Amazon exiles discussion

Can anyone explain what the row between Mrs Vardy and Mrs Rooney is all about. Is it simply feeding their desperate need for publicity, front page inches. I mean, they don't need the money and they must be an embarrassment to their hubbies who just want to kick a football about and have a drink? Was there aver a more pointless court case?

I would if I could give a flying f....

Just another example of celebs with little else to occupy themselves other than self-obsession inflicting mutual damage and covering themselves liberally in back-splattered ordure over bugger all. Hey Johnny, how's it going Amber?

At least randy handsy Andy knew there was no mileage in actually fetching up in court to defend the indefensible at the enormous cost of £12,000,000 that ultimately we all paid for and rendering himself by default no longer a working Royal (covid my a....) so does he lose his protection detail like Harry?!

Brass Neck wrote: "I would if I could give a flying f....

Just another example of celebs with little else to occupy themselves other than self-obsession inflicting mutual damage and covering themselves liberally in ..."

Ha, yes, the old adage there's no such thing as bad publicity didn't work for Randy Andy and yet, he can lie about now with no public duties at our expense, keep his head down in San Tropez or wherever. And you can be damn sure there'll be a few burly guys keeping a close eye on him through their sun glasses with their ear pieces and hands tucked inside their jackets.

Huck wrote: "Brass Neck wrote: "I would if I could give a flying f....

Just another example of celebs with little else to occupy themselves other than self-obsession inflicting mutual damage and covering thems..."

Better their own hands on their 'weapon' in their own jackets than where Andy's hands and 'weapon' have allegedly been.

Brass Neck wrote: "Huck wrote: "Brass Neck wrote: "I would if I could give a flying f....

Just another example of celebs with little else to occupy themselves other than self-obsession inflicting mutual damage and c..."

we shall probably never know - perhaps he was just following his Star Trek mission to boldly go where no man has gone before. Beam me up Scotty !

Less transporter, more trafficker?

I can't understand the interest in these cases - especially the crowds outside the Depp/Heard trial supporting one party or the other. We have an interesting TV discussion show which deals with a separate issue each week. A couple of weeks ago it was on "Reputation - can it be restored?" (An interesting participant was the radio DJ here in Oz who rang the birthing suite where Kate Middleton was in labour and she (the DJ) pretended to be the Queen. She was put through and the nurse who took the call subsequently took her own life.) Another participant was a defamation lawyer and he said the only winners in defamation trials are the lawyers. In fact, he said the only time you should sue for defamation was if you had been wrongly identified - i.e. if you were Mr Brass Neck of No. 24 when the real culprit was Mr Brass Neck of No. 26. Another participant was actor John Jarratt ("Wolf Creek") who sued a newspaper after he was acquitted of a rape charge. The newspaper had to settle. Jarratt said he felt vindicated by having his day in court. Most of the other participants wished they hadn't instituted defamation cases. We've had two high profile cases in our courts here - one is still ongoing, the other was brought by actor Craig McLachlan against two TV channels and a local actress who claimed he had indecently assaulted, bullied, harassed and exposed himself to 11 female and 1 male cast members. He had previously stood trial on 13 charges where he was found not guilty only because the law as it stood at the time of the alleged offences did not allow for any other verdict. However the magistrate said that under current legislation the result may well have been different. She also praised his accusers as "brave and honest" witnesses. But ... McLachlan was forced to drop the defamation case and had to pay the defendants' legal costs so he was out of pocket by 2 million Aussie dollars. So he was definitely not a winner. What is it in the human psyche that means we have to defend our reputation in a public arena even if the chances of us restoring said reputation are rarer than hens' teeth??

"out of pocket by 2 million Aussie dollars" - about £3.25?

Val wrote: "I can't understand the interest in these cases - especially the crowds outside the Depp/Heard trial supporting one party or the other. We have an interesting TV discussion show which deals with a s..."

Is it the modern equivalent of Madame Guillotine? Or Gladiators - Depp v Heard, with the audience taking sides and waiting for the emperor in judge's robes to put his thumb up or down. Is it a touch of prurience or schadenfreude, or do we all just love a good old fashioned courtroom drama?

Brass Neck wrote: ""out of pocket by 2 million Aussie dollars" - about £3.25?"

You wish! I received a plain greeting card in the mail from Taunton - postage £4.20!!! For me to send the equivalent from here costs me £2.00. Please don't tell Australia Post that there are profits out there yet to be mined!

Val wrote: "Brass Neck wrote: ""out of pocket by 2 million Aussie dollars" - about £3.25?"

You wish! I received a plain greeting card in the mail from Taunton - postage £4.20!!! For me to send the equivalent ..."

Blame it on the Pony Express !
We used to have some sort of reasonable reciprocal arrangement to exchange mail with addresses in Irish Republic. Since Brexit that has gone and the cost of posting has become prohibitive - in some cases far cheaper to drive over the invisible border and hand deliver. Politicians never see the little details that affect all of our lives and often represent the hidden inflation rate

I wonder how long letter post will survive. The higher the prices, the fewer items are sent, so they raise prices to keep profitable, so fewer items are sent. This contradicts everything I was taught about supply and demand.

Of course, if the internet fails, which is sometimes mentioned as possible, then snail mail will come into its own again. If it's still there ... I suppose we could send birthday cards by parcel delivery.

Isabella wrote: "I wonder how long letter post will survive. The higher the prices, the fewer items are sent, so they raise prices to keep profitable, so fewer items are sent. This contradicts everything I was taug..."

Maybe someone like amazon will offer cheaper postage - where you send them your letter content and the recipient address online, then they print it and deliver to the address or a chosen drop off point?

Isabella wrote: "I suppose we could send birthday cards by parcel delivery...."

Funny you should say that Isabella. In the same post as the card costing £4.20, I received a 4 disc DVD set purchased on eBay from England - postage cost as printed on the padded bag? £4.50.

Huck wrote: "Maybe someone like amazon will offer cheaper postage - where you send them your letter content and the recipient address online, then they print it and deliver to the address or a chosen drop off point?..."

I may be the last person in my universe who sends cards but I like to choose the right card for the person and pen a short message within. Your Amazon suggestion would be too impersonal for me to take it up.

Val wrote: "Huck wrote: "Maybe someone like amazon will offer cheaper postage - where you send them your letter content and the recipient address online, then they print it and deliver to the address or a chos..."

Yes, some personal messages are not for Amazon's eyes! My handwriting is so bad now i prefer emailing, messaging or online chatting - that should be fairly private ? I send few cards (usually a handful at Christmas) with hand written messages. The begging letters were a waste of time.

Val wrote: "Huck wrote: "Maybe someone like amazon will offer cheaper postage - where you send them your letter content and the recipient address online, then they print it and deliver to the address or a chos..."

Yes, my son's a big fan of Moonpig.com for birthday cards and the like which does smack of can't be arsed/nearly forgot to an old-schooler like me.

Brass Neck wrote: "Val wrote: "Huck wrote: "Maybe someone like amazon will offer cheaper postage - where you send them your letter content and the recipient address online, then they print it and deliver to the addre..."

We've used Moonpig to design and print cards but they send them to us for our own message and posting. Not cheap mind, for a bit of cardboard with a photo on it and a pink envelope !