ciobha

My sentiments entirely Tel, Scott is one of the good guys, always has been.

I don't agree with it being a hoax JSG, it is a serious pandemic that affects primarily a certain demographic of society (i.e the elderly or the medically vulnerable) and I am sure everybody on this forum knows at least one person in that category who would be in danger if they contracted the virus. Maybe why people see it as "nothing more than the flu" is because they can't or won't look directly at those statistics, and choose to see only the effect it has on the younger and healthier generation. But one thing I will say, perhaps slightly diluting what Duncan has stated, is that I believe that certain authorities and establishments have taken a medical pandemic and tried to turn it into a political pandemic, to work in their favour. Something we could debate all night, but I would rather do it as friends, chatting over a cold beer or several in Pattaya, than on an internet platform.

All well and good JSG on the assumption that the world leaders have your best interests at heart.

Quite right Woodie. I recall a commentator here recently stating about Chris Whitty (Chief Medical Officer) and Patrick Valance (Chief Scientific Officer) - "These guys should be looked at as nerds in bad suits, providing the Government with factual data, and then going back to their office and let the elected officials decide on our course of action based on the provided evidence. Instead, they are rolled out day after day to each press conference, like rock star celebrities, and they are beginning to enjoy the limelight a little too much"

Kind of typical to what I see here from time to time. Power hungry nobody's who have become the self appointed Covid Police, believing they now have some sort of power over people. Usually happens at my local Tesco. I feel sorry for them in a way, the people who exercise this unfounded sense of overwhelming authority are generally high school failures, whose lives haven't turned out anywhere near how they had hoped and this is their last bastion of trying to be important in society.

Ahh come on bother Seven, I promise to go easy on you!!

I would have agreed with you up until a few weeks BB, but already I see the wheels being put in motion for the goalposts to be moved yet again. The set agenda and promise of "get the vaccine and everything will be back to normal" is already being reneged on, with reports already coming out of "the vaccine alone won't get us through this, we are going to have multiple waves with a number of different variants" etc., all from these so called experts from science and medical advisory boards, who IMO have a personal set agenda and don't give two shiny shites about peoples livelihoods. The Government needs to grow a set and limit the powers of these attention seeking buffons. Yes, take their advise on board, along with the advise of experts from various other fields, but advisers are there to advise, Governments are there to decide, based on ALL the evidence.

Nope, same Bar, same management and same seating. I have to say Poppy bar was a lot more appealing, especially for those nights sitting outside sipping a few cold beers, Poppy had good comfortable seats and a custom built outside area. I believe Nok was made an offer she couldn't refuse to move back across the street, so grabbed it with both hands.

The Bumbar girls are heading back home. Yes, they are now moving back across the street to the La Bamba location, and vacating Poppy Bar. Party on Tuesday night to celebrate their return.

Talking to Sindy today, she seems to think the bars will open again on Monday. One thing struck me though, she and the rest of the girls in the bar are scared, and I mean petrified of this virus. They seem to be of the opinion that if they get it, it is a death sentence!! I tried to re-assure her that given the young age and lack of any underlying health issues, they may get a little bit sick, but it is certainly not a death sentence. However best to be cautious anyway for the next few weeks, better not having it at all.

Happy New Year to you BBG, at least you have the warmth to keep you content - I am freezing my balls off here (although to be fair I live practically at the top of a mountain so it is cold all year round) I think we will the EPL again this year mate, but will need to buck up our ideas on the last few matches!!

At that rate Dukey, you will have had more tests than Phil Tuffnell.

I am with you 100% there QG, you are almost describing my own life. I had many years of having to spend my free time at the pub or club, going on holiday with a group of guys and generally being part of a large circle. But as QG says, friends move on, get married etc., or move abroad for work, and all of a sudden the group of 12 dwindles down to a few, the few you least liked among the original group. And so one has to re-evaluate what one really wants in life. For me, I stopped my nightlife habits back in 2008, until then, for almost 20 years, I was out on the town each and every Friday and Saturday, and most Sunday nights in life. But one night back in 2008, I realised that I didn't enjoy that lifestyle anymore, and made an immediate decision to suit myself, not go out because it was the done thing. I can say honestly that in those 12 years, outside of of weddings, special occasions etc., back home in Ireland I have been in a bar at most 20 times.

Yep. many years ago I made a resolution never to make resolutions, and have stringently stuck by it!!!

I think the context of lockdown really boils down to how it hurts the individual (outside of the obvious economic disadvantages). What I mean by that is; I would say I wouldn't be too far off the mark in saing a lockdown isn't too much of a hardship for any of us guys here in the LBR forum. We almost have a self imposed quarantine even at the best of times - none of us are anti-social, but are all happy in our own company on any given normal day. We don't really need social interaction, and I know I am not just speaking for myself when I say we are quite willing to avoid people on a daily basis. Therefore, any enforced lockdowns or quarantines are almost irrelevant, we do that ourselves anyway. But there are people out there whi lockdowns affect very deeply. My older sister and her husband rely on being social animals, it is a major part of their livelihood. Not being able to freely see their daughters, grandchildren, family and friends for a prolonged period of time is extremely tough for them and I suspect many more are in the same boat. So when arguments and debates take place around the rights and wrongs of lockdowns, I certainly don't take sides, as I can understand all the various elements involved.

Red Poppy (ex La Bamba) will be having a party on Sunday 15th November to celebrate Sindy turning 21 again. If you are lucky enough to be in Pattaya at the minute, why not pop in and help the lovely young lady enjoy her day. You know you want to.

Oh come on BBG, you know you love the morlam. Mind you, it probably would have been more fun than watching our Liverpool last Sunday.

That was a question at one of the quiz nights I was at with you boys a couple of years ago. Apt question seeing as the quiz was in Hemmingway's.

Thanks for the invite Dave. Yamato looks a shadow of it's former self, as does much of the town. Sad to see in a way! Sindy was telling me a few days ago that they had one customer all day, bought 3 beers, played pool and then left. Nobody else the rest of the day.

Irony of the above post Dave, is that is exactly what will happen FFS. These so called scientific experts and their groundbreaking ideas have no fookin clue whatsoever how normal people think or live their lives. Kind of puts me in mind of a guy I play golf with from time to time. Forensic microbioligist or something along those lines, academically probably the smartest person I know. But in general daily life he is as fucking daft as a brush, no clue whatsoever!!!! The mind boggles.

Cheers JSG, I will check that out.

It's being going for years and I never bothered with it until about 6 weeks ago, now I am absolutely hooked on NCIS. Shows here on a variety of channels so there are about 5 or 6 episodes showing every day. Only problem is the series are all over the place - might be watching series 3 on one channel at 7 o'clock, then on another channel series 12 is showing at 8 o'clock, so I am a bit all over the place. Wouldn't mind trying to download it from the start and get a proper view from the beginning.

Didn't hear Biden's speach, but the only Irish poet/writer I am familiar with in recent times is Seamus Heaney? His home town was near Toomebridge, only about a 20 minute drive from where I live.

Interesting thing Tel about one hour after the SAGE so called expert made this statement, the head of the WHO stated he was "very confident" that Covid will be totally gone in less than two years!!!! All of them just vying for 5 minutes of fame IMO, which is why I now ignore everything I read or hear.