I thought we here in the western world had a good grasp of sarcasm (aka snark), but we don't hold a candle to the Brits.
Yes, I know British humor can be completely wacky and really hilarious. Take for example Monty Python's various films like "Monty Python and The Holy Grail":
Or shows such as Fawlty Towers, The Carry On movies and the Black Adder series. British humor is also known for it's dry as a bone in the Sahara cynicism and sarcasm.
Earlier today, I was emailed a fine example of that biting British wit.
Since it's tea time somewhere in the world, just help yourself to an orange chelsea bun on your way through to the next section....
It seems that the US and Canada do not have a monopoly on "right wing", Tea Party or teh stupid. The Brits also have a political party that holds views equalling the Republicans and yes, even have a radical subgroup with the Ukip (their version of right wing).
According to Wiki (source for all internet knowingness), Ukip is the right wing populist party in Britain and call themselves an independence party. It's only been a party since 1993, but for years never made any significant noise until the last couple of years when they managed to increase their electoral percentages and take some seats in parliament.
In 2006 David Cameron described the party as "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists". According to Nigel Farage, leader of the party:
Although UKIP's original raison d'être was withdrawal from the European Union,[106] it was felt that the public perception of the party as a single-issue party was damaging electoral progress.[107] Farage, on becoming leader, started a wide-ranging policy review, his stated aim being "the development of the party into broadly standing for traditional conservative and libertarian values".[108] The party has described itself as a "patriotic"[109] and "democratic, libertarian party".[110]
https://en.wikipedia.org/...
At any rate...the Grimsby candidate for the Ukip party, Victoria Ayling, asked this loaded question at a public debate: " What happens when the renewable energy runs out?"
The result was much immediate mockery, as expected. But today the Guardian UK really took the snark meters everywhere right off the charts. The Guardian agrees that eventually the sun will go out in 7 billion years and it's even possible the Ukip party may be in power at that time, but the Guardian decided to take Ayling's question a few steps further.
They asked such enthralling and important questions such as:
1. Where does the sun go at night?
The brits love their sunshine( and who doesn't) and get a little peeved when it goes wandering off at night. After all, Brits pay taxes to keep it right there shining on them. They fought two---count 'em two --- world wars for their right to not deal with darkness at any time, dammit! The Guardian also speculates that British scientists should find a way to fix old sol squarely in British heavens so that other countries cannot use it ...at least not for free.
2. How do we stop immigrants from using all our gravity?
We all know that the UK is overrun with immigrants. We’re literally full. Seriously, in some parts of Britain you can’t even get out of your door because immigrants are piled up outside it, stacked up like wrongly-coloured snow. There are millions more immigrants coming for our jobs and women and to eat our pets probably. But Britain doesn’t have enough resources to sustain its own people, let alone all these intruders. So what happens when these immigrants finally use up the last of our gravity?
Well, obviously the answer is to import more gravity...right? But, but ..that'll cost money! Maybe the scientists, all important gods that they are, could fix this problem. And they'd best hurry up before we all float off into space...or (Ye Gods) France!
3. If global warming is real, why am I still cold?
Ah, yes! we've heard this one before...right? You go outside and it's freezing cold, you have to heat your water for tea, the kids next door are still charging you half your take home pay to shovel the driveway, the heating bills are through the roof... and yet some dodgy scientists are telling us that this "global warming" thing is real...really??
Some scientists will try to tell you “global” includes the rest of the world, showing what Euro-loving traitors they are, or that climate and weather aren’t the same thing, which is nonsense. British weather never changes, it’s always unpredictable. Sure there have been some nasty bouts in recent years, but we all know that’s because of gay marriage.
So if the planet is hotter, why is it still cold where I live? Scientists can’t answer that. It’s like that time a doctor kept telling me my leg was broken even though I could move my arm fine. Idiots! Speaking of which …
4. Why do medicines work on people who don't deserve it?
Why is medicine so wasteful? Antibiotics work on anyone, whether they’ve contributed anything to the UK or not? Same goes for surgery or painkillers. It’s no wonder the NHS waiting times are so long when just anyone can go in and get a treatment that works. Of course they’ll keep coming back, so scientists should address this situation by refining treatments so they only work on the deserving. People who work for a living in the country where they were born, they should get working medicine, whereas those who contribute nothing and only sponge off us.
After all why should any true patriot have to spend hours waiting in line in an ER after scrapping with some bloke at a football match, just because some old fart has pneumonia or some foreign kiddie is sick and they have "priority"!
You really should read the article:
http://www.theguardian.com/...
I will admit to taking some liberties with their text, (but not the pieces I've quoted) in the interests of shortening the piece without losing the hilarity and snark.