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This is a post about religion, kind of, I think people should be sensible enough to keep it in the Lounge.
It is the funeral this afternoon of my friend and colleague Steve that regular readers may remember me posting about a couple of weeks ago.
It is to be a humanist service at a crematorium followed by a celebration of his life at a hotel.
I've never been to a humanist service before, been to a Sikh one once, lots of wailing and didn't understand anything that happened. It was also standing room only to the stage where we couldn't even get in and had to stand in the entrance room listening over a speaker.
Been to plenty of Christian funerals of various denominations, some church services, some in crematoria. In recent years I have gone from not being religious but quite enjoying the atmosphere of churches and happy to sit through the religious bits to feeling nothing at all whilst in the church and feeling quite uncomfortable listening to the religious bits. I'm not anti-religious as such, it just has no place at all in my life.
It will be interesting to see how today plays out without the religious element, I have no idea what will happen, presumably people get up and say nice things, tell a few stories, maybe a poem, and no doubt some kick ass rock music will be played.
In an odd way I'm looking forward to it, seeing good people who no longer work here, the older you get funerals become a chance for some kind of reunion. Afterwards I intend drinking my way across the Midlands until I run out of money. Hopefully I will be close enough to home at that point for my wife to come and get me.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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You don't include an Irish Funeral in there, those can be really hard work; emotionally, financially and on your liver. The best description I know of is that an Irish Funeral is just like an Irish Wedding; with one less drunk.
I have attended a few over the years, what with an Irish family this does happen, and, much like the wedding, it can be spread over several days. If you can't give a man a good wake, then what is the point of going to the funeral?
Do your duty!
veni bibi saltavi
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We'll raise a parting glass...
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Nope, never been to an Irish funeral.
I've long thought it a great shame that the person the wake is for cannot be there, because I've been to quite a few where I know they would have had a great time had they been.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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I have been to many funerals, and have found them all to be morbid, and depressing, with no celebration of life.
Hopefully, this funeral you are going to attend, is not the same.
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I find that surprising.
It depends on who the funeral is for and what the turnout it like, but I've been to some really enjoyable and vibrant affairs.
Old people with a handful of people trying to fill out a crem is depressing, but you get a pub full of people drinking, singing, and telling tales of good times then a lot of fun can be had.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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chriselst wrote:
I don't.
I'm sure there are people here in the states that go to pubs/bars after funerals and live it up, but I have never been to those.
When some of my service friends died, some of the guys would get drunk, but it was not a party or celebration.
Cultural thing, maybe. I don't know.
Edit: To be clear, I am not against, celebration of life; actually I think celebration of life, after a funeral, would be key to a healthy funeral.
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It's time to put the "fun" in funeral! 
There are two types of people in this world: those that pronounce GIF with a soft G, and those who do not deserve to speak words, ever.
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I have owned a standard Series 2A 109" (1974) and an ex British Gas 6 cyl 2A.
The latter could go absolutely anywhere except past a petrol station 
I learnt to drive in the first one, and I hit a dry stone wall at about 20 miles an hour... it took me ages to rebuild that wall.
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They tend to be cold, wet and FUN!  , A friend of mine have a 1954 short wheek with a Rover V8 in it I remember being at a set of traffic lights in acient battered off road vehicle, beating a brand new Ford Mondeo off the line (the look of shock in the drivers face almost made being wet & cold worth it, almost) 
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I have driven them - terribly good fun - and I am currently in the running to buy one; maybe 5-6 years old.
veni bibi saltavi
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Driven many since the 70's. Continuous ownership for 24 years (1988 - 2012). (1982 109 model 4cyl 3dr van, 1989 model 110 County v8 5dr wagon). Now own a Landcruiser but have great nostalgia for the Landys.
The 109 was a real anywhere vehicle with leaf spring suspension - very tough.
[^]
The 110 with coil springs all round, 5 speed Santana box and luxuries such as air-con was an amazing tourer and offroader though because of it's weight not quite as good as the 109. Fuel consumption was usually more than 20l/100km. Land Rover 110 County V8 mud hill - YouTube[^]
Peter Wasser
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell
modified 29-Jan-16 7:57am.
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I wonder what they would replace it with? If the vehicle is so good, and it is, why would they discontinue it? Interesting.
I never understood why companies discontinue great things.
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It's a very old albeit highly effective design. It can't be adapted to meet modern safety regulations - particularly airbags - that is what has killed it off. Other Landrover models have replaced it.
Peter Wasser
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell
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Ah, I see. Makes sense then; safety issue.
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I wouldn't be seen in anything else...
Living out in the sticks it's almost a necessity, as our roads never get cleared when it snows. Plus it's ideal for towing the boat and hauling stuff to the tip.
It's a shame they're being discontinued, but trying to meet newer regulations would push the cost up astronomically, and there are now lots of more eco-friendly, and comfortable, alternatives.
But - I still wouldn't swap mine
Days spent at sea are not deducted from one's alloted span - Phoenician proverb
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Land Rover Tug of War[^]
=========================================================
I'm an optoholic - my glass is always half full of vodka.
=========================================================
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Well, there goes my afternoon productivity......
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and there goes 20 odd minutes...
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I drove a variant of the Defender, the long-wheelbase Safari, as part of a volunteer mountain rescue team. I was no good at climbing mountains but with my rally-cross experience and a Land Rover Safari I could get (and get back out of) places no normal vehicle could! It was brilliant - and saved quite a few lives.
[Correction] Actually it was a "Land Rover 109 Safari" before it became the "Defender" I think.
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
modified 29-Jan-16 10:54am.
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I suspect that the vehicle will stay around for some military and civilian use (i.e. Mountain rescue). Maybe not.
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Quote: Your C++ code is fully optimized by the LLVM system and it's compiled into JavaScript code that runs on the browser.
Nifty?
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