In the news

Spit it out then!

Why can't hitchens look anyone in the face? its like he's blind?

Was the above in reference to this?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/aug/11/russell-brand-urges-less-methadone-clinics

Fucking ridiculous how he is somehow taken seriously as a spokesperson despite his only qualification being that he himself was a drug addict. Does he really think everyone else struggling with addiction is in the same position he is? Because funnily enough, a lot of the people reliant on methadone subscriptions don't have hugely lucrative contracts at MTV, and easy access to whatever kind of treatment they need.

Peter Hitchens can fuck right off too, I wish they'd fought each other to the death.

As much as I hate brand (and I really really do loathe him).

I agree with him on this.

I also hate hitchens, but having just watched a youtube vid of him laying into brand about being a bratty indulgent westerner creating a chain of crime and suffering through his drug use. I agree with that to.

I can't stand Brand either, but he's just the annoying, attention-seeking kid from school who never grew up. Hitchens is an overbearingly pompous, moralising windbag who hates anyone that doesn't fit the warped, Daily Mail view of the world that he experiences through his little piggy eyes. The kind of person that makes the world an appreciably worse place to live in.

Peter Hitchens is not even worthy of comment.

I've never read anything of his, nor really listened to anything he's said, I just feel I was born to disregard him and many others like him.

It sounds like bigotry, which it is coincidently, by definition, but that's not what it is. What it is, is the same thing that stops you eating dog shit in the street. You're born with that, and some people will tell you how you think you're so snobby and idealistic turning your nose up at dog shit, while they have it all around their mouth, and when you talk to them they throw it all over you and you come away stinking of shit, but at least you never ate it.

Of the two I much prefer Brand.

If you had to have a lemon-type party with both of them where would you place yourself in amongst them?

I would have Hitchens in the middle in the receiving position. I'd do this hesitantly, but in the knowledge that he's going to be getting a hell of a lot less out of this that I am, and with that thought I think myself and Russell would bring a lot of enthusiasm to the role.

What's more shocking though (as Olympic gold medal winning rower Anna Watkins confirmed) is that male members of Team GB have received BMWs - and the women didn't!

Some of the male rowers were sponsored directly by BMW UK before the games, as are lots of female athletes but just happen to be no female rowers sponsored. Non-story.

From the BBC:
Rail fares will rise by 6.2% in January

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19251068

Glad I plan to be on the bike.

Ah some good news for a change.

C'mon Ed, don't be a dick.

Even at current prices it is cheaper for me to drive to Manchester to see my folks.
I would love to cycle to Euston, put the bike on and peddle off at the other end. When I have done this it has brought me great joy.
I don't want to go in the car, but I simply can't afford to dash 70bags on a return train ticket.

^this. there's always going to be times when riding a bike is impractical to travel and usually if you don't own a car then the train is the most convenient mode of transport for those journeys. the fact they keep gouging prices does no one any good unless they hold shares in that company.

Train pricing does put it firmly into the luxury bracket, the cost of two returns to see my parents would allow me to drive there and back twice.

C'mon Ed, don't be a dick.

Even at current prices it is cheaper for me to drive to Manchester to see my folks.
I would love to cycle to Euston, put the bike on and peddle off at the other end. When I have done this it has brought me great joy.
I don't want to go in the car, but I simply can't afford to dash 70bags on a return train ticket.

Really ? Petrol is £6.30 a gallon and it's a minimum 400 mile round trip, not taking into account other cost factors. Very economical car ?

I didn't intend to start the car vs train debate. Just seems to me that headline fares increasing at twice the rate of inflation on average is pretty steep, when fares already are high.

it's newsworthy. I think people were more picking ed up on his glee at the fact.

Really ? Petrol is £6.30 a gallon and it's a minimum 400 mile round trip, not taking into account other cost factors. Very economical car ?

I can do the round trip for a £45 tank in my little Peugeot, which compared to a £67 ticket is enough of a saving to justify. Even more so if our lass or mates share the journey.

I didn't intend to start the car vs train debate. Just seems to me that headline fares increasing at twice the rate of inflation on average is pretty steep, when fares already are high.

Quite. It is steep, and offensive even when you consider that people who WANT to get the train over driving are being priced out.

They go up about 7% every year

Book a week in advance, and suddenly your ticket becomes £32.

Book a month in advance, and suddenly your ticket becomes £12.

Regardless of the stupid airline-style pricing policies, we are witnessing extremely regressive transport policy.

Book a week in advance, and suddenly your ticket becomes £32.

Book a month in advance, and suddenly your ticket becomes £12.

if i book far enough into the future would the price become free?

if so I'm going to buy all tickets on all trains from that point in time onwards and I'll sell them on for a massive profit!

#thisiswhyishouldntbeputincharge

[QUOTE=TW2;3066658]Book a week in advance, and suddenly your ticket becomes £32.

Book a month in advance, and suddenly your ticket becomes £12.

if i book far enough into the future would the price become free?

if so I'm going to buy all tickets on all trains from that point in time onwards and I'll sell them on for a massive profit!

#thisiswhyishouldntbeputincharge[/QUOTE]

AFAIK, this is effectively what the trainline and other ticket resale companies do. its a load of shit really.

Book a week in advance, and suddenly your ticket becomes £32.

Book a month in advance, and suddenly your ticket becomes £12.

S'not true though is it?
I am just looking into tickets for travelling to MCR in 6 weeks time because our lass has the car for work that weekend, and unless I am willing to do the midnight train that takes 4 hours have three changes it is the full £33 each way.

C'mon Ed, don't be a dick.

Furry muff, in hindsight I'd rather the train company to be cheaper to encourage more people to take the train.

my "glee" is more aimed for getting people on bicycles.