Tomorrow I'm going to watch a movie at the cinema. I'm watching "Dune" with a friend and it's my first cinema visit since "Once upon a time in Hollywood". It'll be great!
I too intended NTTD to be my first visit to the cinema after the major Covid restrictions, but I've read the first Dune novel and the director is very good so I feel I had to go see it.
I just bought my NTTD tickets! October 7, 6:30pm, big comfy-seats in a VIP cinema. I may even arrive early enough to avail myself of the in-seat service for a martini, a Heineken, or perhaps a Blackwell rum and soda. Hmmmm....counting down the sleeps!
At auction yesterday a first edition of Frankenstein sold for £856k !!! There were only 500 copies printed in the first run, hence it’s rarity. A first edition Dracula also went for £201k. Certainly a lot more than my highest sales in my bookshop ๐
Also a 1970 car tax disc registered to the Goldfinger Aston Martin sold for £25k - wow!
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
The Norwegian Minister of Health has told local authorities to be ready for the complete lifting of national Corona restrictions from next Friday! Local restrictions can continue where neccessary. More than 90% of the adult population has had one vaccine and more than 85% of adults are fully vaccinated. Nice, very nice. ๐
I've just spent some quality time googling "craziest political ads". They're hillarious! ๐คฃ
Don't worry, making wild and crazy political ads is a bipartisan effort. The craziest I've found yet is even Canadian. Do you think today's politicians are all grey and uninventive? Google "craziest political ads" and find hope again! ๐
Lately I've seen photos an TV reports from the UK lately from petrol stations and grocery stores that reminds me of of images I saw from the Soviet Union. Empty shelves and out of petrol. They day it's because of the absence of foreign drivers, especially from easyern Europe. I'm not looking for Brexit War II here, but I'm interested to know how bad it really is and how life is going. Please discuss Brexit itself in PMs if needed.
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,865MI6 Agent
I know it's bad in other parts of the UK, especially in the English cities it seems but I was able to fill up at a local petrol station with no queues or fuss. Of course I don't live in a city but I've not seen any long queues or panic buying here in NI thus far.
I blame the media for whipping up a public frenzy out of what should have been a non-story. True, there is a shortage of qualified lorry drivers but there is enough fuel to go round if the general public didn't panic buy and buy far more fuel than they actually need in petrol cans and jars. It reminds me of the run on the banks during the global financial crisis of 2008. In other words, the worst thing one could possibly do and only serving to further exacerbate the problem. Sadly it seems some people never learn. ๐
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
I read in a newspaper that 1/3 BP petrol stations were out of fuel yesterday and Petrol Retailers Association say 60-90% of their members are empty. That was clearly not the case where you live. So you mainly blame panic buying, much like toilet paper in the early days of Corona?
There are speculations in the press that the PM will use military drivers to transport fuel, but I don't see any sources to back that up.
The petrol stations by me have been absolutely inundated. Queues all over the place. Brought the town to a standstill at times. Today I couldn't get near my usual supermarket because the car park was absolute mayhem. I didn't even want petrol!
It's very frustrating because it was literally a handful of BP stations that had closed due to a lack of deliveries and 'someone' told the media and then it all took off. Absolutely ridiculous. There was/is no shortage of petrol just a small issue with delivery to a very small number of stations but now everyone is panicking so it looks like Amageddon.
As for the supermarket shelves being empty, there is definitely not the variety of stuff there was but I haven't had any great issue getting my usual stuff, apart from fizzy drinks.
That sounds pretty bad. Wait .......... did you say fizzy drinks? Does that include Coke Zero? Good God - that's horrible!!!! ๐ฑ๐ฑ My thoughts are with you in these dark times. ๐ฉ
Yes, well NI is always that little bit different from the rest of the UK regions for reasons of geography and culture. Of course there was indeed panic buying of food and toilet rolls at the beginning of the pandemic just like anywhere else in the UK. As I said above, I do think the media has its role to play in whipping things up.
The UK Government plans to issue temporary work visas to foreign lorry drivers to try to alleviate the current shortage of drivers somewhat. There are also plans to keep the Army in reserve to be used as drivers in case things get worse.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
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๐คฃ๐คฃ
Tomorrow I'm going to watch a movie at the cinema. I'm watching "Dune" with a friend and it's my first cinema visit since "Once upon a time in Hollywood". It'll be great!
That's the last film I saw in a cinema too! I'm going to hold out for NTTD which I believe will open some time in 2026.
I too intended NTTD to be my first visit to the cinema after the major Covid restrictions, but I've read the first Dune novel and the director is very good so I feel I had to go see it.
I just bought my NTTD tickets! October 7, 6:30pm, big comfy-seats in a VIP cinema. I may even arrive early enough to avail myself of the in-seat service for a martini, a Heineken, or perhaps a Blackwell rum and soda. Hmmmm....counting down the sleeps!
Just bought mine. September 30th. ๐
Congratulations, Barbel. Is it true that you'll be singing along, out loud, at the top of your voice, to Billie Eilish?
Oh, hardly! ๐ It's not that kind of song!
Cinema’s still closed here ๐
Of course not. But we've all heard the stories about you and "Who wants to live forever" at the local cinema when they showed Highlander. ๐
Not to mention Mamma Mia!! ๐
Oh damn, I thought I'd managed to hush them up. ๐ TP promised not to tell anyone, but I bet if he was here now he'd deny it was him.
In your defence the audience in the cinema reportedly liked your singing better than Brosnan's. ๐
That's not a huge compliment, though.
At auction yesterday a first edition of Frankenstein sold for £856k !!! There were only 500 copies printed in the first run, hence it’s rarity. A first edition Dracula also went for £201k. Certainly a lot more than my highest sales in my bookshop ๐
Also a 1970 car tax disc registered to the Goldfinger Aston Martin sold for £25k - wow!
The Norwegian Minister of Health has told local authorities to be ready for the complete lifting of national Corona restrictions from next Friday! Local restrictions can continue where neccessary. More than 90% of the adult population has had one vaccine and more than 85% of adults are fully vaccinated. Nice, very nice. ๐
Norway will remove all Covid restrictions tomorrow (Saturday) at 4 PM. ๐
Great news @Number24 ๐ Hope people aren't too silly, like they have been in the UK๐ค
Norwegians being silly? ๐ฅณ๐ฅด
You must be joking!
๐๐๐
I've just spent some quality time googling "craziest political ads". They're hillarious! ๐คฃ
Don't worry, making wild and crazy political ads is a bipartisan effort. The craziest I've found yet is even Canadian. Do you think today's politicians are all grey and uninventive? Google "craziest political ads" and find hope again! ๐
Lately I've seen photos an TV reports from the UK lately from petrol stations and grocery stores that reminds me of of images I saw from the Soviet Union. Empty shelves and out of petrol. They day it's because of the absence of foreign drivers, especially from easyern Europe. I'm not looking for Brexit War II here, but I'm interested to know how bad it really is and how life is going. Please discuss Brexit itself in PMs if needed.
I know it's bad in other parts of the UK, especially in the English cities it seems but I was able to fill up at a local petrol station with no queues or fuss. Of course I don't live in a city but I've not seen any long queues or panic buying here in NI thus far.
I blame the media for whipping up a public frenzy out of what should have been a non-story. True, there is a shortage of qualified lorry drivers but there is enough fuel to go round if the general public didn't panic buy and buy far more fuel than they actually need in petrol cans and jars. It reminds me of the run on the banks during the global financial crisis of 2008. In other words, the worst thing one could possibly do and only serving to further exacerbate the problem. Sadly it seems some people never learn. ๐
I read in a newspaper that 1/3 BP petrol stations were out of fuel yesterday and Petrol Retailers Association say 60-90% of their members are empty. That was clearly not the case where you live. So you mainly blame panic buying, much like toilet paper in the early days of Corona?
There are speculations in the press that the PM will use military drivers to transport fuel, but I don't see any sources to back that up.
The petrol stations by me have been absolutely inundated. Queues all over the place. Brought the town to a standstill at times. Today I couldn't get near my usual supermarket because the car park was absolute mayhem. I didn't even want petrol!
It's very frustrating because it was literally a handful of BP stations that had closed due to a lack of deliveries and 'someone' told the media and then it all took off. Absolutely ridiculous. There was/is no shortage of petrol just a small issue with delivery to a very small number of stations but now everyone is panicking so it looks like Amageddon.
As for the supermarket shelves being empty, there is definitely not the variety of stuff there was but I haven't had any great issue getting my usual stuff, apart from fizzy drinks.
That sounds pretty bad. Wait .......... did you say fizzy drinks? Does that include Coke Zero? Good God - that's horrible!!!! ๐ฑ๐ฑ My thoughts are with you in these dark times. ๐ฉ
Queues at filling stations, check.
Shortages at shops, partial check.
Yes, but how is the Coke Zero situation?!!!! ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฒ
Never touch the stuff, myself, so can't help there.
Number24, out of curiosity: toilet paper or Coke Zero?
Good question. Hmmmm .....
Well, there's plenty of newspapers and leaves around. ๐
Yes, well NI is always that little bit different from the rest of the UK regions for reasons of geography and culture. Of course there was indeed panic buying of food and toilet rolls at the beginning of the pandemic just like anywhere else in the UK. As I said above, I do think the media has its role to play in whipping things up.
The UK Government plans to issue temporary work visas to foreign lorry drivers to try to alleviate the current shortage of drivers somewhat. There are also plans to keep the Army in reserve to be used as drivers in case things get worse.