Sheaf Saint

But who is to say what's 'proper'? Why is it important? I was taught how to hold a knife and fork properly by my mum, but I choose not to because it doesn't even register on my scale of importance what other people think of me when I'm eating. I consider it to be a load of old elitist nonsense that doesn't make a shred of difference to the world we live in.

I have just got of the phone to undoubtedly the most unhelpful and useless customer service team you could ever hope not to deal with. Basically, I booked a hire car for a holiday in France in August and when we arrived at the pick up point we were told that there was no reservation for us. Upon investigating, it seems that the reservation was cancelled in error. This resulted in us having to stay in a hotel overnight in Angouleme until they could get a car for us the next morning, and the new rental ended up costing more than the original one we booked, despite being for a day less than originally advised. I was told to contact the customer services team upon return to England who could process my claim for reimbursement for the extra cost I incurred as a result of this. Some chance. I have spoken to them numerous times and was given a case reference number to email my complaint to, and I was told that I would be contacted back in 3 days by a claims agent. FOUR WEEKS later, I finally got an email back giving me some waffle about their policy about not confirming a reservation immediately (despite the email 'confirmation' I got after booking) and completely ignoring the fact that a previous agent had advised me the rental was cancelled in error 3 days before the pickup date. I emailed back stating that I did not accept this and that I wanted the case to be escalated - this was two weeks ago. I called back this morning to find out what was going on and apparently it is their policy to close the claims case once they have responded, regardless of whether or not the customer is satisfied with their response, and that I had gone to the back of the queue and must wait for ten working days from the date of my response to get a contact from them. Basically, they are doing everything they can to squirm out of paying up for something to which they have already admitted liability, and the general ambivalence of the staff I have spoken to has been nothing short of shocking. So my advice is this... If you are planning to hire a car anywhere in Europe - DO NOT USE EUROPCAR.

What happened to Button? He was 5th then by the time I got to work and loaded up my PC he was 13th.

You ordered your sloes instead of picking them yourself???

And then go on to profess the importance of not conceding again early in the second half, no doubt. The man's powers of observation are truly world-class.

I used to be but I've become thoroughly bored of it over the last few years.

I'm signed up the the Sheffield one and I recently bought for me and my GF an all-over body massage for £9. NINE QUID!!!!!!!! I was put onto it by a mate and my first thought was that if you find something on the internet that looks too good to be true, it always is. But she booked up hers so I did the same and hey presto. Haven't actually had them yet mind, but I've spoken with the masseur and it's all legit.

http://newsarse.com/2010/10/20/live-spending-review-as-it-happens/

I've just made two bottles of the stuff from the harvest I picked on sunday. Never tried it before, and normally I cannot stand gin (vile stuff that it is) but I'm looking forward to cracking them open on christmas day alongside a few mince pies with brandy butter.

What are we using at the moment then?

Stupid question perhaps, but would it not be possible to utilise the existing Sea Harrier fleet on these carriers or do they need to be retired before then?

I watched Superbad last night after a few people told me it was hilarious... Did I miss something???

Completely agree...

This is true. However, none of the people who have made it to the summit have ever reported seeing the photographs up there. Of course they would be buried under lots of snow and ice by now and due to the time it takes to get up and down, climbers never stay at the summit for more than a few minutes either, so it is very possible he did make it and left them. Edmund Hillary has, quite disingenuously in my opinion, stated that if it is somehow proved that Mallory did make it to the summit, the record books should not be changed as successfully summitting any mountain should involve returning alive. I guess he has a point, but that would not detract from the fact that Mallory would be the first person to stand at the very top of the world.

So the 'sh1t or bust' attempt to get back to the prem.... Bust it is then.

The suggestion is that he fell from a point further back down from where he was last sighted by the support team at the camp.

I guess we'll never know. He was last seen on the ridge having climbed the second step, but from where his body was found it would seem to suggest that he fell from a point further back down, so it is unclear if he had made it to the summit and was on his way back, or if he had turned around, for whatever reason, before reaching the top. Either way though, Hillary only followed on from where Mallory left off, as it was he who found what is now the accepted route up the mountain. So regardless of whether or not Mallory made it to the summit, he is the one who should take the most credit for 'blazing the trail'.

This song, for me anyway, comes as close to perfection as any song can. Still gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. Got to see them perform it live at the Big Chill last year. Truly awesome.

http://newsarse.com/2010/10/11/banksy-to-create-new-eastenders-title-sequence/

My girlfriend and I recently went to watch a documentary called The Wildest Dream, all about George Mallory's expeditions in the 1920s and the attempts of the american climber who found his body (only relatively recently) to re-create his journey using similar clothing and equipment. I recommend anybody interested in mountaineering watch it. Very moving and highlights exactly what a massive undertaking it was in 1927.

Ha ha ha. The hypocrisy of religious types never ceases to amaze me.

I haven't got my collection of flyers any more, they got chucked out years ago. But, although I never consciously decided to collect rave tapes, I did accumualte quite a few and still have a box full in the attic. The oldest one I have is a 3rd/4th/5th generation copy of Sasha and Laurent Garnier from the Eclipse club in Coventry from early 1991. Terrible sound quality and it just goes silent during the bass solo bits, but it still gives me goosebumps when I put it on for a little nostalgia.

http://newsarse.com/2010/10/05/michael-fish-to-present-daily-terrorism-forecast/ :lol:

No bother mate. I tend to go out of my way not to upset people most of the time so I wasn't sure when I read that.