Comments for bigjohn

Comment on Spells in the cells. by Chris

Chris — Mon, 12 May 2008 18:32:30 +0000

Aw, John, are those ‘pagans’ starting to get on your Wicca?

Comment on Spells in the cells. by SilverTiger

SilverTiger — Mon, 12 May 2008 16:42:19 +0000

I wish they were all “piss takers”. I could live with that. It’s the fact that most professing pagans actually believe the nonsense they spout that worries me. And it especially worries me that they pass this rubbish on to their children, thus perpetuating the chain of superstitious misinformation.

Of course, what I say about “pagans” above is equally true of all other religious groups. I would hate pagans to suspect me of prejudice.

Comment on No more cow meat in ‘cattle class’. by Ginnie

Ginnie — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:36:05 +0000

Ugh, airline food ! Even in the “good old days” it was pretty horrible stuff. I’m always a little wary of nuked food.

Comment on No more cow meat in ‘cattle class’. by Oscarandre

Oscarandre — Sat, 10 May 2008 11:12:16 +0000

Reminds me of the time I was flying overseas with a friend and we both came to the conclusion that the milk we’d just put in our coffees was off. “This milk is off,” we complained to the steward. “I’m sorry, sir,” she replied, “that is the mayonnaise.”

Comment on No more cow meat in ‘cattle class’. by SilverTiger

SilverTiger — Sat, 10 May 2008 07:00:15 +0000

I think it’s less about avoiding offence to religious groups than about saving money by giving the same meal to everyone.

This was the reasoning behind the decision of a school to use only halal meat in school lunches as it saved the nuisance (and expense) of providing halal meat for Muslims and “ordinary” meat for the rest. There was the predictable outcry though for the wrong reason. (People were complaining about their children being forced to eat “Muslim” meat when they should have been complaining about the cruelty to animals with which this meat is produced.)

Religious sensibilities are one thing but they are always trumped by the demands of the accountants.

All this nonsense provides me with one more reason to be glad I’m a vegetarian.

Comment on Just look up and smile. by Ginnie

Ginnie — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:16:39 +0000

I get freaked out when I pass a plate glass window and see a little old gray haired lady looking at me…and then realize it’s me! My point being that I’ve decided to disregard all and every type of imaging and just pretend it isn’t there. Not sane but it keeps me happier.

Comment on Just look up and smile. by frisby

frisby — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:47:26 +0000

In the London borough where I work, the CCTV is very effective and is used properly and effectively to help law enforcement. There’s many a local scumbag who has been caught because we have been able to direct the CCTV operators to get them on camera. It’s also nice to know they are keeping an eye on you when you are surrounded by a dozen of the local low-life ‘gangstas’!

Comment on Just look up and smile. by SilverTiger

SilverTiger — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:48:26 +0000

There is a cctv camera on a pole at the point where Baron Street meets Chapel Market (N1). It is easily visible from Pane Vino, the cafe where we often go. Now, this camera actually moves quite often and it’s fun trying to work out what the operator is looking at or for.

It seems to spend some time staring directly at the car parked in front of the Alma public house. Maybe this is the operator’s car. Or his girlfriend’s. Maybe he’s wondering what his girlfriend’s doing in the Alma.

I have on occasion thought of giving the camera a cheerful wave but you never know how a paranoid operator might take this. Better simply to pretend you haven’t noticed it watching you as you trudge contently home after cheese omelette and chips.