Messages

Donner's films used to be must sees for me. He gave us many hours of great entertainment. RIP.

[The Tomorrow War.]

The Tomorrow War. If you're tired enough not to think about what is happening or how it unfolds it's okayish. It helps if you nod off for 10 or 15 minutes here and there. You won't miss anything and sleep fuzz helps you from rolling your eyes too hard. If you've had your requisite eight hours then pass on this one.

[U-571]

U-571

Blatant historical inaccuracies aside, this turned to be quite gripping submarine thriller. And Matthew McConaughey, in one of his earlier roles, is excellent lead. This was quite a treat. One thing that always skips me, is where the hell is Bon Jovi? I watched this film numerous times, but could never identify him.

Complete rubbish historically but I love films about submarines and this is one of the better ones.

I firmly believe that poorer people spend more money than rich.

Being poor is expensive — the oft-quoted "Vimes' Boots" passage by Terry Pratchett is actually spot-on.*

There are lots of studies that show this. Poor people pay more for almost everything — their utilities are often on pay meters, which are the most expensive way to pay for electricity and gas, they only have access to the most expensive forms of credit (payday loans, overdrafts, often unauthorised), even toilet roll.

There was a study on toilet rolls (albeit as a proxy for a wider range of goods) — people on higher incomes buy toilet rolls when the big multi-packs are on special and get a fuckton of 'em. People on low income don't have the cash in their pocket to do that, so buy the more expensive four and two packs when they run out, paying whatever price they happen to be at that exact moment.

It's almost like the entire system is designed to enforce inequality and keep those on lowest incomes firmly in their place. And, yes, that grinds my fucking gears.

*Oddly enough, I was thinking about this only yesterday, as I put on a pair of boots that cost me an absolute fortune — I think they were £180 when I bought them twenty years ago. So, basically, they've cost me £9/year and are still going strong. Good luck getting a £9 pair of trainers or shoes to last much more than a year.

I deal with wealthy people on a regular basis in my job and almost without fail they try to work some angle to get out of paying a fair price. They are riding in ridiculously expensive vehicles and flaunt stupidly costly watches and jewellery, but when it comes time to pay for the work we've done it's always a fight to get the money from them.

[Freddy Got Fingered]

Freddy Got Fingered
Sod off, Tom Green!

Gospel.

When people who have been camping here try to slip away without paying and then get all belligerent and shouty when foiled.

Camper: "See my effing van? It's worth more than everything else on this entire effing country bumpkin site!"

Me: "Cool. You should be easily able to pay the forty two quid you owe us then, eh?"

Camper: "Pfah! Nobody carries that much money around with them, you effing effer."

Camper's wife: "Here's £45 - do you have change?"

Me: "Certainly, thank you."

Camper: "You stupid effing [female canine]!"

Doesn't happen very often at all, thankfully, but when it does being polite but firm has (so far) worked well.

Yep. Happens all the time. How do you think rich people get rich? It's not by paying what they owe.

I say this here because it is just 'sort of' OK that I just signed off on a mortgage and bought (a share of) my first property. Its not an ideal set up, but is more secure than renting and at an equal or slightly less monthly cost.

Yay! Responsibilities that are my own for a change!

Congrats, Hawks! My wife and I did the same thing last autumn. Our landlord suddenly decided to sell and we were forced out. We said enough of this and bought our first every place. No more landlord to be beholdened to any more. Now the mortgage company owns us for the next twenty or so years. Sigh.

Best journalism of the week. Reporting on the Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul boxing match in the Grauniad:

"The fight between one of the greatest boxers in history and one of the best YouTube personalities in his family ended in predictable fashion on Sunday night..."

Tea-monitor interface: Success.

[Stowaway]

Stowaway on Prime. This film gives unpolished turds a bad name.

Anyone else looking forward to the Steel Rat collection? I am torn between having it for me or giving it to a son.

You and Boris have sooo much in common.

One is a white, middle aged, right wing pontificator who likes the sound of his own voice and insists his opinions are right. The other is the PM.

Tea does not clean easily off my screen.

Or just good sense. No one wants to see drunk white blokes dancing out of time to the music in their heads.

[American History X]

Was it American History X that introduced me to the charming idea of biting a kerb while somebody stomps on the back of the victim's head? >shudder<

One of the most horrifying scenes in all of cinema. >shudder indeed<

I've been struggling to lose 1 st. for ages. I had come within about 5 kg of my target weight before Christmas, but a lockdown Christmas ruined me and put me back up over the 1 st. mark.

Recently, I picked up my guitar again after a long break from it and low and behold I'm within 5kg of my target weight. I'm still very rusty but I think keeping my hands and mind occupied has kept me from making poor diet choices.

I would truly like to reach my goal of below 80kg (like Jim). I would like to get down to 75 kg, but I don't think that will ever happen again without either starving myself or exercising at dangerous levels.

Several, so I can have a good wallow.

Shocking and devastating news. I always enjoyed Dave's contributions here and elsewhere. I never got to meet him in person but he was always a genuinely great human being.

My heart goes out to all his friends and family during this terrible time.