From the sublime to the ridiculous

Anything that doesn't fit anywhere else, and is NON CH related - chat about the weather, or anything else that takes your fancy.

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Angela Woodford
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Re: ...something completely different...

Post by Angela Woodford »

sejintenej wrote:

Oi, I want my CASH back!
ie. NOT ash.
Hey, this reminds me! When I was a nurse back in the 70's, the Housemen used to chortle away over a particular little perk which they enjoyed. Whenever a patient died and was to be cremated, the death certificate required the signatures of two doctors to confirm the cause of death and that there were no spare non-incinerable parts retained in the body. The undertaker would charge the grieving relations for the fee eventually, but the money, tax-free, could be collected in cash at the Hospital Finance Desk. Each death in those days was worth £27.50 for each doctor. At St Georges, the payout was on Thursdays. Thursday was always bonanza night at the Hospital Bar!

The payment was called Ash Cash. I believe it's now £69.00 per signature.

Do you remember this, Mary V?
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
DavidRawlins
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by DavidRawlins »

Inthe late 50's housemen got about £20 a month, so any extra was greatly appreciated. However there was no time to spend it.
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sejintenej
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by sejintenej »

I hear that a group of senior Civil Servants have now presented a letter to Government complaining about Labour's decision to spend big money on projects that they, the civil servants, consider a waste of resources.

I wonder if they are afraid that they are seeing their bonuses go up in smoke.
Angela Woodford
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by Angela Woodford »

I like to have an occasional look at the US newspapers!

Thought I'd check up on the New York Times' views on what's happening in Europe, and clicked on "United Kingdom" from a scroll down list. There was a dinky little map of Great Britain with a short burst of information beneath. Amongst other scant details I read

"Head of State - Gordon Brown"

it informed me. I thought I'd better bring the New York Times up to date, and found an "Errors" area at the top of the page. "Head of State - Her Majesty the Queen" I typed furiously. "Prime Minister - the Right Honourable David Cameron, MP". Really! To think the NYT could be so a) incorrect and b) out of date!

I've just gone back to the page, but they haven't corrected it... yet...

Ridiculous!
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
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NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS »

Angela --- what was it that George Bush said ---- "The French have no word for "Faux pas"

That wasn't it --- but somebody will remember !
Angela Woodford
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by Angela Woodford »

He said "Thing is... the French have no word for "entrepreneur"."

One of the very best from Dubya! :roll:

But honestly. Wouldn't you think that a prestigious paper such as the NYT had a little basic knowledge of the British Constitution, and that they'd realised that we'd had a General Election last May?

So much for the Special Relationship...
"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple, and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing "Cunning plans are here again.""
sejintenej
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by sejintenej »

Angela Woodford wrote: But honestly. Wouldn't you think that a prestigious paper such as the NYT had a little basic knowledge of the British Constitution, and that they'd realised that we'd had a General Election last May?
Given that they have chosen not to check and correct their facts along the lines of your message there seem to be two sides to this story;

1. New York is (alledgedly) infested with Irish policemen and there is an Irish saying along the lines of "Why spoil a good story with too strict a regard for the truth". What story are they trying to put across?

2. The big pity is that somewhere, sometime there is some misguided soul who actually beleives all the New York Times publishes.
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NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS »

Is Murdoch an Irish name ????
sejintenej
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by sejintenej »

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:Is Murdoch an Irish name ????
My cousin married a Murdoch - in Ireland. What's more he was a racehorse trainer so Murdoch can certainly be Irish but does the other one own the NYT?
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by Angela Woodford »

Right! (Had to look this up...)

The paper's owned by The New York Times Company, which also publishes eighteen other US papers, and its Chairman is Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr, whose family have controlled the paper since 1896!

Phew!
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NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS »

Then the NYT can plead guilty to ignorance ---- but not to "Murdochitis" !! :lol:
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by sejintenej »

NEILL THE NOTORIOUS wrote:Then the NYT can plead guilty to ignorance ---- but not to "Murdochitis" !! :lol:
Not ignorance; Angela put them straight as to the facts and they seem to have ignored such facts
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NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS »

Animal (?) Welfare -----
Yesterday, I bought somr Tropical Fish, in Pets at Home, for TBA's Tank, in our Lounge.
SO ? ------ I was asked a series of questions, about,a) how long had I been keeping fish (Cold and Tropical) --- answer 50 Years ! b)Was the Tank Filtered ? --- Yes (Of Course ! it would get very dirty !) c) did it have live Plants ? (When I looked this Morning--- but Rabbits might have got in !) d)this will really get you --

Would I put the Siamese Fighter in with another Male ----- (The clue is in the name !!!!) :x

I was then asked to sign a paper, detailing my answers, and I was given a copy.

The Lady Assistant apologised for all this detail, but said it was because of "Animal Welfare" :?

If this now extends to FISH --- I assume that Rods Lines and Bait, will be outlawed, should I install Hot Water Bottles in my Pond ? and Trawler Skippers may be imprisoned !

WHO thought this up ? --- the World has gone mad ! :lol:
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Re: From the sublime to the ridiculous

Post by jhopgood »

[quote="NEILL THE NOTORIOUS" WHO thought this up ? --- the World has gone mad ! :lol:[/quote]

In one word - YES
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sejintenej
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Physicians and the rest

Post by sejintenej »

everyday physics

So they had to tell the difference between a chemist, a physicist, a mathematician, and an engineer. After pondering, they created a simple test. They were shown into a room. There was a pan of water on the floor. They could use any means they wanted, but they had to distribute the water as evenly as possible throughout the room.

The engineer walked out. Sooner or later evaporation would distribute the water.

The chemist called for electrolysis equipment. He cracked the water into hydrogen and oxygen, applied a spark, and minus his eyebrows, walked out, having fulfilled the challenge.

The physicist and mathematician both called for a stove. They both boiled the water until the pan was dry, fulfilling the challenge.

They still had to tell the difference between the physicist and the mathematician, so after some thought, they put them back in the room, with a stove. The pan of water was already on the stove. They physicist prompltly turned on the burner and boiled the water. The mathematician put the pan on the floor to reduce it to a problem he'd already solved.
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What happens if a politician drowns in a river? That is pollution.
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