Stichman

I'm such a dick.

Don't be too hard on yourself

Well, he dies and he comes back... Harry "Lazarus" Potter?

(I'm assuming that anyone reading this thread will either have read the book by now or has no intention of reading it in the first place)

More like Harry "Jesus" Potter. So he dies?

More importantly, does that ginge get maimed?

That's the place I was talking about for having surly staff - though the rooms were brilliantly designed. I can't remeber for the life of me what the theme of our room was - but the location couldn't really be much better. To be fair though, we were comparing the standard of service there to Franks Hostel (anyone that's been will know what I'm talking about) in Riga - and it just came across as being a bit flat, almost British in terms of service (ie, nothing spectcular, but efficient). Strangely it was still better than certain people working for the Raddisson in Tallinn when it came to answering easy questions that anybody in a city should know about.

How much are they charging there for beer now? It was around 60p-ish for a beer of some Polish stuff (guaranteed sore head, but not bad at all) when I was there, though it wouldn't surprise me if they've jacked up their prices given all the good reviews on the internet about the place.

Who knows, maybe Poland just simply sucks in winter

I thought overall the staff were quite pleasant, particularly the 6 foot blonde receptionist! I know what you mean though, some of the staff seemed a bit disinterested, but overall it was a good experience.

As for the beer, Happy Hour was 2 pints for 7 zloty which is about 60p each? I think.

One thing I thought was strange about Central/Eastern Europe as a whole was that cans of beer cost more than bottles. Weird.

I'm wanting a new preamp for use at home with my electro-acoustic. I had a cheap and ultimately not very good Behringer PB100, but it packed in recently.

Any thoughts?

Yup, last year. Warsaw Central (can't remeber how to spell it in Polish) train station was possibly the most horrible, eerie, Stalinist (though built in the Brezhnev era and dedicated to him, I think...), run down dive of a place ever. Same goes for the international coach station - when the coach pulled up there, I thought that it was some sort of pisstake. I spent a couple of days in Warsaw and found the place utterly devoid of charm - same with the people, which was fairly confusing considering how friendly the Poles are here. Even the hostel staff where I stayed were of a ridiculously sour attitude, and that was one that got decent reviews on Hostelworld. Fair enough, I didn't go to Warsaw to be a tourist, I wanted to see the place how it really is - and I got the distinct feeling that it was just a concrete jungle, planned by some guys with aspirations to design cities in the Soviet Union. The place looks and feels decayed - and outside of the new skyscrapers near the central train station, there's really not much that screams "new", or indeed even historic. Even the Old Town is new - which I found to be personally rubbish compared to Tallinn's.

What a shite. Shock! Horror! A Stalinist station! In Poland! Whatever next?! It's all part of the experience. Besides, anyone who judges a city by its stations is in danger of being labelled an utter tosser.

I went last week for a couple of days and thought it was brilliant. There's not the same touristy feel as Krakow but there is plenty to see. The restored Old Town is really decent, the Market Square was a grand place to sit with a beer. I spent hours in the National Museum, and the Royal Castle is worth a visit. Catch a bus out to Winalow Palace and the Park, it is really worth it, especially if the weather is nice.

On top of that, the nightlife is the best I experienced in Poland, and there is loads of pubs, bars and clubs. I found the people really friendly and most people under 21 could speak English to some extent, and almost everyone knew either English or German.

I stayed in the Oki Doki Hostel which was small, cosy and had a bar!

Further afield in Poland, I only had a day in Krakow, but you could easily spend three at least. The old town was really nice, and there are loads of tours out to Auchwitz and the Salt Mines. I only managed the mines and it was really fantastic.

Apparently Wroclaw is worth a visit, but I found it almost impossible to get to the place without taking about 4 connections, but it should be easier going from Warsaw south.

In Czech Republic, Prague is worth a visit though I found it unbelievably "touristy". The main sights like Charles Bridge are beautiful, but almost everyone you pass is English or American. I reckon it would be well worth it to go to Ostrava or one of the smaller towns where apparently there are no tourists, cheaper prices and just as nice architecture.

The city I most enjoyed on my short tour was Budapest. There was a ridiculous amount to see, there were mimimal amounts of tourists and it was ridiculously cheap. If you fancy it, drop me a PM, I found some great bars and resteraunts .

yes he was...to the government of the time (the french)...nes pas?

but, in today's context, hardly a comparison, I agree.

Yeah, but if you're going to get on fire, that's how to do it

false image, obviously false singing accent, 'socio-cultural observation' lyrics are starting to wear VERY thin....wow, London innit. The Big City. Dahn the pahb. The most irritating thing I have heard in a long time is the line about her boyfriends "maytes being mahch fituhhh". I can only marvel about this mystical fortress and the kingdom around it, and the moat which keeps anybody past the Watford gap out. What is this enchanted place? Listen to their funny accents, those cockneys. Never mind that if i remember correctly she's from St.Albans. But that's like, London too innit? Ask yourself, how many people do you know or have ever spoken to from greater london that actually speak like a cast member of East Enders, let alone fucking sing like one? On the plus side, her new single has a nice melody, and i think i would do her. But i'm really getting sick of this fake common lahndahner lyric thing. It's sort of the equivelant of me singing like a fisherman from Peterhead. I don't talk like that in real life, so why would my singing accent be any different? If this is the alternative to everyone singing with an American accent, I really don't know if it's a desirable one. and the fake working class thing also a piss-boiler.

That is quite possibly the most true and amusing thing I've ever read.

They're more of a singles band, their albums are pretty patchy.

Too right, 21st Century Queen

Saw her at T in the park, she was really good and the drummer behind her was fantastic. The accent is a bit annoying, but you've gotta admire her. Foundations is irrasistably catchy...

also:

i would...

Unconvinced. If I played myself saying "Rabbit" on a loop it would be catchy, but not necesarrily good.

But yeah, I probabaly would. If she didn't talk.

this is better than Newsnight. what a debate!

I called the smoking man that a wanders Ashvale place a "trustifarian fucknut" today as he tried to scrounge a fag off me- all inspired by this thread. i wish i had the foresight to strap my phone to my head and made a video for stroppy stripey to critique.

Haha, imagine Stripey on Newsnight. Or working at Tate Modern. I'd pay good money for that.

King Tut's, hands down.

In Aberdeen, I'd say Moorings or Tunnels. Or Lemon Tree. I like Tunnels for acoustic-type nights, it just works nicely.

If the Lemon Tree is stowed out, the atmospehere is absolutely electric.

kate nash has been quite popular in the "scene" for a while before she got radio play and record deals and all.

compared to lily allen (yes, when i first heard her songs, i too immediately thought lily allen too) she has credibility and songwriting skills.

i do quite like her music and image.

I'm not keen on the whole "social observations" lyric theme going round. It's not my cup of tea, but I can see that the likes of Arctic Monkeys lyrics are pretty clever, but largely it's people like this Kate Nash that piss me right off, talking about her boyfriend liking beer and stuff. But hell, fair play to the girl.

infact it's verging on racist and would have been complete if you blacked yourself up before hand.

Steady the ship

Heard her on the radio today which presumably means she's semi-famous?

It was dire. Just like Lilly Allen but less good, which is something I never thought I'd say. Anyone got an opinion/know anything about her?

I think the paper video is pretty cool purely because I have no idea how you did it.

I wouldn't say I liked them because I'm not "artistic" and don't know what's going on at all. But I thought they were pretty clever. Nice one.

Depends on the transcription you want to work with. From what I can tell, the Bible is quite the mistranslated piece of work, apparently everyone has their own version.

How do yuou mean?

Bastards. Every nick Drake "album" seems to have a track I haven;t heard on it. The rest are yet more fucking remixes of black eyed dog or hazey jane.

It's getting annoying y'know.

Where's the token folk nomination?

Probably Fionn Regan. Who should win. If only because that's the most dire line-up for years.

I'm in Budapest just now, and it's quality. It's very hot - 35C today. There is so much to do, whatever you're into. Castles, markets and some ideal Turkish baths.

And it's cheap. Under 1 a pint if you know where to go, and your average bottle of local beer is 30p from a newsagent. Which is nice. I've been to a couple of quality bars and clubs too. Slovenia was much the same story.

Ryanair and Wizzair are ideal for cheap flights to Eastern Europe and you can get a room in a hostel for bollocks. Recommended.

It looks fantastic. Hope it plays better than my Crafter.

Cheers. It can't sound any worse than my current semi-destroyed Yamaha.

Someones offered me this for a bargain basement price, it sounds ideal, but I can't help but think it looks a little feminine. Thoughts?

Woof. How much did that set you back?!

Gotta love how it dwarves the dishwasher!

It's only to be expected, a relegated team is never going to survive virgo intacta. At least Tango hasn't come in for his annual swoop and De Vries didn't go to another Scottish team. There's a rumour that the tattie-munchers are sniffing round Adam Hammill as well. I still reckon we can do the business next season.

An optimistic Pars fan, whatever next?

We re-signed Owen Morrison too, that could be huge. Yeah, why not be optimistic, I reckon we've still got the best squad in the league. Even without Mason. Bastard.

That explains nothing. I'm a vegetarian. And I'm pro-choice.

Have another go.

Thought you might like that one.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

"I think abortion and meat are murder." - Sarah Scott

That explains it. She's a vegetarian.