steve
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Post by steve on Dec 21, 2021 10:42:00 GMT
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Post by moosepoll on Dec 21, 2021 10:44:57 GMT
On the subject of drinking boosting your employment chances. In January 2008 I was made redundant from my low paid call centre supervisor job. I applied for everything I could find and managed to nab an interview for a role on 3.5x my previous salary. There was 2 jobs and over 100 applicants. When asked what my special skill is, I answered I can down a pint of Guinness in 7 seconds. I do not know why it was said to this day. I actually got the job and was asked to demonstrate this at the very first work night out. In relation to promotions and pay rises it helps if you are out with the senior management team as the last one standing and have the company credit card left in your pocket. It should not work like this but has always paid off.
If I was on the PM's team I would be in serious trouble now.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2021 10:45:27 GMT
A note to the site moderator, Mark. If posters continue to take the name of my beloved Aston Villa in vain I will have little choice other than to request that you grant me dispensation to use, temporarily of course, football terrace language as a suitable riposte to those who continue to offend. For example, if they're not careful, they may well get their fuc......... ( Mark: steady on Crossbat 11, I had to stop you there.) Well said Battster, it’s not right to have a go at someone just because they support a mid-table team, so you can count on my support. (Unless it comes to violence when you will be on your own. I have to take care of hands for playing the guitar so am better suited to the sidelines - actually I prefer a bit further than that tbh.) |
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Post by crossbat11 on Dec 21, 2021 10:52:08 GMT
A note to the site moderator, Mark. If posters continue to take the name of my beloved Aston Villa in vain I will have little choice other than to request that you grant me dispensation to use, temporarily of course, football terrace language as a suitable riposte to those who continue to offend. For example, if they're not careful, they may well get their fuc......... ( Mark: steady on Crossbat 11, I had to stop you there.) Well said Mark, it’s not right to have a go at someone just because they support a mid-table team, so you can count on my support. (Unless it comes to violence when you will be on your own. I have to take care of hands for playing the guitar so am better suited to the sidelines - actually I prefer a bit further than that tbh.) "You're going home like Sandy Richardson." (One for those steeped in 1960s brummie culture. Probably need to be either a Villa or Blues fan and a follower of Crossroads to get it.) Clue: Sandy Richardson was a wheelchair bound soap opera character. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2021 10:55:44 GMT
Apologies Mr Batty - addressed my post to Mark but, of course, meant you. Have edited it now.
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steve
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Post by steve on Dec 21, 2021 11:11:39 GMT
Crossbat
I policed many a match in London in my early years as a uniformed officer.
I recall one particularly dismal affair between Fulham and ( I think) crystal palace, where the fans became so depressed that they started applauding the linesman.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2021 11:17:51 GMT
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Post by barbara on Dec 21, 2021 11:37:20 GMT
domjg - So do I! It's usually a euphemism for rudeness (or sexism) and when you challenge it you get told it's "just banter and haven't you got a sense of humour". Banter was apparently what was used to excuse the horrendous messages that passed among Wayne Couzen's What's App group. Jokes are fine and football jokes are even finer if you're interested in that but it's interesting that banter is something that happens between men. I've never heard that term used by or about women's interactions. (I know I bang on a bit on this board about women but as the only woman on here it's striking how male orientated the whole thing is. It's not in the least objectionable to me 99% of the time but it does occasionally stray into bar room chat. Sorry if I've offended anyone - just think of this comment as banter! )  |
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Post by Old Southendian on Dec 21, 2021 11:39:26 GMT
I don’t think the issue is that they are have a relaxed drink after work, it’s that they had explicitly disallowed the rest of the country from doing the same at this time. Absolutely CFZ. In all this banter and analysis of working/drinking habits it's easy to forget that the reason it's an issue is exactly that. To be honest, personally I'm having trouble getting too worked up about that photo, though enjoying the memes. I thought the Conservative HQ photo was far more damaging, but I guess the whole business of parties vs zoom quizzes vs cheese and wine outside is all just one big blob of "them and us" now, logic and reason soon gets tossed aside in headlines and outrage. Or at least that's what the polling seems to be telling us.
My only thought is that I find myself imagining what would the reaction to this one have been had it come out at the time, say during the Barnard Castle debacle. At that point we really were all tied up in isolation, and (speaking personally) it was some time after that that I first dared to share a socially distanced coffee with a friend on a park bench, on an unfortunately cold day I remember. Since then, and not that long afterwards -eg Eat Out to Help Out - things became a lot easier, so I haven't the energy to be outraged.
EDIT: Thinking about it, maybe I'm not outraged because I always believed Johnson to be a vacuous politician, leading a party I could never vote for, so none of this is a particular surprise.
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Post by robert on Dec 21, 2021 11:53:48 GMT
colinfrom that link, I quote, "If they are of an academic bent – or from Stuttgart – the finer points of the explanation will be repeated so that you cannot fail to appreciate it." I had to laugh at that, guess where the parent company's head office was. Which was of course why the company cars were primarily Mercedes!
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domjg
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Post by domjg on Dec 21, 2021 12:03:43 GMT
domjg - So do I! It's usually a euphemism for rudeness (or sexism) and when you challenge it you get told it's "just banter and haven't you got a sense of humour". Banter was apparently what was used to excuse the horrendous messages that passed among Wayne Couzen's What's App group. Jokes are fine and football jokes are even finer if you're interested in that but it's interesting that banter is something that happens between men. I've never heard that term used by or about women's interactions. (I know I bang on a bit on this board about women but as the only woman on here it's striking how male orientated the whole thing is. It's not in the least objectionable to me 99% of the time but it does occasionally stray into bar room chat. Sorry if I've offended anyone - just think of this comment as banter! ) "It's usually a euphemism for rudeness (or sexism)" - Absolutely! There's plenty of witty give and take on show on this site but as you say 'banter' is most often a cover for being insulting and offensive and it seems to be of great importance to particular types of English men (as you say, it's pretty much always men). |
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Post by barbara on Dec 21, 2021 12:08:43 GMT
domjg said:
barbara "It's usually a euphemism for rudeness (or sexism)" - Absolutely! There's plenty of witty give and take on show on this site but as you say 'banter' is most often a cover for being insulting and offensive and it seems to be of great importance to particular types of English men (as you say, it's pretty much always men).
Thanks domjg and also for the clarification that witty ripostes and jokes and humorous digs at politicians are great and I really enjoy reading such stuff, but using so-called humour as a cover for quite unpleasant pokes at people is not.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2021 12:09:27 GMT
domjg - So do I! It's usually a euphemism for rudeness (or sexism) and when you challenge it you get told it's "just banter and haven't you got a sense of humour". Banter was apparently what was used to excuse the horrendous messages that passed among Wayne Couzen's What's App group. Jokes are fine and football jokes are even finer if you're interested in that but it's interesting that banter is something that happens between men. I've never heard that term used by or about women's interactions. (I know I bang on a bit on this board about women but as the only woman on here it's striking how male orientated the whole thing is. It's not in the least objectionable to me 99% of the time but it does occasionally stray into bar room chat. Sorry if I've offended anyone - just think of this comment as banter! ) I know that Robert didn’t get it but I hope you - and others - realised that my “great banter” praise was meant ironically. )As for you Barbara, it’s a well known fact that wimmin can’t do banter anyway.) ps I am very impressed with your three star status. |
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Post by robert on Dec 21, 2021 12:10:44 GMT
A note to the site moderator, Mark. If posters continue to take the name of my beloved Aston Villa in vain I will have little choice other than to request that you grant me dispensation to use, temporarily of course, football terrace language as a suitable riposte to those who continue to offend. For example, if they're not careful, they may well get their fuc......... ( Mark: steady on Crossbat 11, I had to stop you there.) I remember when David Ginola went to Villa, my secretary was distraught. He was her pin up heartthrob and she was a Sky Blues (Coventry city for non footie fans) supporter. She never forgave him although it didn't seem to bother him! |
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Post by somerjohn on Dec 21, 2021 12:21:34 GMT
Crofty: I know that Robert didn’t get it...
There was something delicious about the irony of someone proclaiming the merits of banter, and knocking those from elsewhere who allegedly lack a sense of humour, then displaying insufficient sense of humour to release when he was being lampooned.
Q: What do you call a right wing humourist?
A: An oxymoron
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steve
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Post by steve on Dec 21, 2021 12:35:41 GMT
James
Do you think that Boris Johnson is doing well or badly as Prime Minister?
Well: 23% (-6)
Badly: 71% (+7)
Via
@yougov
, 20 Dec.
Changes w/ 22 Nov.
Were the 23% in a medically induced coma for the last two years?
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Post by barbara on Dec 21, 2021 12:37:00 GMT
domjg - So do I! It's usually a euphemism for rudeness (or sexism) and when you challenge it you get told it's "just banter and haven't you got a sense of humour". Banter was apparently what was used to excuse the horrendous messages that passed among Wayne Couzen's What's App group. Jokes are fine and football jokes are even finer if you're interested in that but it's interesting that banter is something that happens between men. I've never heard that term used by or about women's interactions. (I know I bang on a bit on this board about women but as the only woman on here it's striking how male orientated the whole thing is. It's not in the least objectionable to me 99% of the time but it does occasionally stray into bar room chat. Sorry if I've offended anyone - just think of this comment as banter! ) I know that Robert didn’t get it but I hope you - and others - realised that my “great banter” praise was meant ironically. )As for you Barbara, it’s a well known fact that wimmin can’t do banter anyway.) ps I am very impressed with your three star status. Crofty of course. A nice example of a witty riposte. I'm going to follow your tip now and focus on lots of short posts. Going for four stars. We're all chasing Danny! |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2021 12:45:00 GMT
colin from that link, I quote, "If they are of an academic bent – or from Stuttgart – the finer points of the explanation will be repeated so that you cannot fail to appreciate it." I had to laugh at that, guess where the parent company's head office was. Which was of course why the company cars were primarily Mercedes! An amusing corroboration . German consistency ! |
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Post by crossbat11 on Dec 21, 2021 12:46:33 GMT
I know that Robert didn’t get it but I hope you - and others - realised that my “great banter” praise was meant ironically. )As for you Barbara, it’s a well known fact that wimmin can’t do banter anyway.) ps I am very impressed with your three star status. Crofty of course. A nice example of a witty riposte. I'm going to follow your tip now and focus on lots of short posts. Going for four stars. We're all chasing Danny! You won't like my stuff, Barbara. If it hasn't got at least 6 paragraphs, runs to a minimum of a thousand words and contains no less than 150 multi-syllabic words, then it isn't worth posting!   |
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Post by robert on Dec 21, 2021 12:52:18 GMT
Crofty: I know that Robert didn’t get it...There was something delicious about the irony of someone proclaiming the merits of banter, and knocking those from elsewhere who allegedly lack a sense of humour, then displaying insufficient sense of humour to release when he was being lampooned. Q: What do you call a right wing humourist? A: An oxymoron If you were twice as smart as you are, you’d be half as smart as you think you are. |
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Post by hireton on Dec 21, 2021 12:54:15 GMT
Starmer moves ahead of Johnson in YouGov in Party leader approval ratings:
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2021 12:55:59 GMT
barbara@" but using so-called humour as a cover for quite unpleasant pokes at people is not." Do you mean like this ?:- "Q: What do you call a right wing humourist? A: An oxymoron" or is that OK with you?-Just trying to understand your point of view . Thanks
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Post by alec on Dec 21, 2021 13:04:34 GMT
Interesting to see Novembers public borrowing figures come in again at record levels, with last year being the only higher November of record. This was partly down to higher interest payments, but mainly it seems due to higher spending on test and trace and vaccines.
We are also seeing multiple reports of the hardship now being faced by the hospitality industry, with museums closing and pubs and restaraunts seeing precipitous declines in trade. With Sunak still very slow to act, this sector is being hung out to dry, with insufficient trade to profit and now government support to help tide them over. Last week it was school absences and disruption to childrens education, next week it will be increased mental health impacts, etc etc, and so it goes on.
As ever, I remain nonplussed about the sterile debate about lockdowns against opening up. Surely, all the data once again tells us that while lockdowns really hurt the economy, at least businesses received some government assistance, whereas high case loads without lockdown really hurt the economy, but no one gets helped.
As long as this virus circulates with high incidence, there are going to be big economic and social impacts. Trying to lay these at the door of the government response is a false narritive - the disease causes the disruption, and the best way to minimise that is to reduce the disease incidence as far as is reasonably practicable.
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Post by mercian on Dec 21, 2021 13:10:15 GMT
Alec
"As long as this virus circulates with high incidence, there are going to be big economic and social impacts. Trying to lay these at the door of the government response is a false narritive - the disease causes the disruption, and the best way to minimise that is to reduce the disease incidence as far as is reasonably practicable."
Or - if this version is as mild as it appears to be so far, the best way to minimise disruption is to let it rip and forget about isolation if you've got it. Very difficult decision to make. I'm just glad someone else has to make it, and I'm not surprised the cabinet is divided.
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Post by crossbat11 on Dec 21, 2021 13:13:15 GMT
A note to the site moderator, Mark. If posters continue to take the name of my beloved Aston Villa in vain I will have little choice other than to request that you grant me dispensation to use, temporarily of course, football terrace language as a suitable riposte to those who continue to offend. For example, if they're not careful, they may well get their fuc......... ( Mark: steady on Crossbat 11, I had to stop you there.) I remember when David Ginola went to Villa, my secretary was distraught. He was her pin up heartthrob and she was a Sky Blues (Coventry city for non footie fans) supporter. She never forgave him although it didn't seem to bother him! Villa had a Manager at that time, John Gregory, who was almost as in love with himself as Ginola was/is. It was a working relationship doomed to fail, as it did spectacularly. The denouement was when Gregory subbed Ginola off after about 30 minutes of a game. Ginola left the Villa before Gregory did, but there wasn't much in it in terms of timing. The legend was that the Villa Chairman, the Deadly Doug Ellis, signed Ginola without consulting Gregory. The story went that Ellis had bumped into Ginola on holiday in Spain one summer and talked him into signing. He thought the announcement of Ginola's arrival would boost flagging season ticket sales. Classic Deadly Doug, really. |
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domjg
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Post by domjg on Dec 21, 2021 13:15:31 GMT
On the subject of ‘banter’ some here won’t like this I'm sure but some of my friends from other European countries have what seems to be a widespread theory about it. That many English men especially find social situations stressful even with friends and that there is a need for defensive deflection through joking/banter or being loud and a discomfort with quiet and just hanging out.
One female German friend had recently spent several weeks visiting family in Germany and Holland and on return at the airport she was struck again by groups of men (and women) exhibiting tense, loud, nervous laughter accompanied by uncomfortable body language whereas the equivalent groups of Italian and Dutch lads appeared relaxed and were just quietly enjoying each others company. She said the English can make you feel stressed with their social awkwardness. She puts it down to a lack of socialisation in childhood of English boys especially and a subsequent tendency in English male interaction to aggressive/defensive posturing, physical and/or verbal, to being too ready to see threat.
Having thought about it I can see that I’m not immune to it myself. Obviously it’s not a uniquely English phenomenon but does seem far more pronounced here from what several people from Germany and Italy especially have told me.
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Post by mercian on Dec 21, 2021 13:15:43 GMT
cb11
Didn't he meet the Premier League's first foreign manager (whose name I've forgotten and can't be bothered to look up) on a plane trip and persuade him to come to Villa? He was rubbish if I remember correctly.
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Post by robert on Dec 21, 2021 13:17:59 GMT
barbara @" but using so-called humour as a cover for quite unpleasant pokes at people is not." Do you mean like this ?:- "Q: What do you call a right wing humourist? A: An oxymoron" or is that OK with you?-Just trying to understand your point of view . Thanks Quite clearly the problem is that you and I, probably turk and mercian don't hold views acceptable to those who dominate on this board. I would agree that the word banter is not one of my favourites but it seems to have drifted over from the building sites during the last decade and is now part of urban language. Hitherto we would have referred to someone as having a quick wit. |
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Post by mercian on Dec 21, 2021 13:18:11 GMT
domjg
"She puts it down to a lack of socialisation in childhood of English boys..."
Interesting theory. I've noticed the same phenomenon myself (including in me when younger). Can you elaborate? In what way did she think socialisation was lacking?
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Post by steamdrivenandy on Dec 21, 2021 13:22:19 GMT
James Do you think that Boris Johnson is doing well or badly as Prime Minister? Well: 23% (-6) Badly: 71% (+7) Via @yougov , 20 Dec. Changes w/ 22 Nov. Were the 23% in a medically induced coma for the last two years? The old adage needs amending - 'You can fool 23% of the people all of the time'. When even the MP's on the loony side of his own party aren't happy, how can 23% of voters think he's doing well? What does Johnson have to do to make such people think he's doing badly? |
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