bignumber5

cEDric, with you on this 100%. Can't abide this habit, and particularly that all the basic manners of eating seem to go out of the window when it's gum, and people either deny it or justify it: i've actually said to a friend before that it's not very nice to chew with your mouth wide open, and have met the response "but it's just chewing-gum". And it's got a lot worse since the smoking ban, with everyone using this as a trigger to have a bash at giving up smoking (a good thing) by turning to nicotine gum (bad - patches, lozenges, inhalators please people!). in particular, on buses, trains and other places that you can't escape. The only way I can deal with it is with loud ipod, unfortunately turning me into that big, angry looking guy on the train who plays his music too loud, which annoys more people than the gum-chewing, i suspect. Worse still is in places that say no eating and drinking, again where it seems to be an exception in the minds of many. But the absolute limit for me used to be at work: i'm a nurse in casualty, and watching colleagues go in to see patients with gum on the go used to turn my stomach. When I got vaguely senior, one of my few rules became that gum was banned for staff on the shop-floor in the section i was running: my juniors soon realised that i was serious. I just think it looks so unprofessional, to say nothing of the infection control implications. Anyone agreeing with this last bit (I suspect not many will, as i may have shown a little too much of my own personal neurosis) may want to employ the following tactic - anyone doing this while working in a capacity which prides itself on service in any way, challenge them on it, openly but politely, in front of a manager for real oomf. They may look pretty embarassed, but I reckon it will stick in their mind... maybe... PS: other than this, i'm a tolerant sort of person. honest... like cEDric, this is my thing. But it's a real big thing... PPS: edit just to say that for me, it's PEOPLE chewing gum with open mouths; no sexism here, just a bucket-o-crazy

*moves into hug just in time to take the impact of Keef on burly shoulders, ensuring group remains vertical*

Can i make a suggestion in the interests of playing nice and not rehashing the same ground again and again? From now on, the subject of the castle as a venue for forum drinks simply be answered castle - i'm a yes or castle - i'm a no. The reasons behind the answers will be abundantly clear to anyone who's been on the forum before, and anyone new can search for old threads if that curious. I really enjoy chatting with all of you, both on the forum and in person, so I'd love if we could limit the time devoted to this subject a tad, as we just go round in circles: no minds get changed and someone gets shouted down. When a group of friends have a subject that is touchy and that they just can't agree on, they eventually stop torturing each other with it. The Castle - social marmite. Truce?

I'm sorry that we've sparked off the whole debate on the castle again - we don't intend to stir or offend, but have a principle and feel comfortable to voice it here. Do not discount it on our account and if the consensus is for drinks there then have a great time and we'll see you all the month after, wishing you no ill will. And one last time, because it never seems to have been clear from any previous responses, this is not fear, not being intimidated, not failing to appreciate an old skool boozer, not snobbery or a clash of cultures. It's a trade embargo. I feel a bit like my objections and reasoning keep getting lost in no man's land, with one side telling me it's the last bastion of old skool drinking, and the other that they think it's a pulsating mass of domestic violence where they might not make it out in one piece or, worse still, catch a bad case of poor. I don't agree with either of those view-points so please, Castle lovers and haters alike, read this carefully. My votes 1) CPT 2) Haven't been to the Magdala in ages - what's that like now?

Have to fall back on Spike Milligan's epitaph - "i told you i was ill..."

Edit as I was sticking up the groucho quote about dogs, then saw it was up already. Now having a think...

SeanMacGabhann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > And Mr annaj could have me in a fight before > the fight started. Not so, Sean: big- but weak as a kitten and bruise like a peach -number5... such a stupid middle name ;-)

The wife (annaj) speaks for us both. It's not a question of being intimidated or any of those similar suggested reasons, I just refuse to put money behind the bar of a place that is a complete nuisance from bollocks to sundown and beyond, with no redeeming features. I don't offer to buy beer and fags for hoodies at the bus-stop either.

annaj Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > MP - pull yourself together or I'll set bignumber5 > on you. :X MP - you starin' at my missus?!? ;-)

but can't you just see the welsh getting it this year? 'twould be a painful event but welsh rugby is all about momentum and passion, and they're on a roll...

good times had again. bb, nice to meet you and thanks for helping me convince the annaj that she cannot do any better so will just have to stick with me ;-) great to see you all again and welcome to moos - abandoning the sproggs to get drunk with internet friends is surely the future of ED and what this 'ere forum is all about... ? RE: early chuck out - keef, very true. I haven't been hearded out of a pub that aggressively for a while. Where to next month?

barrymarshall Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > We cannot allow the 72 to close. East D will not > be the same without it. we can and we will - horses for courses, but i've only been in once or twice and it's been a generally uncomfortable experience. much better sense to make room for a cafe or a shop selling attractive girly items for around the house that have no real use ;-)

that's all we have - we lose reception occasionally if the people in the flat upstairs are moving about a lot, but ok on a budget. have been promising 'er indoors that i'll get a proper ariel up asap, but we've been in the flat for nearly 2 years and we're still on the tv-top!

all doing the best we can

It's not awfully surprising that the museum is a little anti-yank, considering they had no justifiable reason to be in the country in the first place and proceeded to royally roger it. To be honest, the fact that this caught your US amigo off-guard demonstrates the odd way in which Americans perceive their national place in the world and the odd slant on how world history and politics appear to be taught, 2 points that I would assume to be heavily interlinked. When we were in VietNam, we came across the rather unpleasant practice of the being highly prejudiced towards those of mixed origin, Vietnamese mother and western father (i think the term was Amerasian, but i'm not sure). The implication being that the individual was the product of either a mother with split loyalties, or rape. As far as the modern American in VietNam and the inability to understand why they might not be ever popular, I was absolutely gob-smacked to find a group of young americans in Hoi An wandering round in green combats, fags folded into sleeve, one even sporting a t-shirt that had a pic of an M-16 rifle (service issue during that particular conflict) and the words "lets play" underneath. Added to this was lots of loud talk about "these people" despite the fact that a good portion of the local population spoke excellent English, and a complete disregard for local customs and ettiquette (shirts off when walking around temples in Cambodia was a particular favourite). This is the only area that I have ever travelled to where I have knowingly rubbed shoulders with US tourists, and based on my experiences there, I am not at all suprised to find that others are also finding the spendid isolationism attitude of 1920's America is alive and well, but without the geographical containment. I was, from my vantage point atop my high-horse, appalled and it has really put me off wanting to go to the US.

i may well be exposing a real anorak side of my self but i happen to love film scores, and own a couple of dozen. taking a similar theme melody and using all other aspects of composition and performance (tempo, harmony, instrument choice etc) to adapt it to a variety of emotive situations is a real talent, and a disinctly different thing from traditional classical composition. Personal favourites are howard shore (the lord of the rings trilogy in particular) and hans zimmer (an enormous range over the years). in addition to anything evocative that the piece brings about in it's own right, they can take you back to the moment in the film that they are from, and i think that is a wonderful bit of escapism - they comes into their own (for me) when commuting! adaigo for strings in platoon has a similar effect, as i think anyone who really enjoyed platoon automatically thinks of it when they hear the piece. I think the same can apply to any music (composed or contemporary) that has a strong association with a film moment: a few years ago, my wife and I were in Viet Nam and both had a rather overwhelming moment when we were looking over a rice paddy when we heard "what a wonderful world" by louis armstrong - played in "good morning vietnam" when they evacuate a rice paddy before napalming it - a film moment that didn't really register when watching it, but that suddenly felt quite tragic in the right place with the right track... worth noting that listening to the score from pirates of the caribbean when in st.lucia didn't have quite the same effect!

i've had nothing but good experiences with BBC, although it's not overpowering stuff: allows a bit of experimentation with menu choices for anyone who is normal cautious of avoiding mouth burning.

Keef Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > All these people who > like to tell you what special organic beer they > like to drink will soon grab a crate of stella if > it's a bargain. I am SO VERY busted!

Keef Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Now I think of it, I'm really leaning > towards the Castle... I'd be interested to see if > people start coming up with excuses why they can't > make it ;-) > > Anna, beers at yours after? :)-D No excuses, I just wont be there - I've seen more than enough fights spilling out of the Castle to give it a wide berth... http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,88239

KalamityKel Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > *shudders at the thought of the Goose and Granite* > That was a right hole! There was always trouble > up there. I stopped going after I saw a couple of > lads from Sainsbury's beating the life out of a > poor old drunk wiv a pool cue :s Gone but not far, the Pool-Cue-Cranium ritual has relocated to outside The Castle, so there is still somewhere for everyone in the rainbow-like variety of "characters" that make ED special (lest we forget that wankers armed with gaming equipment also like a pint in a nice, authentic, non poncey pub)

ChavWivaLawDegree Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Bignumber5 what did I do that was so scary? I'm > sure AnnaJ was way scarier than me, especially > because she actually looks like butter wouldn't > melt in her mouth! being as i'm married to annaj, being scared of her is a given ;-)

DanRees, you summarise very well. bossman wines Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > At the same time just to let you know that we sell > Organic wines, Organic beers & ciders, Organic > spirits,and also good selection of French, > Spanish, Australian, NZ,South Arican wines with > very competative prices. Sort of crapping on your own food miles arguement, aren't you?

Hello All Good times were had last night, was nice to meet you all and come out of the darkness, since no one was a crazy scary internet fiend of any kind (CWALD excepted, you are kinda scary... but of the "better to know you and have you on my side" variety!) Will attempt to progress from lurker to occasional poster. And will definately be at future forum events where possible. bignumber5

bossman wines Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi, > macs who ? > > your opinion about the organic selection is not > truely right, we are still in process of stocking > up, organic wines and beers are likely to be > increased in range in the coming days.There is > nothing wrong with drinking 1664. > > In the sign it says that we sell organic wine, yes > but it doesn't say that we are trading in only > organic wine or we got all what is being produced > in the organic world!you still got good selection > of wines which are fairly priced and you must be > happy with what you getting on the doorsteps , > rather then travelling to NZ to get your favourite > MACS!!! > > Thanks for your comments though! Gracias for the lesson on food miles and local produce - fosters is brewed in Camberwell, presumably? ;-) The absence of a particular brand isn't my problem, it's more that looking for it drew my attention to the range that you do have... not a poor range as such, just not what I expected from an offie that specifically put organic in it's title (it does a little bit prove my point that you'd never heard of the organic beer in question, no?) Still, always good to see businesses cropping up and nice to have you here with a willingness to discuss.

I was actually quite excited when I saw this place opening - when I lived in NZ I got hooked on an organic beer called Macs Gold: I thought that I might be able to get it in this new place... but the lager selection runs to the usual discount offie stash. Agree muchly with Bellenden Belle - seeing ED as an area where people are willing to pay extra for organic produce and thinking that opening a shop with organic in the title but that sells 1664 and balsamic-vinegar type wine frankly takes the piss. Ironically, Macs Gold CAN be purchased for a highly reasonable (;-)) ?3 per stubby bottle at GBK...