Any day now…

I’m just off to the patent office to register my idea for the ‘Thatcher is Dead – Thank Fuck!’ Commemorative mug.

Each one is crafted from Fine Bone China and has a picture of the old hag with a cross through it – Ghostbusters style.

Also, when you tilt the mug it plays ‘Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead’ from the Wizard Of Oz.

Get your orders in early, folks. I have a feeling they’re going to shift pretty fast.

(c) Pooflake ltd. 2008
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:02, 38 replies)

Put me down
For one - oh - and if I can get a teatowel with a picture of her burning in hell too that'd be great
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:04, closed)

I love the news
The controversy over "Margaret Thatcher's State funeral" is still going on and yet she's not dead enough to qualify for one.

Which presumably means she's party to all sorts of views as to how/when she's going to be remembered when she finally snuffs it.

I vote that they have her stuffed, mounted in a glass case and put on permanent display in Harriet Harman's front room.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:08, closed)

DDR
Shotgun the commemorative Playstation dance mat. Something about playing DDR over her grave makes me feel all fuzzy.
(FoxyBadger (try saying it backwards), Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:10, closed)

@PJM
I'd have no problem with burying her alive....
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:12, closed)

Thatcher and Harman
Both two sides of the same coin. I'd have no problem seeing either buried alive.

Hmm... Imagine the fortune to be made selling tickets to that gig?
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:14, closed)

You sort out the ticket sales
I'll get the JCB and truckload of concrete. We can split the profits 50/50
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:17, closed)

Burn the witch!
Dancing on her grave seems a great idea!

Let me know when the mugs are available and where from! My family will all get one!
(ice9, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:17, closed)

Whoops
I thought for a moment she was really dead, cue much rejoiceful dancing. Then I read on. you've made, and unmade a girls day in the space of a few short lines....
(weekirst23 Is broken! Silly ice. Silly High heels!, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:20, closed)

Sorry 'bout that...
I'm sure it won't be too much longer now.

There has to be some kind of tacky memorabilia in the pipeline to celebrate?

Maybe a better bet would be to have her buried down a disused coal mine shaft. How fitting.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:22, closed)

@ PJM...
You've just given me another idea...

Who'd like their very own 'Countdown to Thatcher throwing a seven' alarm clock?

It has 'TODAY'S THE DAY' emblazoned on the front...and the alarm tone is 'Celebration' by Kool & The Gang.

Sure, there might be a few disappointments but every day you could wake up with hope...and imagine the joy when the clock is right!
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:27, closed)

Trouble is
I don't trust her to stay dead - I reckon you'd have to behead her - bury her head at a crossroads and burn the body - mix the ash with holy water and bury it in a mineshaft. Even then I wouldn't be sure.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:33, closed)

You don't know
wtf you're on about.
Most of you aren't old enough to remember how she took a country that every year was having days with power blackouts because the miners were on strike for higher and higher pay and brought it back to economic stability.
(Yes, I know they had a shitty job, but I had relatives at the coalface who were earning about twice what office workers, nurses, teachers, etc, were earning.)
Not everything she did was brilliant, but then she had to bring in things that a previous labour government had ratified through law. The poll tax for example... but I suppose you don't want to hear that.
No government is perfect, look at the present one and then work out how much extra you spend on food and petrol each week since last year, and the government can't be blamed for everything.
Talk to people in their 50's and above about the 'winter of discontent', ask them the first word that comes to mind if you say 'Fords at Dagenham', and ask them about how the unions used to hold the country to ransom.

I was one of the people who 'sufferred' under Maggie. I was unemployed for some of her time in office.
But when you can stay on your PC 24/7 rather than knowing your electric will be cut off for 4 hours a day, 7 days a week, don't tell me you've got it bad.
(paof2 Nude might not be rude, but rude could be nude..., Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:34, closed)

M Thatcher
To the sadly deluded, without her, the country would be wallowing in sad , socialist type mess, indeed just look at the current crop and the complete f*ck up they have made of everything, and they are supposed to be "New" labour!
(Betty Boothroyd's Love custard Tourettes at the KOB, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:37, closed)

I might not know everything about it
And I wouldn't pretend to - and sure - I accept the fact that the trade Unions of the day where essentialy an unelected body of people dictating what happened in the country. And yes, they where - at the time too powerful for their won good as well as the fact that some of the Thatcher era reforms may have benifited us. However - what I hate thatcher for is the creation of a Neo liberal ideology that this country still suffers from - the idea that greed is good - that there is no such thing as society and that anything socialist in any way is a dirty word. That and the privatisation of huge chunks of previously public services that has lead to (in the case of the railways) more crashes, less reliable services, the government (and the taxpayer) shelling out millions to bail out incompetent companies, and in the case of British gas massive service charges and obscenely high salaries for the CEO's. Oh - and let's not forget the privatisation and selling off of the North Sea oil reserves that Britain had a claim to - a useless and damaging war and the erosion of the welfare state to a near - useless husk. Oh - and on top of that the current house price and housing problems (ringfenced council money meaning that no more council housing could be built) and other such things.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:42, closed)

Pedants corner:
Fredz: Thatcher was an advocate of Adam Smith, and so always resisted the privatisation of the railways as Smith's ideal was that the state should provide the infrastructure for trade to take place.
If you're looking for someone to hate for the botched rail privatisation, the correct finger to point is at John Major. Thank you!
(davywavy, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:48, closed)

@ paof2
now that is impressive

you manage to attain the status of cunt tit AND arsehole simultaneously
( spimf ™ is whoever you want him to be, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:50, closed)

Ok
Fair enough - maybe I was wrong with the railways thing - but the climate of neoliberalism - greed is good and all that certainly contributed to the kind of political atmosphere where that seemed like a good idea!
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:55, closed)

its interesting
That people are slagging off the greed is good culture of the Thatcher era.

In a QOTW where people are posting stories about making a quick buck.

hohum.
(Halfy By light alone, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 12:59, closed)

Thatcher
Okay, I grew up in the eighties too...

As for Thatcher, she did indeed take on the might of the trade unions and gave one or two the shoe in the testicles that they deserved.

However:

1) Economic Growth

While Britain enjoyed economic growth in the 1980s, we should also remember that Britain's economic policy was no more than a rehash of America's post WW1 market deregulation strategy, which led to a similar "boom" followed by a protracted recession toward the latter part of the 1980s. Simply put, you cannot just leave the markets to their own devices, as sooner or later you're going to have to either cool an overheating economy or prop up sagging confidence with an injection of cash - in the form of reducing tax burdens, thus freeing up spending power.

Thatcher got the latter part right, but ignored the warning signs and instead did little to reign in subsequent growth.

2) Domestic Policy

If you owned your own business between 1981 and 1987, you'd love Thatcher and probably still do. However, for vast tracts of the country previously dominated by mining and manufacture were subject to a prolonged depression, which Thatcher did fuck all to mitigate, in the belief that "the free market would sort it out". Manufacturing and skills, which were exported worldwide dwindled in the 1980s, by deliberate policy.

This is why Britain lacks the expertise to build her own nuclear power stations today, despite being the first nation on Earth to open a commercial nuclear power plant in the mid 1950s. Name an independent British car manufacturer while you're at it too.

3) Unemployment

While you might view this as an unfortunate side effect of the hangover from the 1970s, it remains clear that four million unemployed, without adequate means to support them was a massive blight on Thatcher's record. My father was amongst them.

Being told "Get on your bike and look for work" was an insult too far for many. Simply put, the state lacked both the means and the compassion to deal with four million people desperately in need of retraining because their historical industries were dismantled.

4) Poll Tax

Everyone regardless of their means is expected to pay a local tax. Discuss.

5) Utilities

Sell 'em off! It worked for a while, as "consumers" became "shareholders", but ultimately selling off complex state monopolies has proved to be an expensive exercise.

What we have today is an extension of "Thatcherism", wrapped up and made New Labour cuddly. What used to be provided by the state is repackaged and thinly disguised as "choice". The need to pay several thousand shareholders a dividend partly explains why your water, electricity, gas and even your rail transport is significantly more expensive in the UK than the rest of Europe.

Of course, under Thatcherism, having water, electricity and a telephone in your house is considered to be a "choice" so businesses collude to charge you accordingly.

In summary, Thatcherism is a massive kick in the bollocks to the less well off.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Tue 5 Aug 2008, 13:04, closed)

Thatcher?
.. why bother with all this hate-fueled nostalgia? She's been out of power quite some considerable time. Aren't there some current political issues to get hot under the collar about instead?

You could hold a demo outside Parliament about it. Just be sure to get your permit from the police first.
(haberman is singing in the changes, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 13:10, closed)

^ because we still live under the cosh
Thatcherism is alive and well today, it's just been repacked as "NEW! Labour!"

However, the bastard child of right wing economics and left wing ideology is rapidly turning into something very much like national socialism.

How else do you explain the freedom to choose your electricity supplier, yet the restrictions on free protest? What started out as a "contract between the individual and the state" (as quoted from New Labour ideology, circa 1997) has turned into an oppressive state exerting increasing control over our lives while at the same time attempting to bribe us with the trinkets associated with a free market economy.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Tue 5 Aug 2008, 13:12, closed)

@PJM
Glad I'm not the only one who thinks that the current New Labour seems to be incorporating the very worst of socialism with the very worst of right - wing ideology. Third way my arse. Sounds almost as sinister as "final solution"
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 13:32, closed)

under the cosh?
But it's not Thatcher's cosh any more! Direct your hate at the current wielders, not some scarecrow hate figure from the past.

All you are doing is letting the current bunch off the hook for their own actions.
(haberman is singing in the changes, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 13:34, closed)

Yeah - and don't get me wrong - I hate the Nulab inc as much as I hate Thatcherism
But surely attacking the ideological root of this bullshit reigeme would be useful no?
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 13:37, closed)

I'm not keen on her
because she took my milk away.
(oneinthepink is at your cervix m'lady, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 13:43, closed)

@haberman
My reputation on b3ta is one for pouring endless scorn on the cretins in charge. I was just giving everyone the benefit of my own view of 1980s history that we might be fluffy about today.

As for letting ZanuLabour off the hook, far from it. I'm actively doing all I can to ridicule and satirize the current bunch of overpaid, irresponsible and downright cynical bunch of grade A, weapons quality cunts that we have running the joint at the moment. However, I refuse to delude myself into thinking that the next bunch are going to be any better.

"no matter who you vote for, you still get screwed"
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Tue 5 Aug 2008, 13:53, closed)

@PJM…

Once again I salute your combination of supreme intellect with the admirable quality of wearing your heart on your sleeve and calling ‘em like you sees ‘em.

@Everyone…I didn’t mean for it to ‘kick off’ with my © Ben Elton nineteen-eighty-something ‘Little Bit O’ Politics’ Post…I was just trying to crack a bit of a funny.

But thank leathery fuck we still have some elements of free speech such as B3ta where we can take the piss and / or state our opinions as we please…

(as long as the B3ta overlords say it’s ok)

Edit: and at least now I know who NOT to send my complimentary mugs to.
( Pooflake braces for an onslaught..., Tue 5 Aug 2008, 14:18, closed)

.
I'm glad she took the milk away, it was warm and horrible. Nobody liked it. And Panda Pops were only about 6p.
( browser still relating boring anecdotes into a void on, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 14:35, closed)

Politics?
New Labia, the Cuntservatives, and the Liberal Democlits.

They're all twats, really.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Tue 5 Aug 2008, 14:37, closed)

Fredz /\ /\
When you've poured the concrete, get a good screed on laid on top and fit a dancefloor.
(Oil Slick, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 14:39, closed)

Since I'm from Over Here, I know little enough about the Thatcher issues.
Instead we had Reaganomics- let the businesses do what they want, encourage their growth, and the prosperity would "trickle down" to the rest of society.

Which would be good if it weren't for the fact that any business is run by someone trying to line his own pockets as much as he can, and those under him come a ways down the priority list. Or at least that's how it is for the bigger businesses.

I've seen a very interesting graphic online which I actually replicated myself once- it showed the US national debt vs years, and you could very clearly see who was in office by it- during Ford it climbed, during Carter it dropped, with Reagan and Bush 1 it did a VERY sharp climb, during Clinton it leveled off, during Bush 2 it has skyrocketed. I let the numbers speak for themselves in this case- no more Republicans, thanks!
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Tue 5 Aug 2008, 14:43, closed)

Ahhh
Trickle down economics.... Because we all know that what big business realy, realy cares about is people. Honestly. They don't need regulation, or management from outside bodies at all - they realy care about people and want to benifit everyone in society. That's why in underdeveloped countries with lax or non existant labour and trade laws companies like Coca Cola, Macdonalds, OPEC related industries and the BAT all go around at christmass haniding out presents to little kids. Anything different - say pictures of childeren rifling through rubbish heaps in Bangladesh or I dunno - Bhopal victims is clearly taking things out of proportion. What these people lack is the proper entrepenural spirit! Oh - and of course while the poor being shafted by an economic downturn is just the economy in action - not much we can do about it - a big bank or conglomerate looks like it might be in trouble and guess who gets to bail them out? Because clearly when Adam Smith warned againgst state intervention and cartells he clearly meant - "unless they are realy realy big and are located in a rich western country"

EDIT: Oh - and I'd be interested to see that graphic if you have the link anywhere, resident.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 14:51, closed)

Here ya go.


At one time I did this myself- I used Excel to chart the national debt vs years, and came up with the line shown in black.

Remember- Carter was before Reagan, who took office in 1980 and had two terms, followed by Bush 1. Clinton was from 1992 to 2000. Bush 2 is at the end of the graph.

Scary as fuck.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Tue 5 Aug 2008, 15:20, closed)

Yeah
That is very scary indeed.... Unchecked neoliberal "capitalism" is going to wind up ruining a fair few countries when people finaly realise that the bubble has to burst some time..... And an insane amount of national debt - and you can pretty much guaruntee that the people making serious money out of the system aren't gonna be the ones that wind up paying for it.
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 15:35, closed)

Ayup.
And that's why I don't think it's likely McCain will get in- I think it will be Obama, as this graphic is getting rather famous. (Or rather, graphics similar to this one- I grabbed this through Google Image.)

Beware, England- it may be YOU next! Anyone want to chart your economy vs time?
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Tue 5 Aug 2008, 15:43, closed)

I would....
But I fear that it might just depress me so much that I pack up my bags, learn sweedish and move somewhere halfway decent!
(Fredz A graveyard of hopes, a dump of ambition, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 15:49, closed)

@ Loon
Oh yes! We're fucked!

Our economy is built on credit and inflated real estate prices too. However, once the rest of the world cottons on to the fact that we have lost the ability to make anything unique in the world and are for all intents and purposes a bunch of unskilled desk jockeys then we're going to end up sewing footballs for the Chinese.

That will be the lingering price of Thatcherism.
(Bicycle Repairman "you're also a bit of a wanker", Tue 5 Aug 2008, 15:50, closed)

You
sir are a god
(Lex scripta, Tue 5 Aug 2008, 20:37, closed)