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Thread: Crap Weather For August

  1. #71
    Join Date: Jan 2008

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    Quote Originally Posted by Joe View Post
    My theory regarding the UK's attitude to alcohol is that it developed over the course of many centuries, up to the late 19th century, when drinking water was unsafe, so everyone, including small children, drank beer instead. Later, as the population became increasing urban, with small houses packed with large families, the pub was where most blokes (but very few women) would head of an evening. Where my mother grew up in Liverpool there was almost literally a pub on every corner (and, as my father quipped, a fight outside every pub).
    Yeah, the first bit is liable to have been fairly influential/significant, so that's a good point. Perhaps the (generally) dull, grey, wet British climate is also a factor? In that respect, the French won't be as likely to use alcohol as a cure for ennui.

    Marco.
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    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


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  2. #72
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

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    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marco View Post
    Lol... It's an interesting one though, Adam: how alcohol is treated in the UK, compared with abroad, and why the attitude towards it is so different?

    I've been travelling abroad for years, since I was a kid, especially to the likes of Italy and France, and I don't think I've ever seen a drunk Frenchman or Italian - and I love travelling by car and going right out into the sticks, particularly in France, to small villages where pubs are full of locals, and just ordinary working class people. I love just 'drinking in', as it were, the atmosphere and to, as the French call it, suivre les vas et viens des gens...[essentially, people watching].

    Now there's always plenty of drinking (and smoking) going on, but no-one gets drunk, or should I say *behaves* like they're drunk. In reality, many will officially be pissed, but you don't see them staggering about the place getting all lairy and aggressive, as you do here. They seem able to control their drink better - and I've got a pretty good idea why that is...

    It's simply because one thing a Frenchman (or Italian, Spaniard, etc) cares even more about than their glass of vin rouge, Pastis, or whatever, is the FOOD that they eat! Folks from those countries always LIVE to eat, not the other way round, so eating well throughout the day to them is very important.

    Therefore, chances are, the blokes in the pub I'm referring to won't have been drinking on an empty stomach, as so often happens here, and that's most likely why they can handle alcohol so much better!

    Plus, the culture is also very different, compared to here in the UK, and with alcohol, in general, seen as something to be savoured and enjoyed in moderation, and so in French pubs, the accent is more on socialising with others (having a good heated debate about something, often politics or football), which I've heard often, and enjoying the camaraderie, than just simply getting blind drunk.

    Anyone else have some thoughts on that?

    Marco.
    Spot on Marco! The British do seem to have a peculiar 'approach' to alcohol, and one which does them no favours at all and just gives them a bad reputation.

    The French have always had, IMO, a better attitude to life and have always enjoyed a better quality of life when it comes to eating and drinking. Some of us are catching up with them regarding our eating habits, our cuisine, and with the range and quality of ingredients now available, but not necessarily in our drinking habits.

    The French (and I assume the Italians) introduce their children to wine at a reasonably early age, by giving them wine diluted with water to drink. That way they get used to drinking it with a meal, and a meal where all of the family sit down together.


    The Japanese have an interesting relationship to alcohol. There is something about their metabolism that causes the Japanese to become intoxicated after an amount of alcohol considerably less than that would be required to make a European drunk. And they do get drunk: it is not uncommon to see a man leave a bar walking in a very 'careful' and measured way, if not staggering slightly. Yet because of the Japanese desire 'not to loose face', they are always quiet and don't make a nuisance of themselves. Likewise other people on the street pay them no heed and don't regard them as behaving oddly.
    Barry

  3. #73
    Join Date: May 2009

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    I'm joe.

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    Of course, attitudes to alcohol vary across the UK. Parts of Wales were, until 20 or so years ago, 'dry', in that pubs could be prohibited from selling alcohol on Sundays.

  4. #74
    Join Date: Jun 2014

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marco View Post
    Point taken, but not in the places I go, off the beaten track and WELL away from tourists! Prices there reflect that

    Marco.
    My brothers place is on the coast and although it might be described as 'touristy', you would go all week without hearing a word of English. I would say that the people staying or visiting there were 99% French. I got by with a little bit of spoken French and a fair amount of pointing at stuff.

    I did once visit this place called 'Decheterie', and a right dump it was too.

    It is in the Languedoc region, so no excuse for wine prices to take the piss.
    I just dropped in, to see what condition my condition was in

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  5. #75
    Join Date: Apr 2012

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pigmy Pony View Post
    you would go all week without hearing a word of English
    It's like that here and I'm in London.

  6. #76
    Audio Al is offline Pishanto Specialist & Super-Daftee
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    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    It's like that here and I'm in London.
    And Dagenham
    [

  7. #77
    Join Date: Apr 2009

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    It's getting like that here in the sticks. I believe they are shipping people out from London to save the cost of renting.

  8. #78
    Join Date: Jan 2008

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    Quote Originally Posted by Joe View Post
    Of course, attitudes to alcohol vary across the UK. Parts of Wales were, until 20 or so years ago, 'dry', in that pubs could be prohibited from selling alcohol on Sundays.
    Yup, and don't I know it... Before we moved down to Wales (from Glasgow), when we visited, it used to royally piss us off that we couldn't find a nice little country pub to have lunch in, as most would be closed until teatime!

    However, since moving here, I've grown to like the somewhat 'quirky', quaint ways of Welsh living, and how life here is rather laid back and divorced from the 'norm'. Suits us just fine

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

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    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

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  9. #79
    Join Date: Jan 2008

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    Quote Originally Posted by Audio Al View Post
    And Dagenham
    You need to escape from the 'rat race', and where places are over-commercialised/overcrowded, before it's too late... Get to breathe some clean air, man!

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  10. #80
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pigmy Pony View Post
    My brothers place is on the coast and although it might be described as 'touristy', you would go all week without hearing a word of English. I would say that the people staying or visiting there were 99% French.
    Sounds great!

    It is in the Languedoc region, so no excuse for wine prices to take the piss.
    Regional wines from that area shouldn't be too expensive, but as ever it'll depend on where you go, and whether or not you'll be charged tourist rates. Often the French will pay a different price for drinks in bars and restaurants, to the English

    Besides, we rarely visit the south of France, which tends to be the most expensive (and touristy) part of the country. Mostly we're either out in the sticks in northern France, for a few days break from Wales, on a wine/food-buying trip, or in central/south eastern France, where things are generally cheaper, en-route to Italy

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


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