Bung a Bob for a Big Ben Bong

Johnson's latest wheeze

Bog off, you tiresome turd.

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Comments

  • O, FFS.

    Is there nothing that will put a stop to this deranged mophead's 'wheezes'?
    :rage:
  • Is this supposed to be a death knell?
  • O I do hope so...but NOT for the country...

    Where's that welcoming Ditch when you need it?
    :innocent:
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    I'd contribute if we can use him to strike the bell with.
  • KarlLB wrote: »
    I'd contribute if we can use him to strike the bell with.

    Bell meet Bell-end?
  • I have to admit I hope the scheme gets launched, and then fails miserably. Given how divided the country is on this issue, is there any way this sum could get raised?
  • I have to admit I hope the scheme gets launched, and then fails miserably. Given how divided the country is on this issue, is there any way this sum could get raised?

    If the country is divided roughly 50-50, that would seem to imply a factor of 2 in the total you might potentially raise (assuming each side had the same ability and willingness to donate). I would think that the uncertainty surrounding whether people will pay to hear Big Ben sound on a particular special occasion is rather larger than a factor of 2.

    IOW, I don't think the dividedness of the country is relevant to the answer.
  • Sorry @Leorning Cniht , I don't understand your comment.
  • Is there going to be an option to pay for somewhere to ring the Nine Tailors instead?
  • {From across the Pond.}

    I skimmed the article. A lot of construction and repair work would have to be done, some of it temporary--which, I'm guessing, might create potential safety problems.

    What kind of signal would it send if workers were hurt in the process, or there's damage to the tower, or to the bell? It might be interpreted as a signal of impending disaster...
  • Golden Key wrote: »
    It might be interpreted as a signal of impending disaster...
    Isn't it?

  • Golden Key wrote: »
    {From across the Pond.}

    I skimmed the article. A lot of construction and repair work would have to be done, some of it temporary--which, I'm guessing, might create potential safety problems.

    What kind of signal would it send if workers were hurt in the process, or there's damage to the tower, or to the bell? It might be interpreted as a signal of impending disaster...

    Well, the bell was bonged for New Year two weeks ago. And again for Remembrance Day commemorations in November, so I don't know if there are any worse health or safety issues now, as must've existed then. Though by the time Brexit comes round, maybe the advanced state of the repair work on the clock tower would make it more difficult?

    But according to Johnson it seems to be a case of who's going to pay for the extra work caused. It would be interesting to know how much the New Year's and Remembrance bongs cost, and who covered the cost of setting up the 'temporary mechanism' and flooring required, presumably, on those two separate recent occasions.

    However, let's see how popular Johnson's spiffing idea is with the country. No doubt a few of his compeers are more than able to subscribe to a handful of bongs, from the amount of unpaid HMRC taxes they save by basing their funds and businesses in various global tax havens. Small beer to them, surely. And of course they will want to lead the way by putting their money where their mouth is. Won't they?
  • Am I allowed to suggest a campaign to Bung A Bob For A Bash At Boris' Bonce?
  • Anselmina wrote: »
    Well, the bell was bonged for New Year two weeks ago. And again for Remembrance Day commemorations in November, so I don't know if there are any worse health or safety issues now, as must've existed then. Though by the time Brexit comes round, maybe the advanced state of the repair work on the clock tower would make it more difficult?
    Reading the article, and knowing a bit about a) what's been said previously about the projects and b) bell tower restorations, I think the big problem is that they have planned for the November/December chiming in terms of what work they've done so far, and as soon as New Year was over they started work on the flooring, as the plan assumed it wouldn't be used again until November this year. (I expect that they'll be doing things like take the floorboards up to work on the supporting beams, and slapping preservative on everything in sight).

    They're using an external electric motor to power the chiming hammer for the 'bongs' during the duration of the works, and they need somewhere to put it and set it up safely, as it's going to be fairly substantial given the size of Big Ben. (Contrary to what Boris thinks, clock bells like that don't have internal clappers, but have a big hammer on a spring to strike them at the right time.) Access to put the temporary floor up and take it down will also be hard, and that will add £££ to the costs. The biggest bit though is that Boris/ERG's wheeze guarantees a project over-run, and they are notorious for costing a fortune, especially on a project like this where specialists are required and people will have been booked (and therefore planned their workload) around doing certain things on certain dates.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Anselmina wrote: »
    ... No doubt a few of his compeers are more than able to subscribe to a handful of bongs, from the amount of unpaid HMRC taxes they save by basing their funds and businesses in various global tax havens. Small beer to them, surely ...
    That's what I was thinking - half a million is pocket money to those obscenely rich cronies who will presumably be even more obscenely rich by the next day, having bet against the pound (or whatever it is they do).

  • (Slight tangent.)

    When I saw "bong"* in the name of this thread, I thought perhaps Brexit had driven you all to sit around Big Ben and smoke pot.
    ;)

    *Water pipe for smoking various substances.
  • RicardusRicardus Shipmate
    edited January 2020
    Anselmina wrote: »
    Golden Key wrote: »
    {From across the Pond.}

    I skimmed the article. A lot of construction and repair work would have to be done, some of it temporary--which, I'm guessing, might create potential safety problems.

    What kind of signal would it send if workers were hurt in the process, or there's damage to the tower, or to the bell? It might be interpreted as a signal of impending disaster...

    Well, the bell was bonged for New Year two weeks ago. And again for Remembrance Day commemorations in November, so I don't know if there are any worse health or safety issues now, as must've existed then. Though by the time Brexit comes round, maybe the advanced state of the repair work on the clock tower would make it more difficult?

    But according to Johnson it seems to be a case of who's going to pay for the extra work caused. It would be interesting to know how much the New Year's and Remembrance bongs cost, and who covered the cost of setting up the 'temporary mechanism' and flooring required, presumably, on those two separate recent occasions.

    Yeah, on this specific instance I don't think Boris is being completely unreasonable, as the impetus seems to have come from Walter Mitty Mark Francois.

    Field Marshal General Lieutenant Admiral Francois: The people want it.
    Johnson: Well, the people can pay for it then.
  • Golden Key wrote: »
    (Slight tangent.)

    When I saw "bong"* in the name of this thread, I thought perhaps Brexit had driven you all to sit around Big Ben and smoke pot.
    ;)

    *Water pipe for smoking various substances.
    You weren't the only one to notice that
  • Muffled tolling seems appropriate. I'm happy to donate a muffle.
  • Leave UK reportedly wants church bells in the UK to be rung to celebrate Brexit, with or without the approval of 'the authorities'. Understandably, bishops and clergy generally, are not responding enthusiastically. We can expect mutterings about the C. of E. being controlled by a lot of wishy-washy out of touch old women in the usual quarters.
  • Our bell (we only have the one) is out of commission at the moment, so we don't have the choice, TBTG.

    If it were ringable, I would probably sabotage it, anyway...aided and abetted by the fair proportion of our people who do NOT want Brexshit...
    :rage:
  • On further reflection I wonder if Johnson already has some of his rich mates lined up to cover the cost. Then he can spin it as paid for by the public, as a sign of how popular Brexit is.
  • There is no way that we are ringing our bell here. The church bell means only one thing (here) - that the service will soon begin.
  • Quite right, too.

    Same here (when it's working), though we have used it for the Angelus as well, after Sunday Mass, and on other special occasions.

    We do NOT use it to 'celebrate' an unwanted occurrence that will hurt the poor and needy...

    How about a campaign to Donate A Dandiprat* To Dig The Demented Dickhead a Ditch?

    *An old English (and therefore Proper) silver coin, worth about twopence.
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    Surely this is a cue for someone to harsh Boris's mellow by organising a massive pro-European protest in front of Big Ben on the occurrence of Brexit?

    “What do we want?”
    <bong>
    “To be Europeans again!”
    <bong>
    “When do we want it?”
    <bong>
    “Now!”

    I actually quite want to start crowdfunding for same, suggestions welcome for what we’d do with the money…
  • Brilliant Wheeze, but I doubt if the Mad Mophead, and his Minions, will allow ANYONE (except themselves) anywhere near Wastemonster on that auspiciousdreadful day.

    No reason why protests shouldn't take place elsewhere - I'm sure they will.
  • Cathscats wrote: »
    There is no way that we are ringing our bell here. The church bell means only one thing (here) - that the service will soon begin.
    The service in question would need to be a funeral for the United Kingdom. Though it might turn into one of those New Orleans style celebrations as it would also be the rebirth of Scotland as an independent nation.
  • Yes, I thought that a bell tolling in mid-week means a death. Well, it is, the strange death of liberal England, (Dangerfield).
  • On further reflection I wonder if Johnson already has some of his rich mates lined up to cover the cost. Then he can spin it as paid for by the public, as a sign of how popular Brexit is.
    He has no plans according to the Grauniad
  • Does he have any plans? Or cogent thoughts? Ever?
    :rage:
  • I know from Facebook groups I'm on that churches are rather reluctant to allow ringing at 11pm anyway, no matter what the incumbent's political stripes, and some places that would normally practice on a Friday night are actually considering cancelling so as not to risk being accidentally construed as supporting it.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Pendragon wrote: »
    ... some places that would normally practice on a Friday night are actually considering cancelling so as not to risk being accidentally construed as supporting it.
    Good for them!
  • It occurs to me that folks, of whatever UK/EU persuasion, could coordinate using particular bell sounds or ring tones from their phones to bring about whatever effect they wanted. Kind of like people using their cell lights at events, instead of candles or lighters.

    NOT inside places of worship, of course.
  • Alan--
    Golden Key wrote: »
    (Slight tangent.)

    When I saw "bong"* in the name of this thread, I thought perhaps Brexit had driven you all to sit around Big Ben and smoke pot.
    ;)

    *Water pipe for smoking various substances.
    You weren't the only one to notice that

    LOL. Thx for the link. Sort of a British version of "the Onion". Hmmm..."Onion Brit", "Brinion"...
    ;)
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host
    I think that Mr. Johnson may well be the worst PM in my lifetime. (At least Ms. Thatcher had two brain cells to rub together.)
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    Rossweisse wrote: »
    I think that Mr. Johnson may well be the worst PM in my lifetime. (At least Ms. Thatcher had two brain cells to rub together.)

    My hope is that that means Boris will be less dangerous.
  • Nice suggestion in a letter in today's 'Times': ring the bells half-muffled, to reflect the face that the country was evenly split. (Note for non-bellringers: bells are rung half-muffled at funerals - it's an eerie effect')
  • DooneDoone Shipmate
    Eirenist wrote: »
    Nice suggestion in a letter in today's 'Times': ring the bells half-muffled, to reflect the face that the country was evenly split. (Note for non-bellringers: bells are rung half-muffled at funerals - it's an eerie effect')

    Love it!
  • Rossweisse, what on earth gives you the notion that Lady Thatcher had only 'two brain cells to rub together'? I once had a boss who had met her, and thought she was extremely intelligent, and he was no fool himself. Just becauce you don't, with good reason, agree with or approve of a person's politics, that doesn't automatically make them stupid.
  • Perhaps it's more accurate to say that Thatcher had more than two brain cells to rub together (which I think is true).

    If the Mad Mophead, OTOH, had another brain cell, he might qualify as a pot plant.
  • HugalHugal Shipmate
    How to make yourself even more unpopular than you are now. How stupid can Boorish actually be?
  • Ricardus wrote: »
    Anselmina wrote: »
    Golden Key wrote: »
    {From across the Pond.}

    I skimmed the article. A lot of construction and repair work would have to be done, some of it temporary--which, I'm guessing, might create potential safety problems.

    What kind of signal would it send if workers were hurt in the process, or there's damage to the tower, or to the bell? It might be interpreted as a signal of impending disaster...

    Well, the bell was bonged for New Year two weeks ago. And again for Remembrance Day commemorations in November, so I don't know if there are any worse health or safety issues now, as must've existed then. Though by the time Brexit comes round, maybe the advanced state of the repair work on the clock tower would make it more difficult?

    But according to Johnson it seems to be a case of who's going to pay for the extra work caused. It would be interesting to know how much the New Year's and Remembrance bongs cost, and who covered the cost of setting up the 'temporary mechanism' and flooring required, presumably, on those two separate recent occasions.

    Yeah, on this specific instance I don't think Boris is being completely unreasonable, as the impetus seems to have come from Walter Mitty Mark Francois.

    Field Marshal General Lieutenant Admiral Francois: The people want it.
    Johnson: Well, the people can pay for it then.

    It's amazing that the papers and MPs care more about whether Big Ben will ring on Brexit than they do about the lack of published costings about the impact of Boris' Brexit plan on the country by The Treasury.

    Having read the church bells article in the Guardian, I'm grateful that Baptists tend not to have churches with bells. Although it does mean that I won't be treated to the sight of Rev T responding to any request by a church member that we ring out the bells for Brexit.
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    Boris isn’t exactly thick. He pretends to be thick because it works so well as a cover-up for his colossal laziness.

    An instructive story about young Boris: at Eton in the 80s, Boris landed the lead role in the school play, Shakespeare’s Richard II. He then proceeded not to bother to learn his lines, and tried to wing it in a sort of comedy act with paper notes and adlibbing. The other boys (who had made the effort to learn their lines) weren’t impressed.

    It’s the same schtick of playing the buffoon to get away with not doing any actual work that he’s been up to ever since.
  • Amazing headline in the Express today, "Remainer plot to stop bongs". I wonder what it's like living in such a fantasy world.
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    Amazing headline in the Express today, "Remainer plot to stop bongs". I wonder what it's like living in such a fantasy world.

    The Express is the actual blood clots on the befouled haemorrhoid etc. etc.
  • 'Plot' is a favourite Express headline word for anything it disapproves of, especially foreign/European/Remainer.
  • Whereas for most of us, when we think of the the word 'plot' and the Express we automatically think of "lost the ..."
  • HugalHugal Shipmate
    And that is being very generous
This discussion has been closed.