cause of warfare.

    6) This will be the first global economic depression since the creation of nuclear weapons.

    Therefore, we're doomed.

    Or, I could be wrong.

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  3. Working on the principal that some of us can't see the wood for t'trees, Congdon in this months Standpoint f'rinstance then here's
    an analysis unobstructed by arborea.
    Philip, you obviously haven't heard the news of Oddie's exit left, an event on a par with the losing of the colonies.

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  4. Nah Gordon, it'll be something totally ridiculous that wipes us all out. A previously unheard-of supervolcano or a plague of diseased monkeys or something.

    That's the Nassimer lesson. Unknown unknowns, like Oddie and Bearders.

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  5. I can't believe it, but I find myself in total agreement with Philip Walling. Buck up, Bryan! Personally, I feel *very* happy about January '09 for I have gotten a job when all about me people are losing theirs. More importantly, I have gotten a job I LOVE, with medical benefits.

    I hoist a glass to this year.

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  6. Whats up with the Aussies? have they had an accident with the barby?

    Serves they right for not having summer in the correct months.

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  7. Brit...you might be more right than you think!

    Earthquake Swarms in Yellowstone 13JAN09

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  8. Like Susan, Bryan, I'm with Philip. You should have spent January in Philadelphia. The weather was pretty mild, considering it is winter. Also, I turned 21 in October 1962. It wasn't all that bad, either - unless, of course, you take media hand-wringing more seriously than anyone ever should. You would have been what, 10? Were you all that upset at the time? Were the grownups around on the brink of despair? I'll bet not. And it all worked out, didn't it?

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  9. Trust me, Frank, I was in a shocking state

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  10. I have never heard of any of those things happening- do you think I should buy more newspapers? I had a birthday this month - I do every January!

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  11. Unlike all these analysts and guessers, I know Feb will be better than Jan. How? Easy, it is three days shorter.

    Other than that, I'm with Bryan, but tell us more about the job, Susan - sounds great - congratulations!

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  12. 'I had rather fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad' Bryan has become Jaques, a discontented and melancholy lord.

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