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Post by theglenbucklaird on Jun 2, 2021 8:05:06 GMT
London's actually kind of a dump. Old photographs show an interesting and diverse city but most of its idiosyncrasies have been swept away by bland low-budget modernity. I have been twice lol. I guess I loved my parents and I staying somewhere in Mayfair Yep, definitely saw the side of London Matthew was mentioning
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 30, 2021 9:03:14 GMT
My opinion of the NHS has just plummeted. A couple of days ago they offered me the chance to rebook my second appointment to make it earlier because I'm in a high risk group. I chose not to because my second appointment is only a week and a half away and I thought I'd do the right thing by not muddling things up for an already stretched service. So they rewarded me for my patience and consideration by cancelling that appointment anyway and now I have to book all over again. Say why? Could you book earlier?
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 30, 2021 8:58:36 GMT
Ooh, people over the age of 10 wearing football shirts Corrected it for you
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 28, 2021 12:59:15 GMT
I don't know if the scammers who keep on making nuisance phone calls about Amazon Prime record the replies to their robotic calls but if they do then they've now got me on tape saying "Oh f*** off" before slamming the phone down! When you have a relative in hospital & are constantly on the alert for any phone calls with news then scam phone calls are even more annoying than usual. He he, I speak them also. I say it was me who ordered the goods and as they are of the exotic, sensitive kind they had promised they would be privately sensitive around the order and delivery
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 25, 2021 17:07:42 GMT
Eight local lockdowns introduced in various areas, which might come as a surprise if you live there given the Government conveniently forgot to tell a lot of them,. It's not the Government's fault of course, they published it on a Friday night without any fanfare or announcement so it's your own fault if you didn't check! Also since I have no idea how you police a local lockdown I'm not sure how effective it will be: www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/local-lockdowns-quietly-introduced-eight-20670261Sorry about the local lockdowns. Must be very difficult. How on earth is one supposed to find out about them? On here, obviously
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 25, 2021 10:10:45 GMT
I got my wallet nicked in a tube station in Barcelona. Classic distraction technique. As we approached the top of the escalator there was a kerfuffle, I think someone (part of the gang) kneeled to tie their lace just as they got off causing everyone behind him to “back up” as they stepped off the escalator. While everyone was trying not to fall over the person in front, someone behind me dipped into my pocket and probably several other people’s too. Fortunately when I’m away from home I always have a policy of taking out my “holiday wallet” containing one card and a small amount of currency so the loss was minimal. Some good advice there
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 24, 2021 14:18:06 GMT
People who say 'like' fifteen times in a sentence. Like, can't you, like, string a normal sentence together, like? I thought this one until I heard the Italian Eurovision winners interviewed and she used like multiple times a sentence. What a way to learn another language?
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 24, 2021 12:35:16 GMT
Avoid using your phone/having it in your hand when you are waiting to cross/crossing. I was nearly ran over when mine was taken. I threw up my hands to stop him hitting me on his bike and he grabbed it. If you need it for directions while walking, move to part of the pavement furthest from the road. If you need to stop and use it, tuck in furthest from the road edge, consider turning your back to the road. Criminals steal phones as a way of levelling up in their gang. They aren’t looking for a specific type, you are no safer with a feature phone than the latest iPhone. It’s a numbers game to prove fealty to the gang (according to the police who helped me.) It’s absolutely everywhere in London. Oh that sounds horrible, but thanks for the useful tips. Compared to a lot of capitals, I think London is relatively safe, but it's still a very good idea to be aware of what can happen and take sensible precautions. I was in Roma by the Termini station after all the warnings for the area on red alert and saw a dipper try to take the purse from the girl walking five yards in front of me. Not sure the girl or the dipper understood English but I grabbed his arm, made him give back his stolen booty and told him to apologise. Just really annoyed me in broad daylight right in front of me. I didn't get the apology, language barriers and all that, but he didn't get the very grateful young girls wallet.
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 24, 2021 12:26:22 GMT
Not sure we should mess around with Steps. Ed Sheeran, Adele, Coldplay or nothing The problem is we're locked into a vicious circle. We keep submitting mediocre songs sung by weak, inexperienced singers who have little stage presence and give them poor staging or tacky gimmicks. Therefore we routinely end up last or nearly last. As a result, no self-respecting artist or song writer wants to submit themselves to the likelihood of doing poorly and being humiliated on an international stage.* So we end up submitting a mediocre song sung by a weak singer... Repeat ad nauseam. * This is also why you wouldn't get Adele or Ed Sheeran touching it with a bargepole. To be honest you'd probably struggle even to get Right Said Fred even if people wanted them to do it!Also, in terms of going back to the rule that countries should have to sing in their native language. Well, English is the universal language of pop music. Why should other countries be penalised by not being allowed to sing in English? It certainly helped the UK in the period when that rule did exist, but it's hardly fair on everyone else. Didn't Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran both say they wanted it? Let's bang their door down. Or failing that get Brotherhood of Man or Abba
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 24, 2021 8:00:14 GMT
We tried sending an established band with Blue. Blue aren't really camp enough for Eurovision though. Steps would be more fitting. Was the voting political? I'm not a Eurovision fan but... maybe. Other countries don't like the UK, but at the same time everyone wants to live here. Bit of old-fashioned begrudgery maybe. Not sure we should mess around with Steps. Ed Sheeran, Adele, Coldplay or nothing
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 23, 2021 18:11:07 GMT
We want it too much too. We need to chill out, not give a **** and stop TRYING so hard to find the magic formula. Some countries have never won or have rarely won. We don’t have a divine right to it just because we have a huge Eurovision fan base and have won a few in the past. This
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 23, 2021 15:59:38 GMT
Is that all we pay, around 300k? I always assumed it was far more. The latest figures published are from 2012 so it will have gone up a bit since then, but it's not a huge amount by TV standards. The bulk of the cost of the show is paid for by the host broadcaster, the host city and commercial revenues - for guidance, I had tickets for Rotterdam, which was a 'fan package' ticket giving access to six shows, the jury semi-finals and final, plus the televised semi-finals and final. This was a cheaper ticket because it was the fan package. It cost €800. Obviously the BBC spends more overall on the coverage by sending the delegation to the event, paying accommodation, travel, Graham's fee etc. It will be interesting if they decide they can do more of it from the UK next year as they did this year, for example with the semi-final commentary and Radio 2 commentary being done from London. But for the viewership and the publicity, it's a good deal for them. I was told the £300k covered Olympics and World Cup/European football championships. Great value I would say
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 23, 2021 7:15:40 GMT
Can the UK stop paying for this now? I’m not saying “we didn’t win, so we’re not going to play anymore”, but why carry on being one of the Big Five and coughing up to come last all the time? Let’s just play on a level playing field with (almost) everyone else. If we don’t make it through the semi-final, so be it. I know the theory is that the BBC want us in the final or people won’t watch, but is that true? No one expects the UK to do any good yet we still watch. Let’s just stop footing the bill to get an unfair advantage that doesn’t even pay off. Time for Britain, Germany, Netherlands and Spain to breakaway and form a European Super Singing Contest. Embarrassing having to play the likes Azerbaijan and Lithuania every year
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 22, 2021 16:50:26 GMT
I’m in a queue for my first vaccination!! Nervous!!!!!! For the side effects not the actual jab I must add. Drink lots of water
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 20, 2021 18:13:00 GMT
I'm liking the German and littuanian songs / entry. I can't wait for tonight's semi!
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 20, 2021 16:40:24 GMT
1st time back back in London for a WE theatre binge since October. Despite the horrendous weather, it’s great to be back in the hustle and bustle of the city. There is something relaxing about having a coffee on the Southbank and just watching the world go by. It’s these simple pleasures for me that I’ve missed these last few months and it’s great to have them back. How busy is London? I agree about having a coffee on the Southbank. A glorious pleasure
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 20, 2021 11:36:51 GMT
This really annoys me: "Can I get a black coffee" instead of "Can I have...." I'm worse than that I say 'can I try...' Hate myself as soon as I say it. And then the person I am speaking to immediately thinks I want 'to try before I buy/have a taster' confusion and I have to explain what I really meant to say was 'can I have....'
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 20, 2021 7:50:24 GMT
Got 11. Didn't know one answer, all guessed. I'm off to buy a lottery ticket
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 19, 2021 8:03:50 GMT
When people say obviously when it isn't obvious. My work colleague does this one. I always say that isn't obvious, that's why I was asking a question
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 19, 2021 7:58:43 GMT
Well to be fair we aren't all vaccinated yet, so we aren't as safe as we are ever going to be yet. We will be at the end of July. New variants are a cause for concern when there are still large groups of people still not vaccinated and able to get sick and pass it on at higher rates than vaccinated people. You do not need everyone to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity.
Even SAGE said we reached it two weeks ago.
Why 'even SAGE'?
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 19, 2021 7:53:15 GMT
You do not need everyone to be vaccinated to reach herd immunity.
Even SAGE said we reached it two weeks ago.
Was that before or after accounting for the increased transmissibility of the India variant? Do different variants make any difference to the herd immunity calculation? (As long as vaccine is effective against new strain)
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 18, 2021 13:17:57 GMT
Until I had the dark chocolate raspberry ones I agreed with you Ooh OK. Haven't had those. OK they can have one more chance! To be fair, not jaffa cakes and had them on holiday. Otherwise I'm with you
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 18, 2021 12:03:46 GMT
They need to stop messing around with Jaffa Cakes. None of this lime or blackcurrant nonsense. Orange middles ONLY. Until I had the dark chocolate raspberry ones I agreed with you
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 13, 2021 14:53:08 GMT
The public won't take another lockdown because we listened to a useless, self serving government? Can't work out if that's a statement or a question. Regardless, the government seem to be taking action too late. Again. And I really don't think that lockdowns will serve any purpose if cases are rising but hospitalisations are stable. Isn't that what lockdowns were for? To protect the NHS? I think once most people have been vaccinated, unless there is significant evidence this variant is escaping the vaccine and causing severe illness/death, we should be released! I can't keep living like this. Yep question and statement. And agreeing with everything you posted again. And pointing out that we are stupid
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 13, 2021 13:10:39 GMT
I don't think the UK public will stand for more lockdowns and restrictions unless hospitals are overwhelmed. Not when the government knew about the indian variant and continued to allow hundreds of flights from there to land in the UK. I mean, stevie wonder would have seen this coming The public won't take another lockdown because we listened to a useless, self serving government?
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 11, 2021 14:20:54 GMT
A great theatre production. Never fails to a lovely smile on my face and a lovely warm feeling in my belly
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 11, 2021 8:06:28 GMT
This is not so much random and maybe more plays but didn't know where to put it so.... My 14 niece announced a few weeks back that she was studying much ado at school and they were watching excerpts of the Branagh film. I thought it was maybe a missed opportunity to watch another more recent stage version but you know was pleased and said I looked forward to discussing it. Spoke to her yesterday, she said they have just got up to the gulling scene and their teacher has said they don't need to read any more of it as their exam will be on B and B's view on marriage and they just need to learn 20 quotes. Sigh. What a waste. Studying Shakespeare when I was at school was I swear a list of quotes but i'd rather hoped it had moved on a bit from that. Also I don't see how you could have a full picture of B and B's view on marriage without well the whole flipping play anyway. At least he didn't tell them the 20 quotes to learn. Teaching (taps nose knowingly)
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 8, 2021 13:09:12 GMT
Jenny on Gogglebox was also not impressed. She tore up her notebook! I do love her 🤣 What was in the notebook? Her Line of Duty plotlines?
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 7, 2021 7:59:15 GMT
I voted yesterday. I put a cross in the box for Labour and spoilt other paper. Felt dirty voting for Labour and want to state now it was not in any way a vote for Keir and the centrists. The candidate was a mate of my brothers from the left of the party who I was informed was a good lad, a fireman who had had quite a tough life after coming out in the 1970's.
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Post by theglenbucklaird on May 2, 2021 21:00:56 GMT
So difficult to end these great series eh
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