test please delete

[NickFitz]

Smilies should be back to normal soon: https://www.contractoruk.com/forums/...ml#post2586579

[NickFitz]

Tonight's movie mayhem was The Dark Knight (2008), being the sequel to the Batman film I watched a week or so ago. Very good, I thought, and now I'll understand what people mean when they refer to "Heath Ledger's Joker", which one sees them doing from time to time

Goodnight all

[original PM]

Not sure I like this change....

Anyway cold in Manchester - down to 5 degrees according to the car in Manchester - although the sun is out so I imagine it will warm up soon.

Other than that..

Happy Mondays

[DoctorStrangelove]

11.4 deg in the laundry room when I left home.

Don't like this update.

Touch of vertical still present this morning, having got worse since I came in here.

Yesterday's film was "The Quiet American" with Audie Murphy and Michael Redgrave.

The Quiet American (1958) - IMDb

Rather different take in the 1958 film where the Brit is the baddie, as opposed to the 2003 remake where reality is approached rather more closely with the OSS/CIA getting fingered for the 35 year feckup that was Vietnam.

But hey! we're all friends now.

I can buy Vietnamese made shoes in M&S so all must be good with the world.

In the novel, Fowler arranges the death of Pyle (called only The American in this film version) because of how Pyle is meddling in Vietnam's affairs and causing the deaths of innocent civilians by creating his "third force," an American-backed army to fight the Communists.

The political climate at the time did not allow these elements to be shown in the 1958 film.

Instead, the romantic rivalry between The American and Fowler for Phuong was played up and this was made the cause of Fowler's act.

Moreover, a final scene was added in which we learn that Fowler has been hoodwinked by the Communists into destroying The American, who is, in reality, a noble man trying to bring hope and freedom to Indochina.

Graham Greene was incensed by this change and denounced the film.

Oh yes, highly noble.

And this is from Greene himself in 1954:

Graham Greene Reports on Vietnam War From Vietnam | The New Republic

And a review thereof:

In Our Time No Man Is a Neutral

[original PM]

See you found it then....

[WTFH]

Morning all

Clear blue skies and sunshine here in Surrey, but it's chilly out

[DoctorStrangelove]

See you found it then....

Yes, but via twisty passages and saying "PLUGH".

Just as well it didn't need "XYZZY" really.

[Zigenare]

Morning all!

Day 16 of permydom.

Sunny Worcester - which is nice!
In the car at 04:30 - which wasn't too nice!

Now I'm a permy I have to use a pool car for trips to Worcester - my grade means I get a Merc - the one they gave me was AMG spec with a manual gearbox! WTF!!! I got rid of my AMG because I could feel every bump on the road, every pedestrian and cyclist that I ran over. A manual gearbox for the current speed restrictions on the M6 and M5 is just bloody ludicrous.

So, a battle will ensue when I get back to Bolton on't 'ill tomorrow!

A 21st century problem I know but FFS!

I hope your morning has started better than mine!

[original PM]

Morning all!

Day 16 of permydom.

Sunny Worcester - which is nice!
In the car at 04:30 - which wasn't too nice!

Now I'm a permy I have to use a pool car for trips to Worcester - my grade means I get a Merc - the one they gave me was AMG spec with a manual gearbox! WTF!!! I got rid of my AMG because I could feel every bump on the road, every pedestrian and cyclist that I ran over. A manual gearbox for the current speed restrictions on the M6 and M5 is just bloody ludicrous.

So, a battle will ensue when I get back to Bolton on't 'ill tomorrow!

A 21st century problem I know but FFS!

I hope your morning has started better than mine!

Should be able to stick it in 5th and put on cruise control - does it not have radar guided cruise control?

[WTFH]

Should be able to stick it in 5th and put on cruise control - does it not have radar guided cruise control?

5th? How quaint.

My rental at the weekend only had a 5 speed box. 3 short of what I'm used to.