The observation and asides thread

Post by **spot** » Sun May 08, 2016 7:59 am

Bruv;1495584 wrote: OK then.................not a lot to do with what I was talking about, but I get your drift.

You asked why "girlfriend" was depreciated as a term for a female cohabitee and I addressed the primary issue rather cogently, I thought.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sun May 08, 2016 9:25 am

spot;1495586 wrote: You asked why "girlfriend" was depreciated as a term for a female cohabitee and I addressed the primary issue rather cogently, I thought.

You better read again bro.

Post by **spot** » Sun May 08, 2016 10:55 am

Bruv;1495589 wrote: You better read again bro.
Ah - the final 60%. In the context of an LGBT speaker, husband or wife conveys more information than partner, it says the partner's not standard issue. I bet that was Sandy.

I always referred to my plus one back when the post was occupied, it conveyed the minimum information required.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sun May 08, 2016 2:45 pm

Right let me start this from the beginning......

I don't like the term 'Partner' in reference to your other half, your better half, or your spouse. This is now commonly in widespread use amongst the heterosexual population. (Nothing to do with girl or boy age specific terms)

My problem is in the use of the term 'Partner' and that and only that is my concern.

The use of 'Partner' as far as I can deduce (Could be wrong) came into being due to single sex relationships and the possible embarrassment it may give to either 'Partner' (a sex non specific term)

The fact that mixed sex marriages/partnerships are now becoming common the term is becoming redundant, I should have thought.

The gay celebrities were John Barrymore and Susan Calman, and not Sandi la de da Toksvig.....sorry.

Post by **spot** » Mon May 09, 2016 12:34 am

Who's John Barrymore?

Ms Calman is impressive.

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Mon May 09, 2016 8:46 am

Well I'm mad at the gay community for co-opting all my favorite phrases and things. I can't say "I had a gay old time" anymore or even watch an episode of The Flintstones without thinking of it. And I used to love the rainbow, especially on the Pink floyd cover. Now it's gay.

DAMMIT! There I go again!

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Tue May 10, 2016 11:38 am

There has been a trend of bastardising the English language due to improper usage. More often than not, due to being P.C., including other obvious racial ones, such as involving the colour nigra, meaning black, and the acronym for Westernised Oriental Gentleman. Gay, of course, simply meant "happy". Queer used to mean "unusual". etc.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Wed Jun 08, 2016 5:48 am

I cycle to work 5 days a week, the journey is about 10 un-rushed minutes, my route takes me along a pathway that runs alongside a small river to one side and a narrow pasture on the other side. Beyond the field is a busy road screened by trees and bushes, the field normally has a few mangy horses in it. Most days I see rabbits, sometimes have seen a fox, always the sound of birdsong is amazing. I saw my first and only woodpecker along that path a few years ago, I thought it was a kingfisher, but by looking it up on line discovered what it was. It was on the ground the first time,then over a couple of days I watched for it and saw it in a tree beside a hollow that fills with rainwater that the horses drink from. Later I saw young woodpeckers (I believe) they flew in a strange jerky awkward manner away from me, haven't seen them since. I have traveled that path for several years through all the seasons, fell off my bike once as it slid away from me on snow.................

Anyway.......

.................this week they have been drilling in the field, two fellows with a triangular type poled contraption with a motor chugging away driving the drill in various positions in MY field, testing for foundations I believe. It is only a bit of pasture,no abundance of flowers or majestic trees, it's not particularly pretty, it is only a narrow strip of rough pasture, but I enjoy that small field very much. I hope they find it too water logged or that there are rare newts or something........anything....thats stops them building there.

I'm sure there are places better suited for houses on brown field sites not too far away.

I could be turning into a tree hugger NIMBY in my old age.

Post by **LarsMac** » Wed Jun 08, 2016 8:23 am

Bruv;1496700 wrote: I cycle to work 5 days a week, the journey is about 10 un-rushed minutes, my route takes me along a pathway that runs alongside a small river to one side and a narrow pasture on the other side. Beyond the field is a busy road screened by trees and bushes, the field normally has a few mangy horses in it. Most days I see rabbits, sometimes have seen a fox, always the sound of birdsong is amazing. I saw my first and only woodpecker along that path a few years ago, I thought it was a kingfisher, but by looking it up on line discovered what it was. It was on the ground the first time,then over a couple of days I watched for it and saw it in a tree beside a hollow that fills with rainwater that the horses drink from. Later I saw young woodpeckers (I believe) they flew in a strange jerky awkward manner away from me, haven't seen them since. I have traveled that path for several years through all the seasons, fell off my bike once as it slid away from me on snow.................

Anyway.......

.................this week they have been drilling in the field, two fellows with a triangular type poled contraption with a motor chugging away driving the drill in various positions in MY field, testing for foundations I believe. It is only a bit of pasture,no abundance of flowers or majestic trees, it's not particularly pretty, it is only a narrow strip of rough pasture, but I enjoy that small field very much. I hope they find it too water logged or that there are rare newts or something........anything....thats stops them building there.

I'm sure there are places better suited for houses on brown field sites not too far away.

I could be turning into a tree hugger NIMBY in my old age.

There are certainly worse things to turn into when you're an old fart.

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Wed Jun 08, 2016 9:06 am

Same thing happened to me. There was a spruce forest behind my home that stretched for miles in the 1970s. Now it's all houses. But It's not so bad, it's quiet now and I don't have to listen to the sounds of dirt bikes racing around on the weekend. Also, since my home sits up high, I seem to be floating across the roof of a forest now when I sit out in my backyard.

So maybe things will work out.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 5:31 am

Here is the little strip of land I speak of, to the left of the tear drop Designer Outlet, from the circle, which is a pedestrian walkway over the road, to where the greenery meets another road.

HERE

To the right at the top of the teardrop is a large area of ex industrial land where the old Railway works once were, a perfect place to put up houses.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 2:11 pm

You live in such a pretty place. I love England, would love to go back one day. Bet I don't. :yh_cry

Post by **LarsMac** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 2:18 pm

AnneBoleyn;1496764 wrote: You live in such a pretty place. I love England, would love to go back one day. Bet I don't. :yh_cry

You and me, both, Anne. But I will make another trip, someday. (I hope)

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 2:40 pm

AnneBoleyn;1496764 wrote: You live in such a pretty place. I love England, would love to go back one day. Bet I don't. :yh_cry

LarsMac;1496766 wrote: You and me, both, Anne. But I will make another trip, someday. (I hope)

Better hurry up, they are building all over it!!!!!

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:56 pm

Bruv;1496767 wrote: Better hurry up, they are building all over it!!!!!
The problem is that they're knocking down perfectly habitable dwellings with tenants already in residence in order to sell the land off to Private Developers to knock down so they can build Luxury Appartments for "Affordable Housing".

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Fri Jun 10, 2016 2:50 pm

Bruv, you were in my dream last night. Good to see you. I met your lovely wife, too.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Fri Jun 10, 2016 3:47 pm

Glad it was a dream and not a nightmare.

Wonder if I got a word in, my missus can talk once she starts.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Fri Jun 10, 2016 4:00 pm

Plenty of words. You rescued me from an unbearable situation.

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Fri Jun 10, 2016 5:05 pm

AnneBoleyn;1496809 wrote: Bruv, you were in my dream last night. Good to see you. I met your lovely wife, too.
Sounds like a precluder to the old...

"I dreamt about you last night"

"Did you?"

"No, you wouldn't let me".

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 11, 2016 5:09 am

AnneBoleyn;1496821 wrote: Plenty of words. You rescued me from an unbearable situation.

I can only wonder what that might have been.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 11, 2016 5:16 am

FourPart;1496825 wrote: Sounds like a precluder to the old...

"I dreamt about you last night"

"Did you?"

"No, you wouldn't let me".

Or the following conversation I heard delivered to the girl from the office many years ago while we were sitting on our benches at tea time.

"I dreamed we were making love again last night" to which the embarrassed girl replies "Again?"

"Yes again, I dreamed about you the night before too"

I nearly choked.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Sat Jun 11, 2016 6:45 am

Bruv;1496837 wrote: I can only wonder what that might have been.

It was a recurring dream, which comes in different forms, where my home is encroached upon, my privacy stolen, etc. I have this often, in many forms & in the dream with you in it, I found rescue & salvation from the storm in your home, with your wonderful wife, too, & btw, you had seven young, very young children that were yours & l love kids, so immediately felt better.

I'm sure this says a lot about my mental state, to have this theme so often, but concerning you, there was nothing untoward, friendship & trust are the words to use.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 11, 2016 8:12 am

It's our age, I have always been cool as a cucumber,unflappable, laid back, on the surface most of my life. These days I am a nervous traveler, and jump out my skin when ever the phone wrings.

Glad I was able to help, even unknowingly.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 12:24 pm

My wife and I went out shopping yesterday evening, and I got to lose my temper.............read on.

We collected all the shopping we needed and got to the checkouts about 8.00 pm. As we wheeled our trolleys into the last few open lanes the cashiers were shutting up, so we had to go through the bloody self service tills with 60 odd quids worth of shopping.

Now.....these abominations are the biggest insult to the customer.....and I detest them. To qualify that, they do have their place for customers that are buying a sandwich, or a six pack. These days you have to 'tell' the bloody machine if you have your own bags before starting, then you have to weigh your own loose veg and fruit, and co-ordinate the movement of items through the scanner and into your own bags or else the machine thinks you have slipped something through and 'asks' you to re-scan, or that there is an unidentified object, which prompts the machine to refuse until the shop assistant comes to clear up the mystery with the machine by waving a magic card and inputting a secret number into it's 'brain'.

Anyway........after having to wait several times for the harassed assistant to attend the machine, my blood pressure began to rise, I could feel my face reddening and my brow began to glisten..............I was getting angry.

I told my wife we are just going to walk away............leaving the half scanned shopping, just to show them this was no way to treat customers.

She was embarrassed by my totally uncharacteristic rant, and said no we can just wait for the poor girl yet again.

I set off toward the Customer Care Desk in order to convey my anger, and to inquire why no manned tills were operational at this time on a Friday evening, and that I was logging my complaint by walking away from my stack of half scanned shopping. They did apologise profusely, offered to 'help' me scan my shopping, but I insisted that I was leaving the bloody lot, I think I might have raised my voice and used some mild expletives.

Anyway...........I stormed back to where I had left my wife and she and another harassed till girl had finished the job.......so we left with the shopping.

When I got home discovered there was an extra pack of apples and chicory on the receipt, caused presumably, by rescanning stuff at the request of the bloody machine. So I am down a couple of quid and a couple of cashiers are out of a job so that the multi billionaire owners might get richer and richer.

What makes it worse, it's my place of work, I work there part time, I ranted in front of people who think I am a mild mannered laid back old timer........roll on Monday......I WILL have a word with the manager.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 12:34 pm

I'm with you. I would have left the shopping and walked away.

I refuse to use the bloody things, even for a single item. I'd rather queue behind a dozen people than hear "unidentified item in the bagging area"

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:17 pm

I rarely have a problem with them, quick and easy for me and I prefer to go at my own pace. The one thing that makes my blood boil is finding you have chosen the till with the fastest scanner in town who throws your shopping at you :rolleyes:

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:29 pm

But apart from that, enjoying Glastonbury on the telly :guitarist

I've never seen an audience NOT move to Madness :wah:

Tame Impala sounded good, as did lots of others I can't remember the names of.

Watching Adele whilst recording New Order and realising I need a sound bar for the telly for better sound.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:45 pm

I use them too with two or three items.

It really really makes me so angry that they think I should walk around their shop then scan and bag everything, to cut their wages bill.

They even had a competition when they first introduced the bloody things for the staff to win 20 quid in a draw if they put their receipts in a box after using them. That made me mad too.......I told them they are digging their own graves metaphorically......sacking their own work mates.

I work for another company in the shop as a handyman 4 ours a day, so I know many of the staff, and I did lose it for a few minutes.

I am convinced there is a place in the market for a supermarket that packs your stuff and takes it to your car.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:47 pm

Betty Boop;1497727 wrote: But apart from that, enjoying Glastonbury on the telly

She is as common as muck ain't she......potty mouth for sure.

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:50 pm

Bruv;1497728 wrote: I use them too with two or three items.

It really really makes me so angry that they think I should walk around their shop then scan and bag everything, to cut their wages bill.

They even had a competition when they first introduced the bloody things for the staff to win 20 quid in a draw if they put their receipts in a box after using them. That made me mad too.......I told them they are digging their own graves metaphorically......sacking their own work mates.

I work for another company in the shop as a handyman 4 ours a day, so I know many of the staff, and I did lose it for a few minutes.

I am convinced there is a place in the market for a supermarket that packs your stuff and takes it to your car.

With a five year old to drag round shopping I'm afraid I'm an online shopper for my big shop. It makes life so much easier and I spend less money as I don't get sucked into the marketing ploys. It's rather nice to just open the door and handle the shop once :wah:

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:51 pm

Bruv;1497729 wrote: She is as common as muck ain't she......potty mouth for sure.

She is, but likable for her honesty, she's so excited to be there. The f word is starting to grate now though.

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:56 pm

And, asides from Glastonbury it's been my hometowns crazy Mazey weekend too. Amazing fireworks late last night followed by today's crazy parades and lots of live music all around town. I'm sure many are still out there partying now.

Mazey Day revellers say it has been "one of the best yet" | The Cornishman

not sure I'd describe it as one of the best, I didn't think it was as busy as last year but then I didn't get round to as much of it this year as I normally do :-1

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:59 pm

Betty Boop;1497730 wrote: With a five year old to drag round shopping I'm afraid I'm an online shopper for my big shop. It makes life so much easier and I spend less money as I don't get sucked into the marketing ploys. It's rather nice to just open the door and handle the shop once :wah:

I should banish you from the topic really.....online shoppers ?.......the home shopping pickers block the aisles for real shoppers with their trolleys.

Wont be long before supermarkets become warehouses and we get get everything delivered by drone.

Post by **spot** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:02 pm

betty boop;1497727 wrote: i've never seen an audience not move to madness :wah:

what!!

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:04 pm

spot;1497735 wrote: what!!

Pardon ?

Post by **spot** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:05 pm

She knows perfectly well what.

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:06 pm

spot;1497735 wrote: what!!

For most of the set the audience just watched, no skanking, no moving they just looked dazed and confused :wah: Never seen anything like it, my jaw dropped!

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:06 pm

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:07 pm

spot;1497737 wrote: She knows perfectly well what.

Who's she ?? the bloody cat's mother!

Post by **spot** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:08 pm

The one who said not a week back that madness were past it and not memorable enough to camp out for?

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:15 pm

spot;1497741 wrote: The one who said not a week back that madness were past it and not memorable enough to camp out for?

What I should have said is it's not worth camping out just for Madness and having to listen to all that folky stuff in the meantime.

I enjoyed the set from the comfort of my sofa, Suggs is not as fit as he once was, pretty breathless springs to mind for the whole band. And, I did think to myself that actually our local boys Rudi's Message are much better live, the lead singer can skank and sing and not be breathless, they sound damn good too.

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:25 pm

I'm beginning to wonder what is in Adele's mug

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:43 pm

Betty Boop;1497744 wrote: I'm beginning to wonder what is in Adele's mug

Cider.....you weren't listening were you ?

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:47 pm

I usually do my day to day / weekly shopping on the way home from work (about 23:00) - which is fine - fewer shopper, although most of the aisles are blocked by shelf fillers trolleys. At this time of night it's not surprising that there's only a couple of checkouts open - sometimes only 1. However, what infuriates me is getting in there when there's someone apparently doing their entire month's shopping for the entire neighbourhood, and I go to use the Self Service - only to find that there's only 1 or 2 of THEM open. Are they cutting back on costs so much as to save money on employing more Self Service Checkouts? It's much the same with the self service fuel pumps - most of which are coned off at night.

I don't mind the Self Service checkouts - in fact I quite like the convenience of them sometimes, but they really DO need a Mute Button on them. "Are you using your own bags?" ... "Yes". "Please wait, a member of staff will be with you shortly". Then you wait while someone comes to verify that you are, indeed using your own bags & scans their ID card in. You then put said bag into the bagging area. "Unexpected item in bagging area". Just what are they expecting? It's a bag ffs. It's in the bagging area. That's where bags go.

It is actually a fact, though, that Tesco did change the voice of the Self Service Checkouts to a male voice, as they found the female one was found to be too aggressive.

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:50 pm

Bruv;1497747 wrote: Cider.....you weren't listening were you ?

She arrived back on stage with a can of cider but prior to that she had been drinking out of a mug.

Love or hate Adele that audience loves her. I can never make up my mind, she is gifted with a stunning effortless voice though.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:54 pm

FourPart;1497749 wrote:

At this time of night it's not surprising that there's only a couple of checkouts open

Your lucky if any were open........and that is my point......give the customer the option of queuing at least.....at the one manned till.

FourPart · Post by **FourPart** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:59 pm

Bruv;1497754 wrote: Your lucky if any were open........and that is my point......give the customer the option of queuing at least.....at the one manned till.

No - they have manned ones as well - the problem is that at night they have more manned ones than Self Service ones open. Why can't they have all the Self Service ones open - or at least half of them. Fair enough, not all of them would be able to be cash payment ones, but that's no reason for them not to have Card Payment only, as with the Fuel Pumps - yet even they are closed at night.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 3:59 pm

Betty Boop;1497753 wrote: She arrived back on stage with a can of cider but prior to that she had been drinking out of a mug.

Love or hate Adele that audience loves her. I can never make up my mind, she is gifted with a stunning effortless voice though.

Her music is for angst filled teen aged girls with broken hearts......I can relate to that.....I think her music is great.....her language is.....chav......I can relate to that too....funnily enough.

Bruv · Post by **Bruv** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 4:01 pm

FourPart;1497756 wrote: No - they have manned ones as well - the problem is that at night they have more manned ones than Self Service ones open. Why can't they have all the Self Service ones open - or at least half of them. Fair enough, not all of them would be able to be cash payment ones, but that's no reason for them not to have Card Payment only, as with the Fuel Pumps - yet even they are closed at night.

Old fashioned hands on person to person service ? And you complain ?

Bugger me......I am getting old.....past it

Post by **Betty Boop** » Sat Jun 25, 2016 4:05 pm

Bruv;1497757 wrote: Her music is for angst filled teen aged girls with broken hearts......I can relate to that.....I think her music is great.....her language is.....chav......I can relate to that too....funnily enough.

I like most of it, some of it even makes me cry but then I cry at the slightest thing sometimes. I think I am a teen aged girl with a broken heart too.