08 October 2010

08/10/10


Some people see things that are and ask, "Why?"  Some people dream of things that never were and ask, "Why not?"  Some people have to go to work and don't have time for that shit.
-George Carlin

144 comments:

  1. Been meaning to post a link to this story for a couple of days now. Don't know what, if anything, any of you have heard about it.

    Absofuckinglutely disgraceful.

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  2. Hehe, like the quote (and thanks for the strapline)!

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  3. Montana - important story. I only wish more would see it, read it and think about it.

    It is exactly the position that existed in the UK in the old days when the fire brigades were actually funded by the Insurance Companies.

    If when the brigade arrived your house did not have the iron symbol of said insurance company firmly fixed on the outside wall in a prominent position they just laughed and let your house burn down.

    Of course if your neighbours house had the symbol they would spray water on their property to make sure your fire didn't spread to their insured property..

    For years I had a teaching aid which I used to use to explain where Thatcherism would one day lead us. It was an cast iron wall plaque
    of the old Phoenix Insurance Company and I used to explain it's original use in exactly the circumstances of your linked story.

    I suspected that one day the world would turn I would be proved right but I am immensely sad to be so today.

    Your story is a sad commentary, but regrettably indicative of the world that the likes of our friend Braken and Pike Bishop would have us inhabit.

    Folk should understand that the fire plaques were useless in the great fire of London and fucking useless in the blitz.

    We could alawys save more money for the rich by abandoning public health responsibilties and costs. The rich can have their innoculations against the plague and the rest of us can go fuck ourselves.

    I really ought to write a letter to the Guardian and to that nice Mr Clegg and his friends it might help in their quest to privatise the world.

    I hereby give my public permission, that in the event of my death by plauge I give my permission for my rotting carcase to be thrown over the wall of Peter Braken's house. May he and his family enjoy my odour.

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  4. Evening/Morning ladies. Always behind in my time zone, but better than Brussels I suppose.

    Montana, you could quote George Carlin (PBUH) everyday with no complaint from me.

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  5. I like the new strapline too and much prefer to see a sensible person's words represent us to the world.

    Well said thauma and well spotted Montana.

    What's the old joke Braken? - I wouldn't piss on deano if he was on fire, no doubt.

    For the sake of your family and their futures and well-being I hope you grow up one day Peter and never have to deal with some of the consequences of that which you so crassly and cavalierly advocate.

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  6. Hi Boudican - good to see you.

    Sorry I didn't get to say hello to our visitor from Hong Kong before they left.

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  7. And good morning deano! That's quite the bequest. Understandable, given the story that Montana linked to. Despair does not quite describe properly.

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  8. deano--Carlin a sensible person indeed, more a rare gem recently lost. Damn funny too.

    Would gladly put your fire out, likely with pressure raised from pints you stood me.:-)

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  9. Boudican - my mind is turning, it's as I get ever more pissed off with the nonsense.

    I awoke in the middle of the night (just after LaRit took her taxi) and found I had been dreaming of winning the Euro lottery (£110m this week)

    I dreamed I had spent it all on taxi rides, tents, printing and interpreters.

    I had tens of thousands of the dipossed taxied from all over the UK, and all were given food, booze and a warm tent and some fine entertainment.

    We all camped together on Cameron's and Clegg's (and their parents) lawns.

    We all had posters in many colours and many different materials and some were in bronze and by famous artists...... but they all bore the same message

    "WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER"

    and the band played and the dancing and drinking were great.

    I did permit myself a separate banner but then I had won £110m. Mine said:

    "COME ON DAVE AND NICK - WHAT'S THE ADDRESS OF YOU SUMMER HOME WE NEED A HOLIDAY FROM YOUR LAWN"

    We had Blair and his mates strapped to stakes with a bonfire around him just I was about to put the torch to tyhe kindling I woke up.

    Fucking Braken's fault.

    Still it was the best £110m I ever spent - didn't regret a single penny.

    Gota go - on plumbing call at me sons.

    laters.

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  10. Mornin all,

    The e-mail stalker was the neighbour. Lifted last week, admitted it was him. Charged with several minor offences. Refused the police access to the computer they took away, so probably incrypted, or not containing anything incriminating (if he's smart enough to mask his ip add. he could swap a hard drive..) anyway it could take weeks to find out.

    His trial is next month but he's been bailed back to his own house. The girl's father is having to be physically prevented from attacking him.

    He's been suspended from his job, a primary teacher. And ordered not to interact with the girl, if he does, he'll get lifted. Horrible situation.

    In other news, I heard in the comic shop, that a 19 year old lad is making £1000 a week, producing posters from screenshots of World of Warcraft. If a group of players are on a climatic mission, a 'photo' of them defeating the level boss on a glossy A3 poster could be a desired item. It's like being a WoW photographer.

    But is he breaking the law? Surely the images are (c) Blizzard? Is he gonna be a big enough sucess for them to come after him?

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  11. The Guard informs:

    " Christine O'Donnell began her first television ad by telling voters: "I'm not a witch." Now she's followed that up with a second ad that is almost as bizarre, which starts: "I didn't go to Yale."

    Filmed with the same minimal production values and gloomy atmosphere as her first ad, the Tea Party-backed Republican attempting to win Joe Biden's old Senate seat in Delaware twice repeats what is obviously going to be her signature phrase: "I'm you."

    A transcript of the 30 second video reads:

    "I didn't go to Yale, I didn't inherit millions like my opponent. I'm you. I know how tough it is to make and keep a dollar. When some tried to push me from this race they saw what I was made of. And so will the Senate if they try to increase our taxes one more dime. I'm Christine O'Donnell and I approve this message. I'm you."



    Personally I would have liked Richard Adams (the author of the above) to have taken his job as a political commentator a bit more seriously.

    He could have engaged in some plain speaking which might have assisted his readers. He could so easily have said something like....

    "She plainly is concerned about being mistaken for a witch which may be indicative that the cow is in fact one.

    As for her claim that she is "you" - well maybe, but only if you are a right wing lunatic sailing under a flag of convenience.

    The lady is plainly the toy servant of the rich and powerful"

    I shan't waste my time reading Mr Adams again.

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  12. turm read somewhere that a bloke/kid just got jailed for refusing to give the Polis the key for his encrypted computer.

    Thus far plod can't get in - which is why they jailed the bod.

    Be interesting to hear the court story of your local matter in due course...always possible that the lass was a right difficult sod (no excuse of course) and the teacher was misguidedly seeking revenge for her making his teaching life a misery.

    Some 14 year olds take lessons in making teachers lives hell.

    On the other hand he could be a perv - keep us informed.

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  13. @deano:

    ”…I shan't waste my time reading Mr Adams again…”

    Nor me, frankly. Though I think it’s fair to say that most of the stuff written for the Graun is not written with you (or me) in mind, mate.

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  14. Back in the 80s, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie did a sketch where a bloke went to a police station to report a crime and was asked by Fry - in an extraordinarily camp uniform - if he was a customer and offered various subscription packages.

    Perhaps they saw it in Tennessee.

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  15. turminerxuss, this kid doing screen shots of WoW battles, why not just conjure one up with PhotoShop? There must be a way to short-circuit the game to get a screen-shot of anything you want I would have thought.

    As for the copyright aspect I used to know a guy at work who made A4 sized posters of celebs that were obviously the IP of a professional but he said they did not think it worth their while coming after him.

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  16. That story is atrocious, Montana. I think it needs to be diseminated far and wide to warn all the "I'm all right Jack" numpties that post on CiF that they will be fine as long as they get to keep their jobs when the next wave of cuts - and the next one, and the one after that, and... etc - hits home.

    But even they must know that the the local graveyard is full of people who were "indispensible" in the workplace. And supporting the Tory shites is one step further to their own personal demise, and to policies that will end up with the sort of "Big Society" bollocks that means that if you have money, you can buy "public" services, but if you don't, unless you have family or a charity to bale you out, you will sink.

    Or to use a well-corny pun in the circumstances - nobody is fireproof.

    Meanwhile, I am having a duvet day today. I was supposed to be drafting grounds for JR but I feel like someone has been throttling me in my sleep (...wonders if husband has taken to sleep-domestic abuse). Nasty lurgey. Ick.

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  17. Morning all

    Best reply ever to Mam

    Mounteverest
    8 October 2010 4:21AM

    MoveAnyMountain

    I am not talking here about art. I am not merely talking about depression. I am talking about the social reality of people with difficult mental health conditions who because of the wrong social values are being the worse victims of health and social care.

    I think, you do not need to know about Nepal to understand the mental suffering of people who are in worse condition. Even I think, you do not need to suffer by mental illness to understand the suffering of mental illness. What you need is human sympathy and compassion that you absolutely lack in your commentaries. I am sad for this.

    Your ruthless commentary like - People who are mentally ill are mentally ill. That means they will never be able to participate equally with non-mentally ill people, nor do I think it is a valid or worthwhile goal to try- absolutely represents dismissive, suppressive and wrong social attitudes of Nepal.

    Human relationship is not always dependent on economic benefits. If so, the world is hell and we are no more human. Be clear, most of the mental illnesses are momentary and people recover. Chronic mental illnesses are also managerial. If in case, there is no improvement, it is our duty to develop a health and social mechanism to ease the inner mental suffering of our fellow human without expecting any return. If mothers follow your idea, there will be no child in the world. Stop it.

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  18. That really is a stonking response from MountEverest who, IIRC, is Nepalese himself.

    Hat-tip.

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  19. Sun is shining - air is crisp. I'm off across the Black Mountain.

    Have a good day everybody and remember- a bite from a fellow human is often toxic , avoid the vicious.


    I like MountEverest's mistype

    "Chronic mental illnesses are - managerial"

    xx

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  22. BB - I wish you would take a pupil, then I wouldn't feel so guilty in asking for access to your knowledge/resources.

    I was interested in what you were saying about the application Art 7 of ECHR being restricted to Criminal matters.

    I was never an expert but when I was reading around the subject, before the HRAct was introduced, I thought I had understood that some of the cases that had (at that time) gone before the ECHR had involved financial disadvantage to citizens, which had been occasioned by retrospective laws.


    Perhaps I misread or misunderstood? (or perhaps it was another Article that had been invoked.

    Alternatively in the meantime perhaps the UK judges/lawyers have found a way to exclude the provision.

    I really wish you would take a pupil because I have pressing research need - which is to identify the reference to a 1940' case in the area of the Wednesbury/surcharge/district.
    Auditor law.

    Fucked if I can recall the name - it involved a London Area Council and the surcharging of a senior Officer. I think it may even have been the Chief Exec.

    The case involved wartime contracts for air raid shelters in which said officer's integrity was compromised. The judge told the hapless officer that in the circumstances he found himself his duty, given the public interest, should have been to resign and gone public to expose the scam.

    I seem to recall he then surcharged the bastard and may even have had his pension. I always liked it 'cos it was a rare case that involved unethical conduct v the public interest.

    Always an important case for those who think they can hide behind their professional stature or qualifications.

    I want the reference cos I want to draw it to the bastard Atos IBenefit nurse's professional body, when I lay our compliant of unethical conduct before it. And to the bastard Atos organisation and some civil servants working for the DWP.

    Next time your down the law library or using your computerised legal research services - any chance you could locate the case reference for me??

    I would be much grateful and would buy you a jar or three should we ever meet at a UT get together.

    I could also be persuaded to give you a gold star and/or write to my MP recommending you for the judiciary.

    But I could quite understand if you would not want your career to be tainted by association with lunatics.

    Hope you feel better soon.

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  24. Soz BB- should have read 1940-'s not 1940 . May even have been circa 1944.

    Would also have been clearer had I said a Council in the London area

    Me memorys not what it once was and Braken disturbed me sleep....

    Plumber has gone for lunch so I'm taking Mungo for walk

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  25. BB - hope you feel better soon. Sometimes nature has a way of telling you take a few days off, eh?

    Turm - glad they caught the bastard and hope the girl's dad doesn't do anything foolish.

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  26. Turm + Thauma

    too am glad the stalker was identified - terrifying experience.

    I suspect 'citizen justice' may become part of the BS - would save so much in court and prison costs !

    I am surprised the guy is allowed to go back and live next door again - though of course he is not yet convicted. A very difficult one . I hope there is no vigilante action.

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  27. I'll let you all know what happens after the trial...


    Re the WoW thing, it could be a nice little earner, but I wonder about the legality, 15mil subscribers pay £10 a month, it's not small potatoes...

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  28. Deano

    I will see what I can dig up. It doesn't ring a bell, but that is not really my area either, so it's probably stored away in that dark filing cabinet in the dungeon behind the door marked Beware of the Leopard of which Douglas Adams so eloquently spoke.

    Turm - yeah, forgot to say. Good news that they have charged someone. Bad news that he lives next door (and is a bloody primary school teacher, ffs!) He will have bail conditions not to go near her or her family and not to use a computer, though, I would imagine.

    Shocking case, though.

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  29. Parking Eddie's fantastic comment here as it's bound to be modded any second now:

    Ah Bitey.

    Bitey, Bitey, bite my shitey, good God Almighty.

    Back to your rabid best, misrepresenting, twisting, decontextualizing and plain ol' lying about what your fellow commenters have said. I had to admit, you had us going for a while, what with your passable facsimile of a reasonable human being for 5 minutes and all.

    But welcome back. When Montana sobers up and careers across the room to make it to the computer, you can welcome her with your usual 'drunken lush of a woeful mother' greeting.

    Will you be doing your customary "Madam's luscious prose is as succulent and exquisite as ever" routine to the feminist ATL contributors? They do so love it when you hump their legs.


    Montana, I do hope you hide the whiskey bottles before young Joe gets home from school. ;-)

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  30. "do so love it when you hump their legs."

    Hell yes !

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  31. @thauma, BW

    And voila! It's already gone.

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  32. @thaum

    Yes, bitey's original and Rapid's excellent answer have both been deleted. My answer (which didn't actually quote bitey's original post) is still up for the moment.

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  33. Fastest delete in the West....

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  34. Yep, I've been deleted too.

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  35. Morning all,

    What are the odds, d'ya reckon, that Wadya'll be locked down for the weekend?

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  36. @James

    Morning? Where are you?

    Does anyone know how the visitors/country works? Am I marked up in France until I close the page, so when I leave the computer on all night with the page open, I'm logged in as a visitor?

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  37. Afternoon all

    Spike

    Who's been a bad lad then?

    Montana

    For some reason the link in your first post isn't connecting.I keep being timed out.Will try again later.

    Quiz Time !!!!

    Who was born circa 1930 and therefore knows more about the German occupation of Belgium in WW2 better than anyone else on CIF.

    Clue 1

    This person has driven many a male poster on waddya into a frenzy with her description of herself wearing a cropped vest which leaves her octogenarian midriff fully exposed,a black pencil skirt and white stilettos.

    Clue 2

    This person is currently having a passionate online affair with a male poster who is a direct descendant of Friar Tuck and whose favourite song is 'Who ate all the pies'.

    Answers on postcards please and the winner will get a Blue Peter Badge.

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  38. Spike,


    In Brazil, but currently sans computer, and using mobile device, so I don't think I get the honour of 'avin a flag!!

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  39. @Paul

    Who's been a bad lad then?

    Me? Why?

    @James

    Oh, right. How's spring in Brazil?

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  40. Ahhh ok, got it now.

    Flag/visitor thing unrelated to 'morning' thing!!

    GMT - 4 at the minute!!

    No idea about the visitor thing!!

    Off to get more coffee.....

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  41. @James

    And there was me with visions of you in a spangly bikini samba-ing away on a float.

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  42. I only get to do that in February!!

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  43. Which, to be honest, is like the worst time, 'cause I'm still carrying the Christmas weight!!

    Anyways, off out for a bit.

    Have a good afternoon....

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  44. @Spike

    Sorry it was an idle jest.I thought you'd been deleted a few times on cif this morning but now i see it was only once.

    @James

    Doesn't logging in via a mobile cost you a fortune?

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  45. @Paul

    Oh, right! No, we were just deleted because they were answers to Bitey's deleted bit of poison.

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  46. Afternoon all

    James - I'll swop more photos of cheese with one of you in a spangly bikini. Happy to wait 'till Feb.

    Had a look at waddya yesterday for the first time in an age...hectares of unrelieved tedium with the occasional decent post. Rather like an Argos catalogue.

    Paul

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  47. Argh gawd!....just read that Lloyd Marcus piece. I see he going to be a regular feature - should be interesting.....

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  48. Have just heard THIS TUNE for the first time in ages.I think it actually made it to No1 in the charts which is why it stands out.Normally the stuff that makes it to No1 is crap.

    @Hi Bitterweed!

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  49. Watch out Cif multiple usernames! That paragon of virtue and censor extraordinaire, englishhermit, is really on the warpath!

    One solution is to maintain vigilance and report to the mods ASAP. If you are not sure, just right click to see if there's a profile up and running. He didn't bother just now, so I got him and he's gone.

    KERPOW! I wonder if he's ever reported bitey. Somehow I doubt it - it seems to mostly Muslims and Catholics that he hates. (Plus everybody who isn't English, of course.)

    Have a good weekend everybody, but if anyone is planning to spoil the nice people's fun on waddya, take care - and remember to stay vigilant.

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  50. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBsC0p9mHPs

    interesting

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  51. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxgY9eEFiYM

    superb

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  52. @Paul

    Gosh. I'd only ever heard of Gordon Haskell as King Crimson's bass player and singer, circa 1970.

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  53. One solution is to maintain vigilance and report to the mods ASAP. If you are not sure, just right click to see if there's a profile up and running. He didn't bother just now, so I got him and he's gone.

    Although this might be straying into the realms of fantasy, is it not the case that almost everyone actually fails to bother to write details in their profile fields?

    So, in order to be extra vigilant and ensure that no "interlopers" squeeze through the net, it will actually be necessary to report everyone who has not completed their profile details.

    Mind you, if you look at a couple of the WADDYA stalwarts' profiles, you will be led to wonder whether they are posting from secure units.

    Other suggestions include putting all new posters into pre-mod in order to check that they meet the high and exacting standards of the WADDYA crowd. The mods would presumably just send the posts to the good guys for a once-over and they would give the nod to let them into the big playground.

    Other than that, the idea is to use filtering software to ensure that people can only post from approved IP addresses.

    Wouldn't it be easier if they just drew up a list of the WADDYA chums - that's about six or eight people - and said to JessaBella that they wanted the thread to be kept exclusively for their use and ask for everyone else to be blocked?

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  54. Unbelievable story on the news tonight - a dinner lady at a primary school in NI who gave a biscuit to a child was told her action could appear to be 'grooming' the child.

    Grooming warning 'took the biscuit"

    Her husband said she had endured a nightmare since the saga began in 2008, as rumour and gossip had spread while the issue was dealt with. He said: "It has been a horrendous two-plus years for my wife because there was a shadow hanging over her that she had done something wrong."

    What have we come to, when a school dinner lady can't be kind to a child? This country disgusts me. Why the hell do we put up with this shit?

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  55. That story just makes my blood boil, Sheff. Do you remember the dinner lady who was sacked a year or so ago because she knew the parents of a little girl who had been tied to a tree and hit by other children and told them what had happened - whereas the school simply reported and "incident"?

    What the hell is going on?

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  56. If it was Mcvities Ginger nut, she should be taken out and shot - not only did those biscuits taste vile, they used to take teeth out.

    Just kidding, so many people I want to slap right now - just a few examples from a long list:

    that school board for being so fucking stupid.

    the firemen in Tennessee (no they weren't "just doing their job" they failed to help someone whose house was burning down. Wankers.)

    the prick who decided to honour Donald Trump with a degree.

    Donald Trump.

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  57. Habib

    That is a really short list, I reckon mine would be in the thousands.

    First on the list would be myself for applying for an OU course that included an exam (I do deserve a massive slap for that).

    Honestly I could spend my life slapping people who deserve it and never get tired.

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  58. Habib

    so many people I want to slap right now

    I wouldn't recommend the Lloyd Marcus thread then....the tea party and their apologists are out in force

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  59. Back!

    Paul

    It's WiFi, so it's free.
    Even more so when you consider that it's someone elses who kindly forgot to put a password on their network. ;0P

    Sheff

    I've got some quite nice photos of carnival, which I'd happily put up in the gallery!

    I should probably point out that they're not exactly 'feminism friendly' though, and moreover, that this wasn't anything to do with my choice of shots, either!!

    (The ones of me in the bikini are, however, a crime against all of humanity, so it might be best if I leave them out.....)

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  60. "First on the list would be myself for applying for an OU course that included an exam"

    I hate exams, too, but come on Jen, you can do it! I relied on luck, I doubt you need it, but I'll send all the luck I can muster through the ether, to you.

    Sheff, I really try not to look at the comments on CiF, just as you stay away from Waddya. I think if I did you would hear me explode from across the Pennines.

    James, for some bizarre reason when one's comments get removed from CiF the last recommend quota gets kept. Your poem received 16 of them in just a short time. Nice one!

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  61. Hello everyone: business as usual on Wall Street
    http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/make-wall-street-risk-it-all/?ref=opinion

    I took my bank (Lloyds TSB) to court and after much prevaricating they caved in and coughed up over £2000 to refund disputed and unfair fines and charges.

    Still got an ongoing case being dealt with by the Financial Ombudsman over the PPI scam but it looks like they've bottled that one too.

    Bunch of fucking robbing bastards, the lot of them. At least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask!

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  62. Habib,

    Yeah, I noticed that too!!
    I had a quick look in the wee hours the other night just after it'd been disappeared.
    (For a while, I thought maybe that the nightshift perhaps had a sense of humour, but it's probably just that it consists of one poor, unpaid intern, who didn't have the right contacts to land one of the daytime gigs....)

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  63. I have (inbtween revising, which is going incredibly badly) looked at jobs in my area that I might get.

    There is not a job in this area that I might get.

    Honestly it has destroyed any self confidence I have gained through study.

    It honestly wouldn't matter what jobs I apply for, I will not be taken on.

    It is amazing how bad you feel about yourself when you realize that you are under qualified to empty bins.

    Nap has his problems but he is absolutely right about the fact that you can't work anywhere without an NVQ.

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  64. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  65. Jen,

    When I graduated, at first the best job I got offered was the one I'd had before I went to uni. Which sort of pissed me off a bit, what with being 20k in debt and all that!!
    On the plus side though, I think an OU degree can open more (or at least different) doors than a regular one, and know a few 'manager types' that have said similar.
    (Sorry PeterB, but that's da troof!!!)

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  66. Nice tune, Bitters!!

    (But Rick Wakeman's let himself go a bit, hasn't he...??)

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  67. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbwjFEMuyvk

    Have a listen, BW, old standard i think but i hadnt heard it before.

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  68. Montana

    Finally was able to connect to your link.And what i saw defies belief.'The American Dream' where your house will burn down if you haven't paid your subscriptions and god help you if you become seriously ill and haven't got health insurance.And they say where America goes Britain often follows.Doesn't bear thinking about!

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  69. Great Jay... enjoying it right now

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  70. Yeh.
    That's a good fucking clip right there.

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  71. Jen, sorry to be trite, but any knowledge one can pick up can only be a good thing. Much more important than working for idiots.

    Now I'm going to try to catch up on the music.

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  72. Paul is ON it.

    Later on, it's going to be cryin' time again folks....

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  73. Evening Paul.

    (You're on fire so far...)

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  74. Chekhov.

    Hello. 1001 congratulations for getting the better of Lloyds TsB.

    20 years ago I read about someone who changed his name to Lloydsbankarebastards. He had an account with them and they printed a cheque book for him in his new name. Every time he wrote a cheque he got the pleasure of signing it.

    Have you got any good tips for someone else (me) who'd love to sue them?

    I had a few hundred taken from me unreasonably (eg borrowing 78p for 2 days cost £30+) in current acc. charges but thought that after the recent ruling that they had been found to be in the right (legally) on that one.?

    Also I had PPI then became unemployed but they refused to pay out unless I declared that I'd never work again! Sounds daft but I was busy and distracted at the time and the amount was only a couple of hundred, so I didn't contest it at the time.

    Their current account charges pushed me over their limit so I do my banking elsewhere and have ignored their letters/calls for 2 years, but one day the bailiffs will call.

    Any advice gratefully received.

    PS Lloyds Bank Really Are Bastards.

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  75. evening all.

    brrrrrr - been disconnected. not technologically or anything, just - you know. off somewhere else. weird.

    haven't written anything for ages. haven't read the news for ages. started a painting - that's sitting in the spare room, just the background, waiting for detail. am hopeless. [sigh]

    anyone know where to buy motivation? that may be my best hope...

    peh. downer. anyway. hope you are all well, see a fine array of new avatars up on here and on CIF. am off to odysseum tomorrow (shopping - eep) so will take some photos of the Georges Freche panoply of political statues and put up on the gallery if there's any good ones (peevish looking pigeon perched on Lenin, that kind of thing).

    off-the-point - james, are you in IT, by any chance? am presuming you speak portuguese...

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  76. Hey Philippa,

    good to see you again. Hang on in there, hopefully things will look up very soon, I'm absolutely sure they will.

    Incidentally, after tonight I'm selling my identity as a Scotland football fan. I'll pay anyone to take it.

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  77. Hi Philippa

    Have missed you in these here parts.Hope things soon pick up for you.

    Hi Habib

    James

    Om fire maybe but i tend to explode around midnight :-)


    @Bessie Smith

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  78. Pipster,

    Great to see you again.
    Was wondering what i'd done this time...

    ;0P

    And... IT?? You're 'avin a laff aintcha!?

    I'm bobbins at anything to do with computers. Putting HTML code makes me feel queasy!!
    And I speak something that sort of resembles Portuguese. Sometimes.
    (Although, recently I seem to be forgetting the stuff I've already learned faster than I can learn new stuff!!)

    ReplyDelete
  79. And as it's John Lennon's 70th Birthday. I've always hated his solo stuff especially "Imagine" and "Woman" so here he is telling McCartney to fuck off in 1971 with How do you sleep?

    Harrison plays guitar on this which shows the attitudes of both to old Sir Thumbsaloft at the time.

    Lennon was always better acerbic.

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  80. Apologies for the sound quality on that Bessie Smith track.

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  81. Paul,

    that Bessie Smith track is brilliant. Standing at the bar belting out some deep Mississippi gutbucket blues with a pint in her hand.

    What a woman. Cheers for that.

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  82. Happy Friday night, everybody!

    Am I to assume that Bitey's telling people about my drinking problem again? Amazing how he knows so much about me -- more than I know myself, I guess. Here sat I, not a drop of alcohol in the house, thinking I was a non-drinker. Hmpf.

    Welcome, neil.

    Wish I could help you on the Lloyd's Bank thing. All banks are bastards. All bankers are bastards.

    And Phil:

    Nice to see you again. I think it only fair to warn you that according to our new friend, gaylurker, we are all homophobic scumbags. (Or words to that effect)

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  83. Just got back on here..had to restart and some shit with cookies...been on a kinda undercover seek-and-destroy mission elsewhere, in the meantime

    "Can CIF please consider doing the same? It seems the only way to stop one or two individuals from using multiple user names and insulting people right and left in what appears to be a bizarre and envy-driven effort to wreck this site for everybody else."


    "It is a bit over the top, but unless you keep an eye throughout the day on this thread, you can have no idea the deluge of trolling and insults a couple of griefers are raining on here. No wonder people blow a fuse from time to time."

    Waddaya in bunker mode...circling the wagons..rounding up the performing baboons..the dark side hit em hard over the past few days with high explosive incendiary devices, designed to release, on impact, a light-hearted effusion of "actually mate you're a bit boring, a bit thick and none to entertaining". Obviously this brand of vile, 'something-ist' (not quite sure yet..we're consulting Joseph Harker) hate-speech and bile needs to be exterminated.

    BW

    How's things? Cheers for the other night btw..been accused of being you a couple of times.

    BTW

    Any victimised maligned spamfolk who want to nip over and carry on any discussions..maybe

    "Has CIF crumbled before its demographic's craving for affected principles, stylised,designer concern and a lifestyle section for the baby-booming young-at-heart and nose-at-trough?"

    feel free..only remember..no mods..your arse kicking will still be on view..forever!!!!!

    "free speech...you don't want free speech..you couldn't take free speech"

    Ah speet on yo leetel kleek.

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  84. That Bessie Smith track reminds me of this which was on the Scorcese biopic of Bob Dylan that I watched recently.

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  85. Midnight strikes. Dance me to the end of love.

    With deep respect to the writing of Anthony Powell.

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  86. james - oops. engineering? photography?
    (these things connect logically in my mind, don't be surprised)

    yr grace - commiz. watched rep I v russia (loving that bet365 streaming....) - russia look weirdly mixed, some beautiful attacking play one minute then woefully shaky defending the next. then portugal clanking denmark. denmark's sub goalie being mainly responsible for things staying in single figures.

    hellopaul! love bessie smith.

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  87. MF
    I SAW those inferences. As IF we're as thick as eachother. Shocking.

    ReplyDelete
  88. Sgt monkeyfish,

    (sound of helicopters whoop, whoop whooping in the background as the Doors ' The End' plays)

    what was it like in there Soldier? God-dammit was there spam proxies everywhere? Where the hell is your corporal GIYUS? Did he make it out or was he overcome by tedium?

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  89. Neil,

    with banks and charges, your only real chance is to find something they did wrong (allowing a DD early, or one that had been cancelled, not clearing a cheque in time, etc, etc).

    Beyond that, it's sometimes possible to find someone sympathetic who works there (difficult, but not impossible), who will agree to come to a compromise, and/or pick a point in the escalation of charges to stop, and write off everything that follows.

    (If that makes sense!?)

    Evening Montana and The Duke!!

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  90. hey montana! 'gaylurker'? really? has someone stumbled over from fitlads again?
    (kidding)

    have tarted up me dashboard for the footy, btw - here (although table still not showing GD sort properly, apparently that's 'putain difficile a regler'). will be updating that weekly from now on. do ask if you have any pressing stats-based queries you would like modelled, i need the practice...

    ReplyDelete
  91. Evening UT, nice to see you Philippa.

    Made the mistake of dropping into Waddya. Been too long a week for that. All our 11+ appeals succeeded though, so it's not all bad news.

    ReplyDelete
  92. Pip,

    What, you working for Brazilian immigration now??

    ;0P

    (It's a long story, and the answer changes depending on when you ask, and how official you look, but, on a good day, the answer is 'something Economics/International Relationsish')!!

    ReplyDelete
  93. Evening James,

    long time no speak, hope you're well. What bullshit are the Presidential candidates promising the good people of Brazil if they are elected? Has it been an interesting campaign?

    Philippa. I had an eye on the Dutch game on TV whilst watching the relentless Scottish drivel on t'internet.

    I've just sent the SFA a bill for the waste of bandwidth.

    ReplyDelete
  94. don't worry pet - for some reason thought it was IT (or engineering or photography) but maybe that was IR. or maybe i was, as often, utterly confused.

    hello shaz!

    ReplyDelete
  95. Actually, that makes me sound smarter than I am.

    Prob best to change it to Finance/International Relationsish!!

    ReplyDelete
  96. @Neil: I'd be more than happy to advise you on how to take the bankers on at their own game.
    It's not that difficult actually; it's just a case of calling their bluff and they know it!
    I think Montana has my approval for divulging my e-mail address if you want some more information.

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  97. Duke,

    It's sort of been a bit of an anti-climax so far, to be honest.

    Both Dilma and Serra have basically said, 'Wot Lula did' to everything, which while, on balance, being a good thing for Brazil, has made the election a bit boring.

    (Romario did get elected though, which gave all the political pundits a chance to scream RoooooooooooMARIO like it was 1994 all over again!!)

    ReplyDelete
  98. hasn't another former footballer got in as well?
    twas on the ramble.

    ReplyDelete
  99. Hi Philippa - good to see you back again.

    The Waddya nightclub continues to evolve, now that we have englishbouncer patrolling the velvet rope and protecting the VIP area where the disco divas park their stilettos and sailor-hats.

    Best not try to get in with those trainers or T-shirts...

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  100. Pip,

    Indeed, he did. Although the highlight was some TV clown, who's campaign consisted of dancing around a bit, and who's slogan was 'I don't know what a congressman does, but vote for me and I'll try to find out'!!

    (Thinking about it now, perhaps it wasn't that boring afterall...)

    ReplyDelete
  101. "with banks and charges, your only real chance is to find something they did wrong (allowing a DD early, or one that had been cancelled, not clearing a cheque in time, etc, etc)."

    James, it's not even as complicated as that!
    Just threaten them with court action. They are all wetting their knickers now that the scam has been exposed.

    Anyone can do it: Martin Lewis moneysaving expert is as good a place to start as any.

    The templates are all set up, all you have to do is down load them.

    It's not rocket science!

    And it takes some time and patience but it's well worth both when know you've finally turned them over.

    ReplyDelete
  102. yes! heard about the clown too - "it couldn't possibly get any worse" being another of his slogans.

    made me think a bit of Coluche, who, per wiki

    attempted to run in the French presidential elections in 1981, but ended up dropping out of the race because of political and media lobbying following polls that showed a significant part of the electorate might vote for him

    Take that, John Sargeant.

    Was watching one of those 'ooh, the 80s' type clip-shows the other week - all french cultural keystones i'd never ever heard of (their tatty pop, crappy tv etc etc). but there was one really interesting bit - they showed vox pops that were done when Coluche died in 1986 - people were genuinely distraught when they were told, and all of them, all of them referred mainly to something other than his comedy - the charity work (still going, feeds more poor people than the french state), the political activity, etc. they kept calling him "a good man".

    can't see that happening when ricky gervais drops off his twig. coluche was a 'grand homme' in every sense of the word...
    imagine

    ReplyDelete
  103. Chekhov,

    It sounds like you're probably in a better position to offer advice than I am, so I'll cede to your knowledge and experience!!

    (You do have to be careful though sometimes, because 'morally right', and 'legally right' are, unfortunately, often two very different things!!)

    ReplyDelete
  104. James,

    I assumed that every presidential candidate's manifesto would include winning the world cup.

    ReplyDelete
  105. Thanks to Montana, James D and Chekhov for your welcome and replies.

    Will definitely take you up on your kind offer Chekhov, but it's late and the wine is kicking in so I'll dip out until tomorrow.
    Will be in touch.
    Goodnight all.

    ReplyDelete
  106. (You do have to be careful though sometimes, because 'morally right', and 'legally right' are, unfortunately, often two very different things!!)
    Point taken James!

    ReplyDelete
  107. Pip,

    Haha, yeah, not sure Ricky'd be remembered for his humanitarian work.

    (Incidentally, saw a prog on Paul Newman the other day, and Robert Redford said something like: 'This man literally devoted his whole retirement to good causes, and all he's remembered for is fucking salad dressing...)

    I'm still trying to figure out if the Brazilian clown was being Ironic or not, although the general consensus seems to be that it was a 'serious campaign'....

    ReplyDelete
  108. don't knock the salad dressing, that's resulted in millions and millions of dollars going to good causes.

    tasted alright too. bit thin, maybe. prefer a more robust dressing meself.

    ReplyDelete
  109. Duke,

    Haha. The new coach has already hijacked that one!!
    (he's a knob, if you're interested)!!

    Neil,

    You're welcome. And goodnight!

    Chekhov,

    It's definitely worth fighting the bastards if you've got anything resembling a case though, so fairbplay to you!!

    ReplyDelete
  110. Pip,

    I know. He was a proper dude (and my first man-crush, if you're interested), but it's true how little people knew of the charity stuff.

    (Whereas someone like Coleen fucking Rooney buys a poppy or something, and she's humanitarian of the year)!!

    ReplyDelete
  111. James Dixon,
    (ta for your earlier reply).
    "(You do have to be careful though sometimes, because 'morally right', and 'legally right' are, unfortunately, often two very different things!!)"

    Too right. I heard a report on the BBC today about insurance companies using a get out clause based on a decision from 1650 which concerned the treatment of French prisoners in Madagascar.
    It allows them to refuse health insurance payments to people who've paid their money for years, on the grounds of non disclosure.
    One man was who got lukemia was refused his the payments he was morally entitled to because he hadn't told them about an earlier ear infection, so he wasn't legally entitled.
    There were other examples equally bizarre, the non disclosure doesn't have to be deliberate, or fraudulent. ie if you had a broken toenail that you didn't tell your health insurer about, that's your claim invalid.
    Even the guy from the law firm said it was daft, but hey, that's the law, so what could he do?

    ReplyDelete
  112. Neil,

    yeah, the law's not all it's cracked up to be, in a lot of areas.

    Alot of it was written specifically for 'the big guys', and that which wasn't is usually most easily exploited by them and their teams of lawyers!!

    ReplyDelete
  113. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  114. I did intend to be a lawyer for the 'little guy' at one point, but after falling asleep in my first A-Level class, decided it probably wasn't the best move.

    Either for me or the little guy!!

    ReplyDelete
  115. Sweet baby jeebus -- just been reading Waddaya. There is a tiny handful of folk over there who well and truly do seem to have decided that that thread is their personal chat room and anyone who comes on and disses them should be kicked off.

    I've continued reading it every day or so because there are some people there that I like and I'm not banter-averse, myself, but honestly -- some of them are just a bit too precious.

    As for shallow political candidates:

    I was thinking just this morning that I wish I were prettier and a better actress -- I'd pretend to be a Teabagger and run for Congress. Be a good way of making some quick cash.

    ReplyDelete
  116. @neil:

    The health insurance non-disclosure thing you describe has been standard procedure here for years. It's referred to as a "pre-existing condition" here. If you had anything -- asthma, Parkinson's, even allergies sometimes, insurance companies had the right to refuse to insure you at all. It's one of the things that just changed last week as part of the health care "reform" that was passed earlier this year. It is no longer legal for them to refuse to insure you.

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  117. Wadya has been disappearing up it's own arse hole for some time and will inevitably self destruct quite soon for the simple reason that it is a con!

    ReplyDelete
  118. Paul/Montana,

    I cannae get on waddya with this thing, and to be honest, it's been quite a relief, and good for my BP, I imagine.

    Montana,

    This O'Connell (sp) woman really is a joke, isn't she!?
    The thing is, our clown here is essentially harmless, yours worries me.
    She's the 'gateway muppett'.....

    ReplyDelete
  119. Also, I find it quite ironic that the same people screaming for smaller government and lower taxes are, by and large, exactly the same people who supported their government in Iraq, at a cost of several trillion tax dollars, and who want to see them do the same in Iran and North Korea!!

    Still, they're obviously entitled to their opinion....

    ReplyDelete
  120. Paul/Leni(if you pop in)

    I've just been 'tweeted' something by The Indy saying disabled people stand to lose £9 billion from ConDem cuts, if you fancy checking it out!

    (Can't read it or link to it, I'm afraid)

    Anyways, am off now.

    Night all!!

    ReplyDelete
  121. @James, Paul, Leni

    The Independent piece is here, based on a report from Demos that you can get to from here.

    ReplyDelete
  122. James,

    Sadly, no. She is not a joke -- not deliberately, anyway. I remember her from the 90s, when she was frequently on a programme called Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. In fact, when I first heard that Christine O'Donnell was running for Senate, I thought that it must be some other Christine O'Donnell.

    She really is as stupid and fundie Xian as she comes across.

    Yes, it's scary. Scarier for me, because I live here. I might have to live in a country where people like her (and there are some others -- I'll get to them in a moment) have actual power to affect policy. I already live amongst people who think like her and think that her views are reasonable.

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  123. PeterJ

    Thanks for that!!


    Montana

    Yup, you have my sympathies. You really do live in a bizarre country. Most of my US based friends walk a line between hysterical disbelief and sheer terror!!

    (If I ever get a house here (my lottery numbers are....), I'd be more than happy to set up a UT commune, which, of course, you'd be more than welcome to join).

    Right, definitely off now.

    Goodnight all!!

    ReplyDelete
  124. Montana

    I think KT's under a lot of pressure at the moment so don't be offended by his post.It's not like him .And Fencewalker is clearly unaware that you have defended Hermione here on a number of occasions.People on waddya clearly don't see the wider picture.

    Welcome Neil

    Nite all.

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  125. One too many clearlys there!

    PeterJ

    Thanks for the links.

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  126. Dance me to the end of love...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_PIadFsvDk

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  127. Paul
    "People on waddya clearly don't see the wider picture."
    No shit Sherlock, lols.

    Imbeciles trapped in a vacuum.
    Here's a country remedy

    ReplyDelete
  128. No late Groovers then?

    Shame

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO91BtMIciU

    ReplyDelete
  129. From the Mandelson thread:

    "HalfLife
    8 October 2010 8:19PM

    Mandelson, you scum, your Digital Economy Bill is a complete piss-take."


    Interestingly the above relatively innocuous comment attracted 2076 recommends - and that within about 8hrs of the article appearing at 8pm on a Friday night. Fucked if I know why.

    I have never seen so many recommends on a trite comment about a crap piece and am curious about what it was that excited so many.

    I was amazed that so many would even read the uber creep Mandelson lateish on a Friday night...

    btw the article, like its author was shite.

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  130. deano30
    There's a robot piece of software that can loop "recommends"

    As per the one Kizbot got a year or so back. Topped 11,000; she didn't know where to look.

    Jejune.

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  131. Cheers BW - I thought there must be some sort of "assist" .

    Your band staying over at the forthcoming Leamington gig and where actually yous playing?

    ReplyDelete
  132. Back laters Deano
    email me @
    harbjorn@googlemail.com

    ReplyDelete