Randomness

[justTripn]

20 ridiculous complaints made by holidaymakers

Yeah, people really are stupid!

"The brochure stated: 'No hairdressers at the accommodation'. We're trainee hairdressers - will we be OK staying here?" LOL . . .!

There is a famous complaint about one of our astronomy events:

"You should schedule these things for a more convenient time!" (We were viewing an eclipse! LOL)

Now when anyone in the club announces, say, an occultation that will occur at 2:30am Wednesday morning, some joker has to grumble about scheduling the next one for a more convenient time.

[JadziaKathryn]

That's just frightening, how dumb people are. I mean, really. "No one told us there would be fish in the sea. The children were startled."

It's enough to make one concerned for humanity.

And while we're at it, bring back Magic School Bus to teach these kids (and, if we're really lucky, their parents as well) some basic science!

[Aquarius]

Not to change the subject on the naked beach talk, but today is Connor's birthday, isn't it?

Happy Birthday, Connor!

I think it's his birthday anyway...

I'm sorry...I just saw "naked beach" and "Connor" in the same sentence as I skimmed and I really had to wonder what I missed...

[JadziaKathryn]

[TPoptarts]

Anyone know anything about IE8? Is it better than IE7?

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

I don't watch the silly EuroVision Song Contest we have over here, but this year it's caused some diplomatic scandals. The grand finale will be held in Moscow and when we had our national final in Sweden we had a satiric song and dance number making fun of Russia as an interlude:

Tingeling

It's pretty stupid but nothing to get upset about... unless you're a Russian diplomat who denounced this in the strongest possible terms:

"We do not react to eccentricity by some lunatics whose Russophobia should place them in an asylum rather than on Globen’s stage."

Considering that Soviet Russia used to send dissidents to mental asylums, that probably wasn't the wisest choice of words. More here.

And this wasn't even our entry for the contest, it was a humoristic interlude shown as the votes were tallied.

Anyway, what I liked most was the awfully nice bums in hotpants with the red star on them...

[panyasan]

Wasn't Georgia (country in Europe) banned from the Eurovision Song Contest, because they made a song mocking Putin? Okay, not the smartest move, especially with the tension between those two countries, but isn't it strange that the banning was accepted?
Don't we have some values in Europe like freedom of speech and free democracy? *stops herself from ranting about the EU and Russia, no politics, remember? *

[Alelou]

Probably too many countries are afraid their natural gas will get turned off...

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Wasn't Georgia (country in Europe) banned from the Eurovision Song Contest, because they made a song mocking Putin? Okay, not the smartest move, especially with the tension between those two countries, but isn't it strange that the banning was accepted?

Georgia was told to alter the lyrics that went something like this "We don't want to put in...", which was a not so subtle jab at Putin. Instead of changing it, the Geogians opted to withdraw from the contest.

[panyasan]

Wasn't Georgia (country in Europe) banned from the Eurovision Song Contest, because they made a song mocking Putin? Okay, not the smartest move, especially with the tension between those two countries, but isn't it strange that the banning was accepted?

Georgia was told to alter the lyrics that went something like this "We don't want to put in...", which was a not so subtle jab at Putin. Instead of changing it, the Geogians opted to withdraw from the contest.

My fault, should have read the story more carefully. Maybe my not so positive view of Putin has something to do with it. Mmm.. I wonder which East-European country is going to win this time.

[Asso]

Good question. Which answer can we give it?

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Well, had Georgia not withdrawn they would've been banned. It's like "you can't fire us, we quit!", a pre-emptive measure.

[JadziaKathryn]

This sounds suspiciously like censorship in the name of political correctness, but I'm just an American who knows next to nothing about Eurovision.

[Escriba]

Well, it's not exactly censorship (that's when you prevent somebody to give an opinion), it's more like:

Russia (after hearing a joke about them): Hey, I resent that!
European Union: Oh, c'mon, don't be touchy.
Russia: What?!
EU: It's just a joke.
Russia: Just a joke? Hmmm, I see... So you don't need our gas.
EU: What?!
Russia: It's just gas.
Eu: Eh... Mmmmm...
Russia: Gaaaaaas.
EU: That's... that's unfair.
Russia: Oh, really?
EU: We are free countries with liberty and freedom of speech and--
Russia: And dependency on our gas, crude oil, money, caviar... whatnot...

The members of the EU go away and talk among themselves.

Germany: I say we apologize.
Sweden: What? Why? It's just a stupid joke in a stupid music contest.
Germany: Whatever.
Poland: To hell with the ruskies.
Germany: Do you want to eat sashimi for the rest of your life?
Sweden: (mumbling) Can't we even joke a little?
Poland: Don't repress me, you Nazi!
Germany: Don't call me that!
Poland: Nazi, Nazi, Nazi, Nazi...
Sweden: (mumbling) Besides, it was a good joke.
France: Beg to differ.
Sweden: We are funny, you know? We are known for our sense of humor.
France, UK, Italy and Spain: Really? Who says that?
Denmark: Me.
UK: 'Nuff said.
France: You know, we could have several meeting, talk about this, let journalists take pictures and write about all this...
Germany: And then?
France: And then nothing. Probably another problem would arise and everybody will forget about this.
Germany: And what would we achieve doing so?
France: We will look like we do something.
Italy: Count me in!
Germany: *sigh* What do you say, Spain?
Spain: *snif* Sorry, I'm just too depressed right now *snif* USA is angry with me *snif, snif* They think we have abandoned them in Kosovo. But we need to take soldiers from somewhere to send them to Afghanistan! What do they think we have? 10 million of soldiers?
Germany: Ooookeeey... And you, Greece?
Greece: Sorry, I'm still suffering the hang-over of thousands of students destroying street furniture.
France: I could help you with that.
Rest of EU: Shut up.
Germany: What do you say, Holland?
Holland: Mmmm... well... offhand... I don't know... Every stance has its pro and cons...
Germany: As neutral as always, I see. Austria?
Austria: Too busy being great and magnificent.
Germany: Fantastic. The newcomers don't count...
Newcomers: Hey!
Germany: And you, UK?
UK: I'm not really part of the Union so...

The rest of the countries glare.

Germany: Has anybody got a good plan?
Poland: Me, me!
Germany: Anybody?
Poland: Right here, right here!
Germany: It doesn't mind if it sounds a little silly.
Poland: Ohhh, c'mon... Here, here!
Germany: Yes, Pol?
Poland: I say, burn them!
Germany: Just one word: Georgia.

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend, but taking this with humor looks better

Anyway, I think this year a country from the Balkas will win. My take: Serbia.

[Alelou]

Ah, you can even make the EU funny!