And what is this British f**king obsession with central heating? What a nation of f**king poofs. I lived in a house for years with no CH. But, you see, it had a fire in every room. That's right, it wasn't abject poverty, we had a FIRE IN EVERY ROOM. What's the f**king difference? Okay, so it got a bit parky going up the stairs now and then, but I don't recall my life being under threat.
It's about time this country started having a more balanced view, and taking air-con seriously. Intense heat makes me feel seriously ill in the summer, but if I make complaints about having to work in a claustrophobic little oven, I just get "Oh, we English, complain ALL winter..." routine.
Bastards.
I think Birchill has that sort of car crash appeal....you can't help but look. Even if her writing annoys it does stick to the brain like gum to a shoe...
It tells us that she is doing her job.
And her job is to get complaints about her column into the letters page the following week.
Because complaints sell papers.
I live on a council estate... but i dont smell of digestive biscuits, and I dont have a pram face. I have a sports car face.
vrooom
Oh, and I like burchill....
Should be Burchill not Birchill, I beg your pudding. I used to read her when she was a music journalist and she was as sharp and pithy as half a jug of squeezed lemons. No sugar.
No, it tells you that I read the Guardian on a Saturday, and that actually, when she tries she can be quite a good writer, so I read the column. Which takes me less than a minute, so I am hardly investing a great deal in it.
It really is as similar week on week as I have described. This is not exactly an effort. She doesn't infuriate me with her 'controversial opinions', I just think the editor of the magazine ought to make her work a bit harder.
I am intrigued as to how complaints sell papers Stuart. I am sure you wouldn't make such a comment without having a theory in mind. I'll give you a counter-argument - the Sun newspaper and its Hillsborough coverage. Loads of complaints and I don't think it did a great deal for its circulation in Liverpool after it falsely described Liverpool fans looting the pockets of corpses. Not saying you're wrong yet, but I want to hear the theory in detail before I accept it.
Pages