Toast

Oh yes, Grouty! I was surprised to see he was in 'Game Of Thrones'. Thought he'd be past it by now.

Is there any chance of changing the thread title to "Rugby Union" or something similar, because I for one have no idea what "Andy Ripley and other boofheads" means.

My money's on Peter O'Sullevan.

I won't miss her. I enjoyed her earlier books, but her style became horribly pompous and pretentious to the point of being unreadable.

Most of the animal shelters operate purely on donations, so they need to recoup the money they spend on housing these animals until someone purchases them, and also for any vet fees when they take the animal in. Although to buy a cat or dog from a pet store (especially here in the US) is a bit more expensive. Although I have to admit sometimes the owners of the shelters are super picky as to whom they allow to buy the animals. Obviously they want it to go to a good home, but they can often be unreasonable. I'm not complaining about paying. I only mentioned the cost to make the point that we are not freeloaders, and deserve to be treated with some respect. True, no one is really going to go out of their way to spend £100+ on a dog if they're going to neglect it. But then again I've known some people who had more money than sense and didn't have a clue on how to house train the critter. But then again it doesn't really matter how much you're spending, you should still be treated with respect. The money is irrelevant. I'm talking about the type who starts off by deciding in advance that the applicant will not be a fit person to adopt a dog. On the phone, so appearances are not a factor here. I suspect that they only want people they already know to take the dogs, or friends of friends. Suffice it to say that the woman I have just dealt with was so obnoxious and obstructive that I have sent a letter of complaint to the chief executive of the national charity she represents. A slight defence of these people (or perhaps a little understanding) they are frequently volunteer but they are animal people not people people and they often struggle in personal interactions. In their POV they are doing their best to protect the animals in their charge. This person has no animals in her charge. She is a middleman, a contact who is supposed to arrange appointments between prospective adopters and the people who do have charge of the dogs. She probably takes her job a bit too seriously. She's like the parking attendent who thinks that wearing a hat and being stood at the front entrance gives them the authority to control who can or cannot enter the premises. Exactly. I have uncovered reports that her area has the worst rehoming record in the country. It's no wonder really. Using volunteers is often a false economy.

Most of the animal shelters operate purely on donations, so they need to recoup the money they spend on housing these animals until someone purchases them, and also for any vet fees when they take the animal in. Although to buy a cat or dog from a pet store (especially here in the US) is a bit more expensive. Although I have to admit sometimes the owners of the shelters are super picky as to whom they allow to buy the animals. Obviously they want it to go to a good home, but they can often be unreasonable. I'm not complaining about paying. I only mentioned the cost to make the point that we are not freeloaders, and deserve to be treated with some respect. True, no one is really going to go out of their way to spend £100+ on a dog if they're going to neglect it. But then again I've known some people who had more money than sense and didn't have a clue on how to house train the critter. But then again it doesn't really matter how much you're spending, you should still be treated with respect. The money is irrelevant. I'm talking about the type who starts off by deciding in advance that the applicant will not be a fit person to adopt a dog. On the phone, so appearances are not a factor here. I suspect that they only want people they already know to take the dogs, or friends of friends. Suffice it to say that the woman I have just dealt with was so obnoxious and obstructive that I have sent a letter of complaint to the chief executive of the national charity she represents. A slight defence of these people (or perhaps a little understanding) they are frequently volunteer but they are animal people not people people and they often struggle in personal interactions. In their POV they are doing their best to protect the animals in their charge. This person has no animals in her charge. She is a middleman, a contact who is supposed to arrange appointments between prospective adopters and the people who do have charge of the dogs.

Nasty but as funny as fuck. You cannot possibly be an existing member then. It would have been nastier and funnier if he'd said puppy instead of kitten, so points deducted for not paying attention.

I'm not a cat fan either.

Most of the animal shelters operate purely on donations, so they need to recoup the money they spend on housing these animals until someone purchases them, and also for any vet fees when they take the animal in. Although to buy a cat or dog from a pet store (especially here in the US) is a bit more expensive. Although I have to admit sometimes the owners of the shelters are super picky as to whom they allow to buy the animals. Obviously they want it to go to a good home, but they can often be unreasonable. I'm not complaining about paying. I only mentioned the cost to make the point that we are not freeloaders, and deserve to be treated with some respect. True, no one is really going to go out of their way to spend £100+ on a dog if they're going to neglect it. But then again I've known some people who had more money than sense and didn't have a clue on how to house train the critter. But then again it doesn't really matter how much you're spending, you should still be treated with respect. The money is irrelevant. I'm talking about the type who starts off by deciding in advance that the applicant will not be a fit person to adopt a dog. On the phone, so appearances are not a factor here. I suspect that they only want people they already know to take the dogs, or friends of friends. Suffice it to say that the woman I have just dealt with was so obnoxious and obstructive that I have sent a letter of complaint to the chief executive of the national charity she represents.

I doubt anyone would have ever heard about it if the silly girl hadn't left her handbag in the kebab shop.

Most of the animal shelters operate purely on donations, so they need to recoup the money they spend on housing these animals until someone purchases them, and also for any vet fees when they take the animal in. Although to buy a cat or dog from a pet store (especially here in the US) is a bit more expensive. Although I have to admit sometimes the owners of the shelters are super picky as to whom they allow to buy the animals. Obviously they want it to go to a good home, but they can often be unreasonable. I'm not complaining about paying. I only mentioned the cost to make the point that we are not freeloaders, and deserve to be treated with some respect.

Control freaks (usually women) who run pet rescues. Yet again I've encountered an rude unpleasant woman who seems to think she is doing people a favour allowing them to pay over £100 to take a homeless dog off their hands. Last month a similar Cerberus at the Cats Protection League refused to let a friend have a young cat because "it might stray on to the road". There are two fields between their house and the road, and extensive woodland behind which keeps the cats occupied far from the road.

Yes, and if anyone dares suggest that the man is innocent, or the woman led him on, they are trampled by the mob of howling sheeple. Another thing I agree with that someone recently got shot down for saying: being raped by a stinking ugly violent stranger who jumps you in a dark alleyway IS worse than being "raped" by somebody that you have previously had consensual sex with.

Well said. I haven't looked at his website but I'm not a member of the lynching party, either. It's a unfashionable view, but speaking as a female who managed to get into similar scrapes once or twice through alcohol, I blamed myself for my poor judgement and moved on. Let's not forget that even if this guy has committed a crime (which I'm not convinced he has), he has served time for it and should be free to continue with his life. He hasn't killed anybody.

Awww don't be mean ... look at this dear little old guy

Yeah, I don't get the outrage over the tweet thing at all. I mean, it was just a photo with a caption stating when and where, nothing sarcastic. I don't see anything contentious or offensive. I would guess from the photo that the occupants of the house were likely voting for UKIP, but so what? Honestly, you knew what kind of labotomised West Ham supporter lived there before you even saw him. He probably has a Staffie called Tyson which he takes to work with him. Im no snob but, yeah, I do get it. The problem is we are full of false indignation. Its bollocks really. I could understand it if she'd said something like that but she didn't, did she. What I do take exception to is her referring to "British flags". They're English flags, woman, jeez such ignorance.

Yeah, I don't get the outrage over the tweet thing at all. I mean, it was just a photo with a caption stating when and where, nothing sarcastic. I don't see anything contentious or offensive. I would guess from the photo that the occupants of the house were likely voting for UKIP, but so what?

Jon Stallworthy https://www.wolfson....jon-stallworthy This could go in the Academics thread, but he is probably familiar to more people for his poetry. A DDP miss, although I had pencilled him in after seeing him on a doco about WWI soldier poets the other night

Maybe so, but it's confusing as people will think these are two (three?) different diseases. I think it does matter with regard to public awareness, fundraising for research and so on.

Isn't it called Motor Neurone Disease any more, or is ALS something different?

And there goes another crossed out off my list. Looks like I'll just have the malingerers left again.

Well, he says "When I’m working, I feel like Picasso, I feel I’m 30. When I stop I know I’m not, but when I paint, I stand up for six hours a day and yeah, I feel I’m 30." Elsewhere, he says he works seven days a week, so that's a lot of standing. He sounds chirpy enough in that article.

1. I'm not so sure that JS was "adored" by the public. I always thought him to be a creepy and loathsome creature, and so did those in my circles of family and friends. 2. It's hardly a coincidence that those named in the article are dead. There are good reasons for not naming the other individuals who are still breathing. For now.

I would say the vast majority of funerals in England now request "family flowers only", and donations to a specified charity from other mourners.