Thank God and Nye Bevan for the National Health Service, and damn the politicians who have done so much to run it down and stop it being as good as it could be, and as good as the other medical systems our neighbours in Europe have built up (largely over the Thatcher years which they were spared).

In the same tone I could of course say thanks to the USA for making sure that even the most rightwing poilitcian in this country will swear blind that they will never ever give us a health systrem remotely like yours...

But that's thread drift and grumpy stiff in a generally light-hearted and appreciative thread:

Buster Keaton; Oliver Hardy (we've had Stan Laurel already); Mash; the Simpsons.