h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"It is a joke that won't go away but it makes me wince a bit whenever anyone brings it up because Gordon Brown has obviously become a rather tragic character and it doesn't seem appropriate to make fun of him any more" - Liberal Democrat MP Vince Cable, who now regrets likening the Prime Minister to Mr Bean.

It's a quotation from Newsnight,(BBC). I'm posting it not in a spirit of political debate or controversy etc.etc., but simply because there's a lot of rather sad truth in it. Sad for most of us in the UK, in different ways.


Jab

Gordon Bennet - Brown Trousers!

Yes it is truly tragic and one can't even blame it on a dumb electorate. I always knew Baloney Tare had a nasty streak.

Hi Jab. I'm too American to understand all this.

Since Tony Blair left office, I've had no idea who is the Prime Minister of whatever they call England nowadays . To me, people like Anthony Eden and Edward Heath are just names. Churchill and Thatcher and Blair seemed to stand for something, though I might have been mistaken about exactly what that was . There was also someone named John Major, but now that I think about it, he could have been a military figure and not an elected official.

I wonder what it says that I know who mister Bean is but don't really know this Brown fellow

I've said it for many a yearGuy Fawkes had the best idea, but they copped him

There's a lot I could say, but I don't particularly want a political opinions thread. That would be divisive among friends. For our country cousins over the pond, Brown is our prime minister. It's very interesting that you struggle with who he is.

I think pedantic is right to mention Blair, who saw the rough times coming and chose to resign. I'm a bit inclined to agree with the Prof. though. That may be another reason I don't want to go on and on about the subject in a possibly divisive way.

"Never discuss politics or religion" is a motto I got from somewhere.

Jab

A wise motto, too.

Thanks for sharing the quote, it's very interesting.

I knew about Blair but not Brown

If you live in the New Orleans area, it can be just as divisive to talk about the weather.

And, not many people discuss death and taxes, as they (the death and taxes, not the people discussing them) are among the greatest certainties of life.

The trouble with Gordon Brown is that his name is so similar to that of others. He could be a cousin of R&B great James Brown. Or the manager for a heabyweight boxing champion. Or the mild-mannered persona for an Incredible Hulk-style superhero. Or the warden in a prison ("Tell it to warden Gordon")

commissioner Gordon - in batman

brown wearing pants on the outside battling joker cameron

Exactly!

Now come on there - don't kick the man until he's really down. And - in any case,Brown Trousers is not a total failure by any means/ He has two notable achievements. The first is a matter of history in that he managed to pass more pieces of legislation in his first year in office than anyone previously and the second - of far greater note, is that he has done what most people thought was impossible - make John Major look exciting.

second one is true

So, John is no longer a Minor figure?

Bush as Flash(ed)Gordon - saviour of the universe

'commissioner Gordon - in batman'
thats what I was thinking of him or the peanuts dude.

I always thought that Charlie Brown grew up to be Dilbert.

I'm totally lost!!

A bit like Bordon Grown, I suppose.

Or Boredom Groan.