RosieH

AnotherPaul - I have discovered the ins and outs of this since freelancing and having erratic payers* - not sure what bank you're with but mine is fine provided: 1) money goes in on the day 2) if it's something that they would "return unpaid" rather than just pay and take you over overdraft limit (not sure if there's always an apparent logic to that one, but direct debits and standing orders etc) you call and let them know that you're paying the money in. That avoids the problem of their having returned an item unpaid at 9am only for you to pay in enough funds to cover at 11 *and erm, sometimes just being completely rubbish

Moos, the tweet that said: "2 large coffees without assaying strength. pale, dizzy, nauseous, intermittent sweats, tremor, the works. arse fine thus far." Two peas in a pod. You're right, Rosie Goldacre - I like it! Quids, to me a whitey was always a cannabis thing too (although there was never actual vomit) - it's just that my symptoms were comparable to bona fide old skool whiteys and that given that I'd only had coffee and cola, it took me rather by surprise.

ANNA ANNA ANNA, quick, look, check it out - 6th tweet down (is there a way of showing just the tweet in question?) - he and I are as one - I think marriage may be on the cards... Ben Goldacre was made to marry me

Man alive I'm fricking knackered. Half four start and just got in now but it was worth it because the whole thing was mighty purty, if I do say so myself... if you'd like to have a look at what the invite looked like, and I mean, come on, why wouldn't you..? you can have a look here - invite in progress I'm hoping that some of the papers might pick it up tomorrow, but bloody G20 may confound us. Meantime, I've got a chinese ordered, feet up and waiting for Stewart Lee. Hope some of you guys will do a Big Lunch on your streets though - reckon Tony can show us how it's done (I did have a particularly fabulous jumpsuit for the Silver Jubilee as I recall, may be time to resurrect the occasion outfit...)

Tony, you so funny - I've been to street parties that weren't even in the 50s ;-) (think yourself very lucky young man - I don't do winky faces for just anyone, but I'm in a very good mood today)

Well for bananas you've gotta get in quick - we only have 80 of those (the ingredients were selected by colour to create the overall design). But apples I can do you - many many apples!

Hi all, I have sought permission from Admin to post on here about an event that's taking place in Covent Garden today. I'm working with the Eden Project to build the world?s biggest ever invitation in the piazza in Covent Garden this morning. We're announcing the launch of The Big Lunch, an initiative that aims to encourage all 61 million people in the UK to get together on 19 July and eat lunch in the street with their neighbours. The invite will be created from forty-three thousand pieces of fruit and veg (including eleven thousand parsnips, nine thousand cauliflowers and seven and a half thousand apples) and at the end of the build, the we'll be giving away all the ingredients to passers-by and local charities. So if you'd like some free fruit and veg and are in the Covent Garden area around lunchtime, stop by the West Piazza (in front of the church) between about 12 and 1.30pm. I currently have 8,000 cauliflowers, 11,000 parsnips, and 80 bananas amongst many other things...

Tony, perhaps I am taking the p1ss a little. It's just this notion that everything was wonderful in the good old days feels like so much rose tinted glass-wearing. And Mike, I'm a whore? Hilarious.

Tony you are right to pick up on my wanton use of hyperbole: saying that the people of Elephant and Castle circa 1955-1980 are preferable to the people of East Dulwich in 2009 is not the same as saying that East Dulwich is sh*t. I am duly chastened.

I suspect you might be - the fuzz are coming down hard man - so there's going to be a lot of marshalling and public transport will be fooked

You're right Tony, East Dulwich is sh*t. Let's all move to 1950.

Charlies, I can put you in touch with some sweet and lovely folks if you need company. I was supposed to be going but now have to work (how very un-stick it to the man of me, I know, but am working for a charidee and therefore I aim to do my bit in that way)

Is Monkey Butlers slang for something? Because if it isn't, I want one - I want a monkey in a smoking jacket bringing me ice for my drink and answering the door to gentleman callers

I heard the streets were lined with saffron and black truffles

Ha, you're right, very sorry sir. Am a bit frantic today and clearly didn't read it properly. But was just so mad and swearing at the radio this morning that I couldn't avoid sneaking back on here in between utter head f**ks to add my two pence worth.

Keef, I beg to differ, there are some nasty idiots, but by no means all the leaders fit that description. Moos you make a good point but it all boils down to finances. Your typical bank might be paying a PR agency ?20-30k a month to run these campaigns. More in a crisis, which is what this will be considered. That will buy a team of skilled, media-trained people who work round the clock to smear protesters and paint the protested-against in a positive light. The protesters just don't have the resources to compete for share of voice unfortunately - if they put the small funds they do have towards going up against the banking behemoths it would just be p*ssing in the wind. No PR agency means no media-training and no carefully constructed soundbites, no designated spokespeople, so randoms spouting guff in the street which is why they come across as moronic.

The media frenzy is very much based on the highly-funded and well coordinated PR efforts of the banks. This morning I heard on the radio that pregnant women are being advised to stay at home. And a banker said that he and his buddies were geared up for it, had faced worse, it was like "the spirit of Dunkirk". Some people on this site slag off PR and marketing. It's my industry and usually I don't agree with the haters (not even on the subject of Max Clifford). But today I'm utterly furious that the banking industry's PR machine is allowed to get away with such inflammatory bullsh*t, and completely unchallenged at that. That propaganda likening bankers to WWII heroes and portraying the protesters as foetus-killers is allowed to go unchecked makes me utterly depressed about the state of the media. I can't blame the PR people - it's despicable behaviour on their part and the part of the banks - but I have a grudging respect for them for doing such a good job at it. The protesters haven't a hope of putting a fair case.

Heh, Keef, thanks for the suggestion - coming from a night out with MP it means all the more - I think a beer would have been just the thing if only I had had one. Had a bit of cake and did some breathing and went to bed. Note to self: coffee is not the answer. Oh and Mikecg, hate to disillusion you but I have rarely been sensible and never been a lady (I think the forum just brings it out in me), and I may have employed the teeniest bit of hyperbolic licence in reference to my nights down the Hac. At least I never burned down my neighbour's house though...

Mikecg Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Rock N Roll Rosie. Tell me about it - like I said, I've turned into an utter lightweight. Time was I could neck 5 pills and a couple of grams down the Hac and still get a full night's sleep... PGC, many thanks - definitely helping.

Well I've had a litre of coke and three espressos this afternoon. Not very sensible I know, especially as I don't generally have caffeine, but I didn't think it was that much. It's been a very long and very hectic day.

I'm not fainting, but dizzy and highly nauseous, heart going three hundred miles an hour, a cold clammy sweat on (oh and yes, seemingly all colour drained from my face). Not wholly unlike the whiteys I sometimes had in my class A youth. Only that was a long time ago now and I can't quite remember what I did to get out of them. Feel bad but need to try to get some more work done - figured there may be a few people on here who have dealt with this more recently than me. Holy cr@p, am a complete lightweight these days. Thanks CharlieCharlie - cross posted - I'm getting the milk right now.

Seriously. I think I've ODed on caffeine and I'm freaking out a bit. Any recognised (or even unrecognised) cures for whiteys anyone can recommend?

On sunglasses, as with hairstyles, I am firmly of the belief that you should sport something that makes you look good, not necessarily something that makes you look fashionable. If it does both, bonus. Raybans look great on some people, on others (especially in red or white - sorry Brendan) they will make you look a right t1t. Ditto aviators. I favour aviators, but may yet be disabused of the notion that they suit me. Have also just acquired some mighty purty art-deco stylee Temperley ones that, being not particularly of any season, I should be able to wear next year and the one after, too - making them a bargain. edited as am a f**kwit and can't type today

A few go on because they genuinely seem to want help. Others get free dna tests and a night in a Manchester hotel innit.

SeanMacGabhann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > oh that's a shame - Incey's nights are great. But > it wasn't him you were going for was it? Anna you were going for the Goldacre!!! There's another fabulous one, although his recent posting of penile graffiti outside the Sun and Doves doesn't reach the giddy satirical heights of Mr Lee, it does encourage me to think that he frequents a local hostelry. Lovely Ben