Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[bobAlike]

I just heard that Lady Thatcher has died.

I am tempting fate here, where I don't like to see politics or rudeness, but that is just - to me - so very sad.

She very much shaped the Britain we live in.

I hope she is, for at least a decent period of mourning, respected.

I dread to look at what is being said of her on Twitter.

RIP Lady Thatcher.

Click to see full-size image.

Very well said Tony. RIP the great Lady.

Definitely well said. I am a Thatcher fan. Best post war PM.

[Claw75]

looks like Tom has forgotten me already.  Holdy and I are very close though so sure we can share

Claire!

Good to hear from you.

How is Hannah these days? Growing up to that awkward age?

Hi Tony,

Hannah's generally an absolute joy, although there are the odd moments of stroppiness as the pre-teen hormones are starting to rear their head - I find it so hard to believe she's going to be starting high school next year - surely i'm not old enough to have such a grown up girl?! Cherishing every minute until she's no longer my baby (although of course she always will be).

Re the abuse - hard as it can be sometimes to turn the other cheek, these folks feed on getting reactions. I know how horrible it can be when vile stuff is spouted but rising above it and maintaining dignity is always ftw imo.

Look after yourself x

[Rod Paradise]

She very much shaped the Britain we live in.

I think you'll find that's exactly the problem many had with her.

Yep!!  Don't want to disrupt the diary, but while there's plenty who'd like her - they're a very small minority up here where the effects of her rule are still being felt.

[tikay]

You cannot make these things up, Part 954.


I watched a Film the other night, even Sky Plussed it, which was really rather enjoyable.

It was called "American Gangster", and was about a gangster. Who lived in America. Love film titles which do what they say on the tin.

It was loosely based - very loosely based, with much embellishment - on a real life character, Frank Lucas.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lucas

Standard stuff, but well-Produced, about a Good Guy & a Bad Guy.

The Good Guy was a Serpico type character. Narcotics Officer, refused to be corrupt, fighting corruption within the Police AND Bad Guy. You've seen the same story 100 times.

But here's the thing - the real-life thing.

When Good Guy had got the job done, & Bad Guy had been sent to Prison for 70 years, Good Guy retired from being a Narcotics Officer & became a Defense Attorney. (American spelling). Fair enough, good luck to him.

After 5 years, Bad Guy gets parole from his 70 stretch, but starts messing with drug-dealing again, & gets caught.

He gets taken to Court to stand trial, & guess who his Defense Attorney was?

They can make fictional or embellished fimls all day & night, but nothing beats real-life.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

She very much shaped the Britain we live in.

I think you'll find that's exactly the problem many had with her.

Yep!!  Don't want to disrupt the diary, but while there's plenty who'd like her - they're a very small minority up here where the effects of her rule are still being felt.

Yes, I fully understand that, Rod.

Curiously, I was having a little chunter yesterday about the abuse, hate, & villification I get because of the work I do, it seemed a bit out of order to me to attack an individual because of how he earns his living, especially, in my case, when it comes from fellow poker players.

And then Lady Thatcher passed away.

Jeez, what was I complaining about?!

Quite a debate on blonde, too, some of which related to whether it was right to villify someone so soon after their death, should we not at least wait until they are laid to rest?

Many said if it is OK to praise a deceased person, it is also fine to villify them, which, I suppose, sort of makes sense.

It's - to me, anyway - a generation thing, an age thing. We - or I - are institulionised in our thinking, we are bought up to respect others, be decent, never rude, & certainly to respect the dead. Drive along the road & see a Funeral cortege, & I bow my head, even though I have no idea who it was. It is how we were bought up to think, & act.

Nothing will ever change that.

[tikay]

looks like Tom has forgotten me already.  Holdy and I are very close though so sure we can share

Claire!

Good to hear from you.

How is Hannah these days? Growing up to that awkward age?

Hi Tony,

Hannah's generally an absolute joy, although there are the odd moments of stroppiness as the pre-teen hormones are starting to rear their head - I find it so hard to believe she's going to be starting high school next year - surely i'm not old enough to have such a grown up girl?! Cherishing every minute until she's no longer my baby (although of course she always will be).

Re the abuse - hard as it can be sometimes to turn the other cheek, these folks feed on getting reactions. I know how horrible it can be when vile stuff is spouted but rising above it and maintaining dignity is always ftw imo.

Look after yourself x

Thanks Claire.

I cannot begin to imagine how stressful it must be to have a daughter approaching adolescence, especially as a deeply loving & caring parent. I'm sure she'll be just fine, but if she has much of her Mum in her, you have some stressful times ahead.....

On the other matter, yes, I know you've had some, too. Dignity, turning the other cheek, yes & yes, SO important.

Dignity & respect are so out of fashion these days. It's so damn easy to diss.

May you, Gatters & Hannah be forever happy.

[Rod Paradise]

She very much shaped the Britain we live in.

I think you'll find that's exactly the problem many had with her.

Yep!!  Don't want to disrupt the diary, but while there's plenty who'd like her - they're a very small minority up here where the effects of her rule are still being felt.

Yes, I fully understand that, Rod.

Curiously, I was having a little chunter yesterday about the abuse, hate, & villification I get because of the work I do, it seemed a bit out of order to me to attack an individual because of how he earns his living, especially, in my case, when it comes from fellow poker players.

And then Lady Thatcher passed away.

Jeez, what was I complaining about?!

Quite a debate on blonde, too, some of which related to whether it was right to villify someone so soon after their death, should we not at least wait until they are laid to rest?

Many said if it is OK to praise a deceased person, it is also fine to villify them, which, I suppose, sort of makes sense.

It's - to me, anyway - a generation thing, an age thing. We - or I - are institulionised in our thinking, we are bought up to respect others, be decent, never rude, & certainly to respect the dead. Drive along the road & see a Funeral cortege, & I bow my head, even though I have no idea who it was. It is how we were bought up to think, & act.

Nothing will ever change that.

Wasn't just your generation Tikay, I bow my head to a cortege, our school fields were beside the graveyards, the football game stopped if a cortege was passing.

BUT I can't think of that woman without thinking of destroyed families, wrecked communities, and not one jot of remorse from her. A leader leads a party & will always bring in policies that will favour their voters, but most leaders remember that they are responsible for ALL their citizens, be they supporters or not. Thatcher declared war on those who didn't vote for her & that change to the political landscape is one of her most damning legacies. The ensuing destruction of the sense of community seems to have heralded more of the disrespect/lack of caring/nihilistic attitudes in the younger people, the young lads in the pubs are the kids of my generation who left school looking at no future if they lived in the area, or who were transplanted to the 'ghetto villages' in the ex coal-mining area from the bigger towns, by the simple method of offering them housing there or nowhere, bringing more trouble and less caring with them.

[VBlue]

I enjoyed American Gangster as a film Tikay.  What I dislike about Hollywood is their need to, well 'Hollywood' everything.

I just watched Argo.  It was again an enojyable film, but don't watch it for a history lesson.

I much prefer to watch independent gems - such as Frozen River that shows you the reality of different lives and how people get through each day.  No frills.  No neat storylines with heros and villains.  Just life as it really is.  Frozen River is well worth a couple of hours of your time btw.

PS - In Furness they call me Hollywood.  I take so long to keep a count of the pot and work out my bet-size they think I'm actually dwelling up as part of my table image.  It totally works though and I get very well respected there as a tight solid player.

[tikay]

You cant make it up, # 1,019

Everything as to my personal affairs & paperwork is behind & out of date, I'm in such a mess, piles of paper & toot everywhere waiting to be filled in. Think I need a wifey to sort that stuff.

I discovered at the weekend, when I tried to book my SPT Dublin flight, that my Passport had expired two months ago.

Bugger.

So I booked an appointment at the Passport Office in Globe House, Victoria today, for 12.15pm. You can get a quickie Passport there.

That place is a whole another story, but there were hundreds of people there, though the system is quite well-organised & orderly.

Airport-style security check, then queue to get a number in the queue. No, really.

Got my number, sat down with my book. No Latte, it was confiscated by security. Coca-Cola is fine, Latte is a no-no. Bastards.

I'm sat there nice & quiet, minding my own business. And there he was. Sat almost next to me.

It cannot be him, surely, what are the chances?

Long-hair in a pony-tail, sort of physically plump-minor.

It WAS him. I think.

Gatso. GATSO. Yes, our gatters.  

Shall I approach him? Is it really him?

Yes. No. I'm not sure. It's not possible, is it?

I don't want to make a pratt of myself, & introduce myself to a complete stranger.  

Turned out it WAS him, wowzer.

The problem, you see, is his real-life name. Dan.  

[bobby1]

haha brill story. Did you chat about monkey tennis?

[celtic]

so who is team sky next weekend then?

Not me, that's for sure. I've saved some if my worst poker for the qualifier thingy. Think.there is another one that I can donate to, hopefully.

[Machka]

You cant make it up, # 1,019

Turned out it WAS him, wowzer.

The problem, you see, is his real-life name. Dan.  

There are more awkward circumstances.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

Oh Dear God no Aaron, don't raise THAT subject again!

Whatever ever turns folk on is just fine, but even in this day & age, some things just ain't suitable for for, err, public consumption. I'll have nightmares again now.

I suppose it is an age or generation thing, but the casual manner in which some really gutteral stuff, usually sexual, is readily discussed on a Forum, makes me wince. The world is changing too fast for me.

You swerving Dublin, I guess?

[Tal]

Congratulations on 65,000 posts, Tikay.

[tikay]

Congratulations on 65,000 posts, Tikay.

Ha, had to be a shitty one.

65,000, how sad is that?

Wonder what I would have done with that time were it not for blonde?