RosieH

I thought it was great, particularly as they let him read out where to send donations to (effectively what the BBC had not allowed) before cutting him off. Big up the Benn. They don't seem to make them like that any more.

Thanks indiepanda - to be honest I know nothing of the Alpha Course. Bizzy, what's your take on people who aren't interested? Do you persist in trying to convert? And what's your reply to the anti-gay stance indiepanda mentioned? I know that hypocrisy can be rife in organised religion, but I think that's more a purely human trait than a religious one. I suspect I sound like a big hippy, but on religion (as on many things) unless it's hurting someone, then live and let live. That said, I'd still get narky if having politely declined attempts at saving my soul, someone continued to try to convert me.

It seems to me that there's a little smugness on both sides of this argument... If the Alpha Course isn't for you, does it need to be shot down in flames? Or am I being terribly naive: is it actually some kind of fundamentalist Christianity and goes on to preach hatred in some form or another? I know many Christians for whom their faith brings them great comfort and peace, and who live their life contributing to the community and helping others. I see nothing wrong with that. In fact, I think it's rather admirable and there's a small part of me that envies them that conviction and succour. It's not for me, but I wouldn't tell them they were wrong for thinking that way. I don't see how telling someone they're wrong to believe is any better than being told you're wrong not to.

uh-oh

Yes, I do see the potential danger. Once I have the invite in my sweaty grasp, I'll tell them I've moved round the corner to the girl-I-used-to-be-friends-with-but-am-not-anymore's house.

to be sure, always teasing - I don't think I'd use the forum to have a dig - although I might use it for a heated argument for the first and last time: ;-);-);-);-)

yeah, sorry about that - I seem to have some kind of phobia of smilies

The definition you gave said that "teh" was limited to technical and leetspeak circles. From this I concluded: a) the many many ladies you have been late night texting are possibly computer programmers (winky face) b) unless you yourself and all your friends are techies, it seems unlikely that the prevalence you speak of is due to new neologism which "is not common in spoken or written English outside technical or leetspeak circles"

Tony Tony Tony, are you dirty dialling technical and leetspeak ladies? This is interesting news to me about the new neologism stuff, and I don't know what you do for a living, but given the definition you give above, I'd be very surprised if that was the cause for the new prevalence you speak of. Is a little niche, no?

I don't know Tony, how many ladies have texted you, you big show off?

I think Oliver James may have just suggested that a manic depressive is going to kill Obama

Fair enough - I don't think MP comes across as anti-Israeli, but I recognise that it's a really heated subject - which is why I think I will back away now because from experience I've found that this debate will go round and round for days and weeks with both sides just getting further entrenched.

I'm hoping I might finally make it along to this one - and not just because I want to get a good look at Miles...

Dulwich_ Park_ Fairy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > And, despite your claims to genius and > impartiality you come across as being disturbingly > anti-Israeli, and, by resurrecting the "blood > libel" myth, quite anti-semitic. Ok, I know this is a really contentious issue, and I've avoided posting on this thread because I don't think it can possibly hope to go anywhere useful, but I think levelling the accusation of anti-semitism at MP is out of order. I hate that get out of jail free card. Anyone who finds fault with Israel's actions is anti-semitic? Or are you taking MP's midwife comment to mean literal midwives slaughtering babies?

I am hoping for a trip to Australia. However I have based this on very tenuous info. An Australian friend of mine who lives in Sydney just asked me for my address. I know he and his good lady got engaged a couple of months ago, so I am hoping that he wants my address to send me a wedding invitation. If this is not the case and he wants my address to send me baby photos I will be very disappointed, cross him off the Christmas card list, and have to go somewhere very exotic instead.* *all subject to employment or lack thereof

seriously Tony you paranoid maniac - go into the autocorrect options on Word and you'll see it, right there sorry, you're not a maniac, but have you had too much coffee this morning?

yes, is just a really common typo surely (Word will autocorrect but admin hasn't set up that facility on here yet...)

Corned beef and salad cream? Mmmmm, dirty

HonaB, this jealousy does you no credit at all. Think of Miles as a young buck Brad Pitt to your suave old charmer Clooney.

Well I'd like to add my voice to the chorus of corned beef likers, even if I don't know what it actually is

Would have thought the most obvious purpose in life is to make the world a slightly better place for your presence (whether that's by making Auntie Dot smile in her dotage or planting a few more trees...) Oh, and obviously to admire Tony's teeth

phattmatt Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- Have you noticed that John always gets his way on the 50/50 choices? That's because John's actually a real chef and knows something about cooking, whereas Greg is a baldy greengrocer - he stole that gig

HonaloochieB Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Unfortunately RosieH my IT skills are not > sufficient for me to present it to you on here. > I have a confession to make, I was parading around > the Brixton area and sure enough the geheral > populace seemed cheered by my headgear. > Unfortunately I made a sarcastic remark to a man > in a wheelchair who ran over my foot, which I > think undid all the good 'karma' I had 'laid > down'. > I'm going to hell, aren't I? I will settle for a full and vivid description of the titfer in question. I suspect that if your sarcastic remark hinged on your aggressor's wheelchair status, then yes, TillieTrotter is right, and you'd better get your handcart ready.

I have a new purpose in life - to make me Charlie Brooker's wife

I want that mirror AND a jaunty hat HB, can we see the hat?