Dr John Dee

A pleonasm, surely. Of course, Uncle Bitters, if you were to offer more adequate remuneration for my advice you could expect more effective service ... although I presume this won't be the first time you've been told something like that.

Around here that would be walk and chew bananas wouldn't it?

I think we may be at cross-purposes, Uncle Bitters. I fear that either to confirm or to deny your impressions about the practices of certain exotic establishments may damage the remaining few tatters of my reputation irreparably. In fact I had in mind something much more pragmatic, given Mr Cutter’s legendary standing in the more familiar establishments of Burwood, in that the use of numbers seemed to suggest a form of mnemotechnics (as we say in the trade, though I have in truth forgotten what trade it is) based on substituting retirement villa or apartment numbers for the names of their residents. Perhaps I was wrong to do so. I notice that the more innocent, or those with more generosity of spirit amongst us, such as the inestimable Biffen, have taken Mr Cutter at his apparent word and see nothing more licentious at issue than the consumption of Chinese food. If so, I will need to regard Mr Cutter from hereon as a mere gourmand rather than (as others had promoted him to be) a gourmet of more interesting tastes.

Is that what you call her?

Footy people?

Safe? As for you, your whyness, now that the Abbott interregnum has come to its end, isn't it about time you relinquished that title of yours?

I (modestly, of course) draw your attention to my signature, which I adopted a while ago when contemplating much the same question.

C'mon Ethan, you know full well that to read about Wines is to read about Toumpas. There's no other way.

Verticalist!

Must be where the Sith Effrikaans migrate to.

Now, now ManDee, Mr Leg has been feeling a little upset by some of the crueler remarks of late about lawyers. But I'm happy to offer this counterweight to your slight upon the profession, from the Bard himself (Henry VI Part II): All: God save your majesty! Cade: I thank you, good people—there shall be no money; all shall eat and drink on my score, and I will apparel them all in one livery, that they may agree like brothers, and worship me their lord. D-ck: The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers. Cade: Nay, that I mean to do.

One step at a time BBO. Gotta win the week to be in the running for the monthly award ... though I admit you should be a shoo-in (or shoe-in* as some on Demonland insist on putting it) for that as well. * not a Mitch Clark reference.

I presume that this is your entry in the outrageously bad pun of the week competition and not some sort of mistake. We're polishing the trophy for you right now.

Or was that just Fat Phil?

Presumably he'll also need someone to do his soliciting for him.

Best of luck to all those bravely venturing out today. I won't get any further than where I left the remote last night. But here are a few things you might like to try on the way to the G (inspired by Old Dee's many references to wet tram tickets):

Ahh, I wondered which taxpayer it was.

I suppose that years of bitter experience and deep despair would help make a demon frog more resistant but I'm not sure. Ninth belongs to tigers, of course, not snakes. But a tiger snake might be eligible.

Not a good situation for a frog of any species.

No need for any of this. There's a banana plantation just over the rise from where I live. If someone can organise the black van we should be able to guarantee supply just by leaping over the fence. There might be a small problem with the brown snakes and death adders, but if you bring BBO with you he should be able to scare them off.

What kind of cross-species perversions have been going on in this genealogy?

I'd be happy to oblige but I have to maintain my distrust of anyone under 50.

Maybe it was a banana lounge and Redleg ate it.

Whoops, another case of mistaken identity. Edit: Speaking of which, it was Joh, of course, rather than Joe; but the quote sounds pretty much like him.

Do I detect a covert effort to extend this thread by discussing that thread here? Very clever. Who was TS, by the way? He doesn't seem to get many mentions on his thread nowadays.