Things You Just Don't Get

Pubs and gin palaces haven't proved sufficiently robust enough to survive first video culture and the home as a total entertainment unit. It's a long, long time since I've felt sufficiently engaged with the vibe of a pub to consider it a place of alcoholic worship and pressure release, to the extant I would want to make it my regular.

You just haven't found the right place. Staring at a television or listening to a stereo at home with a glass of something or other just isn't the same. You need to be in the presence of others. Have their stories and lives either bore or intrigue you. Have people randomly stroll into your conversations. It's the spontaneity that can only happen in the presence of other human beings.

Sucking on a bottle of whisky at home is like watching a movie rendition of live theatre. You always know how it will play out and there are no surprises because it's all scripted.
 
You just haven't found the right place. Staring at a television or listening to a stereo at home with a glass of something or other just isn't the same. You need to be in the presence of others. Have their stories and lives either bore or intrigue you. Have people randomly stroll into your conversations. It's the spontaneity that can only happen in the presence of other human beings.

Sucking on a bottle of whisky at home is like watching a movie rendition of live theatre. You always know how it will play out and there are no surprises because it's all scripted.

To be frank, it bores me now. The whole pub thing. I'm only interested in them as a quick one before going to the restaurant.
 
I agree with Fwiffo about the social side of bars. Although that will usually mean socialising with friends and observing others.

I can only get draught ales at pubs too. I am not going to drink a lot of bottled beers at home. Or spirits or wine.

The ‘bar rescue’ series might have started off on the wrong foot. The first couple of episodes I saw were set in Las Vegas which is not really a typical city or town. The presenter also had an unfortunately creepy vibe.
 
I can only get draught ales at pubs too. I am not going to drink a lot of bottled beers at home. Or spirits or wine.

Bottle beer just doesn't work. If you can't get cask conditioned, you're better off with cans.

Social drinking is good, but I have no problem drinking at home amongst non-drinkers.
 
The ‘bar rescue’ series might have started off on the wrong foot. The first couple of episodes I saw were set in Las Vegas which is not really a typical city or town. The presenter also had an unfortunately creepy vibe.

This sounds like the Restaurants on the Edge show on Netflix.
 
strictly on taste, I’m not so sure. But on all-around drinking experience and pleasure l, I agree.
St Austell Proper Job, plus Fullers 1845(see above) plus various Belgian ales, Czech Pilsners and German beers prove the case that bottled tastes better.
 
St Austell Proper Job, plus Fullers 1845(see above) plus various Belgian ales, Czech Pilsners and German beers prove the case that bottled tastes better.

Have you tried a blind taste test?

 
What about Fullers? I read somewhere it's better in the can.

As you know, I've drank in bars just like careers, although I am retired from that scene....I remain a connoisseur of alcohol from proletariat lagers to vintage Chateau Latour, whiskies and brandies.

You have to factor that modern mass produced beers, with some exceptions, case in point, Fullers, are ''brewed'' and bottled/canned on chemical production line principles. One week they're doing a big brand name, next week one of their rivals. The brewchem principle. All lagers are interchangeable.

Nevertheless, all things being equal, if you do a tasting of the bottle vs the canned version, the canned version will be better.

Fullers 1845 bottled conditioned beer proves that is not right.

Bottled condition beer can be a good substitute for draft ale, but has to be kept in prime conditions, otherwise it goes all sherberty. And in most cases, that is the case and it isn't that fresh or vibrant as from the cask. And it needs to be stronger than a session beer.
 
Have you tried a blind taste test?

It's an interesting question.

Personally, I don't enjoy drinking beer straight from a can. I don't know why, but the taste seems to be different - perhaps it's the way it comes out of the can and mixes around or perhaps it's purely psychosomatic. So if it comes to drinking straight from a can -vs- straight from a bottle, the bottle wins every time.

However, if I decant beer from a can into a glass, it's fine and I don't see any difference in taste compared to beer from a bottle that's been decanted into a glass.
 
You have to factor that modern mass produced beers, with some exceptions, case in point, Fullers, are ''brewed'' and bottled/canned on chemical production line principles. One week they're doing a big brand name, next week one of their rivals. The brewchem principle. All lagers are interchangeable


Bottled condition beer can be a good substitute for draft ale, but has to be kept in prime conditions, otherwise it goes all sherberty. And in most cases, that is the case and it isn't that fresh or vibrant as from the cask. And it needs to be stronger than a session beer.
‘modern massed produced beers’

That’s your problem. You need to be a bit more selective. You can’t just drink any old rubbish.

Canned beer will always have a metallic tinge to it, which it is why bottled is more popular in serious beer drinking countries.

As for bottle conditioned, that can improve with age. Connoisseurs collected Thomas Hardy ales from different years and cellared them. Same with Courage Imperial Russian stout. Then they did comparison tests.

Standard strength bottle conditioned beers are better, but you need to pay some attention to storage and poring the beers so that the yeast remains in the bottle. Non pasteurised beers are also better, as evidenced by the Guinness of earlier times and today.
 
Have you tried a blind taste test?

Better beers mentioned are bottle only.

As for the test, it was a sample of just 62 people. The beer is not specified. If it is not a great beer, then can or bottle will not make a lot of difference.
 
‘modern massed produced beers’

That’s your problem. You need to be a bit more selective. You can’t just drink any old rubbish.

Canned beer will always have a metallic tinge to it, which it is why bottled is more popular in serious beer drinking countries.

As for bottle conditioned, that can improve with age. Connoisseurs collected Thomas Hardy ales from different years and cellared them. Same with Courage Imperial Russian stout. Then they did comparison tests.

Standard strength bottle conditioned beers are better, but you need to pay some attention to storage and poring the beers so that the yeast remains in the bottle. Non pasteurised beers are also better, as evidenced by the Guinness of earlier times and today.

I disagree with you this. And the issue is that there's less quality beers available in cans so its difficult to gauge like for like.

Either way, canned or bottled beers are a poor substitute for cask ales.
 
Cyclists on the sidewalk during busy spells of foot traffic when there are cyclist lanes with barriers on the adjacent street.

Even more absurd on one way streets with lanes for cyclists.

I have enough issues dodging homeless people, skateboarders and families. I don't need a bicycle sneaking up behind me.
 
Cyclists on the sidewalk during busy spells of foot traffic when there are cyclist lanes with barriers on the adjacent street.

Even more absurd on one way streets with lanes for cyclists.

I have enough issues dodging homeless people, skateboarders and families. I don't need a bicycle sneaking up behind me.
They can kill you too! But Tory needs to continue to give the leftists everything they want.
 
They can kill you too! But Tory needs to continue to give the leftists everything they want.

In the Netherlands we have dedicated cycle lanes and if you get caught cycling on a pavement, you'll get fined. The worse you can do is be out in the local woods or countryside and cycle on the dedicated walking paths. The dog walkers go mad and start screaming at you.

In the Brit news yesterday there were several pieces on the first Dutch style roundabout with bike lanes and how it's a disaster. Of course to make it work, you need to look the driver in the eye to make sure they've seen you and are going to stop. That's how it works.
 
Strip clubs reopening. 2m distance. The girls wear masks.

No tongue. No lips. No contact. What is the point of a poor man's version of a burlesque dress rehearsal with overpriced drinks? I hope no one is paying cover for access to VIP areas.
 
Oriental women wearing fake lashes whilst out jogging.
 
Homeless man whom I commented in other parts of this forum came off the rainy street to ask me for a cigarette. I said it's my last one. It's pouring rain and he doesn't have an umbrella. How would he keep it lit?
 
Apparently you can watch other people watching a football game. I thought watching someone play a video game was bad enough but this is passively watching someone passively watching a sports game.
 
Hording disinfectant, cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer. Limits on purchases per customer.

Did something change that we went from 4000 infections to 6K plus that all of a sudden you need to buy more? It's not like there was no virus and now suddenly there is.
 
Hording disinfectant, cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer. Limits on purchases per customer.

Did something change that we went from 4000 infections to 6K plus that all of a sudden you need to buy more? It's not like there was no virus and now suddenly there is.

Some sales dude tried to sell me hand sanitizer that gives you 4 hours protection from germs and virus for Euro 50 a pop, minimum order 24. Er, no thanks.
 
It would seem my parents who were chafing at not being able to travel, at quarantine, at restrictions, at everything related to this pandemic will not be the first in queue to receive the vaccine. They are over 70 and would be on anyone's first wave next to health care workers and senior home residents. They believe the senior home residents are being used as an extended vaccine testing phase.

Besides this I read an article about a poll where centre and left voters in Canada are the most careful with masks, distance, hand sanitizing. But they are the most skeptical about being front of the queue for a vaccine. On the other hand conservative voters who are not in compliance with masks, distance and hand sanitizing will be the first in queue for the vaccine.

There's also a twisted logic pandemic going around.
 
It would seem my parents who were chafing at not being able to travel, at quarantine, at restrictions, at everything related to this pandemic will not be the first in queue to receive the vaccine. They are over 70 and would be on anyone's first wave next to health care workers and senior home residents. They believe the senior home residents are being used as an extended vaccine testing phase.

Besides this I read an article about a poll where centre and left voters in Canada are the most careful with masks, distance, hand sanitizing. But they are the most skeptical about being front of the queue for a vaccine. On the other hand conservative voters who are not in compliance with masks, distance and hand sanitizing will be the first in queue for the vaccine.

There's also a twisted logic pandemic going around.

My mum's said she's not taking it and she's been totally in adherence to the lock down and restrictions.

And someone else told me yesterday who's a Lefty that they won't be taking it as he's not in a high risk group and he hasn't been tested enough.
 
I just found out that my brother's baby's day care isolates the children so minimal interaction between them and their peers means a lower chance at transmission of the coronavirus.

They divide the kids up into as many separate walled rooms as they can. They reduced the amount in attendance by kicking out some through a lottery system. And they make the ones in the same room sit at a table by themselves with solitary activities.

What kind of f@cked up upbringing will he have? He already goes around saying he needs to wear a mask with his baby English.
 
I was looking for a non fiction book to buy for my father for Christmas. I didn't appreciate every actor celebrity and an ex President is low on funds so they started publishing biographies.

Not knowing what to purchase I continued browsing the bestseller list.

Humans of New York, Humans came up as a bestseller. Why would anyone want to spend time from their life to read about the life of random people around the world? I hardly spend enough time taking care of me and don't have time to write a diary. It seems preposterous that I want to devote what's remaining of my life to read the story of some random human whom I will likely never meet and won't amount to anything in my life.
 
I went by the grocery store down the street and saw orechiette, sausage and rapini in a pre-assembled ready to cook container. The container consisted of sausage meat taken out of its casing. Raw rapini - a small bunch. Orechiette that was already cooked. And some weird pouch of yellowish sauce.

How lazy are you that you can't make this from the original ingredients? There isn't any preparation for the meat - you're leveraging the sausage's marinade I don't get how you have to blanche rapini but you can't boil dried pasta. $12.99. For $13 I can make you 2kg of this that you would be sick of eating for a week.
 
I went by the grocery store down the street and saw orechiette, sausage and rapini in a pre-assembled ready to cook container. The container consisted of sausage meat taken out of its casing. Raw rapini - a small bunch. Orechiette that was already cooked. And some weird pouch of yellowish sauce.

How lazy are you that you can't make this from the original ingredients? There isn't any preparation for the meat - you're leveraging the sausage's marinade I don't get how you have to blanche rapini but you can't boil dried pasta. $12.99. For $13 I can make you 2kg of this that you would be sick of eating for a week.
Two out of three of those ingredients I have never heard of.
 
From Sky News: "Coming up a program looking back at 2020...a year to forget."

So why you broadcasting the program then?
 
On my way home I let a delivery man in who brought groceries from a local supermarket about 1 1/2km away. He was waiting for a person to come down and pick it up. This Asian couple come down with masks and everything, pick up their groceries, and follow behind me as we queue for the lift. Even though we have a one person per lift policy I always invite people to come in to save them time waiting. Couples and singles with dogs rarely do but this couple jumped at the chance.

It confuses me that you are too scared to go out to buy groceries but you are clearly okay being confined to a small space without 2m distance with someone in a suit and tie who clearly just went to an office workplace.
 
I saw a young couple buy coffee in paper cups with plastic lids at the cafe next door. As they left and walked away on the sidewalk, the girl stopped and turned around to face the boy and the boy brought out a spray bottle of what I assume is disinfectant and sprayed it on her coffee cup with the lid on. He then put the spray bottle in his pocket and they merrily held hands and continued to drink their coffee.
 
I saw a young couple buy coffee in paper cups with plastic lids at the cafe next door. As they left and walked away on the sidewalk, the girl stopped and turned around to face the boy and the boy brought out a spray bottle of what I assume is disinfectant and sprayed it on her coffee cup with the lid on. He then put the spray bottle in his pocket and they merrily held hands and continued to drink their coffee.
Mmmm disinfectant.
 
I’m not aware of even one paper in the literature that records a case of C19 caught or spread by surface transmission.
it may be assumed it probably doesn’t happen.

all the disinfecting etc is theatre
 
And every morning I use disinfectant wipes on my hot desk. I reckon I can stop now.
 

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