Champagne Lifestyle on a Lemonade Budget.

PipneyJane

[ depresses delurk button ]

sugarbaby125 wrote: »

My champagne moment yesterday was going to see the film Vice. It is a film based on the life and political career of D*ck Cheney. Christian Bale is fantastic in the role of D*ck Cheney as is Amy Adams as his wife Lynne Cheney. This film is a very enlightening exploration as to how D*ck Cheney became the most powerful man in the World as Vice President to George W. Bush. I really enjoyed this film and there are some laugh out loud moments and some very sad moments as the life of D*ck Cheney unfolds on the big screen. I wold personally give this film 8.5/10

I saw VICE on Sunday. This is one of those films that leaves you deep in thought for hours afterwards. It is scary how much Cheney walked roughshod over the American constitution* and got away with it. They blew the cover of a CIA undercover operative because her husband - a journalist - wrote something unfavourable to the Administration. She ended up suing and Cheney's chief-of-staff did jail time once her legal team proved the leak came from his office.

Most disturbing was how George Bush Senior repealed the one piece of legislation which forced American "news" networks to provide balanced coverage and report fact, not opinions. That was Cheney's doing. (And now we have F-o-x reporting propaganda as fact, when it is just lies.)

- Pip



* I had to study the American Constitution at school. I still have my copy of our textbook on American history, "The Ideal of Freedom".

[ lurk ]

lessonlearned

I haven't seen Vice yet but will do.

I admire Christian Bales talent enormously, he is never less than anything but astonishing in any role he takes on. I remember him in his first starring role in the Empire of the Sun when he was just a boy. He was mesmerising even then.

It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that he has created another tour de force in his role as Chaney. I can see why you found the film so thought provoking. Bale has the uncanny ability of doing that. Even when the characters he portrays are thoroughly despicable he has a way of getting them under your skin.

Tbh - and you may find my views very cynical .... but I have no truck with politicians, of all persuasions, colours or creeds. I think most of them are cheating, lying, sleazebags on ego trips and out to feather their own nests.

Not one of them deserves my vote.

As my DIL is Venezuelan I have been following the shenanigans in her country for some time. At least our news agencies have finally decided to take notice instead of ignoring what is going on and what has been going on for years. Now that Venezuela has come onto the radar and the world is watching there might finally be some kind of resolution.

What is really sickening though is that both Corbyn and Livingstone condoned and approved of both Chavez and Maduro!!!!!

DILs parents have been hounded out of their jobs as university professors and have had to turn their home into a fortress. At least they have not been executed like some of the dissenters in Caracas and they have EU passports so we can get them out if needs be. Although they would have to leave with the just the clothes on their backs.

My son and DIL already have to pay their air fares when they come to the U.K. because they are not allowed to take their own money out of the country, not even to buy air tickets.

Poor old Venezuela is a salutary lesson in how a once rich country, can, in just 20 years, be reduced to an economic basket case. And yet Corbyn still broadly supports the regime ........although I notice he has tried to distance himself now that he has finally had his eyes opened to just how corrupt that regime really is.

Now of course America and Russia are set to wade in, on opposing sides. One has to ask would they bother if there was no oil......or is that me being uber cynical. .

Candy.....don't beat yourself up. You have had a lot to deal with, one way and another. We all lose faith now and again. Just keep on keeping on.

sugarbaby125

My champagne moment yesterday was going to Karaoke which only cost me 75p in bus fare and I only spent £1.50 on a bottle of water, so once again a very inexpensive, fun night out for me

jue

My champagne moment today was seeing the big smile on my youngest grandson' s face when he came down a slide..... priceless. ☺

sugarbaby125

My Champagne moment today is receiving my Boots Online order of pampering products for myself :j

2 X No 7 Indulgent Collection on offer for £26 each which saved me £62

Sanctuary Spa Super Fan Bundle £50 which saved me £71.50

I also received 400 Bonus Advantage card points

I also received a further £7 worth of Advantage card points on this offer

I also earned £10.20 of Quidco Cashback on this order which I will add to my total once I receive payment

lessonlearned

Wow some great pampering bargains there. Lots of nice spa type champagne moments.

It's horrid here, dark depressing and miserable, with the sort of cold that gets into your bones. I am going to stay indoors. I have lit the extra fire which is burning away merrily and I am going to tackle some long overdue paperwork.

Small simple pleasures today, warm house, nice eats, some yoga and maybe curl up with a good book later.

PipneyJane

lessonlearned wrote: »

As my DIL is Venezuelan I have been following the shenanigans in her country for some time. At least our news agencies have finally decided to take notice instead of ignoring what is going on and what has been going on for years. Now that Venezuela has come onto the radar and the world is watching there might finally be some kind of resolution.

What is really sickening though is that both Corbyn and Livingstone condoned and approved of both Chavez and Maduro!!!!!

DILs parents have been hounded out of their jobs as university professors and have had to turn their home into a fortress. At least they have not been executed like some of the dissenters in Caracas and they have EU passports so we can get them out if needs be. Although they would have to leave with the just the clothes on their backs.

My son and DIL already have to pay their air fares when they come to the U.K. because they are not allowed to take their own money out of the country, not even to buy air tickets.

Poor old Venezuela is a salutary lesson in how a once rich country, can, in just 20 years, be reduced to an economic basket case. And yet Corbyn still broadly supports the regime ........although I notice he has tried to distance himself now that he has finally had his eyes opened to just how corrupt that regime really is.

Now of course America and Russia are set to wade in, on opposing sides. One has to ask would they bother if there was no oil......or is that me being uber cynical. .

Oddly enough, I was wondering at the weekend how you'd go about fixing a broken economy like Venezuela's. Your DIL must be very worried about her parents and her friends from home.

I've been wondering for the last couple of weeks, ever since I listened to a podcast that detailed how Venezuela's economy was broken and what pushed it over the edge. (I'm 99% certain that it was episode 4 of the BBC podcast, This Is Capitalism, South American Socialism. (Apologies, that's an iTunes link - can't get the direct URL at the moment.)) The human cost is horrendous. How do you fix an economy with 1-million-plus inflation, without inflicting even more pain on people? I just don't know.

- Pip

lessonlearned

I've no idea either, Pip.

She has her parents, one sister and numerous aunts, cousins etc still living there. It's a matter of real concern.

sugarbaby125

LL my holiday is in May

My 2nd Champagne moment today was taking part in a Focus Group about soft drinks. I earned £70 for a bit of chat with a diverse group of people. :T

sugarbaby125

My Champagne moment for today was going to see the film The Old Man and The Gun at my local Odeon.

I really enjoyed this film starring a very elderly Robert Redford in the lead role playing Forrest Tucker, a career criminal and escape artist who managed to escape from various prisons 17 times. Sissy Spacek is his love interest.

I like that even though we see Forrest and his 2 accomplices robbing banks there is no violence involved. Forrest is portrayed as a lovable rogue with a cheeky sense of humour. Considering the subject matter this film is surprisingly funny. I would give this film 8.5/10