h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Movies shot on handhelds which make you feel dizzy and disorientated (e.g. the beginning of the Hunger Games. I would have walked out if I hadn't gone with a crowd.)

I've managed (thankfully) to never have seen a movie shot on a hand held.

I blame the Blair Witch Project for it. Everyone thought it was great and innovative. Yes it was. But it was also cheap and crap.

I wouldn't even watch it on TV, let alone pay to view it!

It makes my eyes go all funny

Done well, with a decent background reason for everything being recorded, it's an excellent and atmospheric way of making a film gritter and more 'real'.

Unfortunately most do it badly and/or give the most spurious and lazy reasons for everything being recorded.

PH: the massive new-story regarding a topless Princess.

It's really not that important.

As a 'news' story it all falls a bit flat.

PP.

PH: the fact one of the JFT96 group isn't happy, and has gone on the BBC saying so. Now, I appreciate what that disaster was and how it affected all involved (I read a lot about it because there was a new inquiry and apologies announced and issued yesterday or the day before), and it affected me deeply, despite being too young to remember it (I was born 4 days after it).

But what annoys me is this person does not accept the apology and has called that other person names. This man is, one assumes, used to such a thing, and was in the WRONG for what was printed- no excuse for that- but perhaps he thought he was right. Therefore, churlish and childish to hurl said apology back in that person's face, I think. And in public.

I'm not looking to start a debate on this or anything, just noting it really irked me. I acknowledge, in saying this, that perhaps I'm missing bits of the story, but the above still annoys me. The man concerned came off looking like a bit of an eejit. I understand what is wanted here, but calling names will not accomplish it.

PH?

The mass insincere apologies issued only because people have been caught out. Apologies that could have been made at any time over the last 23 years but haven't been.

Actually, that isn't really a petty hate - it is repulsive.

PP.

And people who use the word 'sincerely' and believe that makes them sincere. It doesn't.

Better log off for a while I think and make a cup of tea. I've been avoiding making comment on this shameful episode.

PP.

Well, perhaps the apology wasn't sincere. The editor in question was very wrong to print allegation as fact, but he's apologised. So has Cameron on behalf on the country. That's (part of?) what they want(ed). Mistakes were made then. Some have owned up, some haven't, AFAIK and maybe of those that have, let them be. Go after the b*****ds that haven't been punished! Back then it was about selling papers no matter what the truth but MacKenzie knows that's no excuse. I also believe this is why football grounds have seating now?

Mistakes certainly were made.

Then there was an intentional, systematic and probably criminal cover up in order to protect the arses of the people who made them.

The fact remains saying 'sorry' if not sincere is politics, self serving and not worth the breath used to make it.

Everybody now seems to have managed to catch that particular bandwagon.

PP.

Walking into bars in a place new to you aiming to scan the pumps to see if they serve real ales you like.

Unless the pub is large, within seconds you are faced with bar staff asking you (usually nicely) within seconds
What you want.
What I want is to see if there is anything I want to drink there! I wish pubs had to display a list
Of ales they serve outside, the way restaurants have to display menus.

Related to that, getting seated in a restaurant and being asked what you want to drink straight away, as they hand you the menu. How am I supposed to know, I've only just got the menu!

Waiters who don't fall into convenient breaks into my conversations

A related PH: Not being able to eat at restaurants because I'm too broke

Another related PH - waiters who don't come for ages, and when they do, they haven't got time at least to take an order for a bottle of water or an aperitif.

I'm inclined to give waiters a pardon unless they are being particularly rude. They have to put up with some of the most obnoxious behaviour I've ever seen.

Yes - I agree and try to give them a break, be polite and cheerful, and I would never cause a scene over a small mistake.

I just wanted to offer the opposite PH to those who would prefer that the waiter gave them more time to peruse the menu. If that happens to me and I really need a minute, I just ask them to politely come back in five minutes, but generally I will know that I would like a bottle of water regardless of what I'm going to eat, so that gives them a reason to come back to the table in a few minutes. Actually, I don't have patience with people who spend ages poring over the menu. I just open it, choose the first thing I fancy and shut it again. I will have an idea beforehand if I just want a salad, or fish, meat or chicken, so that limits the choice before I start. But that's my problem. It's probably the only area of my life where I don't dither!

So waiters, like shop assistants, always have the dilemma of leaving someone alone too long, when that person would have liked prompt service and knew exactly what they wanted, or bothering someone who really does want to browse for a half an hour. You can't tell by looking at people which category they are in.

It would be nice if at some point a clear protocoll for all time could have been established - e.g., (a) no waiter/shop assistant speaks to you EVER unless called upon, or (b) every customer is immediately greeted and asked if they needed time to browse or if they would prefer immediate assitance. That way no one would need to get cross. But no customs have evolved in the service industry for this sort of thing, and everyone is confused, and no one happy.

~*~(b) every customer is immediately greeted and asked if they needed time to browse or if they would prefer immediate assitance. That way no one would need to get cross.~*~

Move to America, silly. At least for the middle-class stuff. I've never been in one of those fancy places with all the exotic wines and strange dress codes.

GIS being temperamental...and trying to concentrate with a rather loud Coronation Street review being rerun at the next desk for the third time today...