giggirl

It's in every airport in the world. Seriously. No matter how tin-pot the country, no matter that the airport looks worse than Iceland on LL, there is always Toblerone in a shop somewhere.

Same as when a tatty old dress is described as "vintage" or a b&b becomes a "boutique hotel".

I feel for you Mr Ben. I was on a course just before Christmas and the leader was Swiss/German and I couldn't warm to her or read her and, long story short, I didn't get as much out of the course as I should have done. My loss. So I have no tips (obviously). Beautiful country though. You'll need deep pockets.

Yes it is very Catholic. I'm already thinking that Lent is early this year and what to give up? I'm lapsed of course but old habits die hard.

Off topic but I saw Argo last night and it was mostly brilliant. I didn't like the contrived suspenseful ending when they were going through airport security but otherwise it's a cracking movie. Alan Arkin always a joy to watch.

I gave up alcohol on New Year's Eve but fell off the wagon a week ago. I climbed back on for the final stretch. I feel healthier not drinking but I do enjoy it.

Just heard that the Stones are going to close The Brits this year. I think a tour announcement can be expected soon and I only hope the prices are more affordable than the O2.

Twirly Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Can you not store your belongings in their loft, > if they have one? > > When I renovated my flat, about 5 years ago, it > cost us about ?60 a month to store things, and > that wasn't a very big storage room - boxes with > belongings, not furniture. Have a good clear out > first and see what you can get rid of first. This is good advice. Storge costs a lot more than people think - especially when they add insurance to the top (which you're never told about until the very last minute when it's too late to back out). If you can, use whatever loft space friends and family can offer you. If you must use storage then look at some of the firms out in Croydon. The nearer to London the higher the price - so Croydon is cheaper than locations that are handier to ED. I applaud you for tackling your finances head-on and wouldn't want to see you waste money on storage if you don't have to.

Snow and ice have been falling off my roof in huge chunks. Would be really dangerous for anyone standing underneath at the time.

In addition to the O2, he's also playing Hammersmith for those who don't want to get their comedy in an airctraft hanger http://www.eventim.co.uk/Tickets.html?affiliate=EUK&fun=search&action=search&doc=search%2Fsearch&detailadoc=erdetaila&detailbdoc=evdetailb&kudoc=artist&sort_by=score&sort_direction=desc&fuzzy=yes&suchbegriff=louis+ck

Aesthetically speaking, my garden looks real pretty

Nooooooooooo. It's January. My body is a temple. Come February it will revert more to "amusement park".

January is a month of austerity chez GG. Haven't had a sherbert since New Year's Eve. My last purchase from Green & Blue (RIP) was a bottle of sherry and I can't wait for February to open it.

Definitely write to head office. They agreed to give you the refund and now you have nothing - you don't have the toothbrush or the refund (gift card). How were you to know the card wasn't activated before leaving the shop? All round bad customer services. I think you'll get more out of head office than Trading Standards. Good luck.

In Bruges (brilliant) is same writer/director as Seven Psychopaths. Both far superior to anything QT's done in years.

On the plus side, QT movies have had some inspired soundtracks. Other than that, the trademark excessive violence and bad language are pointless. I might watch a QT movie on TV but I wouldn't pay for it. He's not doing anything that he wasn't doing better 20 years ago. I saw Seven Psychopaths before Christmas which was violent but original and funny and inspired (and Martin McDonagh is Camberwell born and bred, so extra points there). QT is none of those things but he has a very high opinion of himself.

Oops - wrong thread!

It makes me wonder what was agreed in advance concerning the parameters of the interview. For example, if C4 was told in advance that violence in films was off-limits and Tarantino was subsequently ambushed, then fair play to him. Otherwise I think the question was completely valid, given how much violence there is in his movies, and his rant was childish.

That was my take on Jackie Brown a few years back; too much use of the N word which did nothing for the film but made my ears bleed. What do we think of the Channel 4 Tarantino interview?

So you're not going to show up then Strafer? As if. See you there.

Why not print up some advertisements of your own for, I dunno, a bake sale or something, and run down Lordship Lane fly posting them on all the estate agents' windows. Turn the tables so to speak.

My father, incredulous and ranting at Marc Bolan in eyeliner. Here's Marc Bolan falling off the stage laughing with David Bowie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MehW8XEsd6I

I'm so over cupcakes. Ten years ago I actually queued outside the Magnolia Bakery on my way home from a night out (like a kebab but with icing). So over it.

Hello RosieH and happy new year. Sometimes I use a sniper and sometimes not. I have no moral issues. Thing is, whenever I don't use a sniper I just put in the maximum amount that I'm prepared to spend on that item so I either win it or I don't. If someone else doesn't do that then they get sniped then more fool them. In the old days ebay used to be rife with shill bidders but ebay has really put that practice under the kosh so it's a lot harder for sellers to shill bid on their own items these days. So the practice of sniping became popular in part because buyers were worried about shills. One big telltale sign of shill bidding is where you are "outbid" on something and then, as if by magic, the bid that "outbid" you is suddenly retracted, in the process revealing your own high bid (which obviously you wanted to remain private). This happened to me once and I just refused to pay for the item. Best of luck.

Ha - I went to Zanzibar about 20 years ago and came back with a big bag of cloves (everybody does). I remember sitting on the flight home thinking "what got into me with the cloves shopping?". I've been using them ever since and only just used them up. They last for ever and ever. It's true. Everybody off to Zanzibar in the New Year so you won't have the curse of Tesco on a Christmas Eve for 20 years to come. Alternatively, whatever you don't have just tell yourself you don't need it. Happy Christmas everyone.