The Worldwide Weblog of Donald Pincher

by Joshua Gaskell

Tag: Politics

Sunday, 3rd June 2018

Absolutism, n.

Pronunciation: /ˈabsəljuːtɪz(ə)m/
Etymology: < absolute adj. + -ism suffix

1. The practice of absolute government; absolute authority, despotism.
2. The belief among interviewees on the Today programme that ‘absolutely’ is a superior way of saying ‘yes’.


Saturday, 28th January 2017

Then he called for Peace in Vietnam, and the crowd roared and the band played Dianas as if he had made a glorious pass. Peace in Vietnam was now the property of all politicians; Peace in Vietnam was the girl who had gone to bed with a thousand different guys, but always took a bath, and so was a virgin. Hubert felt like a virgin every time he talked of Peace in Vietnam. He spoke with the innocent satisfaction of a drop of oil sliding down a scallion.

Miami and the Siege of Chicago (1968) by Normal Mailer

In Britain, until recently, when a politician wanted to feel like a virgin, he called for more apprenticeships. Now he criticises Trump. Criticising Trump is now the property of all politicians.

Sunday, 16th October 2016

Resit culture, n.

Pronunciation: /ˈriːsɪt ˈkʌltʃə/
Etymology: < resit n. + culture n.

1. Educ. The practice of pupils resitting exams until they get the desired result.
2. Polit. The practise of electorates resitting referendums until they return the desired result.

Monday, 25th July 2016

When Corbyn’s supporters say that they believe he can lead Labour to a general election victory because ‘Politics is the art of the possible’, they use possible in its strictly philosophical sense: ‘Logically conceivable; having the property, whether or not it actually exists, of not being excluded from existence by being logically contradictory or against reason’ (OED).

Tuesday, 21st June 2016

The two sides of the EU referendum debate have clashed over the effectiveness of the withdrawal method. Stuart Rose, chairman of Britain Stronger in Europe, says that it’s difficult to implement correctly and could lead to twenty years of misery, while Vote Leave’s Boris Johnson insists that it’s all a matter of when you pull out.

%d bloggers like this: