Current Affairs 2023

[Onelife]

Frank certainly has a talent with the brush and you being his agent might be able to persuade him to post a couple of his paintings on the forum?

I would however have to take a small cut out of your commission should you be successful in selling any of them…I do recall, not sure if it was you? But I do believe one, or maybe more of our forum members has one of his masterpieces?.

Btw, Frank, being very poor we still haven’t be able to fill that space on our living room wall

[Stephen]

Keeeeeep painting!

I tried to persuade him to do some of the P&O fleet to be sold in the on-board shops. They could do with something more upmarket as a memento. Frank is that good .
Maybe the fact I offered to be his sales agent put him off!!!

I think it more to do with the fee you wanted.

Nice to see you back Frank

Who are you?

[Mervyn and Trish]

Welcome back Frank. Pleased the NHS came good with your 100,000 mile service.

[Frank Manning]

Welcome back Frank. Sorry to hear you have been unwell but wishing you all the best for a quick recovery which is exactly what Luton could do with right now.
Nice to see you back in the fold.

Thanks to everyone who has made nice comments. I haven't done any paintings this year because the old pituitary hormones have been playing up. Last year I did four commissions which were well received. I did a large painting of the Palace of Westminster just after it was completed in 1870, early morning slightly misty. That was in 2016, now an MP has seen it and is interested to buy it. All encouraging for an amateur dabbler.

Re Luton Foxy. The good thing is that the fans are realistic. The set up and the scouting and purchasing of players are good. It is just enjoyable seeing them competing at this level.

Anyway best wishes everyone. Thanks again for making me welcome.

[Ray B]

So the press are all over what colour will the baby be, black or white question again. I for the life of me can not see what the issue has been , even going back to Oprah and WHAT! To me it`s a throw away remark , who would not ponder on the colour of a mixed race relationship expecting a baby. So long as the question was not carrying racial overtones, give it a rest and lets move on.

[Mervyn and Trish]

The whole issue of Meghan's race hadn't even occurred to me until she raised it!

[david63]

The whole issue of Meghan's race hadn't even occurred to me until she raised it!

Who is Meghan?

[Onelife]

I think the colour of the baby thing isn’t anything that most mixed-race in-laws families wouldn’t have talked about but I give credit to both Harry and Meghan for using it to discredit this outdated institution.

[towny44]

So the press are all over what colour will the baby be, black or white question again. I for the life of me can not see what the issue has been , even going back to Oprah and WHAT! To me it`s a throw away remark , who would not ponder on the colour of a mixed race relationship expecting a baby. So long as the question was not carrying racial overtones, give it a rest and lets move on.

A bit like speculating which parent a baby will look like, which just about every family must do.

[CaroleF]

My Grandaughter's father was born in Uganda so my Grandaughter is mixed race. When my daughter was pregnant, we all, including my son-in-law, talked about what colour the baby's skin might be. None of us considered ourselves to be racist. Just as when my other daughter was expecting her first child we speculated about what colour the baby's hair might be, my daughter has light brown hair, her husband has very blond hair. I don't know if many of you lose track, as I do, of what it's acceptable these days to talk about, or words that we're not supposed to use. A while ago now, I asked my son-in-law whether I was supposed to use the word 'coloured' or 'black'. He said, 'Use whichever you like, it doesn't matter to me.' Occasionally my sister-in-law gets told by her daughter, 'You really shouldn't use that word.' It worries me as to what things are going to be like in another ten years or so.

[Slapstick]

My Grandaughter's father was born in Uganda so my Grandaughter is mixed race. When my daughter was pregnant, we all, including my son-in-law, talked about what colour the baby's skin might be. None of us considered ourselves to be racist. Just as when my other daughter was expecting her first child we speculated about what colour the baby's hair might be, my daughter has light brown hair, her husband has very blond hair. I don't know if many of you lose track, as I do, of what it's acceptable these days to talk about, or words that we're not supposed to use. A while ago now, I asked my son-in-law whether I was supposed to use the word 'coloured' or 'black'. He said, 'Use whichever you like, it doesn't matter to me.' Occasionally my sister-in-law gets told by her daughter, 'You really shouldn't use that word.' It worries me as to what things are going to be like in another ten years or so.

"I don't know if many of you lose track, as I do, of what it's acceptable these days to talk about, or words that we're not supposed to use"

I would't mind betting nearly all of us are like you, one day a word is acceptable the next not, I simply can't keep up

[Onelife]

Indeed Slapstick, I think in all of us there is a slight apprehensiveness of talking freely when in rooms of individuals that we don’t know…least we offend?

[Ray B]

Glad to see I am not alone in saying how it is.

Moving on, still woke/PC.
I just wonder what this younger generation are going to think of us old sages.

BBC Radio 1 will not play the original version of Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl this Christmas, because its audience may be offended by some of the lyrics.

The station said young listeners were particularly sensitive to derogatory terms for gender and sexuality.

It will instead play an edited version with different lyrics sung by MacColl.

awe bless, bet they do not have a mirror, should they see something offensive.

[Slapstick]

Yes, the BBC are always over sensitive about being offensive when it suits.

No disrespect but youngers today probably wouldn't even understand the derogatory meaning of the word in question!!

[Stephen]

They need to work out first if they’re male, female or a slice of toast.

[Onelife]

Glad to see I am not alone in saying how it is.

Moving on, still woke/PC.
I just wonder what this younger generation are going to think of us old sages.

BBC Radio 1 will not play the original version of Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl this Christmas, because its audience may be offended by some of the lyrics.

The station said young listeners were particularly sensitive to derogatory terms for gender and sexuality.

It will instead play an edited version with different lyrics sung by MacColl.

awe bless, bet they do not have a mirror, should they see something offensive.

Hi Ray,

Our daughter (26) would probably fall into your younger generation timeframe, so much so that I have at times found myself biting my lip in not wishing to get a sermon from her on how out of touch I am where LBGT rights are concerned.
I think there is a far greater acceptance with younger people about what constitutes male, female or indeed toast these days. They have grown up bombarded with the PR machine that advocates “if you aint tried it, don’t knock it” attitudes towards what us old sages feel uncomfortable about.

Just think about it Ray…when us old sages are gone “woke” will be given a free reign to convert the next generations into whatever slices of toast they like.

[Mervyn and Trish]

These snowflakes are so offended by words like blackboard and manhole but go round shouting the F word in the every sentence without a second thought. Now that offends me.

[oldbluefox]

I'm not bothered whether somebody is gay, bisexual, AC or DC but I do object to having it advertised and literally rammed down our throats at every opportunity by the media and pressure groups (and I feel the same about ethnic groups as well). Whatever you are just get on with it.
When we lived in Blackpool there was a strong gay community. I worked with and had friends who were gay but they didn't feel the need to advertise the fact at every chance they got. We just accepted them and we all got on well together. It seems for these pressure groups that isn't enough, they have to make a song and dance about it.
And nowadays you have to be so careful what you say in case it offends and as for jokes, a sense of humour seem to have disappeared for many as they look for something to be offended by. It's a sad situation I reckon.

[Onelife]

I'm not bothered whether somebody is gay, bisexual, AC or DC but I do object to having it advertised and literally rammed down our throats at every opportunity by the media and pressure groups (and I feel the same about ethnic groups as well). Whatever you are just get on with it.
When we lived in Blackpool there was a strong gay community. I worked with and had friends who were gay but they didn't feel the need to advertise the fact at every chance they got. We just accepted them and we all got on well together. It seems for these pressure groups that isn't enough, they have to make a song and dance about it.
And nowadays you have to be so careful what you say in case it offends and as for jokes, a sense of humour seem to have disappeared for many as they look for something to be offended by. It's a sad situation I reckon.

I reckon you are right...

[Onelife]

These snowflakes are so offended by words like blackboard and manhole but go round shouting the F word in the every sentence without a second thought. Now that offends me.

...and me!

[towny44]

What bothers me the most about all these woke issues, is that although they represent a very minor fraction of the population, they command a very major part of public debate, which.seems to give them a far higher profile than they deserve.

[Onelife]

What bothers me the most about all these woke issues, is that although they represent a very minor fraction of the population, they command a very major part of public debate, which.seems to give them a far higher profile than they deserve.

Fair point John, I suspect this is partly due to the media/tv being a portal for such issues.

[Mervyn and Trish]

And if you don't agree with their views you are a very bad person.

[Ray B]

Now here in the east we live a sheltered life.
Will someone explain 'Toast' ,that seemed to have past me by. I have noticed it being used a lot in posts recently.

[Onelife]

Now here in the east we live a sheltered life.
Will someone explain 'Toast' ,that seemed to have past me by. I have noticed it being used a lot in posts recently.

It’s a term they use down Souf to explain male, female and those in-between.