mike carey

Probably, I don't remember though.

Snow in summer? Or is it just a few snowflakes?

They are available everywhere except the US. Something to do with FOSTA-SESTA.

And the nicest guy!

Interesting, the last two characters are 'Nanjing' (in Pinyin, or Nanking in the old French post office romanisation of the name of that city, the system that spelt Beijing as Peking). But whatever, I think that the caption in the image is saying that they won't eat there, they'll go to an Indian restaurant instead. *Brought to you by Captain Obvious*

Short, succinct. And serious. Again. Grin

Anyone in particular in England?

This reminds me of one of the points a video I posted in the fast food thread about McDonald's in Australia had made. The video was basically a recounting of the way that in Australia, McDonald's had moved in different ways than it had in the US. It talked of their attitude to experimentation and innovation, and of paying attention to local market dynamics. To paraphrase part of it, in Australia they had taken the core product lines, and signature ones like the Big Mac (the item that had become the basis of a way of simple way of explaining purchasing power parity as a concept after the Economist created the Big Mac Index) and taken risks on specialist product lines and marketing methods to work in this market. The video made a point, perhaps a debatable one, but maybe more insightful than they realised, that in Australia they focussed on the menu items and kept the bundle methods simple. The bundle is simply called a 'meal deal'. The bundle is the burger, wrap or whatever, with a side and a drink. The price for the bundle is pitched as small chips (although they do call them 'fries') and a small soft drink. Substitutes are permitted, larger serves of chips or a salad, barista coffee, choose the size you want, with a price difference to reflect the adjusted bundle. Selling the food is focussed on the main menu item not the bundle. In contrast, and this is my wording not the video's, in the US the emphasis seems to be on marketing different bundles, no substitutions. In effect they are taking the same burgers and trying to sell it in a range of different coloured wrapping paper with a different bow tied on the package. To me, having tried to read the options on the menu board in an American McDonald's, it's just confusing. There's a limit to the number of times you can sell repackaging as a new offering.

To add to what @Simon Suraci said, satire builds on a narrative of what it critiques, but that narrative us usually a big picture that goes further than the individual elements that form part of it. Disproving, or calling out a lie in one small part does not necessarily debunk the entire narrative. Necessarily is the key word. Some things depend on the validity of every component. Narratives that tell a big story, whether for it to be satirised or merely revealed, are more like a jigsaw puzzle. Take out one piece and the picture is still clear. To mix metaphors, not every stone is a keystone.

The laughing emoticon was for the last two sentences. Made my day.

Welcome to the forum @SaintV. Hope it helps you to find some answers. It's not always smooth sailing but good on balance. Most people are helpful, but some voices are discordant. Hope you have fun here.

I err on the side of having quieter ones.

Context is everything! Seems to me that there's a lot of pearl clutching here, much of it from people who are upset that their right to make unsolicited sexual contact with another person is being questioned. The law has to be clear, people's wishes and intentions rarely are. The law prescribes what is and isn't unlawful, and has to consider situations where there is a power imbalance, often a profound one, between the people involved. So, unwanted sexual touching, clothed or unclothed may be unlawful. Consent changes that, but under the law consent may not be able to be assumed. Even without prior consent, there would be no offence if it were given retrospectively, and usually stopping when told it was unwelcome is enough. Being told to 'be a good sport' or that 'you really enjoyed it so why are you complaining' is a confession. But context is still everything.

Not the obituary I wanted to read today. Requiescat in pace. nytimes.com WWW.NYTIMES.COM Robert Redford, Screen Idol Turned Director and Activist, Dies at 89 He made serious topics like grief and political corruption resonate with the masses, in no small part because of his own star power.

It was a Soviet thing, not sure if it was legally mandated or just enforced by hotels, and may still be a Russian thing, but I don't plan on finding out any time soon. The Committee for State Security needed to review them overnight, after all.

Australia doesn't have the sort of constitutional issues that Canada has in Québec, but it does have a similar degree of difficulty in changing its constitution, as demonstrated in our 1999 referendum on becoming a republic. Constitutional change can only be achieved by referendum, and the record of success since federation is dismal. We need a majority vote across the country, and a majority in a majority of states (ie at leas four of the six). The future of our monarchy is secure, I believe, whoever is on the throne.

Maybe the 40 thieves got him? Oh, wait, he's Ali Gator.

Not a delicacy, but it's (or it was) a staple of children's birthday parties, @Gar1eth!

Not roll-on-the-floor-laughing funny but still a bit, and talk of clock watching is apposite on this site. A Brit journalist I first became aware of as a sweary commenter in a politics podcast posted this lament about the way summer was fading: Here, winter isn't fading as fast as that, but fading it is.

My dear Oliver, I'm so happy to see you here, still hale and hearty, have the happiest birthday, you deserve the joy from your family and friends. It's an honour to serve as your representative in my unusual way.

I can only assume that he couldn't believe that her malice would extend beyond him to his family, that the enormity of her evil was beyond his comprehension.

Yes, one for us, now one for you. And better, South Africa thrashed New Zealand in Wellington.

@Jamie21, more allusions and illusions than we've seen in weeks!