Abbott

Spent too much of my Friday filtering my rage through a Microsoft cartoon strip which I might post later today. My anger at Microsoft hasn’t been helped by today’s emails which contain quite cheerful posts from them telling me all the great things I can do with my “new” Surface Pro. I had another email from them last night asking me to review their service. They have me 1000 letters to describe it. I think I probably used all 1000 letters.

Moving on. Tony Abbott.

Unsurprisingly, I guess, I’m not one of those people particularly impressed by the government’s decision to make the former Australian P.M. one of our trade advisors. First, it seems a typically arrogant move by a government who is displaying all the characteristic “fuck you” tendencies of governments that sit on big majorities. I think it also might substantiate the rumours that Johnson isn’t going to last as P.M.  and that he doesn’t intend going to the country a second time. Up here in the north, it’s fairly common that parties come crawling to us at election time, only to forget about all the promises they made once they have power. The level of Johnson’s indifference, however, is on a staggeringly different level.

Second, there’s a brazenness about the move which I think Brexiteers should be up-in-arms about. Yes, I said Brexiteers. If Brexit was really about us Brits having control of our destiny and proving that we didn’t need other countries to make our way in the world, why on earth would the governmen t suddenly appoint an Australian into this important role? Doesn’t it simply hand the initiative to Remainers, like myself, who can now nod and say “so, Brexit it really wasn’t about gaining control of our destiny, was it? It was just about immigration…” And that’s pretty much what I’ve been muttering to myself for the past few days.

Lastly, I’m just not sure why anybody would think he’d be good for the job. He has the experience, perhaps, but no investment in the project. It also says something rather depressing about talent in the UK. I feel about this how I feel about Meghan and Harry landing that deal with Netflix. I immediately set about cancelling my subscription only to realise that I watch Brooklyn 99 through Netflix and… Well, I need me some Brooklyn. However, the point stands. Not only is it a dumb move, it’s grossly unfair, stripping an opportunity from some other producer who will have considerably more experience in making whatever it is that M&H are going to make. The same with Abbott. If Brexit means anything, then British Job for British People should start at the damn top, although, as a Remainer, I do also shrug my shoulders. I really have no problem with Abbott or (nearly) any other non-Brit getting the job, except he seems a particularly unpleasant type, who I’d cross the road to avoid, politically speaking.

Right, Saturday… I’m going to see if I can migrate the What and the Why website to a different place on the internet where it doesn’t cost anything to host it. I’ve done it before with my own websites but I can’t remember how it’s done. However, I’d like to retain all the excellent stuff that’s on that site before we pull the plug on the current host. It might turn into one of those days…

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Why Dunciad.com?

It’s a cool domain name and it was available. Yes, I know. Available. Crazy, isn’t it?

Really?

Yes. It also helps that it’s also my favourite satire written by Alexander Pope, one of the most metrically pure English poets who also knew his way around a crude insult or two. If you’ve not read it, you should give it a try.

So this is satire, right?

Can’t deny it. There will be some. But it’s also an experiment in writing and drawing, giving work away for free in order to see how many people are willing to support a writer doing his thing. It’s the weird stuff that I wouldn’t get published elsewhere in this word of diminishing demands and cookie-cutter tastes.