batman

The original coca-cola drink contained cocaine for the first 20yrs of production. IIRC the reason they stopped using it was it was because it was cheaper to use 'spent' coca leave rather than fresh ones, thus eliminating virtually all of the active cocaine properties except for a trace amount.

Bats.

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

Steve Crook

What do newspapers do to avoid ignorance or add to people's education?

They have their own agenda - either political of just promoting more "celebrity" nonsense and by buying newspapers you just allow them to use the argument "Well if people didn't want it then they wouldn't keep buying the newspapers". Is that what you really want in your newspapers? Wouldn't it be nice if they just reported the news?

Steve

Steve Crook

It also lets them get away with the idea that as you voted for them, you must agree with every one of their policies. That's patently nonsense

Steve

Steve Crook

Does anyone actually get sued for these things? And does the person that brought the case ever win?

It's my belief that if any such cases are brought they are quickly thrown out of court. OK, maybe one or two might get through but the vast majority are thrown out.

But it's the risk of someone suing that causes insurance companies to increase the premiums (to their immense benefit) and it's just those increased premiums that make people more wary - that and reading nonsensical stories in the newspapers about people being sued for silly things like falling over in the street.

But when anyone brings a silly case like that to court it is reported in the newspapers, often just by passing mention in an editorial that then goes on to rant about the crazy state of things. But they neglect to say if the case succeeded, or was thrown out of court

Steve

Steve Crook

But hasn't it always been like that? The bomb threats from the IRA ever since the 1970s make people aware of unaccompanied luggage. That's why the posters are there telling you to contact station staff.

And as for walking in any big city late at night, it's always been advisable to take sensible precautions. Reading about random events shouldn't change that.

Steve

christoph404

Yes thats true, but I somehow feel that London is a more threatning place than it used to be, or at least after living here for some 24 years I feel more vulnerable now than I used to, that could be to do with my age....but there seems to be a much more active culture of the knife and the gun at present, more so than I ever remember from past years living here in the big smoke.

Steve Crook

Or might that be because every little story is now expanded into a major story by the newspapers (& other news media)?

It could well be slightly more dangerous than it was in our youth. But take heart from the fact that most violence is by young men on young men.

When I was younger I was too poor to be worth robbing - and I could run fast.
Now I'm older I'm also wiser and don't put myself in risky situations like I used to.

Steve

BristolUK

Very true.

The reporting of the FIVE separate murder investigations following deaths on New Year's Eve was much more responsibly reported in The Guardian.

And then the next day it turned out to be SIX probable murders.

Moor Larkin

'Column-writing' editorials are often very informative. The Dreadly Mail frequently has features highlighting obscure history that has a resonance to current events (no doubt other 'papers do too). These features are usually marketing somebody's book but are interesting nevertheless. The 'political' bias in their reports is pretty obvious but helps one form an opinion of ones own, by listening to someone elses. 'Ignorance on the streets' is often not a lack of information or knowledge but more a lack of thought and reasoning; the information has not attained any meaning for some people. They do not equate their obnoxiousness to the shop assistant who kept them waiting, with their sense of outrage about the person they saw on the news who had just been abused in some more 'newsworthy' way.
One of the problems I have with 24-hour rolling news is it's lack of context. You may watch the events but unless you have someone who doesn't necessarily agree with you, to discuss it with, it tends to go in one eye and out the accompanying ear. It ends up a bit like watching sport, very exciting at the time but unless you are a partisan supporter it barely registers beyond that excitement. Programmes like 'Newsnight' can be very dull but they allow you to 'think' by listening to other ideas, some of which are personal anaethema but make you realise yours is not the only opinion.

Of course,you can take it too far....... Radio phone-ins generally have me switching off in droves, after a very short time.......

samkydd

I thought the relaxation in licencing hours would make us more continental in our drinking habits ie. not downing pint after pint before the 11pm deadline, but no, instead we're downing pint after pint before the 3am or 4 am deadline.

In hindsight, before changing the laws the government should have perhaps made a study of 18 to 30 year old Brits on holiday in places like Greece and Spain, where even with bars open almost 24 hours a day, the average young Brit man or woman will drink themselves into a stupor for no other reason than because they think it adds to the enjoyment of a night out/holiday!

I would revert back to the previous restrictions on licencing hours, at least then the police know that drink-related trouble will strike after chucking out time for an hour or so, whereas at the moment drunken mayhem continues throughout the night!

It's the old headmaster argument, one or two spoil it for the whole class therefore everyone suffers the consequences!

Those arrested for drunkenness should be awakened from the cells at 6am and go out cleaning up all the vomit, blood and broken glass off the streets they disrupted the night before!

Moor Larkin

Baffling how they afford it. I was taken to one of these trendy bars recently and invested in two white wines, a bottle of this new-fangled cider stuff and a pint of best (for me... ). I nearly started a fight of my own when the grinning bloke said £14.25 please...........

christoph404

Thats not bad. As a special treat I took my young lady to "Windows of the World" cocktail bar at the top of The Hilton hotel on Park Lane. One cocktail and one bottle of beer....a staggering £42.00!! At least your bar tender was smiling. I was too numb with shock to start any fights after that, needless to say we didn't stay long! On the subject of drinking though and licensing hours, I get the impression that people from other parts of Europe tend to include drinking with food, I think the notion of going to the pub after work and sinking pint after pint is a British phenomenon, certainly overseas visitors that I have entertained here in London often express complete astonishment at the notion of going to the pub to drink several pints with no indication that eating some food at some point in the evening is to be included in the fun! If you go to almost any British city on a friday or saturday night come chucking out time the streets are awash with crowds of very drunk people, thats not something I have experienced in other European cities and I have been to many.I think the people of Britain may have a fairly unique relationship with alcohol compared to the rest of Europe, the licensing laws here have certainly been unique, would it be fair to say that the two things are linked?

samkydd

They can't afford it but unlike in the days of my youth when you went out with a finite amount of cash for the night, usually a tenner, spent it and then staggered off home, these days cynical bar and club owners have installed ATMs in the bar or club usually near the Gents. Intoxicated tossers can then keep the night alive by drawing out cash on either their debit or credit cards (and get charged £1.50 for the privelege), so they can continue boozing into the wee small hours!

They can also use their cards to buy rounds behind the bar these days, so in the heat of the moment £20 for a round of drinks doesn't seem so bad if you haven't got to pay for it until you get your credit card statement.

This is why so many young people are in debt, and with no chance of reaching solvency they just keep on spending on drowning their sorrows!

Marky B

My brother-in-law went to a works' party just before Christmas at some posh place. One glass of brandy = £37.50.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I am special. The heavens always open for me.

penfold

I think our relationship with booze predates the laws. Alcohol has always been perceived as a cultural problem here....vide the Hogarth engraving, the Temperance movement from 1850's onwards...whereas the licensing hours were only brought it around 1916 to increase productivity for munitions workers...

Bit of a Bay Window, what??