Bits and Bobs 51

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

This is a pretty standard thing that happens in normal times. Bit tone deaf to continue it into THE TIME OF COVID though.

Malc · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2020 11:03

Schools get better ofsted reports when their average attendance is above a certain mark, hence encouraging kids to attend as much as possible.

Malc · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2020 11:08

On a completely different note.

What's the best term to use to refer to the "leader" of a country.

I wanted to use head of state, but that brings up the Queen in this country, whereas I would want whomever was Prime Minister.

Is there a single term that can be used without causing confusion? (I'm thinking about countries like France and Russia, that have both a prime minister and a president, and countries like the UK where there is a ceremonial monarch, but an actual president)

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 25594

I know why they do it, Malc (though I completely disagree with it in ‘normal’ times, as it just pressures kids to come in when they are unwell, and make everyone else unwell), but during a pandemic it just seems completely irresponsible.

markg · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 16560

Malc wrote:

On a completely different note.

What's the best term to use to refer to the "leader" of a country.

I wanted to use head of state, but that brings up the Queen in this country, whereas I would want whomever was Prime Minister.

Is there a single term that can be used without causing confusion? (I'm thinking about countries like France and Russia, that have both a prime minister and a president, and countries like the UK where there is a ceremonial monarch, but an actual president)

Leader? I've heard the news just use that term.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Malc wrote:

On a completely different note.

What's the best term to use to refer to the "leader" of a country.

I wanted to use head of state, but that brings up the Queen in this country, whereas I would want whomever was Prime Minister.

Is there a single term that can be used without causing confusion? (I'm thinking about countries like France and Russia, that have both a prime minister and a president, and countries like the UK where there is a ceremonial monarch, but an actual president)

Head of Government

Kern · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2020 11:13

DavPaz wrote:

Head of Government

This.
You could point to semi-presidential systems like France where the President and Prime Minister have distinct roles or operational spheres, but as the former is usually in charge and has executive rather than ceremonial power we can safely say Macron is the French Head of Government.

Malc · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2020 11:15

Excellent, thanks guys, that sound perfect.

Cras · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 49232

I think Premier is used but is maybe a bit archaic.

Grim... · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2020 13:56

Not that it really matters, but the bits of the newsletter Mimi has scribbled over are still readable

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 25594

I didn’t scribble over them (it was posted as you see it), but from context I’m guessing it just gives the name of a restaurant or something? Nothing specific, I think, but I’ll go over and do it myself, hopefully betterer.

Edit: all done. Hopefully that worked. When I zoomed in on the original could see what you meant. I usually have my screen on minimum brightness, so it was probably even more noticeable to someone who wasn’t a mole

Grim... · **Posted:** Tue Dec 15, 2020 14:59

I see @myp has been in touch with a branding company

Joans · **Joined:** 31st Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 8648

Grim... wrote:

I see @myp has been in touch with a branding company

Who's Myp?

Dr Zoidberg · **Joined:** 15th Oct, 2010 **Posts:** 5155

Joans wrote:

Grim... wrote:

I see @myp has been in touch with a branding company

Who's Myp?

I think he’s a character in a D&D game.

Warhead · Noob as of 6/8/10

Russia, taking dangerous cladding to a whole new level.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

I nearly got hit by a flying piece of aluminium when I worked at the airport. Took me a while for it to sink in that if it had hit me, I would probably have died. Ah to be youthful again

Warhead · Noob as of 6/8/10

Chris Whitty, "You wouldn't drive down an icy road at 70 mph."

OK, maybe not 70.

A bit late sounding the horn on that second clip.

Warhead · Noob as of 6/8/10

DavPaz wrote:

I nearly got hit by a flying piece of aluminium when I worked at the airport. Took me a while for it to sink in that if it had hit me, I would probably have died. Ah to be youthful again

They're called aeroplanes.

Warhead · Noob as of 6/8/10

A perfect combination of shite this morning.

Three repair calls at M&S Trafford Centre, where it's almost impossible to find a parking space 10 minutes after it's opened its doors at this time of year. Every song on their muzak system was a Christmas song, "Fairy Tale of New York" being the one that pisses me off to astronomical levels, and the IT work area being just above the loading bay door, with an air conditioning system still pumping out an icy blast when it's already freezing in there.

Happy Christmas.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Thu Dec 17, 2020 17:27

Cheer up, Scrooge! x

Zardoz · **Posted:** Thu Dec 17, 2020 18:30

I'm 'at' my works virtual christmas party. It's rubbish not drinking free booze.

I'd better win a prize.

myp · **Posted:** Thu Dec 17, 2020 18:43

Cheer up, Scrooge! x

TheVision · **Posted:** Thu Dec 17, 2020 18:44

I've been filming at the distribution centre for Very today... Just look at all those clothes! There must have been about 100 racks just like this.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Thu Dec 17, 2020 18:50

It's Very full.

Dimrill · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2020 6:26

Six feet apapt?

TheVision · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:15

It does actually say apart... there's a little 'please' in white covering up most of the R.

I had to look twice too!

Zardoz · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:20

Why 6 feet though? Too imperialist for 2m?!

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Zardoz wrote:

Why 6 feet though? Too imperialist for 2m?!

6ft is closer! Imperialist pigdogs!

Jem · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2020 13:11

Zardoz wrote:

I'm 'at' my works virtual christmas party. It's rubbish not drinking free booze.

I'd better win a prize.

A friend of mine posted her "zoom christmas party" haul on insta and it was massive - she'd been sent cocktails, chocolates, christmas stuff etc. I was well jelly.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2020 13:16

I got fuck all.

myp · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2020 13:19

Cheer up, Scrooge! x

devilman · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2020 13:27

Jem wrote:

Zardoz wrote:

I'm 'at' my works virtual christmas party. It's rubbish not drinking free booze.

I'd better win a prize.

A friend of mine posted her "zoom christmas party" haul on insta and it was massive - she'd been sent cocktails, chocolates, christmas stuff etc. I was well jelly.

My boss wanted to do something for christmas, so he invited all of us to the office after work for a curry (collected from the local takeaway) and to watch some live footy that was on at the time. I passed on that... I'm not that desperate to socialise.

At the end of today, we'll be having a 'virtual beers' Teams meeting, after which, four of us are furloughed (me included) till at least the start of 2021. Fun times.

Warhead · Noob as of 6/8/10

Zardoz wrote:

It's Very full.

DCs usually are. I used to get completely lost in the M&S DC in Warrington.

Dr Zoidberg · **Joined:** 15th Oct, 2010 **Posts:** 5155

Jem wrote:

Zardoz wrote:

I'm 'at' my works virtual christmas party. It's rubbish not drinking free booze.

I'd better win a prize.

A friend of mine posted her "zoom christmas party" haul on insta and it was massive - she'd been sent cocktails, chocolates, christmas stuff etc. I was well jelly.

Our work Christmas party had a selection of activities - beer tasting, cocktail making & chocolate tasting.
It seems there were problems with the couriers so the supplies turned up damaged, with bits missing, or bizarrely replaced with a bottle of PVA Glue!

sdg · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2020 14:33

I had my work Christmas party last night. We did a Secret Santa gift exchange and then a Murder Mystery over Zoom with a few drinks.

The murder mystery was actually really good fun! Everybody that took part got into the spirit of the game and it was better than expected. I actually thought it was better than a typical Christmas night out because it only last a couple of hours, I was wearing comfy clothes, and when it finished I was already home!

Warhead · Noob as of 6/8/10

And with these events we are moving ever closer to Isaac Asimov's vision of human existence as lived by the inhabitants of Solaria in The Naked Sun.

JBR · **Joined:** 2nd Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 3214

Malc and I were saying just the other day that we'd not heard much new music recently. Edgar Wright's top songs of 2020 has already (I'm only part-way down) introduced me to some great stuff, or via Youtube added videos to tunes I'd heard once or twice.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1tjwW ... aOoTV-h5QQ

MaliA · **Posted:** Sat Dec 19, 2020 18:23

Got a haircut.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38464

Darcy Bussell is ready for the strictly final!

Findus Fop · **Joined:** 14th May, 2009 **Posts:** 4299

JBR wrote:

Malc and I were saying just the other day that we'd not heard much new music recently. Edgar Wright's top songs of 2020 has already (I'm only part-way down) introduced me to some great stuff, or via Youtube added videos to tunes I'd heard once or twice.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1tjwW ... aOoTV-h5QQ

Weird, this afternoon I was struck by the thought I hadn't seen Edgar Wright's music of the year playlist and went and tracked it down. Always full of good stuff.

Incidentally, listened to the new avalanches album yesterday, incredible. I usually find their stuff patchy, but it's all gold.

JBR · **Joined:** 2nd Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 3214

Findus Fop wrote:

JBR wrote:

Malc and I were saying just the other day that we'd not heard much new music recently. Edgar Wright's top songs of 2020 has already (I'm only part-way down) introduced me to some great stuff, or via Youtube added videos to tunes I'd heard once or twice.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1tjwW ... aOoTV-h5QQ

Weird, this afternoon I was struck by the thought I hadn't seen Edgar Wright's music of the year playlist and went and tracked it down. Always full of good stuff.

Incidentally, listened to the new avalanches album yesterday, incredible. I usually find their stuff patchy, but it's all gold.

Thanks, I'll definitely try it - you have tipped the balance, after the FT reviewed it badly, and Tom Watson said yay!

(And yes, I do use reviews to try to wade through hype, which does sometimes mean I trust all sorts of weird sources.)

Kern · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2020 11:45

Watching something on Youtube just now and one of the adverts was for NATO. Tempting... Is it better to buy a defence treaty organisation now or should I wait for the January sales?

Zardoz · **Posted:** Wed Dec 23, 2020 12:33

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-55416365 :'(

KovacsC · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2020 11:30

My boss has told me to put my out off office on and log off. Who am I to argue.

Goddess Jasmine · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2020 11:42

KovacsC wrote:

My boss has told me to put my out off office on and log off. Who am I to argue.

Whoop!

Dimrill · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2020 17:34

KovacsC wrote:

.. put my out off office on and log off...

MaliA · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2020 18:25

Fuck off with this "ring a bell at 6pm" fucking horseshit, too.

krazywookie · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2020 18:30

Fuck is this, now?

MaliA · **Posted:** Thu Dec 24, 2020 18:35

Fucking, right you know?

markg · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 16560

MaliA wrote:

Fuck off with this "ring a bell at 6pm" fucking horseshit, too.

What? Is this some shitty facebook thing?

Be Excellent To Each Other

Bits and Bobs 51
Where IS area 51?

Who is online

Be Excellent To Each Other

Bits and Bobs 51 Where IS area 51?

Who is online

Bits and Bobs 51
Where IS area 51?