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The two EEs make him a lazy thinker.rcs1000 said:To those who think that Corbyn getting two EEs at A Level makes him imbecilic, I would point out that if you strip out grade inflation, then you'll find he got 4 A*s, a double First in Mathematics from Cambridge and a Fulbright scholarship.
Certainly Corbyn and McDonnell will inject a much needed level of surreal comedy onto our TV screens, not seen since the Young Ones. The BBC Parliamentary Channel should start looking for sponsors.
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Tom Cruise is 53 Rod and has just starred in the latest Mission Impossible doing his own stuntsRichard_Nabavi said:
Actually 50 is OK. You can still claim to be middle-aged and convince yourself you are still in your prime (stretching the meaning of 'prime' a bit).RodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
At 60 you run out of excuses...0 -
Almost, Moses! I passed through it on my Easter break to Amsterdam via the Eurostar to Brussels. I did pause long enough to be amazed at how light and airy Antwerp station seemed to be - and that was sitting on the trainMoses_ said:
That explains it. I sometimes go to city airport. I am still trying to get the hang of stations on three different levels. Oddly I don't have a problem with Antwerp central. If you have not been you must. It's iconic and magnificent and on multiple levels. I suspect you have been though....Sunil_Prasannan said:
The Docklands Light Railway first opened in 1987. Tower Gateway and Island Gardens to Stratford via Poplar.Moses_ said:
No you specifically said this was a a result of Thatcher. You have now corrected yourself well done.foxinsoxuk said:@Moses
Sure the docks had closed by 1980, but this was largely because of Tilbury docks and containerisation of goods. The London docks were simply too small for container ships. But the film was 1987 not Seventies, which was the point that I was making.
London Dockers were employed on a casual daily basis as late as 1965. No wonder they wanted a union!
Tilbury wasn't as big as you think and was more at the tim. Antwerp and Rotterdam were far ahead. The main changes started in the 80's some expansion of a tilbury and then Felixstowe at ships moved from the 5000 TEu to the 8000 and 10000. All babies now compared to the vessels today.
Southampton and even Liverpool soon followed. Bristol tried, failed and turned itself into a massive car park for imports / exports. The difference for us was they were all private ports. We never got any trouble. We also got a full day's work with all gangs present instead of the tricks the national dockers always used to play. They brought about their own downfall.
Back then, Canary Wharf was still being redeveloped, and the Tower wasn't complete until 1991, along with its DLR station.
This resulted in three stations (West India Quay, Canary Wharf and Heron Quays) all being very close to one another.
Edit: Ooops that was Rotterdam! The platform we called at Antwerp was sub-surface!0 -
That's what I'm worried about. I need to make this decade count.Richard_Nabavi said:
Actually 50 is OK. You can still claim to be middle-aged and convince yourself you are still in your prime (stretching the meaning of 'prime' a bit).RodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
At 60 you run out of excuses...
My mother went at 54, and I had a couple of male cousins of my phenotype who didn't get past 60.
Maybe they were just unlucky. Longevity in most of the branches however...0 -
ZeroDarkThirty on C4 now just in its closing hour and the final stages of the attempt to kill Bin Laden0
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The best hope for Blairites wanting to get rid of Corbyn is him being 20 points behind in the polls over an extended period. The only problem with that is that quite often the polls give a very misleading impression in mid-term. Michael Foot for instance was ahead in the polls for lengthy periods in 1980-82.0
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Is there a happy ending?HYUFD said:ZeroDarkThirty on C4 now just in its closing hour and the final stages of the attempt to kill Bin Laden
I suppose it depends if you are a neoliberal or not.
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My youngest daughter was 21 yesterdayRodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
Where the hell did that go.
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Andy Murray back to No2 in the world after todays victory0
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RodCrosby said:
That's what I'm worried about. I need to make this decade count.Richard_Nabavi said:
Actually 50 is OK. You can still claim to be middle-aged and convince yourself you are still in your prime (stretching the meaning of 'prime' a bit).RodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
At 60 you run out of excuses...
My mother went at 54, and I had a couple of male cousins of my phenotype who didn't get past 60.
Maybe they were just unlucky. Longevity in most of the branches however...
What do you mean count? Is that getting through it without going somewhere higher (or lower)? Does that mean making the next great invention? Does it mean playing for Man Utd? What does making the decade count mean precisely?0 -
@Sunil
Yes Rotterdam is another interesting station much more modern of course. The platforms are elevated above the main concourse which is massive at both ends.
You should make the time to get off and see Antwerp station. I commonly stay in the Raddison Blue opposite the station. I still see something different every time. The zoo is next door to the station oddly
the Antwerp trams also use small side streets as well as the main drags. ( trams are on rails do figured that would interest) . Makes driving there ....well interesting.0 -
I do agree - I was merely being tongue in cheek in acknowledgement, to some degree, of the easing of standards in certain areas.Cyclefree said:
Being academic doesn't necessarily make you intelligent nor does it mean you have that all too rare quality: common-sense. And it says nothing about your judgment.kle4 said:
Fair point.rcs1000 said:To those who think that Corbyn getting two EEs at A Level makes him imbecilic, I would point out that if you strip out grade inflation, then you'll find he got 4 A*s, a double First in Mathematics from Cambridge and a Fulbright scholarship.
There are lots of well educated people - and uneducated ones too, of course - who merely adopt opinions rather than think things through for themselves. Corbyn is one of those people who, once you know their views on one topic, you can guess their views on a whole range of other topics. There is no surprise, no evidence of somebody working something out for themselves. The opinions are acquired off the shelf, barely evolve and have a scant relationship with facts. Plenty of people like that on the right too.
Groupthink and the received opinion are a curse of our times.0 -
I think you need to buy a Harley, get a set of leathers, score yourself some decent weed and go full on for a mid life crisis. Otherwise before you blink your daughter will be forty and you'll be doing what? Pottering around in your shed, drinking herbal tea and everyone ignoring you.bigjohnowls said:
My youngest daughter was 21 yesterdayRodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
Where the hell did that go.0 -
I like the silent arrival of the team in the bad guy compound with a full blown helo crash followed by them whispering instructions and tip toeing across to the entrance doorways.tyson said:
Do they get the get the bad guy?HYUFD said:ZeroDarkThirty on C4 now just in its closing hour and the final stages of the attempt to kill Bin Laden
"Quiet guys best not alert them that we are here"0 -
I dunno. Enjoying a mug of tea in the shed is evidence of a fulfilled life, with time to reflect and little need of material possessions. The simple pleasures are the priceless ones.tyson said:I think you need to buy a Harley, get a set of leathers, score yourself some decent weed and go full on for a mid life crisis. Otherwise before you blink your daughter will be forty and you'll be doing what? Pottering around in your shed, drinking herbal tea and everyone ignoring you.
bigjohnowls said:
My youngest daughter was 21 yesterdayRodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
Where the hell did that go.
Particularly if you have just survived a deadly terrorist attack!
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Funny you should say that.tyson said:I think you need to buy a Harley, get a set of leathers, score yourself some decent weed and go full on for a mid life crisis. Otherwise before you blink your daughter will be forty and you'll be doing what? Pottering around in your shed, drinking herbal tea and everyone ignoring you.
bigjohnowls said:
My youngest daughter was 21 yesterdayRodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
Where the hell did that go.
Bought myself a new car today on the phone.
I am sure the salesman was pretending to have to go off and speak to his manager (3 times)
Knocked them down from a 17 grand starting position to 11.4k.
Ventriloquism is a prerequisite for telephone car salesmen methinks.
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Indeed, but it has been quite well done so far, although nearly over nowflightpath01 said:
Is there a happy ending?HYUFD said:ZeroDarkThirty on C4 now just in its closing hour and the final stages of the attempt to kill Bin Laden
I suppose it depends if you are a neoliberal or not.0 -
If Corbyn wins, why are Labour MPs going underground? Surely they must know he has the Tube sewn up......0
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Family tree, any medics in the house?
-Father 85 ("old age", probably stroke actually, 2013)
---Father 55 (lung cancer, 1946)
-----Father 47 (stroke, 1892)
-----Mother 68 (ruptured aorta, 1937)
---Mother 90 (stroke, 1985)
-----Father 75 (gastro-intestinal something, 1925)
-----Mother 50 (stroke, 1913)
-Mother 54* (asthma attack, 1982)
---Father 65** (pernicious anaemia, 1949)
-----Father 73 (gastro-intestinal something, 1918)
-----Mother 71 (dunno, 1921)
---Mother 75*** (pneumonia, 1961)
-----Father 37 (pneumonia, 1898)
-----Mother 80 (bowel cancer, 1943)
*sister who lived to 90, most other siblings made 80
**brother who made 88
***sister who made 98
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I think we're all entitled to a mid life crisis- I've had about three already as a rehearsal , and I'm not quite mid life just yet. I've told my wife I wanted to get seriously in to H when I'm in my 80's but that is still some time to come.
5 mins to Rod's fiftieth. The clock is ticking.....foxinsoxuk said:
I dunno. Enjoying a mug of tea in the shed is evidence of a fulfilled life, with time to reflect and little need of material possessions. The simple pleasures are the priceless ones.tyson said:I think you need to buy a Harley, get a set of leathers, score yourself some decent weed and go full on for a mid life crisis. Otherwise before you blink your daughter will be forty and you'll be doing what? Pottering around in your shed, drinking herbal tea and everyone ignoring you.
bigjohnowls said:
My youngest daughter was 21 yesterdayRodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
Where the hell did that go.
Particularly if you have just survived a deadly terrorist attack!0 -
to fill the unforgiving minute with ... something?tyson said:RodCrosby said:
That's what I'm worried about. I need to make this decade count.Richard_Nabavi said:
Actually 50 is OK. You can still claim to be middle-aged and convince yourself you are still in your prime (stretching the meaning of 'prime' a bit).RodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
At 60 you run out of excuses...
My mother went at 54, and I had a couple of male cousins of my phenotype who didn't get past 60.
Maybe they were just unlucky. Longevity in most of the branches however...
What do you mean count? Is that getting through it without going somewhere higher (or lower)? Does that mean making the next great invention? Does it mean playing for Man Utd? What does making the decade count mean precisely?
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I can't compete with that, but an ancestor of mine built this:Charles said:
This is the house my folks built. I was born while they lived in the Mewshouse at the end of the garden.RodCrosby said:
The nice Georgian house my Dad was born in, in 1928, has remained a bomb-site since 1940.Charles said:
In the late 1970s my parents decided they wanted to build a house.JWisemann said:I was born at the end of the seventies so obviously don't remember it, but everyone I speak to who was around loved those times. Seems like doing that period down is mainly a right wing loony thing.
So they bought a site.
First thing they had to do was to clear away the rubble.
From the previous house that was there.
And been bombed. 35 year earlier.
A generation. A generation and the site still hadn't been cleared. In Kensington for goodness sake!
https://goo.gl/maps/BghEa
Liverpool has tons of such places...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZHQIC3eBvw
http://www.chalfonthistory.co.uk/roughwood_0005a.jpg
Needless to say the family no longer owns this property in these straightened times. *sigh* So it falls to me to rebuild the family fortunes (some hopes).0 -
Attention all men - the dangerous age is 54 to 57. Get past that and you have a vague chance.RodCrosby said:Family tree, any medics in the house?
-Father 85 ("old age", probably stroke actually, 2013)
---Father 55 (lung cancer, 1946)
-----Father 47 (stroke, 1892)
-----Mother 68 (ruptured aorta, 1937)
---Mother 90 (stroke, 1985)
-----Father 75 (gastro-intestinal something, 1925)
-----Mother 50 (stroke, 1913)
-Mother 54* (asthma attack, 1982)
---Father 65** (pernicious anaemia, 1949)
-----Father 73 (gastro-intestinal something, 1918)
-----Mother 71 (dunno, 1921)
---Mother 75*** (pneumonia, 1961)
-----Father 37 (pneumonia, 1898)
-----Mother 80 (bowel cancer, 1943)
*sister who lived to 90, most other siblings made 80
**brother who made 88
***sister who made 980 -
In Italy comrade you're already well over 50...well 5o mins past 50RodCrosby said:
to fill the unforgiving minute with ... something?tyson said:RodCrosby said:
That's what I'm worried about. I need to make this decade count.Richard_Nabavi said:
Actually 50 is OK. You can still claim to be middle-aged and convince yourself you are still in your prime (stretching the meaning of 'prime' a bit).RodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
At 60 you run out of excuses...
My mother went at 54, and I had a couple of male cousins of my phenotype who didn't get past 60.
Maybe they were just unlucky. Longevity in most of the branches however...
What do you mean count? Is that getting through it without going somewhere higher (or lower)? Does that mean making the next great invention? Does it mean playing for Man Utd? What does making the decade count mean precisely?0 -
Thanks i am 55.5flightpath01 said:
Attention all men - the dangerous age is 54 to 57. Get past that and you have a vague chance.RodCrosby said:Family tree, any medics in the house?
-Father 85 ("old age", probably stroke actually, 2013)
---Father 55 (lung cancer, 1946)
-----Father 47 (stroke, 1892)
-----Mother 68 (ruptured aorta, 1937)
---Mother 90 (stroke, 1985)
-----Father 75 (gastro-intestinal something, 1925)
-----Mother 50 (stroke, 1913)
-Mother 54* (asthma attack, 1982)
---Father 65** (pernicious anaemia, 1949)
-----Father 73 (gastro-intestinal something, 1918)
-----Mother 71 (dunno, 1921)
---Mother 75*** (pneumonia, 1961)
-----Father 37 (pneumonia, 1898)
-----Mother 80 (bowel cancer, 1943)
*sister who lived to 90, most other siblings made 80
**brother who made 88
***sister who made 980 -
Just watched a video of Corbyn in Glasgow, and 2 things stuck out:
1) I swear he railed against name calling, which is hilarious
2) All this talk of how he speaks differently to other politicians is, well, not totally wrong, but he's really not that different from anyone else. So if his delivery is standard, it really must be the policies people love?0 -
In case anyone has missed it today Trump has released his detailed immigration policy co-written with Senator Jeff Sessions.
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/immigration-reform
He's putting some policy meat on his campaign and with the aid of Senators, that's a step up.
Goodnight.0 -
Bladerunner? 2001 Space Odyssey? Ben Hur? Interstellar?foxinsoxuk said:
I agree. The decade was filled with the sorts of cultural change that generated so many new ideas, coupled with the decline of censorship that permitted the ideas free expression.
I find that as a general principle the artistic and cultural quality of a film is inversely proportional to the amount of CGI and special effects. Car chases are another boring cliche too, the last good one was in the Blues Brothers.0 -
Sounds a natural Labour Chancellor.... as thanks to Labour those who earn over £100k (to £120k) already pay 60p in the pound... actually 62p in the pound....HYUFD said:John McDonnell also set to be Corbyn's Shadow Chancelor. McDonnell has said anyone earning over £100,000 should pay tax at 60p in the pound and for a wealth tax on the richest 10 per cent
http://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-sunday-telegraph/20150816/281676843645188/TextView
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On no.2, he does speak in a different more relaxed tone, like someone who's actually speaking to you and not to the teleprompter.kle4 said:Just watched a video of Corbyn in Glasgow, and 2 things stuck out:
1) I swear he railed against name calling, which is hilarious
2) All this talk of how he speaks differently to other politicians is, well, not totally wrong, but he's really not that different from anyone else. So if his delivery is standard, it really must be the policies people love?
Watch a re-run of the debates and you will see how more direct and relaxed Corbyn is compared to the other 3.0 -
Yes, a bit, but I really don't see it as being radically different in terms of lack of cliches or meaningless fluff.Speedy said:
On no.2, he does speak in a different more relaxed tone, like someone who's actually speaking to you and not to the teleprompter.kle4 said:Just watched a video of Corbyn in Glasgow, and 2 things stuck out:
1) I swear he railed against name calling, which is hilarious
2) All this talk of how he speaks differently to other politicians is, well, not totally wrong, but he's really not that different from anyone else. So if his delivery is standard, it really must be the policies people love?0 -
On the bright side we have very little cancer or cardio-vascular disease.0
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I would arguably put Bladerunner and Space Odyssey into the creativity of the 70's- a couple of years either side, but heh.JEO said:
Bladerunner? 2001 Space Odyssey? Ben Hur? Interstellar?foxinsoxuk said:
I agree. The decade was filled with the sorts of cultural change that generated so many new ideas, coupled with the decline of censorship that permitted the ideas free expression.
I find that as a general principle the artistic and cultural quality of a film is inversely proportional to the amount of CGI and special effects. Car chases are another boring cliche too, the last good one was in the Blues Brothers.
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Happy fiftieth birthday to Rod- although technically in Florence that was a full hour ago. I'll toast you with a glass of nice sparkling (water)0
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At least you have something to go on. My parents hated their parents, so I don't even know the ages of my paternal grandparents, let alone causes of death, and very little on the other side really. I should do some research.RodCrosby said:On the bright side we have very little cancer or cardio-vascular disease.
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Its hard to know. Sometimes things just come from out of the blue. A 50 year old friend had a pain in his shoulder 6 weeks ago and was dead 4 weeks later from metastatic lung cancer. Another friend aged 43 found a breat lump a year ago and is now riddled with bony metastases. Who knows what the future holds?RodCrosby said:Family tree, any medics in the house?
-Father 85 ("old age", probably stroke actually, 2013)
---Father 55 (lung cancer, 1946)
-----Father 47 (stroke, 1892)
-----Mother 68 (ruptured aorta, 1937)
---Mother 90 (stroke, 1985)
-----Father 75 (gastro-intestinal something, 1925)
-----Mother 50 (stroke, 1913)
-Mother 54* (asthma attack, 1982)
---Father 65** (pernicious anaemia, 1949)
-----Father 73 (gastro-intestinal something, 1918)
-----Mother 71 (dunno, 1921)
---Mother 75*** (pneumonia, 1961)
-----Father 37 (pneumonia, 1898)
-----Mother 80 (bowel cancer, 1943)
*sister who lived to 90, most other siblings made 80
**brother who made 88
***sister who made 98
But I also know a 94 year old former desert rat who was in the RTR. Since 1945 he has regarded every day as a bonus. A very positive bloke.0 -
His proposal was 60p in income tax aloneScrapheap_as_was said:
Sounds a natural Labour Chancellor.... as thanks to Labour those who earn over £100k (to £120k) already pay 60p in the pound... actually 62p in the pound....HYUFD said:John McDonnell also set to be Corbyn's Shadow Chancelor. McDonnell has said anyone earning over £100,000 should pay tax at 60p in the pound and for a wealth tax on the richest 10 per cent
http://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-sunday-telegraph/20150816/281676843645188/TextView0 -
Yes but he does mean income tax so we can say 72p in £.Scrapheap_as_was said:
Sounds a natural Labour Chancellor.... as thanks to Labour those who earn over £100k (to £120k) already pay 60p in the pound... actually 62p in the pound....HYUFD said:John McDonnell also set to be Corbyn's Shadow Chancelor. McDonnell has said anyone earning over £100,000 should pay tax at 60p in the pound and for a wealth tax on the richest 10 per cent
http://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-sunday-telegraph/20150816/281676843645188/TextView
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Bloody hell Dr Fox- I've had a bit of a sore shoulder for the last couple of days. Thinking about it, it feels like it's spreading inwards. Or spreading inwards, outwards.foxinsoxuk said:
Its hard to know. Sometimes things just come from out of the blue. A 50 year old friend had a pain in his shoulder 6 weeks ago and was dead 4 weeks later from metastatic lung cancer. Another friend aged 43 found a breat lump a year ago and is now riddled with bony metastases. Who knows what the future holds?RodCrosby said:Family tree, any medics in the house?
-Father 85 ("old age", probably stroke actually, 2013)
---Father 55 (lung cancer, 1946)
-----Father 47 (stroke, 1892)
-----Mother 68 (ruptured aorta, 1937)
---Mother 90 (stroke, 1985)
-----Father 75 (gastro-intestinal something, 1925)
-----Mother 50 (stroke, 1913)
-Mother 54* (asthma attack, 1982)
---Father 65** (pernicious anaemia, 1949)
-----Father 73 (gastro-intestinal something, 1918)
-----Mother 71 (dunno, 1921)
---Mother 75*** (pneumonia, 1961)
-----Father 37 (pneumonia, 1898)
-----Mother 80 (bowel cancer, 1943)
*sister who lived to 90, most other siblings made 80
**brother who made 88
***sister who made 98
But I also know a 94 year old former desert rat who was in the RTR. Since 1945 he has regarded every day as a bonus. A very positive bloke.0 -
foxinsoxuk said:tyson said:
Talking of movies and the 70's- arguably the 70's produced one of the most fertile artistic periods in the history of art, especially American cinema. A veritable smorgasbord of masterpieces from the Last Picture Show to Apocalypse Now; the Godfather to the Deer Hunter; Taxi Driver to Chinatown, Annie Hall to Harold and Maude, Klute to the Parallax View, Nashville and MASH to the Exorcist and the French Connection, Badlands to Days of Summer, All the Presidents Men, to Jaws and Close Encounters, Star Wars to American Graffiti..... I'm just brain storming here, but bloody hell, American artistic ingenuity went into overdrive to produce a lyrical period of sublimity that has never been even remotely reached. By contrast cinema went downhill after 1980.....
I agree. The decade was filled with the sorts of cultural change that generated so many new ideas, coupled with the decline of censorship that permitted the ideas free expression.
I find that as a general principle the artistic and cultural quality of a film is inversely proportional to the amount of CGI and special effects. Car chases are another boring cliche too, the last good one was in the Blues Brothers.
Re CGI, it is worth noting that a lot of great or iconic cinematic moments and styles may have occurred because directors simply could do what they wanted, and now they can. Jaws is supposedly a great example of this (I've never seen it myself, so cannot judge), where it and the director are praised for the suspense, and the shark not being shown a lot, but in fact they wanted to show it a lot but the damn prop wouldn't work properly most of the time, so if it was great because of that, it was unintentional, people making the best of what they could. With today, plenty of great movies have lots of CGI, even obvious CGI, where great directors can use it to enhance the physical and give life to things that couldn't be done another way, but it also means bad directors can put a crappy vision of exactly what they want onscreen, CGI can make the good great, and it can also permit the crappy where once it could not proceed.0 -
There are exceptions to my rule. I would put Alien in there too as a decent movie with special effects.JEO said:
Bladerunner? 2001 Space Odyssey? Ben Hur? Interstellar?foxinsoxuk said:
I agree. The decade was filled with the sorts of cultural change that generated so many new ideas, coupled with the decline of censorship that permitted the ideas free expression.
I find that as a general principle the artistic and cultural quality of a film is inversely proportional to the amount of CGI and special effects. Car chases are another boring cliche too, the last good one was in the Blues Brothers.
Too often they are used to compensate and distract from poor plotting, inadequate characterisation and a lack of insight into the human condition.0 -
You really should. It's never been easier with the internet.kle4 said:
At least you have something to go on. My parents hated their parents, so I don't even know the ages of my paternal grandparents, let alone causes of death, and very little on the other side really. I should do some research.RodCrosby said:On the bright side we have very little cancer or cardio-vascular disease.
Start with FreeBMD.
I did most of mine "Day of the Jackal" style, down at St. Catherine's House in the 1980s...0 -
OK- kle4- who hasn't even seen Jaws- I mean, "lost credibility really to speak too much about films"- what great films have used CGI? I cannot think of one, not one, not even remotely one.
Re CGI, it is worth noting that a lot of great or iconic cinematic moments and styles may have occurred because directors simply could do what they wanted, and now they can. Jaws is supposedly a great example of this (I've never seen it myself, so cannot judge), where it and the director are praised for the suspense, and the shark not being shown a lot, but in fact they wanted to show it a lot but the damn prop wouldn't work properly most of the time, so if it was great because of that, it was unintentional, people making the best of what they could. With today, plenty of great movies have lots of CGI, even obvious CGI, where great directors can use it to enhance the physical and give life to things that couldn't be done another way, but it also means bad directors can put a crappy vision of exactly what they want onscreen, CGI can make the good great, and it can also permit the crappy where once it could not proceed.kle4 said:foxinsoxuk said:tyson said:Talking of movies and the 70's- arguably the 70's produced one of the most fertile artistic periods in the history of art, especially American cinema. A veritable smorgasbord of masterpieces from the Last Picture Show to Apocalypse Now; the Godfather to the Deer Hunter; Taxi Driver to Chinatown, Annie Hall to Harold and Maude, Klute to the Parallax View, Nashville and MASH to the Exorcist and the French Connection, Badlands to Days of Summer, All the Presidents Men, to Jaws and Close Encounters, Star Wars to American Graffiti..... I'm just brain storming here, but bloody hell, American artistic ingenuity went into overdrive to produce a lyrical period of sublimity that has never been even remotely reached. By contrast cinema went downhill after 1980.....
I agree. The decade was filled with the sorts of cultural change that generated so many new ideas, coupled with the decline of censorship that permitted the ideas free expression.
I find that as a general principle the artistic and cultural quality of a film is inversely proportional to the amount of CGI and special effects. Car chases are another boring cliche too, the last good one was in the Blues Brothers.
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On balance I do not go with Interstellar - which really was 2001 over again - brave effort I suppose but flawed.JEO said:
Bladerunner? 2001 Space Odyssey? Ben Hur? Interstellar?foxinsoxuk said:
I agree. The decade was filled with the sorts of cultural change that generated so many new ideas, coupled with the decline of censorship that permitted the ideas free expression.
I find that as a general principle the artistic and cultural quality of a film is inversely proportional to the amount of CGI and special effects. Car chases are another boring cliche too, the last good one was in the Blues Brothers.
But special effects are best to be an adjunct not the excuse for a movie.0 -
Too often its to keep 11 to 14 year olds happy.foxinsoxuk said:
There are exceptions to my rule. I would put Alien in there too as a decent movie with special effects.JEO said:
Bladerunner? 2001 Space Odyssey? Ben Hur? Interstellar?foxinsoxuk said:
I agree. The decade was filled with the sorts of cultural change that generated so many new ideas, coupled with the decline of censorship that permitted the ideas free expression.
I find that as a general principle the artistic and cultural quality of a film is inversely proportional to the amount of CGI and special effects. Car chases are another boring cliche too, the last good one was in the Blues Brothers.
Too often they are used to compensate and distract from poor plotting, inadequate characterisation and a lack of insight into the human condition.
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Happy birthday to Rod.0
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I love the story about Andy Burnham pledging to give cabinet positions to Corbyn, McDonnell et al. In all the talk about the Free French strategy or the Maquis strategy, we know which one Burnham is mimicking: the Vichy strategy.0
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Alien was 1979- again my point about 70's American creativity (albeit Ridley was English). The Duellists was also a fine film.
Blade Runner is a Masterpiece. I don't get Kubrick- he's way too arthouse. The Shining's Director Cut is OTT. Don't Look Now is the standout atmospheric horror movie from the 70's.foxinsoxuk said:
There are exceptions to my rule. I would put Alien in there too as a decent movie with special effects.JEO said:
Bladerunner? 2001 Space Odyssey? Ben Hur? Interstellar?foxinsoxuk said:
I agree. The decade was filled with the sorts of cultural change that generated so many new ideas, coupled with the decline of censorship that permitted the ideas free expression.
I find that as a general principle the artistic and cultural quality of a film is inversely proportional to the amount of CGI and special effects. Car chases are another boring cliche too, the last good one was in the Blues Brothers.
Too often they are used to compensate and distract from poor plotting, inadequate characterisation and a lack of insight into the human condition.0 -
I remember reading somewhere that Barnes Wallis came up with some exponential function, based, I think, on his grandparents' ages, which accurately forecast his own death (at 92)...foxinsoxuk said:
Its hard to know. Sometimes things just come from out of the blue. A 50 year old friend had a pain in his shoulder 6 weeks ago and was dead 4 weeks later from metastatic lung cancer. Another friend aged 43 found a breat lump a year ago and is now riddled with bony metastases. Who knows what the future holds?RodCrosby said:Family tree, any medics in the house?
-Father 85 ("old age", probably stroke actually, 2013)
---Father 55 (lung cancer, 1946)
-----Father 47 (stroke, 1892)
-----Mother 68 (ruptured aorta, 1937)
---Mother 90 (stroke, 1985)
-----Father 75 (gastro-intestinal something, 1925)
-----Mother 50 (stroke, 1913)
-Mother 54* (asthma attack, 1982)
---Father 65** (pernicious anaemia, 1949)
-----Father 73 (gastro-intestinal something, 1918)
-----Mother 71 (dunno, 1921)
---Mother 75*** (pneumonia, 1961)
-----Father 37 (pneumonia, 1898)
-----Mother 80 (bowel cancer, 1943)
*sister who lived to 90, most other siblings made 80
**brother who made 88
***sister who made 98
But I also know a 94 year old former desert rat who was in the RTR. Since 1945 he has regarded every day as a bonus. A very positive bloke.
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Happy Birthday!RodCrosby said:On the bright side we have very little cancer or cardio-vascular disease.
If I make it past 72 I'll be the longest lived member of my immediate family
http://youtu.be/nFxjnUPRwx40 -
Mind you Cameron had IDS and Fox in his Cabinet, Blair Meacher, Major Redwood etc as long as Burnham also includes Umunna, Kendall, Hunt and the other Blairites there is no problem with having all views represented, nightJEO said:I love the story about Andy Burnham pledging to give cabinet positions to Corbyn, McDonnell et al. In all the talk about the Free French strategy or the Maquis strategy, we know which one Burnham is mimicking: the Vichy strategy.
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Nonsense. In the last few weeks I've done a bunch of things I've never done before - piloted a plane including landing on one wheel (the right thing in a side-wind, said the instructor approvingly - erm...), debated an off-Broadway play with the producers, seen 100 seals grumpily jostling for sleep, tried trampolining, walked through Muir Woods, visited Disneyland, been to Las Vegas and won two poker tournaments. Oh, and endorsed Jeremy Corbyn.Richard_Nabavi said:
Actually 50 is OK. You can still claim to be middle-aged and convince yourself you are still in your prime (stretching the meaning of 'prime' a bit).RodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
At 60 you run out of excuses...
65 is the new 20. :-) But happy birthday, Rod!0 -
Was he a smoker? An acquaintance of mine was diagnosed at 42 and was dead within 8 weeks.foxinsoxuk said:
Its hard to know. Sometimes things just come from out of the blue. A 50 year old friend had a pain in his shoulder 6 weeks ago and was dead 4 weeks later from metastatic lung cancer.
I gave up the weed earlier this year...0 -
Just saw Insteallar on the plane back from Dubai - `14 hours to kill. Total tedium. Don't waste your time.flightpath01 said:
On balance I do not go with Interstellar - which really was 2001 over again - brave effort I suppose but flawed.JEO said:
Bladerunner? 2001 Space Odyssey? Ben Hur? Interstellar?foxinsoxuk said:
I agree. The decade was filled with the sorts of cultural change that generated so many new ideas, coupled with the decline of censorship that permitted the ideas free expression.
I find that as a general principle the artistic and cultural quality of a film is inversely proportional to the amount of CGI and special effects. Car chases are another boring cliche too, the last good one was in the Blues Brothers.
But special effects are best to be an adjunct not the excuse for a movie.0 -
Thank-you, Nick.NickPalmer said:
Nonsense. In the last few weeks I've done a bunch of things I've never done before - piloted a plane including landing on one wheel (the right thing in a side-wind, said the instructor approvingly - erm...), debated an off-Broadway play with the producers, seen 100 seals grumpily jostling for sleep, tried trampolining, walked through Muir Woods, visited Disneyland, been to Las Vegas and won two poker tournaments. Oh, and endorsed Jeremy Corbyn.Richard_Nabavi said:
Actually 50 is OK. You can still claim to be middle-aged and convince yourself you are still in your prime (stretching the meaning of 'prime' a bit).RodCrosby said:50 years old in an hour.
Strangely calm about it...
At 60 you run out of excuses...
65 is the new 20. :-) But happy birthday, Rod!
I think you dodged a bullet on May 7th...0 -
Interstellar wasn't too bad. But I preferred Nolan's Inception.MTimT said:
Just saw Insteallar on the plane back from Dubai - `14 hours to kill. Total tedium. Don't waste your time.flightpath01 said:
On balance I do not go with Interstellar - which really was 2001 over again - brave effort I suppose but flawed.JEO said:
Bladerunner? 2001 Space Odyssey? Ben Hur? Interstellar?foxinsoxuk said:
I agree. The decade was filled with the sorts of cultural change that generated so many new ideas, coupled with the decline of censorship that permitted the ideas free expression.
I find that as a general principle the artistic and cultural quality of a film is inversely proportional to the amount of CGI and special effects. Car chases are another boring cliche too, the last good one was in the Blues Brothers.
But special effects are best to be an adjunct not the excuse for a movie.0 -
I think visiting Disneyland is one of those things in life which often exceeds expectations. I expected it to be a glorified funfair but everything is done with such a spirit of enthusiasm and perfection that you can't help be impressed by it.
I used to be a trampoliner between the ages of about 7 and 11 but haven't done it since. Used to be able to do forward somersaults but couldn't master the backwards ones!0 -
Re: Corbyn
These things come in cycles. I remember banging-on here 10 years ago about the insidious effect Blair had had on British politics, with each party vying to find its Blair-clone; Cameron, Clegg, then Miliband(s), and now the Three Stooges.
Even if it's a folorn hope, Corbyn's unassuming honesty, spiritual credibility, and innate decency shine through...
I really hope he can change British politics for the better.
I've never voted Labour in my life, but I also said 10 years ago "Never say never..."
(^_-)0 -
Just to show how old Corbyn is, he's actually older than Twiggy, the same age as Rick Wakeman, and only slightly younger than Lulu (by a few months).0
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Proof that being a vegan teetotaller does keep you young to a certain extent.RodCrosby said:
He's looking good for his age. If I had to guess, it would be late-50s, not late-60s...AndyJS said:Just to show how old Corbyn is, he's actually older than both Twiggy and Rick Wakeman, and only slightly younger than Lulu (by a few months).
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Just looking at my own family tree, and realised my Dad's grandfather died 121 years before he did.
My, that's a long time...0 -
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Thinking about it, I suspect the initial spark given to Corbyn's leadership campaign was Labour's abstention of the Welfare Bill, which was deeply unpopular move with the left of the party and alienated voters away from Labour's current front-benches in a "plague on all your houses" effect. That gave Corbyn momentum, after which he looked like a plausible candidate which created a bandwagon effect in his favour, especially given how uninspiring the other candidates are.
Labour MPs should be very upset with Harriet Harman. It was a colossal short-term misjudgement that will likely have serious long-term ramifications.0 -
You are too kind.old_labour said:@RodCrosby
Happy birthday, young man.
I imagine that don't feel any different to when I was 16, and yet, that can't rationally be so...0 -
Hope you had a good one! Here's to fifty more.RodCrosby said:
You are too kind.old_labour said:@RodCrosby
Happy birthday, young man.
I imagine that don't feel any different to when I was 16, and yet, that can't rationally be so...0 -
It was very disturbing to watch Gordon Brown walking up and down so dementedly and distractingly while he was doing his speech. It's a good thing that British democracy is robust enough to stop a deranged person like that from becoming prime minister. Oh...0
