mockney piers

> Well I don't mind if my Marmite is served internally or externally really. I do recall a tale about how someone on his travels was raving about marmite's prophylactic properties against mosquito bites; the next day he found a Danish chap having helped himself to his marmite, spreading it on his ankles, obviously refusing to believe that anybody would actually eat the stuff!!

Here's the article that kicked off the huge indy marmite debate of 2006 http://comment.independent.co.uk/columnists_m_z/thomas_sutcliffe/article351676.ece

hear hear Jah, t*sser; few things more odious than following a team due to success. Where are all those Newcastle shirts now huh? Luckily not something I can be accused of!! Yes anna. Liverpool v west ham I couldn't get a ticket even as a club member as we were allocated 24,000 tickets. 1/3 of tickets went to prawns. Not only not real fans, but not even human tsk.

I think it's the seeing bit that causes the umbrage. Half the corporate seats were empty for much of the second half against Israel. I usually sit in the comfort of my own home quaffing champagne and fois gras of course ;-)

*sigh* ;-)

Ideally both, but definitely the former.

I'm pretty sure some of the back bar is listing too. Particularly the bogs (sans attendant).

How old is 14 in metric years?

Yes, the advent of rolling news has certainly made it a more immediately impacting story than any other. Here we are still talking about it 6 years on in a way that maybe only the moon landing has come close to in the global imagination before. Has the world changed? I see little or no evidence myself; but I echo Sean's apology for bringing politics into a thread about personal reminiscence. Perhaps one for another thread on another day.

I just found it all a bit surreal tbh. My American colleague was getting a bit (understandably) emotional at all that collapsing masonry when he knew people who worked in those buildings; I felt a stiff gin and tonic was the best way forward for him. I took him to Beethoven's and we watched the build up to some European games that felt a bit meaningless, but were a welcome respite. I seem to recall I utterly inappropriately started an argument about it not being the biggest event ever to have happened; farting on as I am wont to do about Pearl Harbour (terrible film) and Sarajevan assassinations and the like, but luckily nobody ever actually listens to me. From what I recall all his pals made it out.

I was by a much smaller World Trade Centre in Amsterdam. ABN HQ's trading floor is surreal enough at the best of times, looking like something out of Dr Strangelove, but that day with banks of screens endlessly replaying those supra-hollywood effects it all became a bit much. I coped the way any red-blooded spanish englishman would. At about half three I made my apologies to my colleagues and I went to the pub.

Great post, but a trip loungewards should come as no surprise :)

If you're idea of going uptown for a classy night out is Vogue on Stevenage's Roaring Meg, or Hollywood's in Romford, then a toilet attendant in a Leicester Sq club is probably the height of impressive exclusivity.

Each to their own. Traditionally Britain doesn't work with a tipping culture on the whole, outside of a restaurant or a cab. We expect Sainsbury's to be clean without having to tip, I don't see why it should be otherwise with The Bishop. Likewise, if I had a good night and good service I'll probably wave away a few quid change from a note, but I don't like that it should be expected with every drink and bad service ensues if you don't (a la the States); why should it be, that's your job to pour a pint and it took you all of 15 seconds, well done. Silver trays is the thin end of that wedge.

Fortunately attendants in London (well outside the worst places in the west end) seems to be a dying trend. In fact the last time I saw any it was in Dublin. It's not a matter of being tight, I'm just perfectly capable of washing my own hands with soap and water thanks. In Holland the attendants (usually ladies outside the bog doors) don't wash your hands, but they do threaten to kill you if you think about setting foot back in the toilets having previously left without tipping. It always added an extra edge to the night out! And yeah, hate the silver trays. It smacks of thinking you're so grubby they don't want to risk touching your hands. Not enough toilet attendants clearly ;)

I'd err on the side of caution and use "Sir" ;-)

I'm in. Can we employ Wendy Richards circa 1975 as the barmaid please?

If I'm not mistaken that's the original back bar in the centre? It would be a pity to lose it, and I'd definitely mourn the CPT's passing. But if it's not making money I guess something has to be done; I'd rather it was still a watering hole than end up anodyne flats like those that have sprung up (verra verra slooowly) over the road.

How do you define an unbeleivable [sic] straw? ;-P (I know what you mean though, hilarious)

Really? Who have you been talking to? I have heard that the owner is pondering a sale, and someone knew of interested parties, who may or may not have plans thus, but I've not heard of anything agreed upon. Do tell please.

Quelle surprise.

Pretty weak article there MM. He fisks a couple of minor points made in the doc, juxtaposed with "The hypothesis that human release of CO2 is a major contributor to global warming is just that -- an unproven hypothesis, against which evidence is increasingly mounting." for which he completely fails to offer any evidence himself to imply that this undermines all climate change science. Then a couple more fisks, adds some scientific evidences which in themselves prove nothing and neither support or detract from the existence of climate change, but he is happy enough that given the tone of the article, the reader will probably infer the latter and finally adds some quotes taken out of context like "the study of global climate change is an 'emerging science,' one that is perhaps the most complex ever tackled. It may be many years yet before we properly understand the Earth's climate system." And? Politicians may often be disingenuous, but then so too are journalists.

>> The two issues, of extreme wealth and apparently entrenched relative poverty provide a neat contrast, but have no causative connection. Indeed indeed Dave. In fact I have no issue with city bonuses, they're really just an excuse for some sanctimonious bleating by the press. I do have an issue with ridiculous fat cat salaries; not morally as such, but because these people are often really pretty terrible at their job for such ridiculous renumeration. It's very much like resenting the paucity of genuine talent in football, coupled with the stupidity and short-sightedness of the powers that be in a game currently awash with cash that gives rise to the likes of emile heskey on 60k a week. If businesses want to behave like that, then that's their prerogative, don't expect me to respect these people though. And when they go on to be paid almost as much at the taxpayers expense on quango advisory boards, ID card implementation projects, NHS It Schemes, olympic committees and the like, I begin to seethe.

Welcome big b. Your story doesn't surprise me, that's exactly how I've seen him act on a number of occasions. I won't touch the place with a barge pole and I know that's true of quite a number of others, put off by his high-handed behaviour. Your talk of it being empty has veritably made my day. The sooner it becomes a financial drain, the sooner he'll be tempted to sell up and a proper publican can run it. Oh and here we like to call it NTV (Never The Vale) :))

Is that the height of ambition we have for the quality of life for those on the lowest rungs of society? Enough food to avoid starvation, the option to got to school for their little'uns and the ability to get health care when the drudgery of such a life takes it's inevitable toll on their health. Can't we aim for a couple of more fulfilling goals than that. Look at him, he's got a slice of bread, his kid's got his head in a book and that passing ambulance will stop to help him once his tuberculosis brought on by living on the street in proximity to unculled badgers brings him near death; he's fiiine. Wahe, we've practically a utopia.