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Alex Lester Countdown to.....

 
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R2Icon



Joined: 10 Sep 2009
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PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 7:48 am    Post subject: Alex Lester Countdown to..... Reply with quote

a Buspass!

In case you didn't know, our Alex has a birthday tomorrow- (mmmmmwah! Happy Birthday Alex!)he'll be 56! He doesn't look 56, you can't really see how old he looks for all his hair. Reminds me of a song.... It took a Welsh Miner to find her ...........Anyway I digress: It occured to me that it's only 4 years until Alex gets his Buspass and I thought: I wonder how many shows that is- should we start a countdown? There seems no point asking a question to which the answer is going to be anything other than yes- so here's the maths and a few assumptions.

4 years is 1460 days: take off the weekends -416 and take off 4-weeks holiday each year: -96 leaving just 948 shows to go until Bingo! Free Travel! Alex loves free stuff. Smile

And now we have something to post about and look forward to for the next 4 years!!! How cool is that in the age of austerity?! Smile


Last edited by R2Icon on Thu May 10, 2012 7:56 am; edited 1 time in total
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becky sharp



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PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 7:54 am    Post subject: Re: Alex Lester Countdown to..... Reply with quote

R2Icon wrote:
a Buspass!

In case you didn't know, our Alex has a birthday tomorrow- (mmmmmwah! Happy Birthday Alex!)he'll be 56! He doesn't look 56, you can't really see how old he looks for all his hair. Reminds me of a song.... It took a Welsh Miner to find her ...........Anyway I digress: It occured to me that it's only 4 years until Alex gets his Buspass and I thought: I wonder how many shows that is- should we start a countdown? There seems no point asking a question to which the answer is going to be anything other than yes- so here's the maths and a few assumptions.

4 years is 1460 days: take off the weekends -416 and take off 4-weeks holiday each year: -96 leaving just 948 shows to go until Bingo! Free Travel! Alex loves free stuff. Smile

And now we something to post about and look forward to for the next 4 years!!! How cool is that in the age of austerity?! Smile

Or efficiency as Mr Cameron might say ..... Rolling Eyes
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Angela W



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Location: North Yorkshire

PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 8:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Alex Lester Countdown to..... Reply with quote

R2Icon wrote:
a Buspass!

In case you didn't know, our Alex has a birthday tomorrow- (mmmmmwah! Happy Birthday Alex!)he'll be 56! He doesn't look 56, you can't really see how old he looks for all his hair. Reminds me of a song.... It took a Welsh Miner to find her ...........Anyway I digress: It occured to me that it's only 4 years until Alex gets his Buspass and I thought: I wonder how many shows that is- should we start a countdown? There seems no point asking a question to which the answer is going to be anything other than yes- so here's the maths and a few assumptions.

4 years is 1460 days: take off the weekends -416 and take off 4-weeks holiday each year: -96 leaving just 948 shows to go until Bingo! Free Travel! Alex loves free stuff. Smile

And now we have something to post about and look forward to for the next 4 years!!! How cool is that in the age of austerity?! Smile


He wouldn't be getting one in four years time if he lived in this area. It seems to be a moveable feast now that the retirement age is going up!
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Helen May



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PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 10:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was just about to say the same as Angela.

From what I understand from a relative, women no longer get them at 60 but only when they actually start to receive their pension which varies with your actual birthdate now. My cousin was looking forward to using her bus pass only to find it will be a couple of years before she will be eligible.

I can't see it being any different for men or there will be arguments of sex discrimination.

H
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I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005
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ColinB
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PostPosted: Thu May 10, 2012 10:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No worries, the issue will be irrelevant soon - there won't be any buses or even reliable, viable, public transport to accept the passes before Alex hits the big six-zero.
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 6:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

947
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nod



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

won't he need to be 65 for a bus pass ?

or maybe 66, 67, 68 by then ?
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 11:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nod wrote:
won't he need to be 65 for a bus pass ?

or maybe 66, 67, 68 by then ?


It's 60 where I live, nod, but we don't have any busses. We may of course need to extend the countdown if Government Policy shifts to the right along with the age for getting a bus pass but at the moment I think with 947 shows to go , we've got a little time to make any adjustments if they become required. The big question is: if we do need to extend the countdown- do we restart at a higher number or become really interesting and start to count into negative numbers when we reach zero?
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Helen May



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Think you'll find it's changed Rachel as the pension age is altering month by month for those born between (approx) 1950 and 54 until all women get theirs at 65.

H
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 11:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Helen May wrote:
Think you'll find it's changed Rachel as the pension age is altering month by month for those born between (approx) 1950 and 54 until all women get theirs at 65.

H


It's still 60 here Helen- well it is today.

http://www.dorsetforyou.com/media.jsp?mediaid=122081&filetype=pdf
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Angela W



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have just looked on our local Council's website and there is a sliding scale for anyone born before 5 April 1955. Anyone born after that date will qualify at 65 years of age, or whatever the retirement (pension) age is if they are lucky enough to reach it.
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Angela W wrote:
I have just looked on our local Council's website and there is a sliding scale for anyone born before 5 April 1955. Anyone born after that date will qualify at 65 years of age, or whatever the retirement (pension) age is if they are lucky enough to reach it.


Looks like it’s a postcode lottery with bus passes too.

I think most of the Labour controlled authorities are putting the age up and blaming it on Government cuts. It’s medieval politics. Make the people suffer but blame it on nasty Tories so you'll vote Labour next time around. It doesn't take a genius.
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Helen May



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The age thing came in years ago Rachel, but it's only the buses that seem to be changing there rules. Trains up to now aren't affected.

H
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 2:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Helen May wrote:
The age thing came in years ago Rachel, but it's only the buses that seem to be changing there rules. Trains up to now aren't affected.

H


I guess it's just one of those things that goes unnoticed until it affects you in person, Helen, although retired, I'm still very nearly twenty years away from a bus pass.
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Angela W



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 2:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

R2Icon wrote:
Angela W wrote:
I have just looked on our local Council's website and there is a sliding scale for anyone born before 5 April 1955. Anyone born after that date will qualify at 65 years of age, or whatever the retirement (pension) age is if they are lucky enough to reach it.


Looks like it’s a postcode lottery with bus passes too.

I think most of the Labour controlled authorities are putting the age up and blaming it on Government cuts. It’s medieval politics. Make the people suffer but blame it on nasty Tories so you'll vote Labour next time around. It doesn't take a genius.


Hmm! All of the Councils round here are run by the Conservatives though!
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 2:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Angela W wrote:
R2Icon wrote:
Angela W wrote:
I have just looked on our local Council's website and there is a sliding scale for anyone born before 5 April 1955. Anyone born after that date will qualify at 65 years of age, or whatever the retirement (pension) age is if they are lucky enough to reach it.


Looks like it’s a postcode lottery with bus passes too.

I think most of the Labour controlled authorities are putting the age up and blaming it on Government cuts. It’s medieval politics. Make the people suffer but blame it on nasty Tories so you'll vote Labour next time around. It doesn't take a genius.


Hmm! All of the Councils round here are run by the Conservatives though!


Gosh I thought they'd all been voted out.
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Angela W



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 2:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

R2Icon wrote:
Angela W wrote:
R2Icon wrote:
Angela W wrote:
I have just looked on our local Council's website and there is a sliding scale for anyone born before 5 April 1955. Anyone born after that date will qualify at 65 years of age, or whatever the retirement (pension) age is if they are lucky enough to reach it.


Looks like it’s a postcode lottery with bus passes too.

I think most of the Labour controlled authorities are putting the age up and blaming it on Government cuts. It’s medieval politics. Make the people suffer but blame it on nasty Tories so you'll vote Labour next time around. It doesn't take a genius.


Hmm! All of the Councils round here are run by the Conservatives though!


Gosh I thought they'd all been voted out.


When? We haven't had any elections here this year.
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nor here but the news has been full of it for the last week. They must have had elections somewhere.
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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

R2Icon wrote:
I guess it's just one of those things that goes unnoticed until it affects you in person, Helen, although retired, I'm still very nearly twenty years away from a bus pass.


Being retired means that you're "a lady that lunches", I assume? Alright for some, eh? Sad
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ColinB wrote:
R2Icon wrote:
I guess it's just one of those things that goes unnoticed until it affects you in person, Helen, although retired, I'm still very nearly twenty years away from a bus pass.


Being retired means that you're "a lady that lunches", I assume? Alright for some, eh? Sad


Indeed. Smile I'm actually busier now than when I worked.
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ColinB
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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2012 3:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

R2Icon wrote:
ColinB wrote:
R2Icon wrote:
I guess it's just one of those things that goes unnoticed until it affects you in person, Helen, although retired, I'm still very nearly twenty years away from a bus pass.


Being retired means that you're "a lady that lunches", I assume? Alright for some, eh? Sad


Indeed. Smile I'm actually busier now than when I worked.


Me too.
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mark occomore



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PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2012 6:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Maria McErlane sitting in for Alex week 20th May...
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Sat May 12, 2012 7:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mark occomore wrote:
Maria McErlane sitting in for Alex week 20th May...


I'll be on holiday- well, doing something different. Following the Olympic Torch around.
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2012 8:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

946
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RockitRon



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PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2012 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

At the risk of being supremely boring, I have to tell you that Alex won't get his buspass until 11th May 2022 (at current rates, the apparent profligacy of West Dorset CC notwithstanding).

The upside of that is, of course, that you'll have over 2,000 shows to look forward to, unless your prophecy I read somewhere else comes true Very Happy
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Mon May 14, 2012 9:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ron, I have it all covered. I'm planning on setting up a retirement home for DJs/ wedding venue for the public here in West Dorset, that way they will get their busspass at 60 and of course their large speakers will be set up in the venue all the time, so no need for a fleet of vans. It's win win. Smile
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PostPosted: Tue May 15, 2012 1:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

945
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R2Icon



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PostPosted: Wed May 16, 2012 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

944

I'm going to count in my head for a few years but this thread will rise to the top when we have fewer than 10 shows to go. I'll just run a sub-routine count in the background. Until then.....adios amigo!!
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oldraver



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hope this was worth the long awaited rise to the top. Not good news, though. Alex is hanging up his headphones. Such a crying shame that the faceless suits saw fit to remove his show.

All the best, Alex.

https://twitter.com/alexthedarklord/status/1081155847374495744
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Ian Robinson
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2019 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's a shame. Interesting to see Simon Mayo's lovely response.
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oldraver



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PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2019 12:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes. And Alex's reply to that. I only knew about this, from a JW tweet.

I do hope this new station proves to be a welcome saviour. Aside from the R2 rubbish, I can't get on with the Shaun Keaveny afternoon slot on 6 Music. Hopefully, once he settles in, it'll improve.

Good to hear Mark Radcliffe on the R2 Folk Show last week, even if it was pre-recorded. I've missed his umm erring...
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