Amsterdam Russ

And so you should be - very nice!

A venue's employer has duty of care under H&S 1974, and the requirements of the act will be overseen by the designated H&S employee. A promoter using someone's venue will of course need to comply with the H&S guidelines for that venue, but the promoter does not have any power to determine whether wheelchair users can get on the dance floor or not. Risk assessment by the designated H&S employee determines that. And anyway, an accident caused by someone doing backflips or falling over while drunk can affect anyone, able-bodied or otherwise. According to this site, specialising in hospitality law: Wheelchair users would most definitely be discriminated against if they were not allowed on the dance floor.

Inclusiveness is the order of the day, and any accidents would/should be covered by the venue's own insurance. It's no different if the scenarios you describe were caused by an able-bodied person. I can imagine mobility scooters would be unpopular with some uncaring people, but refusing users of them access to an event or banning them from the dance floor would be discriminatory and likely illegal.

I have to agree with Benji. Saw the comment, but I didn't read it as sarcastic in any way. It was just stating the obvious about what the OP had said. I understand it's easy to see things in a certain light, but in this scenario I can't see that any sarcasm or personal offence was meant. Tone of voice is everything - we're great at interpreting that - but we ain't so good at interpreting the written word. Because of that frequent uncertainty, I'm a great believer in the use of emojis. They help immensely in clarifying what someone means. That said, I must remember not to keep using the aubergine emoji when posting/chatting online and thinking I'm talking about food!

The red strobe used in the intro did convey a sense of intimacy, but that intimacy was her giving a collapsed circus donkey the kiss of life - at least that's what I thought I was watching, and I knew before watching the film was about a circus donkey. And as it was the start of the film, I presumed the strobe lighting was visual effects from the young circus performer's routine. But when the red strobe effect was used in other, unrelated scenes, and the heavy red overlay was used in other scenes it didn't make any sense. Was the donkey experiencing the red strobe effect and the red overlay, or is this another conceit from the director? I do believe a film should make sense - or be understandable – for it to be appreciated. Much of EO doesn't make sense to me and Kermode and Mayo don't help as, having given it some thought, and contrary to Mayo's off-target interpretation, I realise the robotic-dog-thing is the director conveying the idea that we humans treat animals like donkeys as robots: they have no feelings/emotions and exist only to do our bidding. But that's no longer the donkey's narrative - it's the director's view, which breaks us away from what we believe we're watching, which is the world from the donkey's perspective. Likewise the scenes with Isabel Huppert: the donkey isn't witness to what happens in the kitchen. Thus, this film isn't entirely about the donkey's tale (pun intended). Instead, it's a commentary from the director on... what exactly? I've no idea. Watching EO a second time is not going to improve it. Au hazard balthazar, I've not seen, but I was aware before watching EO that the former had served as a source of inspiration. Everything everywhere - not seen it. No desire to see it. As for the Oscars... Banshees of Inisherin and Living: both non-US films. Eleven nominations between them and not a single one given!

Saw EO last night and have to say it's a big thumbs down from me. I completely get the film's premise that we see life through the eyes of a donkey, and that life can be both cruel and kind. Fine, but this film borders on the surreal. The film opens with red strobe light, and this is used for reasons unknown several times during the film. Similarly, everything on screen is at times given the same red hue (but without the strobe effect). Why? What does it signify? And there's a scene where we follow a robotic creature that's a bit like a dog. It doesn't have anything to with the film that I could make out, and it doesn't appear again. What? If all the crap was cut out you'd be left with a bitter-sweet tale of a donkey's adventures that could be understood. Clearly I'm not intelligent enough for all the allegory and symbolism. One word sums this film up for me: frustrating. Rating: 3/10.

Limited release on Netflix.

"Um-Gow-Wow" - haha. African Twist - Lonnie Youngblood. Just before or after that he references 'Swahili". The only phrase from that language I recall from my short touristic visit to those lands almost 25 years ago (and I have to do it phonetically as I've no idea how the words might be spelt) is: Ta-fe-dah-lee nee-pay um-billi vodka (insert name of drink in place of vodka to suit yourself). "I would like a large vodka!" Anyway, back to the music, and for those curious but uncertain about Cumbia, this is a perfect example: Back to the subject matter, I found something of a write-up about him and the two sides of the 45 in question here: https://www.phonicarecords.com/product/ralph-weeks-algo-muy-profundo-something-deep-inside-names-you-can-trust/163360

Not what I'd call Cumbia, which typically has bouncy oompah sounds and ska-like rhythms (excuse me for maybe getting too technical with my detailed musical terminology ). I'd just call it latin jazz - and very nice it is, too.

The Goat and Her Three Kids - a Romanian film from 2022 based on a local folk tale about a mother and her three young sons living all alone in the forest. When a dark stranger shows up, things are never the same again. Trailer below. Click on the icon to the left of the daisy wheel at the bottom to activate subtitles. One of the better films I've seen in a good while, and all done on a budget of around €16,000 (about 14,000 quid). It's genuinely quite spooky, there's lots of tension and it's a story very well told in which the mother is the metaphorical goat, her children are the kids, and the stranger is the big bad wolf. What's quite remarkable is that the film only features five actors: the four in the title, and the dark stranger. That serves to reinforce the family's complete isolation in the lonely forest. IMDB lists this as a 20-minute short. That's wrong - it's around 80 minutes. Well worth a watch if you get the chance. My rating: 7.5/10 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9243412/

Not Mexican Loma - and not even Loma - but...

I have that. Collector/dealer Rob Messer pointed me towards it at the Utrecht Record Fair more than 10 years ago. Then Craig Hughes - the late and sadly missed DJ iMod - showed me a copy, and I did a trade: The Romeos - Mon petit chow Vs The Enchanters Boot. The deal was in his favour, of course, but I wanted it. Seen so many copies since, but happy to have got mine from Mr iMod. Since his demise, it has so much meaning to me.

Any label collectors with something to say? Now, if only I could find a Peruvian Loma!

Here in the Netherlands (not 'Holland') the markings on labels, usually sweet soul tunes favoured by collectors/devotees of Suriname's output, served two purposes: 1/ to cover-up the track/label/artist... and 2/ to mark records uniquely to prevent theft when DJ'ing at down-home, sweet soul music parties.

Every month there's a soul night at the Hideaway lounge in Amsterdam's Hard Rock Hotel. It's a lovely venue. The emphasis is on what the organisers describe as "sweet soul, ballads and b-sides" - essentially downtempo and midtempo soul sounds on original vinyl. The promoters and resident DJs are @Hans Diepstraten and Harry van Vliet (presenters of the Fingerpoppin' Soul radio show, which has been broadcasting weekly for 30 years), Taco Fett of Waxwell Records, and Brit expat, Mark Fisher. L-R: Taco Fett, Mark Fisher, Harry van Vliet & Hans Diepstraten Each month the guys invite a special guest to spin some tunes and on 17th March that guest was me. Here then are my two half-hour sets: Set 1: Playlist: Unknown - That's what's happening - Acetate The Vondells - Lenora - Marvello The Angelenos - Lori - Highland The Caesars - (Lala) I love you - Lanie Dee Edwards - You say you love me - Tuba Brenda & the Tabulations - I can't get over you - Action The La Niers - I've got to stop - River City Dionne Warwick - Oh Lord, what are you doing to me - Disques Vogue (Fr) The 5 Royales - Much in need - Home of the Blues Billy Stewart - Look back and smile - Pye (UK) Johnny Nash - Love ain't nothin' - Pye (UK) Set 2: Playlist: James Hunter Six - I don't want to be without you - Daptone Jimmy Delphs - Where there is love - Hayley Jimmy Holiday - I found a new love - Minit Lou Rawls - Love is a hurting thing - Capitol Chuck Jackson - Look over your shoulder - Wand Sonji Clay - Deeper in my heart - AMM Billy McGregor - Mr Shy - Flash Freddy Hill & the Reno-Bops - Mr Hurt - Ru-Tee Hit The Four Hi's The train (leaving for misery) - Verve The Franciscans - Walk to the bottom of the sea - Jimbo Bit of a technical hitch through part of the 2nd set where the recording, which is taken straight from the decks, plays through only one channel. Next couple of dates are: Friday 21st April Friday 19t May - with special guest Timmy @Tlscapital Time: 20:00-00:30. Entrance is free

I’m hoping wood-be buyers (pun intended) might read the seller’s description rather than rely on mine!

Hmm, I'm sure there were boxes when I posted the listing first off. Of course, seller's listings change with stock, etc, and this seller appears to have shifted nearly 5,000 items. Anyway, one hopes the OP is in contact with the seller and there's a happy ending.

Also... Click on one of the seller's items and on the right-hand side you'll see a link that says "Contact seller". What you've clicked on that, click on 'Contact seller"... Sorted.

No problem. Out of curiosity, I searched on eBay using the words 'MDF record boxes' and nothing came up. A few searches via Google and I found the seller, and as you'll see from the eBay link, the boxes are made from irch rather than MDF. Nice stuff.

Or click the link below to save yourself some hassle... **soulboy**

Free account.

To create a list, all you need to do is have an IMDB account. Once you have that, go to the pages of films you've seen and give them a rating. Those ratings will then make up your list. My list started with "films I've seen in my life", but I thought that too broad (and it would be a list of 1000s if I could remember everything watched). So, with some exceptions (Ikiru, for example, which I first saw around 20 years ago - a couple of TV series), I decided to make the list mainly about films I've seen from 2022 onwards. What's potentially useful is that your own list will algorithmically determine IMDB recommendations over time - but don't know if that's useful yet as my ratings/list is still relatively new and quite short. Just added a new one to the list before coming back here to check on any replies. Entre amis - a 2015 French drama/comedy (of which there are so many from France) featuring one of my favourite actors, Daniel Auteuil. Wow, got to be one of the worst films I've ever seen: a French slapstick buddy movie that failed at every turn. Rating: 1/10! As far as films go, I do like European cinema, although French movies have been my mainstay of watching. A lot of the French drama/comedy movies remind me of the endearing charm of post-war Ealing/Gainsborough-type of productions and British 'quota quickies'. Those I like a lot. Euro-cinema recommendations of any genre/style from the last year/this year welcomed.

I've been watching quite a few films in recent months and as a result have spent a lot of time on IMDB. In the last couple of weeks I've been putting together a personal list of stuff watched in maybe the last six/nine months (although there are lots of films I've completely forgotten about already). My own approach to ratings is that a 5-star film is average, and one I'm really unlikely to want to see again. A 6-star film is an OK movie I might rewatch at some point in the future. Seven- and eight-star movies are good and very good respectively. Anyway, if of interest, my list is here: https://www.imdb.com/user/ur21870234/ratings

Jimmy Radcliffe/Chubby Checker was a complete steal in my book. Well done to whoever got it!