Plumbing, British things and random TWoP amusement

[icepixie]

I do not understand plumbing. My toilet decided to get stuck or something and run for, like, fifteen minutes before I noticed it, and then when I played with it, I could get it to stop only as long as I was holding up this grey handle-thingy with a spoon. (Yes, a spoon. Hush; it's one thirty in the morning and all tool-related things are out in the storage room.) So, completely at a loss and wasting gallons of water by the minute, apparently, I go to wake Dad up and get him to magically fix it. In the meantime, it stops running.

*throws up arms*

I have no idea.

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I've seen mention twice in the past couple weeks that the UK is a "rabies-free country." Just out of curiosity, does this mean that y'all don't have to get pets vaccinated for the disease yearly?

Was poking around hp_britglish tonight, and ran into this excellent Guide to Britain for Fanfic Writers. Lots of interesting stuff, and a lot I haven't seen in similar guides aimed at travellers (especially this page about housing). Parts of it completely baffle my have-yet-to-leave-the-US self. No screens on the windows? Ever? Wow. You guys must have way fewer bugs than we do. I have given serious thought to draping myself in mosquito netting before going outside on some summer days; it is simply beyond my level of imagination to be able to not have screens in any windows capable of being opened. *boggle*

*

Someone at Television Without Pity has done a hilarious recap of Center Stage here. I remember watching that movie; I rented it only because Ilia Kulik was in it (and while he makes a nice ballet dancer, he's better at figure skating). It was sooooo bad. I had blocked out the final workshop piece (complete with ballet-on-motorcycle) from my memory, and as I still can't seem to really recall it even after reading the recap, I think it's possible that I never actually made it that far into the movie. But still, hysterical recap.

Comments

[babylil.livejournal.com]

Yup, we don't have to get pets vaccinated against rabies, and we don't have screens in our windows. However, with the number of bugs that seem to be making their way into laurajo's and my flat, I'm wishing we did.

RE: the rabies, apparently no pets over here have it, and so there's no need to vaccinate because there's nowhere for them to catch it from. However, a guy died from rabies in Dundee last year, which he apparently got from a bat. But yeah, no vaccinations, although that's why animals coming into the country have to be quarantined.

[icepixie]

The no-rabies thing is awesome. I think it's a state law in all fifty states here that any cats and dogs must be vaccinated against it, 'cause some of practically every wild animal population you can name has it. And now the animal quarantine thing doesn't seem quite so draconian. ;)

Even with screens, at school we often end up with Asian lady beetles (more orangey than lady bugs, and far more numerous) infesting our rooms. I don't even want to think about all the midges, mosquitoes, flies (OMG, the flies), various beetle things, and anything else that flies that would get in without screens. It's bad enough knowing that a very large colony of mole crickets lives underneath every house down here at home. (Adult mole crickets are brown, spotted, and almost as large as the palm of your hand. Creepiest damn things in the world. Called mole crickets 'cause they're adapted to live in the dark and are effectively blind, thus they hop all over you without meaning to.)

[alethialia.livejournal.com]

OMG, Center Stage was so bad. Like, so bad it transfixed me. I think I watched a couple times on HBO or something. Worst movie ever.

But. It had Zoe and Susan May Pratt in it, both of whom I like very much. And that cute guy from BoB. It was just the storyline and the main cast that were so frickin' bad.

Wow. That brought back memories.

And ::squee:: for the Britain guide. You are so cool!

[icepixie]

OMG, Center Stage was so bad. Like, so bad it transfixed me. I think I watched a couple times on HBO or something. Worst movie ever.

Even the dancing wasn't anything special. I'm all for experimental stuff (although I have to admit that Martha Graham-type stuff is horrible), but not motorcycles. Oh, lord.

And ::squee:: for the Britain guide. You are so cool!

Hee! I'm trying to be as edumacated about all the differences between the US and the UK as possible before I go over there so that I won't get any rude surprises or unknowingly insult people. Hell, I got culture clash just going north for college.