Oddly enough, apparently there will be an overall noticeable effect on the economy for crashing out of the Competition.  One figure quoted was £2 billion.

Bit early for beer eh bbm?

Hope my head clears up before tonight, no I haven't a hangover, clonked my head on the back door handle Thursday night while putting out rubbish.

That back door handle will be the death of me, about 15 years ago (when we were young) we were having a bbq and a water fight ensued, my missus was going over the top with buckets of water, as I made a dash for the back door - 'clonk' on that bloody handle.

I remember vividly being very grumpy with my missus over it and plumped myself into the armchair to watch Linford Christie winning gold. At the end my missus sheepishly said, 'John there's blood running down the back of your head'. So off we went to the general hospital and I sat waiting with the other lads with heads split open from fights. The nurse always asks what happened, my missus was convinced they thought she had clobbered me! 

Another grump ends with a laugh 

But I can imagine the Christians who got terribly het up by the idea that the pagan "Father Christmas" was reasserting itself over the image of Saint Nicholas that they had imposed upon it... In a sense, the emergence of "Santa Claus" or even "Santa" is a return to some semblance of that Christian trope, albeit in a slightly sanitised areligious garb(?)

My rant is that someone keeps on leaving the front staircase door open. Although I have a separate door to my flat, it still makes me feel a bit vulnerable, makes a noise as it creaks open and shut, and lets the cold air in.

Gah, as if it wasn't bad enough that had to be in Sunbury to umpire a hockey match at 10am this morning (a slightly delayed start in the end due to the frost), and then hoof it over to Dulwich to umpire a second game at 2, after the second game I discovered that the away team had managed to hit a ball over the pitch fencing which then carried a good 40 yards and smashed it's way through the front passenger window.  grrr.

Sounds like somebody has reason to be proud of their hockey abilities! I'm just sorry it was the umpire's car, of all people, that took the walloping.

Given that they were presumably aiming at the goal, behind which was what must have been a twenty foot high fence (given that the goal is 7 foot high), I'm not quit eso sure about that.  Still, the window's fixed now and the glass claim doesn't affect the no-claims discount on the rest of the policy (which is good since that's due for renewal in a couple of weeks).

Nearly every phone company offers a variation on this deal now, Mort: Stanley's absolutely right: as long as you ring off before your hour has elapsed, then call straight back again, you're safe for another hour. Some companies train their staff to mention this: Virgin obviously don't train very well. (And yes, you can take that in both senses, both apply!)

Then don't believe it in the first place ! I don't !