The Chat Thread

[eyeresist]

You went and proved my point. 

Mike

Acute irony deficit.

[Karl Henning]

Acute irony deficit.

Nay, the layer of irony coexists with the demonstration of the point.

[Lethevich]

It was awfully nice to see Waterstones (a large chain bookstore) display one book in the "German History" section on the shelf width-ways so that its cover faces out. That way the section wasn't quite so dwarfed by the "Hitler/Nazism" section to its right (although when I pulled the book in question out, the one beneath it had "Third Reich" in its title).

The area of the shelving containing books on the Titanic was also subtantially larger than the section on "French History", not counting the "1000 Years of Annoying the French" style books which make me wish this country got nuked during the Cold War so this kind of POV history byte genre could never have gotten started.

[Karl Henning]

Waterstones . . . they used to be here in Boston.  I was in shops both in Quincy Market and on Newbury Street, before they shut these stores down.

[eyeresist]

Nay, the layer of irony coexists with the demonstration of the point.

I don't want to get into a whole thing, so I'll just say this: there are indeed no stupid TV programs, only stupid TV viewers, i.e. the curious and playful mind can extract something of worth from any experience, whereas the dullard remains dull, however elevated his preoccupations.

[Karl Henning]

What, entirely a caste system? No mental mobility? . . .

[PaulR]

First semester of graduate studies successful!  a 4.00 GPA!     (Though, to be completely accurate, one grade still needs to be posted, but will be an A)

[Karl Henning]

Bravo!

[mc ukrneal]

First semester of graduate studies successful!  a 4.00 GPA!     (Though, to be completely accurate, one grade still needs to be posted, but will be an A)

Super job! Seems to me you've earned yourself a small present, not that I had anything special in mind like a cd. Nah, not me... 0:)

[Papy Oli]

"1000 Years of Annoying the French"

oh the joy of entente cordiale 

Mind you, our politicians (both sides) seem to want and stretch it as much as they can at the moment... Unfortunately, without the doses of humour and self-deprecation required for that exercise 

[Lethevich]

Ya it's sad, it reminds me of the Argentines when they feel mad about something they can't do anything about - turn to the old stock target

[Papy Oli]

if this froggy lot continue to strike at their airports and disrupt my flight back for Christmas, I might become unnecessarily English...

"Dear Sirs...." 

*tut tut *

[PaulR]

Bravo!

Super job! Seems to me you've earned yourself a small present, not that I had anything special in mind like a cd. Nah, not me... 0:)

Thanks    

[Lethevich]

if this froggy lot continue to strike at their airports and disrupt my flight back for Christmas, I might become unnecessarily English...

"Dear Sirs...." 

*tut tut *

Definitely consider raising your voice and repeating the question when they apologise for not speaking English - it's the Briton's favoured method for getting what he wants on the continent. Sometimes it even works.

[knight66]

Smelling of beer and vomiting onto their shoes may move things along somewhat. A more direct kind of Esperanto that the British find effective.

Mike

[Karl Henning]

Smelling of beer and vomiting onto their shoes may move things along somewhat.

Good to see that the Britons have picked up a pointer or two from the Finns* ; )

* (When on holiday in Tallinn. Haven't observed if they do that at home.)

[Papy Oli]

Definitely consider raising your voice and repeating the question when they apologise for not speaking English - it's the Briton's favoured method for getting what he wants on the continent. Sometimes it even works.

Smelling of beer and vomiting onto their shoes may move things along somewhat. A more direct kind of Esperanto that the British find effective.

Mike

duly noted.

And, in true English fashion, do I then re-join the queue at my original spot ? 

[knight66]

duly noted.

And, in true English fashion, do I then re-join the queue at my original spot ? 

Yes. Vomiting is not absolutely essential, but queuing etiquette is de rigueur.

Mike

[eyeresist]

What, entirely a caste system? No mental mobility? . . .

Wow, that was a bit obscure - I almost missed it. To elaborate: I've known a couple of people who took in vast amounts of high culture, but remained unable to discuss it in any sort of systematic or perceptive fashion. I don't even need to coin the description for this phenomenon - the "educated idiot".

[Henk]

Lethevich, you have such a great self-image, it's reflected in your (nick)name. And it's all not just fantasy...

So nice to read your posts again.

Henk