I Love The Tories - NOT

halfwise wrote:I've just noticed how the role of the British Secretary of State actually seems to fit the description, while the US secretary of state should really be named "Foreign Minister" or something .... not that we have ministers.  Secretary of the Exterior?

Hacker, Sir Humphrey and Bernard discussing Hacker's appointment as Transport Supremo

Hacker: Furthermore, Sir Mark thinks there may be votes in it, and if so, I don't intend to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Sir Humphrey: I put it to you, Minister that you are looking a Trojan Horse in the mouth.
Hacker: You mean, if I look closely at this gift horse, I would find it's full of Trojans?
Bernard: If you had looked the Trojan Horse in the mouth, Minister, you would have found Greeks inside.
Odd look from Hacker... Bernard: Well, the point is it was the Greeks who gave the Trojan Horse to the Trojans, so technically, it wasn't a Trojan Horse at all, it was a Greek Horse. Hence the tag timeo Danaos et dona ferentes which you will recall, is usually and somewhat inaccurately translated as Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. Or doubtless, you would have recalled, had you not attended the LSE.
Hacker: Yes well I'm sure Greek tags are all right in their way, but can we stick to the point, please?
Bernard: Sorry. Sorry, Greek tags?
Hacker: Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. I suppose the EEC equivalent would be Beware of Greeks bearing an olive oil surplus!
Sir Humphrey: Excellent, Minister!
Bernard: Ah. Oh. Well, the point is minister, that just as the Trojan Horse was in fact Greek, what you describe as a Greek tag is in fact Latin. It's obvious, really: the Greeks would never suggest bewaring of themselves, if one could use such a participle, 'bewaring', that is. And it's clearly Latin, not because timeo ends in -o, because the Greek first person also ends in -o. Though actually, there is a Greek word τιμαω, meaning 'I honour'. But the -os ending is a nominative singular termination of the second declension in Greek, and an accusative plural in Latin, of course. Though actually 'Danaos' is not only the Greek for Greek, it's also the Latin for Greek, it's very interesting really...

Whittingdale has said the charter review is looking at whether the broadcaster should continue to be “all things to all people” or have a more “precisely targeted” mission in terms of output. He has previously expressed concerns about the BBC’s flagship news bulletin being broadcast at the same time as ITV’s.