Nice people thread part 8 - worth the wait

chewmylegoff

zagubov wrote: »

It's creepy, the modern craze for young politicians. It's an older person's game and you can see how Blair aged rapidly (and you'll notice the same with Cameron). I think the word senate had the ame origin as senior or elder. The US has a lower age limit for presidentas do many other o!!!!ries but I think we've had PMs in their twenties!

You really need to have years of experience to do the job. If you're not already old I reckon it makes you old.

I'm not too concerned about how old politicians are. On balance most old people are just as stupid as their younger counterparts, just in different ways, and ultimately as all politicians ever do is try to get elected again it doesn't matter how old they are, they will always tend to act in their own interests.

What I am concerned about is the fact that politics has now become a career in its own right - many politicians seem to have gone straight from uni into a political party, noticed as 'talented' at being a 'special adviser' (translated: a good liar with no specialist knowledge who might get votes) and then ended up as an MP in a safe seat. Then a couple of years on the back benches, then a junior minister, then suddenly they're in cabinet and one election disaster later end up in charge.

I wouldn't be worried at having a 35/40 year old PM who actually done something else and had some real life experiences but I am rather concerned about someone who has never been outside the cocoon of their party. I just don't see how they can have a reasonable perspective on anything.

michaels

chewmylegoff wrote: »

Google says exits 6 and 7 for old st west (6 is south side, 7 north).

This is the sort of 'strong visual clue' I go for, most of the tub stations are now quite well singed in exactly this respect.

lostinrates wrote: »

DH is from the mrs GDb school of getting about I think. I take regular calls from him that start...' Are you able to google map for me....I'm in a road called....'


Annoyingly he then keeps walking, turns onto other roads without telling me (and he scuttles around like a cockroach on speed) so by the time I have found him he's gone way out of his way.

DW is a past master at this - calls up saying I am lost but then has no idea where she is or how she ogt there and is in too much of a panic to read street names. One has to be a very patient and skilled google/telephone operator with questions like 'which side is the sun?' and 'Can you see anything like a shop, big building or whatever that stands out?'

chewmylegoff wrote: »

I'm not too concerned about how old politicians are. On balance most old people are just as stupid as their younger counterparts, just in different ways, and ultimately as all politicians ever do is try to get elected again it doesn't matter how old they are, they will always tend to act in their own interests.

What I am concerned about is the fact that politics has now become a career in its own right - many politicians seem to have gone straight from uni into a political party, noticed as 'talented' at being a 'special adviser' (translated: a good liar with no specialist knowledge who might get votes) and then ended up as an MP in a safe seat. Then a couple of years on the back benches, then a junior minister, then suddenly they're in cabinet and one election disaster later end up in charge.

I wouldn't be worried at having a 35/40 year old PM who actually done something else and had some real life experiences but I am rather concerned about someone who has never been outside the cocoon of their party. I just don't see how they can have a reasonable perspective on anything.

Not forgetting that the school and uni they have been too has hardly resulted in them meeting an accurate cross-section of UK society...

neverdespairgirl

GDB2222 wrote: »

Help!

DW has asked me: "Could you possibly do me directions from Old St tube to Whitecross St EC1Y 8JL?"

To which I have replied so far: "Come out of Old Street station and walk WEST along Old Street. Turn left into Whitecross Street. NB: If you walk East on Old Street, you won't get there, will you?"

The trouble is that she has no sense of direction, so as things currently stand it's a 50/50 chance she'll get there. Is there any way to improve the odds?

She'll get very lost in Old Street tube first, it's full of directions such as "Exit 6, Old Street west (south side), Central Street south (west side)".

Tell her to choose the exit marked "Old Street west (south side)". When she comes to the end of the subway bit, she should take the right hand ramp / slope, which goes up towards Old Street. She should then be walking AWAY from the roundabout, and on her side of the road (Old Street) there is a petrol station, then there are a few random shops etc, and on the other side, a Next, a Co-Op, etc. She should walk for about 3-4 minutes westwards, and she'll pass a large Weatherspoons pub on her side of the road. Whitecross Street is on the left, about 4 minutes' walk from the tube exit.

WHere on Whitecross Street is she looking for?

Generali

Of course if she comes out of Old Street tube and walks far enough East she'll realize her mistake by having her bag stolen.

lostinrates

Sometimes I am ridiculously stupid.


I just ate lunch (Nigel slater inspired because we keep talking about him, I had two courgettes ribboned and with pesto.....yum) then was sitting and started to panic as my stomach made noises the like of which I have never heard before. Getting a little concerned I wondered if I ought to make a note of this for the gastroenterologist. THEN I realised the kiwi was asleep under my chair and having a quite noisy dream.

zagubov

lostinrates wrote: »

Sometimes I am ridiculously stupid.


I just ate lunch then was sitting and started to panic as my stomach made noises the like of which I have never heard before. Getting a little concerned I wondered if I ought to make a note of this for the gastroenterologist.

Well you did mention turnip curry the other day so I thought you'd be used to......... :whistle:

LydiaJ

lostinrates wrote: »

Sometimes I am ridiculously stupid.

I just ate lunch (Nigel slater inspired because we keep talking about him, I had two courgettes ribboned and with pesto.....yum) then was sitting and started to panic as my stomach made noises the like of which I have never heard before. Getting a little concerned I wondered if I ought to make a note of this for the gastroenterologist. THEN I realised the kiwi was asleep under my chair and having a quite noisy dream.

:rotfl:
Made my day. Thanks lir.

bugslet wrote: »

Can you print off google maps or just spend a tenner on a taxi? I'm getting worried about Lady GDB, ( whilst making a mental note not to take her on as a driver:p:o)

For future reference, buy her a smartphone with a satnav app. They can be used while walking. Not that that helps for today, of course, if she doesn't already own one.

GDB2222

Thanks for the directions, everyone. I was out at a couple of meetings, so I only just saw all your hard work. I do quite often look these journeys up on Google Maps and take DW on street view over the path she has to take. That does not work for inside stations, of course.

Mrs GDB was going to meet a friend in Whitecross Street this evening. However, the friend is manic-depressive and calls these meetings off 9 times out of 10. She's acted true to form and has just done so.

chewmylegoff

Ok have managed to make some progress on the house front and actually arranged some viewings (what I mean is OH did it all and I did nothing). Anyway, we're finally seeing our first two houses on Saturday. One of them is tiny and ludicrously overpriced but it's a start.

LydiaJ

chewmylegoff wrote: »

Anyway, we're finally seeing our first two houses on Saturday. One of them is tiny and ludicrously overpriced but it's a start.

And the other one...?