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Staying sane

Mike Hughes
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Senior welfare rights officer - Salford City Council Welfare Rights Service

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I’m already completely bored by a media full of binge TV recommendations and endless lists of the x number of best books, films etc. which you now must see. So, here’s a thread for everything which is not that. Please post links to anything off the wall.

I’m going to start it off (and watch it go nowhere fast) with these:

The London Review of Books is releasing one piece from its archive each day.

https://www.lrb.co.uk/collections/diverted-traffic?mc_cid=fd7f94bf89&mc_eid=60f4923916&referrer;=&referrer;=&utm_campaign=fd7f94bf89-Benedict%27s%20Newsletter%20328&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Benedict%27s%20Newsletter&utm_term=0_4999ca107f-fd7f94bf89-70856853&referrer;=

I quite like the “Hubris” collection.

Then there’s Benedict Evans.

https://www.ben-evans.com/

A very dull website but a superb weekly ish email with links to IT stories of all sizes and shapes. Some are behind a paywall but most are not. Many are very long reads. Almost all are worth it. He’s also started to dig out remarkable videos of all kinds.

Big fan also of Schneier On Security.

https://www.schneier.com/

Anyone else. Take us somewhere completely different.

 

Elliot Kent
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Shelter

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Thanks Mike, my boss has sent me an art therapy “autumn colours” colouring book complete with coloured pencils to keep me sane and a book of suduko (which I’ve made a start on).

I’ve found a Youtube channel by a junior doctor blogging on his experiences in the current environment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A6s-6LLWZI&list=PLaAsA2s3QNBdtEIgL3C-7FGRExA178BnU

And I’ve also been bingeing this series on the ancient Roman Republic. I’ve found it interesting as its entertainingly presented and not too heavy going for someone like me who knows very little about history:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9qlNBBoFG4&list=PLODnBH8kenOrjXjWy7Hhkz9uOpZ3NTAow

Va1der
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Welfare Rights Officer with SWAMP Glasgow

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I bought a £30 BMX bike and stuck it behind me in my office/bedroom (for those that don’t know it’s more of a toy than a bike)

Get up and have a play with it every now and then. Lowers the bar for learning something new when I’m 30 (would probably work for 60+ as well, just try not to break your hips etc :P

Will see how long I can keep at it before the neighbours below complain.

EDIT: Nice to see that emojis work now!
EDIT2: It stopped working after I edited my post… :(

HB Anorak
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Va1der has opened up a whole new topic there: stuff that your colleagues can see in the background on Skype, Zoom (whatever that is) etc, so they are suitably impressed but unknown to them you don’t actually use it.  Like having your children’s home study materials ostentatiously laid out in shot, even though they have been constantly on Play Station.

We’ve invented a parlour game, it works especially well if someone in the home plays ukelele.  It’s called “singing Take That hits in the style of George Formby”, Mark Owen lead vocal ones are best suited:

“You, you’re such a big star to me (ho-ho yes!)
You’re everything I want to be (smile and wink)
But you’re stuck in an ‘ole”

Try it

Mike Hughes
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Ah yes, we use MS Teams and have started to use the video link. I forgot to use the background blur function. My study is the tidiest it’s been in a decade and he could only see the remaining bit that looked like a complete tip. I might get some white flip chart paper; print out our employer and service logo and sit in front of that like a newsreader 😊

HB Anorak
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Or you could cover it with pictures of bog rolls

KeithM
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Thanks for the tips.
I have bought myself The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel - a War and Piece size tome.

Gareth Morgan
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HB Anorak - 25 March 2020 02:23 PM

Va1der has opened up a whole new topic there: stuff that your colleagues can see in the background on Skype, Zoom (whatever that is) etc, so they are suitably impressed

I have a webcam system that lets me replace the real background with a recorded one.  I just did a webinar with the clinical modern background hiding my piles of paper and rubbish.  I did think of using the palm fringed beach but chickened out.

Daphne
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Zoom lets you put in a virtual background of the golden gate bridge :)

Chrissum
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Daphne - 25 March 2020 05:17 PM

Zoom lets you put in a virtual background of the golden gate bridge :)

I think I might try that one out later! Beats a beige sofa and trying to move around to make the background impressive / hide mess / children / dogs etc. For the latter, my dog is constantly trying to get in on the scene as she can’t work out where the voices are coming from.

nevip
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This was passed on to me.  These were my choices.  Try it.

YOU CAN ONLY USE A MOVIE ONCE, NO REPEATS. IT’S NOT AS EASY AS YOU THINK…

FAVOURITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME
The Joy Luck Club

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD
To Kill A Mockingbird

FAVOURITE TOM HANKS MOVIE:
Road To Perdition

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU CRY
Shooting Dogs

FAVOURITE 80’S MOVIE:
Cry Freedom

FAVOURITE COMEDY:
Airplane

FAVOURITE SPORTS MOVIE:
The Hurricane

FAVOURITE HORROR MOVIE:
The Texas Chain Saw massacre (the original)

MOST OVER-RATED MOVIE
Star Wars

FAVOURITE GANGSTER MOVIE:
Little Caesar

MOVIE YOU CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER:
Inherit The Wind

Mike Hughes
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Senior welfare rights officer - Salford City Council Welfare Rights Service

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FAVOURITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME
Delicatessen

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

FAVOURITE TOM HANKS MOVIE:
Big

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU CRY
Benny And Joon

FAVOURITE 80’S MOVIE:
Stand By Me

FAVOURITE COMEDY:
Booksmart

FAVOURITE SPORTS MOVIE:
The Big Lebowski

FAVOURITE HORROR MOVIE:
Us

MOST OVER-RATED MOVIE
Star Wars

FAVOURITE GANGSTER MOVIE:
Mean Streets

MOVIE YOU CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER:
City Of God

But obviously could have had a myriad of other answers as I never think of films or any art in these listy terms.

Paul_Treloar_AgeUK
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YOU CAN ONLY USE A MOVIE ONCE, NO REPEATS. IT’S NOT AS EASY AS YOU THINK…

FAVOURITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME
Bladerunner - The Final Cut

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD
The Wizard of Oz

FAVOURITE TOM HANKS MOVIE:
Toy Story

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU CRY
Once Were Warriors

FAVOURITE 80’S MOVIE:
Bladerunner (Original version)

FAVOURITE COMEDY:
Brain Dead

FAVOURITE SPORTS MOVIE:
This Sporting Life

FAVOURITE HORROR MOVIE:
The Exorcist

MOST OVER-RATED MOVIE
Bladerunner 2049

FAVOURITE GANGSTER MOVIE:
Goodfellas

MOVIE YOU CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER:
Bladerunner - the Director’s Cut

That wasn’t too difficult :D

[ Edited: 31 Mar 2020 at 11:05 pm by shawn mach ]
Chrissum
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I guess you like Bladerunner, Paul! Makes my top 10.
My go:
YOU CAN ONLY USE A MOVIE ONCE, NO REPEATS. IT’S NOT AS EASY AS YOU THINK…

FAVOURITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME
The Usual Suspects

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD
Star Wars

FAVOURITE TOM HANKS MOVIE:
Polar Express

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU CRY
Changeling

FAVOURITE 80’S MOVIE:
Highlander

FAVOURITE COMEDY:
Raising Arizona

FAVOURITE SPORTS MOVIE:
Field of Dreams

FAVOURITE HORROR MOVIE:
Dog Soldiers

MOST OVER-RATED MOVIE
Phantom Menace

FAVOURITE GANGSTER MOVIE:
Bugsy Malone

MOVIE YOU CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER:
Wreck it Ralph

Ask me tomorrow and it will probably be a different list!

Susannah Fayers
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Generalist adviser - Camden CAB

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Was given a Rubiks cube . By someone with a very dark sense of humour. Or maybe a personal vendetta.. Not funny. Just not.

Mike Hughes
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Senior welfare rights officer - Salford City Council Welfare Rights Service

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https://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/

This is growing on me. Love the byline, naturally :)

Surprised no-ones commented on the Coronavirus trends I posted above. Ukuleles up 39%. Matter of time before that gets linked to domestic violence.

This is just mesmerising too.

http://advicetracker.devops.citizensadvice.org.uk/?utm_source=Benedict%27s+Newsletter&utm_campaign=cb2fc40500-Benedict%27s+Newsletter+329&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4999ca107f-cb2fc40500-70856853&mc_cid=cb2fc40500&mc_eid=60f4923916

If you’re looking for a new idea Shawn (I’m sure you are :)) how about one of these for Rightsnet?

[ Edited: 1 Apr 2020 at 12:12 am by Mike Hughes ]
nevip
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Paul_Treloar_AgeUK - 31 March 2020 09:41 AM

FAVOURITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME
Bladerunner - The Final Cut

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD
The Wizard of Oz

FAVOURITE TOM HANKS MOVIE:
Toy Story

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU CRY
Once Were Warriors

FAVOURITE 80’S MOVIE:
Bladerunner (Original version)

FAVOURITE COMEDY:
Brain Dead

FAVOURITE SPORTS MOVIE:
This Sporting Life

FAVOURITE HORROR MOVIE:
The Exorcist

MOST OVER-RATED MOVIE
Bladerunner 2049

FAVOURITE GANGSTER MOVIE:
Goodfellas

MOVIE YOU CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER:
Bladerunner - the Director’s Cut

That wasn’t too difficult :D

Very amusing Mr Treloar.  See me, after class!

 

[ Edited: 31 Mar 2020 at 11:06 pm by shawn mach ]
Dan Manville
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Daphne - 25 March 2020 05:17 PM

Zoom lets you put in a virtual background of the golden gate bridge :)

That’s really useful to know! I’ve been admiring lots of peoples’ bookshelves on the news but being as we’ve just moved house, the best I could do would be a pile of bin bags otherwise.

Paul_Treloar_AgeUK
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nevip - 31 March 2020 09:26 PM

[

Very amusing Mr Treloar.  See me, after class!

A big boy did it and ran away Sir!?

nevip
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Paul_Treloar_AgeUK - 01 April 2020 12:27 PM
nevip - 31 March 2020 09:26 PM

[

Very amusing Mr Treloar.  See me, after class!

A big boy did it and ran away Sir!?

Chortle!

Mike Hughes
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Senior welfare rights officer - Salford City Council Welfare Rights Service

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This is the rest of my life planned out then. Just look at the list of films!

http://www.openculture.com/

HB Anorak
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FAVOURITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME
Annie Hall

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD
Oliver

FAVOURITE TOM HANKS MOVIE:
Toy Story 2

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU CRY
Maurice

FAVOURITE 80’S MOVIE:
Gregory’s Girl

FAVOURITE COMEDY:
Life of Brian

FAVOURITE SPORTS MOVIE:
Loneliness of the long distance runner

FAVOURITE HORROR MOVIE:
Theatre of Blood (was a candidate for comedy as well)

MOST OVER-RATED MOVIE
Casablanca

FAVOURITE GANGSTER MOVIE:
Get Carter

MOVIE YOU CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER:
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

HB Anorak
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Continuing the film theme, how about back to back double bills.  here’s three of mine, including two of my choices from the previous post:

Kind Hearts and Coronets/Theatre of Blood
The Artist/Singin in the Rain
Gregory’s Girl/Juno

Mike Hughes
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Helen Rogers
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Welfare rights officer - Stockport MBC

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FAVOURITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME
Land and Freedom

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD
Annie

FAVOURITE TOM HANKS MOVIE:
Philadelphia

MOVIE THAT MAKES YOU CRY
Tully

FAVOURITE 80’S MOVIE:
Desperately Seeking Susan

FAVOURITE COMEDY:
Bridesmaids

FAVOURITE SPORTS MOVIE:
Goal!

FAVOURITE HORROR MOVIE:
Scream (only one I’ve ever seen)

MOST OVER-RATED MOVIE
The Greatest Showman

FAVOURITE GANGSTER MOVIE:
Sin Nombre

MOVIE YOU CAN WATCH OVER AND OVER:
Muppet Christmas Carol