F**king Ramblers.

On Thu, 10 May 2007 18:25:40 +0100, The Reid <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

If you read the thread properly you will see I
tend to believe the OP wasnt aware of that meaning.

going back and reading from the start is quite informative actually.

I just looked in the urban dictionary, a highly unauthorative source
geriatric:-
" 15 up, 4 down
To be insane, stumble, stare at young womens breasts, dribble,
incontent, smell of [censored].
Oh my god, why do all the geriatric's have to come to the post office
at lunch time instead of the other 7 hours in the day when I'm at work
and they're doing nothing?"

the people there clearly see it as an insulting term, the OP and 15
others agree, only 4 disagree, along with the other sources I see no
reason to change my view on the every day meaning.
--
Mike Reid
UK walking, food, photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Spain walking, food, tourism "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk"
Beginners UK flight sim addons "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

The Reid said:

To be insane, stumble, stare at young womens breasts, dribble,
incontent, smell of [censored].

I score 1 out of 6! How well do others score?

Jim Ford

In message <[email hidden]>, The Reid
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Paul Saunders said:

Quoted message said:

Hmmmm. That *might* work if you know your audience, with usenet you
don't. I don't see how it works with people on the edge of it being
true. You could call a fit but poorly performing rugby team
"geriatric", for instance,

So it's okay to call fit hillwalkers geriatric, then?

It can be, yes, in the right context.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but NOT old people.

But that seems to miss the point. It's rather like saying it's okay to call
white people "[censored]".

theres a whole complex thing there with white n******, it means
something else, for a start. The word is in a class of its own.

Quoted message said:

So is it okay for an old person to call another old person a geriatric then,
in particular when they obviously aren't?

often.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Ageism is about not treating people equally on their merits, ageist
language reinforces it.

I thought we were talking about kids poking fun at oldies. What you're
calling ageism is a different matter.

Kids? I thought adults.

I just want to add to the debate the conclusions made by Allport when it
comes to calling people in 'other groups' by names that may be
offensive. For example, see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allport%27s_scale

--
Martin Richardson
658/1554 Marilyns - aiming for 777 71/118 New Donalds - only 40% to go
88/211 Irish Hewitts - 123, it's easy 37/220 Corbetts - only(!)183 to go

toad <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Paul Saunders said:

It seems to me that when a young person pokes fun at the old, they're poking
fun at what they will one day become,

...and are probably slightly envious at the extra spare time, lack of
mortgage and extra years 'in the bank' which the younger person may or
may not be lucky enough to enjoy.

Indeed. I am very much aware that I have lived through the best
times. OK, I was careful financially, but I did manage to collect a
modest Final Salary pension, and some SERPS, (in spite of Thatcher), and
it does seem that the era of decent Company pensions schemes is past.

My children will have to contribute more on their own initiative, or
have a less comfortable retirement than mine. :-(
--
Gordon H
(Remove invalid to email)

Geoff Berrow <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Recently I gave up drinking and driving altogether having previously
limited myself to a pint and a half of beer. I was amazed how much more
alert I was at the end of the night, even though after drinking I could
have driven home perfectly legally.

Any amount of alcohol is bad but the more you have the worse it is.
This should be reflected in graduated punishments

Say,

10mg - warning
20mg - fine
40mg - fine and 3 points
60mg - larger fine and 6 points
80mg - fine and ban
etc...

I distinctly remember driving about 5 miles home from a night out with
co-workers and having drunk 5 pints, but that was back in the 60s.

Now I am almost tea-total except for a drink or two at home.

I remember another scale of equivalents.

2 halves make one pint
2 pints make one quart
3 pints make one merry
4 pints make one noisy
5 pints make one argument
7 pints make one fight

8 Policemen make one leave.
--
Gordon H
(Remove invalid to email)

Dave N <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

In message <[email hidden]>, The Reid
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

On 10 May 2007 03:21:29 -0700, toad <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

as it was
about how considerate (or otherwise) the first age-non-specific party
were.

was that the old farts or the wet behind the ears brigade?

How do you know when a fart is old?

When it bears no vague olfactory relationship to what you ate.
Cabbage and cauliflower farts always smell old anyway.
--
Gordon H
(Remove invalid to email)

Paul Saunders <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

I had wondered about that actually. I'd assumed that since you didn't
mention it, you probably weren't old yourself, but now that you have, I
think that adds a lot to the defence of your case. After all, it's okay for
an oldie to call another oldie geriatric, isn't it?

Only if yer 'ard enough!
--
Gordon H
(Remove invalid to email)

The Reid <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Paul Saunders said:

"I drove to the car park and parked my car. I paid the attendant then walked
past the other visitors to reach the open ground beyond. Unfortunately it
began to rain, so I put on my waterproofs. It looked as though I was likely
to get a little wet on my stroll up the hill."

Basically the same facts, but conveying a completely different impression.
While the second is more politically correct and less likely to offend
anyone, it's far more likely to bore the reader into a state of mindless
tedium, and more likely to make them move on to the next post before
reaching the end.

pardon? :-)

You nodded off in the middle didn't you?
Ignorant sod!

Incidentally, outside American Films and TV series, how DO you make a
screeching sound on gravel?
--
Gordon H
(Remove invalid to email)

Jim Ford <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

The Reid said:

To be insane, stumble, stare at young womens breasts, dribble,
incontent, smell of [censored].

I score 1 out of 6! How well do others score?

Jim Ford

2. I often stumble when I'm staring.
--
Gordon H
(Remove invalid to email)

The Reid <[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

On 10 May 2007 07:12:37 -0700, toad <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

You waited 'till all the dispute had died down and it was largely a
dead topic, then you waded in to re-awaken it. Curiously completely
ignoring the post re-write which had already addressed your (rather
affected) grievances!

now somebody else wait two or three days and wade in anew :-)

<Stooped, drooling slightly>

I'll do it, but someone will have to remind me!
--
Gordon H
(Remove invalid to email)

In message <[email hidden]>, Jim Ford
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

The Reid said:

To be insane, stumble, stare at young womens breasts, dribble,
incontent, smell of [censored].

I score 1 out of 6! How well do others score?

Jim Ford

I usually stare at both of them. Is that 2 out of 6?

Regards
--
Neil Pugh

The Reid said:

Paul Saunders said:

After all, it's okay for
an oldie to call another oldie geriatric, isn't it?

often, yes, but if the audience don't know the age of the poster?

Facts are irrelevant to truth.
--
Peter.
If you can do it today, you didn't put off enough yesterday.

Gordon H said:

but I did manage to collect a
modest Final Salary pension,

yes, it doesn't look so good now, does it.
--
Mike Reid
UK walking, food, photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Spain walking, food, tourism "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk"
Beginners UK flight sim addons "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

Martin Richardson said:

I just want to add to the debate the conclusions made by Allport when it
comes to calling people in 'other groups' by names that may be
offensive. For example, see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allport%27s_scale

I dont think Toad was looking for a final solution to ramblers :-)
--
Mike Reid
UK walking, food, photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Spain walking, food, tourism "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk"
Beginners UK flight sim addons "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

Gordon H said:

I distinctly remember driving about 5 miles home from a night out with
co-workers and having drunk 5 pints, but that was back in the 60s.

that was normal then, but not now.
--
Mike Reid
UK walking, food, photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Spain walking, food, tourism "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk"
Beginners UK flight sim addons "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

PeterC said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

After all, it's okay for
an oldie to call another oldie geriatric, isn't it?

often, yes, but if the audience don't know the age of the poster?

Facts are irrelevant to truth.

<looks blank>
--
Mike Reid
UK walking, food, photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Spain walking, food, tourism "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk"
Beginners UK flight sim addons "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

Gordon H said:

Incidentally, outside American Films and TV series, how DO you make a
screeching sound on gravel?

good point, I think we are at the core of the issue now.
--
Mike Reid
UK walking, food, photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Spain walking, food, tourism "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk"
Beginners UK flight sim addons "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

On Thu, 10 May 2007 18:37:53 +0100, Dave N <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If you read the thread properly you will see I
tend to believe the OP wasnt aware of that meaning.

So what exactly are we debating, again?

you tell me.

I got into an argument about attaching labels to groups and what a
particular label means in everyday English.
--
Mike Reid
UK walking, food, photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Spain walking, food, tourism "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk"
Beginners UK flight sim addons "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

Paul Saunders said:

Quoted message said:

what is a definition but a dictionaries opinion?

But toad linked to a different dictionary with a different opinion, thus
proving the point that the slang meaning is variable.

I dispute that it is "slang".

slang
a type of language that consists of words and phrases that are
regarded as very informal, are more common in speech than writing, and
are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people:
grass is slang for marijuana | army slang.

I think slang is words that are yet to be formalised and accepted by
all:-
bird, hoe, bint for girlfriend
fit for beautiful
oz for australia,
[censored], grass etc for drugs,
cool for, er, cool.
Cockney rhyming slang is a subset.
(Its often used to exclude outsiders).

What we have here is the informal or non technical use of a technical
word.
botanists define fruit differently than stall holders
Truckers may define van, truck and lorry by legislative rules while
the rest of us use them casually.
We of course all know the technical meaning of hill and mountain.

Dictionaries do of course differ, this is only surprising to those who
think dictionary writers define words rather than report usage, which
of course differs over time, place and culture.
--
Mike Reid
UK walking, food, photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Spain walking, food, tourism "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk"
Beginners UK flight sim addons "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

On Thu, 10 May 2007 18:44:44 +0100, The Reid <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

stare at young womens breasts

i think i may qualify.
--
Mike Reid
UK walking, food, photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Spain walking, food, tourism "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk"
Beginners UK flight sim addons "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"