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Humor is arguably Britain's finest export. It's bold, witty, and full of puns, and can knock you out almost instantly. In fact, hands down the funniest person I know is from Manchester, England. (He also wrote for Bored Panda, so if you've been reading us for long enough, you might even know who I'm talking about.)

So let's take a closer look at the culture that molds it. Spanning across multiple social media platforms, British Memes is an online project that paints a vivid picture of what everyday life looks like in this corner of the world.

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#2

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Edward Monks
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

absolutly, the later the better. Post lunch me doesnt want to be sat working for hours and hours after eating

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English comedian Ricky Gervais, who co-wrote, co-produced, and starred in the hit BBC series The Office, which was on air for two years and adapted for a U.S. series for eight seasons, thinks that a good way to describe British humor is to juxtapose it to its American counterpart.

"It's often dangerous to generalize, but under threat, I would say that Americans are more 'down the line,'" Gervais wrote in TIME. "They don't hide their hopes and fears. They applaud ambition and openly reward success."

"Brits are more comfortable with life's losers. We embrace the underdog until it's no longer the underdog. We like to bring authority down a peg or two. Just for the hell of it," Gervais explained.

"Americans say, 'have a nice day' whether they mean it or not. Brits are terrified to say this. We tell ourselves it's because we don't want to sound insincere but I think it might be for the opposite reason. We don't want to celebrate anything too soon."

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Andi
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

if British --- crisps not chips - unless its chips not fries .... simple

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Gervais thinks Brits see failure and disappointment lurk around every corner. This is due to their upbringing. While Americans are raised to believe they can be the next president, Brits are told, "It won't happen for you."

The comedian also pointed out that while irony shows up in the smarter US comedies, Americans don't use it as much socially as Brits. "We use it as liberally as prepositions in everyday speech. We tease our friends. We use sarcasm as a shield and a weapon. We avoid sincerity until it’s absolutely necessary," he said. "We mercilessly take the piss out of people we like or dislike basically. And ourselves. This is very important. Our brashness and swagger is laden with equal portions of self-deprecation. This is our license to hand it out."

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El Dee
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

School WAS terrible, it's just that work is even worse lol!

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This, Gervais has found, is sometimes perceived as nasty by the 'recipients' who aren't used to such customs, but he reassured everyone that it isn't. "It’s play fighting," he explained. "It's almost a sign of affection if we like you, and ego bursting if we don't. You just have to know which one it is."

"I never actively try to offend. That's churlish, pointless and frankly too easy. But I believe you should say what you mean. Be honest. No one should ever be offended by truth. That way you'll never have to apologize. I hate it when a comedian says, 'Sorry for what I said.' You shouldn't say it if you didn't mean it and you should never regret anything you meant to do."

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#17

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Another thing that the rest of the world may not know is that in the UK nothing and nobody is off-limits, so you will regularly see politicians being ridiculed and anybody in the public eye, including the Royal Family, is fair game.

No wonder satire is so popular in the UK. As Gervais briefly mentioned, Brits love humbling people when they get too arrogant and there have been many comedy shows dedicated to exactly this type of humor, including Have I Got News For You and Weekly Wipe.

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Daria Z
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do the same on my way back from work, but with a girl :D

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Debbie Barnes
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love island is awful. It's the kind of show that makes having root canal treatment a pleasure. Nothing to do with love and everything to do with getting a job in TV or getting a modelling career off the ground.

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But the UK has also had a number of hit sitcoms where pretty much nothing happens apart from everyday life. There are no knee-slapping moments but a lot of cringey situations when you cannot believe someone has done or said what they have.  

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These sitcoms are subtle but absurdly funny and ones worth watching are Gavin and Tracy, I'm Alan Partridge, and The Royle Family.

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Abby da great
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

“Objection, your helmet— homet, excuse me…helnor—” *sits back down*

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Nathaniel
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Could they only afford a couple of tins of Heinz Spaghetti for the party?

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Laurence Thomas
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope they have good hygiene standards for preventing covid, otherwise on your last day, you'll be leaving a little hoarse.

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Cat Palmer
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I looked it up (I'm sick and have nothing better to do): they're red spider mites and are considered a pest as they kill plants, so I guess they've been killed off with insecticide. Thanks for occupying my brain with something other than how ill I'm feeling for a few minutes!

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ToGo
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lugging letters and parcels around in the heat for hours (then the snow/rain/ice in winter), worried if Tyson the territorial rottweiler will actually get one of your fingers this time.... No thanks.

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DDmaybeandor
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

British culture. Idk anyone talking about drinking cider, maybe stolen liquor or beer though.

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CultOfBambi
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cider is an alcoholic drink in the UK, not just apple juice - it's stronger than beer most of the time.

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Starbelly Eleven
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mad Dog 20/20 and Boone's Farm could be considered bad cider if you squint just right.

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Lady Goldberry
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We used to go gnome nicking, except we'd actually move lawn ornaments to the garden next door. The neighbour would suddenly have gnomes and stuff in their lawn they'd previously only seen next door. I'm sorry, I still think this was hilarious. Fight me.

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Marianne
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the US, it is illegal to drink in public and also the drinking age is 21, so this scenario is much wilder in the US than in the UK I guess.

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Okiedokie
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It’s not illegal to drink in public but if you’re so sloshed you’re being a terror then yes you will probably get arrested in the U.S. edit: apparently it is prohibited depending where you are, sometimes by state sometimes by local municipality. Weird. It’s not heavily enforced in most areas, I’ll say that for sure.

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Sandra
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I moved to Wales when I was 14 from the United States and was quickly inaugurated to the practice. None of the fancy ciders in America taste anywhere near as good to me as that cheap cider!

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Lesley Relph
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the US, cider is non alcoholic - unless it's 'hard' cider. I think...

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K O
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to be able to down a liter of old english in under a minute and then boke it all up 5mins later. I would shout 'waterfall time' and every one would stand there watching me boke haha good times

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censor
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

just british. In america they buy guns and shoot up their school at 14.

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Stolas
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

wow ok um. a few American kids maybe, not all of us. most of us are trying to find a way to stop it from happening

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Mer☕️🧭☕️
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nah, man, we had MD20/20 (Mad Dog 20/20) - it came in FLAVORS. (And was also nasty as hell but hey, we were stupid kids and it was, well, there...)

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Katya Myers
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And British girls get like super drunk. Not from cider I mean. When they get drunk - it is really ugly. Vomiting on the streets, falling asleep, walking barefoot etc. Never seen anything like that in any other country(ok, maybe in Australia).

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Memere
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the U.S., most underage kids drink beer, or whatever booze they can snitch from their parents, or get someone over the age of 21 to buy for them. Basic cider isn't alcoholic, but hard cider is.

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Mora Chilis
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We used tell our parents we were staying at other's house, then drink wine coolers Boone's Farm, Purple Passions, ever clear...whatever we could get and pretty much spend the night dying in a field from alcohol poisoning. So yes.

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Makajha Banjjjak
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We (Poland) used to drink the cheapest 'wine' beverage that was basically some fruit taste, high vol alcohol and sth we call sulfur but was probably some horrible add on. I still cringe for my 15-16 self. And yeah, it was in the park

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Weed in the Garden
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ahh yes...depending on location - Nattie Light for camping, Barefoot Moscato for the park and long island iced tea at the beach.

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Andrew Keir
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6 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If they drank it at home they'd have to obey the "Cider House Rules". I'll get my coat ...

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Anne McKinney
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes. The answer is yes and the 'cider' was strawberry hill c**p "wine".

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Anne McKinney
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes. The answer is yes and our "cider" was strawberry hill c**p wine.

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Heather
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In America it's MD 20/20 or Boone's Farm. Basically, alcoholic koolaid.

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JP Purves
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the U.S. it's cheap beer you got your sister's thug boyfriend to buy for you.

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olaff 422
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

American cider and UK cider are completely different. UK cider is US hard cider, and US cider is unfiltered apple juice.

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Nelson Sturdivant
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the US when I was a teen (late 70's) it would have been "Maddog" MD20/20

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Psycho Cat
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I drank wine, which cost 0.41 gbp, or 56 Serbian dinars lol. It would make your mouth, lips, teeth and everything else it touches purple. It was delicious!

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Fester Sixonesixonethree
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I *would* have drunk cider in the park when I was 14 if I had *known* cider existed! I know about it now and enjoy it often.

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TheSeany
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

3 litre flagon of devil's bit for teenage me here in Ireland.

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DeeDee M
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, we drink dirt cheap p**s beer(think Busch). Which is way worse.

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Lori
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cheap wine, in the back of someone's car, or whiskey along the back roads.

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Lorna Anne Skinner Emmons
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My cousin and brothers did. I didn't like the taste but I'm female and maybe have better taste than they do. I can't speak for all Americans though. I'm 50 now so things might have changed a bit too

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Linda Redenbaugh
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, and I don’t even know what that is. Maybe beer if they could get it, but it’s more safe drinking your parent’s booze at home.

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Aussie panda
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sounds like Australian too. Any liquor you could get your hands on…

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Troy Parr
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think the world has moved on to alcohol-pops now... But I remember hearing a tale of a grandmother who always gave the grandchildren Woodpecker cider because it had a picture of a woodpecker on the bottle. She thought it was just a kid's drink and they just thought it was tasty.

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Benita Valdez
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nowadays maybe but when I was a kid I would guess the equivalent would've been wine coolers because hard cider is more the recent decade; my day hard cider was made at home.

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Flash Henry
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I drank Smirnoff Ice because my mother told me only tinkers drink cider.

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Jason Leaf
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They do, but only to take the edge off the methamphetamine.

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Kayjunmoon
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cider in Britain is alcoholic, not so in other countries.

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G R
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kayjunmoon's comment is completely correct, cider here in Britain is ALWAYS alcoholic. Cider I'm certain other countries is not alcoholic, unless it's labelled as Hard Cider. It's extremely weird that a non-controversial factual comment is being downvoted, and a rude and factually wrong comment is being upvoted.

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Deborah Harris
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What's stopping her is that the lowest amount you can withdraw at a cashpoint is £5.00 :D

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jon gilbertson
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

what do you consider snacks? I'm in the Midwest US. we do popcorn, chips (crisps), beef jerky. curious to what other cultures snack on.

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#40

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Laura Ketteridge
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I knew a guy who was always 23 minutes late. We ended up telling his to be places 25 minutes earlier than we were due to start. It made a serious difference, and we could start things on time.

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