there are a lot of things that i don't like about england. London being one of them.
I'm not going to disagree with that. London is, like, yucky. But with great shopping, especially for books and records.

the air is like..greasy.
Too right it is. I can have a shower in the morning, take a day trip, and come back still feeling as though I need to scrub myself clean. How do people live in that grime? Gopher? Lisa? Lestat?

Nieske's philosophical questions. My answers. Others may have different mileage.
"Is there life after death?"
Yes. It's all a cycle, until we've learned as much as there is to learn, and then become one with the rest of creation.

"Does God exist?"
God is creation, creation is god. We're all a part of creation. You can do the math (:

"Do aliens exist?"
Yes. The odds of any intelligent life form existing in the universe are big. Given that there's one such form, the chance of a second one is reduced to a certainty.

"Why/how can we actually think if we are constucted of mere cells, molecules, atoms?"
It's the way those sub-atomic particles combine, and move about, that makes it possible for process we know as thought to take place. Not that everyone does...

"You think she siliconed her lips, really?"
See the Starr Report, pages 1-814 (except p421, apparently).

"Okay, yeah, I know. We... we have to do the right thing. Dinner!"
A debate on the best strategy for getting a top-rated soap is interrupted by an announcement from the banquet manager. Should they show fine, upstanding, moral people, or lots of heaving buttocks? And should they really be discussing this on an empty stomach?

Alysa
I did not feel the need to write spoiler 'cuz even though pple might not have had seen the show yet this clip was included in the commercials
Bzzzzzt! Please remember that there are people who only watch a network for one single programme, and don't see any trailers for it. For instance, I only watch C4 for "Friends" right now. I don't see anything else on the channel, and don't see the trails they put out. So, if they were new episodes, and I'd didn't see them till late in the weekend, I'd be livid about someone giving away the plot. It's the same for other people who only watch one WB show.

and I didn't think it give anything away about the show.
'Fraid it does.

[For info: C4 Friends is a season 1 rerun. Sky One are four episodes in: most recently TOW Phoebe Hates PBS]

Johnathan, on copyright.
Taping a CD to play it in your car is illegal. Re-recording to CD, Real Audio, or MP3 is illegal.
This may be the case in Washington State, and/or the USA. It's not the case for the UK. Private copies of audio, made for personal use only, are explicitly allowed under the 1989 Copyright Act. This applies irrespective of medium. It's redistribution of these copies that's illegal.

Of course, one could argue that low-grade real audio files (especially) are of such low quality that they're merely a sample of the work, and have no intrinsic value. One for the courts to decide.

Chelle's breakfast questions.
what time do you like to eat breakfast?
I like to eat it around 7:30, 8am, during "Teletubbies". I do eat it around 6:20am, during "Sesame Street".
what do you like on your toast?
Marmite!
what's your favorite cereal?
Raisin Splitz.
what's your favorite fruit?
For breakfast? Apple, or pear as a change.
what's your favorite juice?
Orange, apple for a change.
if you eat eggs, how do you like them prepared?
Very rare to eat them, but lightly fried.
list other things you eat for breakfast
Hash browns, fried bread, croissants. Nothing meaty.
how often do you go out for breakfast?
Only when I'm away from home.

Priestess Cory! The Laa-Laa of the Desert!
What's your fave soundtrack and why?
"Romeo + Juliet", because it's a wonderful album in its own right.
"Party of Five", for the same reason.
"The Piano", because it's great.

Paulo
here in Spain, OTOH (don't know about the rest of Europe), a "liberal" is distinguished above everything by his defense of the free market and economic freedom, and would be most likely a right wing person (an example of this kind of "liberal" is Margaret Thatcher).
[weaver hasn't laughed this much in a very long time]
In Britain, a "liberal" is someone who believes in social freedoms. Legalising drugs, allowing people to do what they want to, while having a fair amount of economic control.

That makes Tony Blair a control freak, John Major a closet liberal, and Mrs Thatcher a Count (sp?)

Forget that Rachel bitch; marry Emily!!!! She loves him back, she doesn't play around with him
These are minor details. You know these are minor details.

yes, alright, actually *being* lisa xxx bing is more...

and is therefore much cooler than Rachel can ever aspire to be.
Well, Ms Aniseedball does seem to have some fans. Indeed, in a recent poll of Most Attractive Friend, she got almost two votes...

yes, I'm officially sick of Ross & Rachel.
I will second that, on the deletion of the letters "Ross &". Or on the deletion of the character of Rachel.

Sara
is someone using some weird kind of text for their email messages? Because usually when I hit reply to a digest, it works fine. but once in a while, the text gets all screwed up and goes funny - and this is usually when someone has those (annoying) text things on.
No names, no pack drill, no mentioning people such as Jessica and Shannon whose mailers sent MIME and HTML and other forms of digest-crushing non-text.

I need to have my passport & my NI number.
Will a driving license (even a Wisconsin one) do?

Shobi
I agree with most of the Sullivan points ofview that I've read. But why envy?
Simply because he is such a good writer, far better than I could ever be.

if the government controlled daycare that it would be substandard & have no need to ever improve because (a) no one is getting a profit; & (b) there would be nothing to compete with it.
The state of British railways springs to mind. Twenty-five companies work the system now. Most of them turn a profit, but only after subsidy from the taxpayer. Very few of them face competition on their key routes. It's a recipie for classical monopoly practices; they're prevented, in part, by an active watchdog body, and by the sheer inefficiency of the company that owns the railway infrastructure (track, signals etc). They're such a pig in a poke that about half of all delays to services are their fault, and they keep the pressure on the train operaters to remove their half of the delay.

Cheeky Wombat on the pineapple-and-egg pizza
It's probably a fiendish Pommy plot to discredit our nation
Na'a. Don't go blaming us, we didn't invent or popularise the pizza. I'd blame the colonials over the Atlantic (Pacific)...

Angela-in-Brazil, welcome. Carmen-in-England, hello. (Blimey, three Brits in one week. Amazing.)

Nieske writes about the similarities between the style of MSCL and Heartbreak High. It's the time of year when I plug the British show, "Grange Hill", as being something similar again. In style, if not in substance. BBC1, 5:10 Tuesday & Thursday (18:10 cet, as they say on Eurosport)

Codsall: foggy & 7 * website: nf elect, fur, lyrics, Wogan
"Vowel. Consonant. Vowel." * there she goes again

Cookie
What's you're fav MSCl moment?
Right now, I'd say the scene in "On the Wagon" where Rayanne's happy, watching "Sesame Street", eating choc chip cookie mix, and being totally not what we might expect her domestic life to be.

The answer will change depending on which episode I've watched most recently.

Laura
I GOT A JOB
[ding] Hurrah! Excellent!

Nieske
"Was that on a tarot card?"
The NBC teletype operator who put up the caption misleading the world into thinking that Rachel-from-Friends' hair was dating Elton John's wig is hauled before the NBC Chief Teletypist, Frances-Anna X Line, to discuss his mistake. After ruling out the duff information coming from a wire report, or something on MSNBC, or even the Grauniad, FAX Line asks the quote above.

"Something is really wrong with that toaster."
Easy one. The Birmingham fire brigade turn out to a university hall after a smoke detector shoots off. It turns out to have been triggered by someone cooking up a toasted cheese sandwich. (That's a real answer. Sorry.)

"Oh, my god! Didn't he, like, die on Halloween?"
The Returning Officer for Broxstow North, at the by-election on November 5, where the voters elected Pat Hedgehog- Carefully, who had perished in a road collision the previous Saturday night.

Eventually, I had to turn the spoof answers to Sunshine's movie quiz
"You're cheating on a vegetable!"
We're back with the whole Flytrap scandal, now being played out on a continuous news station near you. Remember the Big Hug that Clints and Monica shared? What the cameras missed was Hillary's words to Lewdwinsky a moment later. We're not exactly sure what Hillary said - it could have been "with" rather than "on", or "going down" - but you get the gist.

Mark
am I the only person who didn't like "The Zit" and thought that the end quote from that episode was contrived and trite?!
Maybe, in part. I have a suspicion that That Quote was one of the first things written, and the rest of the episode was retro-fitted to lead into that. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just that this was a particularly obvious example.

One of the things that really hit me about MSCL was its ability to take a consensus message (like, people are weak, it's ok not to have sex...) and arrive at it in such a round- about method it feels like a surprise. While the shows I've just referenced are the best examples of this, "The Zit" is another good instance of this ability of the Bedford Falls people.

And the quote just fits into the right place.

Emily
things with Sara are good....very good...better then good
Thanks. Now we're interested.

[It's at moments like this that weaver wishes he had long hair, and could lie with his head upside down off a bed or sofa, and say that. Being male sucks sometimes.]

emily *who is now more embarassed then she can express*
[hugs] Being open about these things kinda suits you.

Sasha
Ok, it's Australia Day today and I'm feeling patriotic!
Two reasons to be patriotic: 1) Adelaide (ODI) Australia beat England by 18 runs. 2) 30 minutes of Kylie Minouge on TOTP.

On the topic, Wombat
happy Australia Day everyone! Last one for the century
You know, I could have sworn that this was an annual event, in which case there's exactly one to go this century, next year's. Still, now the country's 211, maybe they only need mark it in odd years.

all hail Australian of the year -- Mark Taylor our test cricket captain!
Hail, Taylor! Of course, playing against the English is easy. It might be more instructive to see how his side does against a decent cricket side. Like, say, Argentina.

Back to school sales are really quite depressing.
It's even worse over here. The sales promotions start in mid- July, the weekend that the schools break up. Think of it. First day off, into town, buying clothes for your holiday, when there are these grey-suited, prim and proper brats smiling in their uniform. Bleeeeeeech.

Laura
List all the people you still know from high school.
Shep and Ellie; Rachel and Steve; Pollard (owner of Virtual Wolverhampton); D(r)unk; Hodge; Chris. And I'm expecting to hear from Parky, Anna and Sally soon. But no Speth ):

What is your feelings regarding Graham?
Bit like my own dad, only Graham has a lot more sense of purpose.

What was the last thing that really made you laugh?
Some of the one-liners in "Like They've Never Been Gone" are cracking. It's a Radio 4 (Wednesday 6:30) comedy about two old music stars who stage a comeback, managed by an ineffectual son and his kick-ass lover against the machinations of a nasty, money-grabbing booking agent. And it stars Roy Hudd and June Whitfield.

Staying with UK radio, Nichole
>ahh the 80's
Another DJ, Chris Moyles, was doing the 80s Lyric Quiz the other day. In between banging on about how he was going to see some barenaked ladies that night. Jammy blighter. Anyway, these lines were left hanging at the end of the show: "The book of love will open up and let us in". "An invisible man sleeping in your bed". "In violent times you shouldn't have to sell your sole". Three lyrics, four acts, four songs - three of them are in my America's #1 Singles book. A prize to anyone who can get all four.

Sara
i went job hunting at lakesdie mall today and came up with practically nothing.
Bummer! Hang in there, old chap; you'll find something worth your while soon. And two words from the Clarrieluv school of economics - family credit.

Emily
i'm feeling espically shitty tonite. And the fact that i went and fucking SMOKED for the first time in like 6 months brings the whole "what the f*!@ where you thinking DUMBASS" factor into it.
Nah, not really. You had a momentary lapse of whatever it is you're trying to keep away from, or something. It may be trite, but don't beat yourself up over it. A week from now, it'll be ancient history. And we'll still like you.

Description: icky
If that's icky, then I'm Frankenstein's monster. Laura makes some good points (as ever) and finishes with
"am i straight or gay? controversy." ~prince~
As opposed to "am i straight or gay" from Mister Robbie Williams.

byron
have you heard Roddy's latest CD? I only have two CD singles... no CD of the album yet.
"Archive Crash" is Mr Aztec Camera's solo album. The Zobbel List of UK Releases (RIP) reports it's out sometime in Feb. As is Bis' "Social Dancing".

Sabrina's quiz
Time: @897, 99.1.28 (20:32 UTC)
Birthdate: 7x.11.1
Description: It was also a Thursday
Martial Status: Engaged, arguably.
High School: Codsall High
Year of Graduation: 1992
Did you go to the prom?: The one at Blackpool, the one at Bournemouth, or the one at Yarmouth?
College: Birmingham Uni
Have you ever had oral sex?: Not with any success.
Have you ever had anal sex?: Eeeeew, no.
Have you ever had vaginal sex?: Yes.
If yes, with who and when?: At night.
Were you ready?: Just about.
If you were in a porno, what who you do and why?: Guffaw!
Any kids at home?: Eeeeew, no.
How many kids do you want?: Nil.
Fave: Color?: Signal red.
Food?: Pancake.
Song?: "Miss America", Big Dish
Cd?: "Spirit"
Have you ever been to a concert?: Yes.
Fav vaction place?: St John's
Have you seen Titanic? No
Claire Danes was the best in: A. MSCL
Have you ever been drunk?: Yes
Dumbest thing you did while drunk: [spew]
Dumbest thing you did while sober: Plenty of things
Ever been high?: Only legally.
Dumbest thing done high?: See earlier answers
Best book you've read: "The Handmaiden's Tale"
Time now: @900 99.1.28

And Jessica on pizza
Pizza: yes or none thank you? Yes please.
What goes on your pizza? Red pepper, sweetcorn, a little onion, cheeses, tomato.
Whats your favorite delivery service? Gino's.
How do you reheat your leftover pizza? On a plate, gas mark 1/4 for about 12 minutes.
How many slices per sitting? Three, four at a push, or it'll finish the dish off.

air rose to fame on the bbc / zenith north production "byker grove", also responsible for ant and dec. only one good thing's come out of it: kenickie.

but she was annoying the hell out of me. Well, Ross just told me that it is Tori Amos. so yeah..I know some of you like her a lot - what exactly do you see in her? Shes SO annoying.
Weeeeeell. Ever sat down and listened right through one of her albums? That might give a clue. Amos gives a voice to that part of me that bursts to get out; the ethereal, spiritual, utterly feminine side that's normally heavily repressed. Others' mileage varies.

pizza hut pizza is the best in the world!!!
Especially if I want to miss a day off work. It always dries me out totally.

Sara's mother on gays
God did not make them that way - they chose to go that way,
OK, I'll follow that thread, and see where it goes. Starter: even if god did not make them gay, she would have given them the option to be gay. Therefore, even though it's a choice, it's no rebellion against god.

and that is why they need saving
They chose to be gay, and they need saving. There's an assumption of a petty, vengeful god, the sort that gets offended by any minor slight. That's fundamentally incompatible with basic Christian ethics, that God Is Love, unconditionally.

and to be 'cured'.
Cured of what, exactly? Being made by the same god as Sara's mother?

The whole idea makes no theological sense whatsoever. (Where's Rabbi Hugo Gryn when we need him?)

why *even* your sister?
The same sister who thinks Monica Lewinsky is President of the USA. And Maggie Thatcher is the British PM. She is so out of touch it's amazing.

Its not ruling by force? having a law saying that kids can't go to movies *at all*?
It's not a law. It's a house rule. Some cinemas operate it, some don't. Those that do lose the patronage of parents, but gain attendance of film buffs. Those that don't get lots of parents and fewer armchair critics. That's the free market: if all cinemas operated the rule, that would be a different matter.

there is logic beind any other form of discrimination as well - does that make it right? Of course not.
By definition, there's no logic behind discrimination. It's an irrational act. [source: Concise OED]

Quoting moi
>18 films wouldn't expect kiddies to be in the auditorium, and they're barred by statute anyway, there's no problem.
Actually, that IS a problem for me.
You miss my point. I'm assuming that ruling holds, as it does in the UK. You go to a 12, 15, 18 cert film, and you know that no-one under that age will be admitted (in theory:)

And given that rule, given that there won't be crying babies around, the film buff can select their movie without worrying about sproglets. Sure, immature teenagers are still a problem, but that's a whole other matter.

I think if the governemtn ever did try to rule people's lives like that
It's only a movie, for cryin' out loud! If you want to see it that badly, rent the video, or buy the PPV. shimelle posits a continuum of governance: from ultra-Liberal, as espoused by America's independence seekers, to a North Korean socialist state. More towards the centre is a liberal- conservative point, where governments regulate with a light touch. A little more regulation than the US, but a lot less than the EU likes.

On the whole continuum, that's not a huge spread, but it does seem to encompass perhaps half the economically advanced countries of the world. Count me towards the liberal side; the libertarian, on Shobi's division.

A well-known burger chain, one that thinks it's royalty, is offering its new fries for free today. Just as they did in North America at the start of last year. And, shockingly, they're using the exact same commercial. And it's almost in the same episode of "Friends".

"I heard them all before. A hundred times or more."
Brum: cloud & 8 * "Twelve down, three to go. Laura?"

The BBC are advertising tickets for their new show, "Star Secrets". Part of the blurb includes
Or it may feature Sporty Spice’s first ever schoolgirl crush.
Are we to read that there are reasons why Ms Chisholm is the only Spice without a famous boyfriend? Or am I just getting Emily's hopes up too much?

[Thanks to David Bodycombe for the tip-off. David used to design games for "The Crystal Maze", for ob_rocky_horror link fans.]

the coast

the channel 4 daily theme (36s / 76K)

Paulo
Prepare to receive a rotten dead fish in your mail in the upcoming days
A fish that will come from Spanish waters, I trust. Otherwise there may be major diplomatic incidents. Unlikely, but possible.

Nieske's quote
"Wait, you actually signed me up?"
Bart Simpson figures that he's going to play for the school football side.

Andrea. Budget cuts are a mess. A pain. Best wishes for it getting better real soon.

D-anon. If the class is mandatory, it's annoying. Quite why classes you have to take are infinitely worse than optional ones I'll never know. Whichever, the best advice is to follow your heart. You know deep down whether the class is worth sticking with.

Peter
I use text web browsing most of the time, it saves time, and I don't have to go into Windows to do it.
I like! I like! Text browsing is the way of the future.

Emily. A missing father. [hugs] You deserve better. A lot better.

Cookie
has anyone heard about Linda Lampenius or Linda Brava?
You mean the Finnish violinist who was famous for about ten seconds some years ago? Very much here today, and (if I may say so) gone tomorrow.

Nieske
"Yeah, but like, what? Air pressure? I mean, there a lot of pressures."
Fiction: Bob Sharple, the bloke who makes sure that the West Mids buses with pneumatic tyres don't have flats, and the gas powered ones have enough fuel for the day. Though why anyone would want to go to Walsall is beyond me...

Honest, non-made-up answer: Rayanne, just before MM play Sunscreem's "Pressure" (As featured in Life of Brian).

keyoneohthree
michael stipe didn't think his sexuallity was much of an issue....the only reason he even "came out" is because he felt he was being attacked (i assume by gay activist gropus) for keeping "silent:"
Very much correct. There was a nasty undertow to the promotion for "Automatic.." over Stipe's sexuality, and some badmouthing by British no-hopers the Manic Street Preachers.

Alysa
if anyone has any suggestions as to what i can do please tell me.
Assuming you're able to travel independently. Maybe look 150, 200 miles away. A bit too far to go for a day, but not quite so far as it's a huge journey. And stay in a cheap hotel for a couple of nights - one night doesn't make any vacation, and three makes it a massive trip.

Jessica
Is sex overrated?
Very much so. In fairness, sex with someone who is perfect for you, and for whom you are perfect, is something totally out of this world. But there is so much pressure to be umming all the time, to be "getting it", that a false mystique grows up around the activity.

Furthermore, there are other aspects to a decent relationship, such as trust, honesty, and laughter.

Brum: showers later, 9 * England / Australia @ cricinfo.org now
"Let's can the euphemisms. No more bullspit" - Principal Skinner
posts to work to * posts to relax to * posts you love to read

Demeter
I don't believe that the "religious right" speaks for everyone.
The religious zealots speak for themselves. They're entitled to do that. They speak for no-one but themselves, even though they claim something to the contrary.

Sara
Kids and babies are going to make noise. You hve to expect that. If you don't wnat to listen to them, then try not to go when their are going to be kids there.
The whole point of the problems is that other people don't know where there will be kids. Or they go where they don't expect off- spring, but find them.

how many kids are there in the world? and how many adults are there? does anyone know?
UN figures for mid-1998 show 6.1 billion people on the planet, of whom 1.6 billion are aged 15 or under. [Cited in Independent, 6/26/98]

On "fag": Contraction of "faggot", but also from its use as a form of servitude at private schools.

Chelle
shim would make a great defense lawyer but i don't think she has time...
Maybe she can start after she finishes in May...

viewers of next week's totp may well get two more rock tracks, as terrorvision and the offspring look set to be the top two.

a new season of the moral maze with dr starkey begins 20:00 wednesday on radio 4.

Maybe I should move to the UK if I can't get him to come here.
As ever, let us know if you do, and we'll wave a few flags and hang out a little bunting in your honour.

Sara
I don't like comparing this - but you sound exactly like Alfredo about Kristine. Maybe you should think about what you're saying.
Unfair! Unfair! Kent freely admits to his problems and prejudices, and is prepared to issue an honest apology. Kent will not bring this issue up again in 3, 6, 12 months time. Kent will not flounce off in a huff, taking exactly one supporter (on whom he has a crush that will never be requited) with him.

And if he does, then I'm the world's worst judge of character.

I don't 'come out' and announce that I am left-handed
You are? I really hadn't noticed. And it doesn't matter much in this day and age, anyway. Especially as that means you use your strong hand to type with.

[Full disclosure: Weaver would be left-handed were it not for the actions of two primary teachers. His writing remains something of a scrawl to this day]

Sara has a number! Hoo-rah! About b****y time, too. My apologies for my agents' extreme inefficiency in this matter; I will be looking to sack the lot of them as soon as possible.

Nieske. Welcome back. In duplicate.

Johnathan has a date. Goodness, I do hope it went well.

D-anon
It's the eye. Aye.
That's yer lot! Are you saying they make cheese out of vegetable fat? and you _like_ it?
Yes, dear. Much of the produce is indistinguishable from the milk- based product, and the price premium is down to about 5p/lb. (27 c per kg)

Dunno what Mark looks like.
Mark. Or Eddie Furlong, at a slight pinch.

Now don't say, Who's Montgomery Clift?
Oh, I think we know. He looks a lot like Mr Furlong, and resembles Mr Frost.

nobody ever says someone's like pol pot or milosovich; why not them?
Hitler is a point of reference that even the politically illiterate know. It takes a certain level of knowledge to be aware of Saloth Sar, or Slobodan Milosevic (or was that the tennis player? See, my point exactly.)

Deca
The sound quality of MP3's is much better than that of .ra files.
That is the claim; however, my hearing is that there's no real difference between the two. And given that the MPEG-3 file is four times the size of an equivalent real audio file, I can only see one reason for preferring MPEGs. It's an Open Format, available to all. Real Audio is a proprietry format, with all the good and bad results that arrangement gives.

frankie goes to hollywood, welcome to the pleasuredome

Cookie, then Laura Krantz
*a member of the "I love Chandler Bing" club
Oh where is Ms. Lisa Bing herself? She *must* be the founding member of *this* club!!!
Indeed. Erm, Lisa is reading English at York Uni, and spending more time with her studies than us ):

Peter, welcome to us.

Codsall: cloudy & 4 * where science fiction becomes science reality
posts to work to * posts to relax to * posts you love to read

Emily
i Love ethnic people, it gives a society more color and excitment.
Darling, everyone has ethnicity. We all have roots, we all have some form of heritage - for good and bad. Don't confuse "ethnic" with "ethnic minority".

I can't compete with Shobi's exhaustive analysis of the whole gay rights situation. So good, that it deserved to be the only post in Digest 99/0139. There are other angles on which I can, and will, make a contribution.

Someone
You don't go out and announce to the world that you're hetero. Good for you. Of course, the world itself *assumes* that you are anyways, right?
Not always. One of my work colleagues is rampantly heterosexual, but that doesn't stop him and me from being seen as an item. Which is such a non-starter. Meanwhile, two female colleagues share a house and there's no gossip at all about them. Gofig.

Sara
By saying that something she has said is dumb, you are saying that SHE is dumb
No. Rubbish. Nonsense. The idea, whatever it was, appears to lack intellectual merit. That does not imply that all ideas from that source will be equally daffy. It doesn't even imply that any other idea will be a few sandwiches short of a picnic. And it certainly doesn't say that the originator is firing on reduced power.

My mother is completely against gays. She thinks it is some kind of sickness that God has to cure, and the only way for it be cured, is to go through God.
I never know how the blazes this works. The Creator (God) made these people, and by definition, would not put something in that should not be there. So if God made them, She has nothing to cure.

She also thinks that people choose to be gay sometimes, just to be a rebel.
It is a reasonable assumption that people choose their actions: I can't agree that sexuality is a choice as much as a given.

Something cheery.
Lauren: if it's not right, you won't do it. I'm impressed. [hugs]

Sara, on her babysitter troubles
We then had to find out about smoking
It's been widely reported that smoking and SIDS appear to go hand-in-hand. In order to reduce the risk, the UK government recommends two measures: laying a baby on its back, and not smoking. These are so well-known (and obvious?) that even my sister knows of them - and she makes Sara look like a walking CNN. So I think it would have been fine to ask Irene straight out.

it is more important that people are not oppressed, and told to 'stay at home' just because they can't afford/can't find a babysitter.
I'm really uneasy about counting this as oppression. It's not ruling by force, it's not overwhelming by superior numbers. It may be impolite, it may be unfair, but calling it oppressive demeans the word for times when it is applicable.

And dittos for the cries of "discrimination". This is not blind intolerance, denying someone something without any reason. This is denial of service for a reason. Some people may disagree with it, but there is logic behind it.

you know what else is going out of fashion today? tolerance for one another. Kindness towards one another.
This cuts both ways. I reckon it's unkind to let three kids rampage up and down a train, bawling their heads off. Parents have a duty to be tolerant and kind to the rest of society: both as a matter of common courtesy, and to set an example to their offspring.

Similarly, The Rest Of Society (esp: those who really dislike kids) have a duty to tolerate inconveniences from those too young to fend for themselves. They can't help it, and so long as the carers are doing their best to address the problem, leave them be.

That's why I'm not in favour of a blanket ban (ack! Whiteley moment!) on babies in U and PG films. As the audience for 12/15/ 18 films wouldn't expect ickle kiddies to be in the auditorium, and they're barred by statute anyway, there's no problem. My only caveat is that parents are alert to the desire of other people to sit and watch the movie, and remove their charges at the first sign of trouble. Not after an ice-cream cone on Mrs Perkins' nose.

So, yeah, I'm not far from Johnathan on this...
I can't recall if the actor on stage (who may have been John Lithgow) finally addressed these people or not.
Well, I only know him as Dick Solomon, but I really wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of him. Especially not in public.

My biggest pet peeve over all of this is call waiting.
I certainly agree. It's not the engaged tone. It rewards the person who came in late. It is the height of bad manners. My rule on this is simple. I'm prepared to wait if I initiated the call (it may be a bad moment), but only for 30 seconds. That is quite long enough to inform the other caller that this is a bad time, and return to me. 31 seconds, or if they called me and [click]. My time is more valuable than that. It is, I'm pleased to say, a policy endorsed (dreamed up, in fact) by my manager at work.

Deca
It kind of reminded me of the Simpsons: Just because they're a cartoon they give the impression that it is aimed at children (they are shown at 5 pm in Germany, some time ago this was the time slot right in between the Flintstones and Alf!)
In the UK, they get terrestrial showings between 6 and 7pm, which is inconvenient for those of us who work. On satellite, they air an hour later, which is a lot less inconvenient.

that's a pint of milk and a pound of cheese.

D-Anon posits 23
1. What the hell were you thinking?
How come WKOC is playing the LAs?
2. Chocolate, vanilla or strawberry?
What are my favourite ice cream flavours after mint?
3. Strip poker, slap & tickle, or grab-ass?
What can one do with kissing?
4. Which would be the hardest for you to do without: TV, recorded music or theatrical movies?
What was Dante's Fifth Circle of Hell? (Music, for an answer)
5. Innocent or guilty: a) Michael Jackson? b) Orenthal James? c) President Bubba?
Who are two unconvicted criminals with high media profiles, and one on trial at the moment?
6. Burial, cremation, or __________?
What are methods of bodily disposal? [Dump at sea]
7. Who's your favorite Beatle?
What is Herbie?
8. Now it's time for each contestant to tell an "introductory anecdote."
Where am I going to be in mid-March?
9. Which would you choose to wear for two days in a row: the same shirt/blouse or the same underwear?
What is a gross choice? [shirt. No, blouse (:]
10. What's the screwiest thing about your family?
What is me?
11. Name your favorite variety of cheese.
What is veggie cheddar?
12. What attracts you to a member of the "attractive" sex?
What is Quality X? [actually, what is quality x?]
13. Choose one--and only one--psycho-active drug for the rest of your life.
What is a choice that pre-supposes drugs having a positive influence?
14. What cause/method of death would most suit you or your personality?
What is spontaneous combustion? Why is this answer compatible with answer 6?
15. Who's your favorite teen idol (past or present)?
Who was Madonna?
16. What's the best movie you saw last year?
What was "Lost In Space"?
17. What's the best album you heard last year?
What was "Under The Pink"?
18. If Elvis were really still alive, what might he have been doing during those "lost" years?
Who cares?
19. Brian's Bonus Bonanza: Choose one Roman enumeration for the new year, and then explain yourself... a) MCMXCIX b) MIM
Which is the better Scrabble hand?
Note: Did you remember to phrase your answers in the form of questions, you naughty people you?
What is yes?

shim
but the people in toronto don't have faces. they have cigarette ads instead.
Bron, Ariel, are there any photos of you guys up anywhere? Can you refute this? Though I always wondered why Jean Cretin looked so - well - odd.

and they don't have bagels in toronto. they have donuts. donuts made of edible oil.
Sounds like the Final Resting Place of British Rail food.

Paulo
Go MP3
Actually, would some kind soul care to enlighten me why we should throw our weight behind MP3? I can't tell the difference between that, a direct CD, and Real Audio. Other than the file size: a CD is 12 times an MP3, which is around 4 times as big as the .ra

Sascha. Oh de schone, schnitzelbank.

Sara
who is Edward Furlong?
Haven't a clue. Except that Paulo says he looks a lot like Mark. Alright for some...

who really, really doesn't like the digest
Then you will have to be destroyed (;

Quoting her hubby
something about beepers/cellphones, he said, 'Oh well, that's fair enough'. cause those things CAN be annoying.
Can be? Can be?! Those things are the most annoying things in existance! Annoying "tunes", bleeping their way into life, and always at huge volume. I would dearly love to throw a lot of them into a passing lake.

On the asking before kissing thing: I'd like to, but they always seem to just, like, happen. Especially at some unimaginable time in the morning.

Mae quizzes
1. Animation. Cool or uncool?
Assumes people will be viewing images, and can support animation. And are prepared to be distracted at the expense of everything else on the screen.
2. Java Applets: Cool or browser-crasher?
[crunch] Test on Netscrape 3 and Deplorer 3, at least.
3. Games: Will play, or won't play?
Not for me.
4. Pics: B/W or Color?
Colour. Unless they're, like, meant to be b&w.
5. Image Map: Yes or No?
No. Make it text. Image maps are so 1997.
6. Shockwave/Flash: Necessary or Unneccesary? (sp?)
Unwanted, unless it's a key thing you're showing off.

Mark on emergency taxes
It usually doesn't last more than a couple of months and you do end up getting the money back from the government.
Don't forget the interest! If they hold any money for more than 90 days, they'll pay interest on everything. Currently at the bank base rate, 6%.

greggles rusedski crashes out of aussie open

Spoilers. Are good. Given that Mark's out of the country, I think I'm going to have to spoiler my posts on the new series of "Grange Hill", even though most of you haven't the faintest what it is.

Brum: sunny & 6 * posts to work to * posts to relax to * posts you love to read

Paulo posits bringing back the Lonely Hearts Forever Club. Count me in if anyone ever does.

We hear more from
shimelle, warrior princess having airline difficulties and getting quite upset.~*
Och, airlines can be a pain. I seem to have been having a little budgetary disagreement of my own in connection with somewhere to stay in mid-March; the one problem the honourable lady is not experiencing.

Sara
by that distracting residents of the US by doing this, that is oppressing the US. I don't see how THAT is oppressing anyone.
To oppress: to rule tyranically; to keep down by force; to impose will on another (Concise Oxford). The bombing of foreign countries is being used as a method of distraction from Clinton's Struggle With Dirt. It is using the force at his power (planes, bombs) to supress debate on a valid topic at home. It may not be direct oppression, but it still counts.

people should chill out about it all. I mean..so a baby cries, who cares.
Consider the situation. You're in a theatre, where no-one is talking aloud, concentrating on the action in front of you. Suddenly, your reverie is shattered by a yowling child. The cry is pitched in such a way as to be the main source of concern for everyone in the theatre. No-one can ignore it until it's silenced. It's incumbent on the parent or carer, then, to minimise the inconvenience to all concerned.

Now, if the quiet is restored within moments, all's well and good. But sometimes it's not. And that's just plain wrong.

I'm with Kent on this one. It's the best part of an hour each way for me to get to a cinema, so my trips are rare. And I want to totally enjoy them. Not have to put up with a pair of carers who can't be bothered to take care.

What's worse than newborns, in my view, is the 3-10 year olds. They won't sit still, they're high on a full beaker of cola, and they've not learned to keep quiet when bored. They make life annoying when I'm on the train; they must be insufferable at movies.

Personally, I don't see how, as long as the parents are responsible, anyone will really be affected by it.
There is one massive caveat in your statement. As long as the parents are responsible. It's my sad experience that they are not as numerous as we'd all like. I've seen a lot of parents who let the situation drag on till it annoys someone. Often many people. (Why do I always seem to have one of them next to me..?:) But it only takes a few selfish bad apples to spoil things for everyone.

I would like to see you saying this once you do have kids
A-hum! Believe it or not, there are people who won't or can't exploit fertility in this way. Please don't assume that everyone shares your attitude to this matter.

if you see someone out with their baby at a movie, you should actually *applaud* that person,
"Should" always makes me nervous. It adds moral pressure without explaining why.

because they are getting out, which is probaby what they need to do to stay sane,
This is true for Sara; I wouldn't want to generalise this to the whole of humanity. That would assume too much.

I always just assumed that people know what UW was for.
Given that you're from Wisconsin, it's not unreasonable to assume that's what the "W" stands for. But let me give the guy a break. 1) He's used to dealing with Brits, who go from high school to college to university. Not Americans, who go from school to school to school. 2) He's not accustomed to educational places that abbreviate their name. 3) If anything, UW would be the University of Wales. 4) He's a social security employee, and hence any intelligence he had will have atrophied long ago.

All things considered, it's good that they're finally getting around to doing something.

Goodness, Amal's posting again!

Shannon, hurrah! She rock!

Mark
isn't Ginger five-hundred feet tall and made entirely of zinc...
Well, yes, but that's when she's in her big boots. She's only 499 foot in bare feet. With crimson toe-nail polish, natch.

shim
'in toronto there are buildings with no windows and streets with no curves and inside little girls in suits with black balloons munching on edible oil product.
Where are these people? Do you have independent evidence of their existance, or is it all just hearsay? Should there be an Intrepid Investigation into this phenomenon? Will I ever stop blabbing and get on with it?

warrior princess who can't find the dryer sheets.~*
They're probably on the shelf by the freezer. Heaven knows how they got there...

Sara
There are so many nonfamous people in this world that are beautiful,
It would be unfair to name names, but if you're reading this, and I've met you, then this means you. So by extension, this must apply to anyone reading this. Even you, Tim Page.

and so many famous on tv people in this world that are just downright ugly
But of course. Hmm, I though Sara didn't watch much UK domestic tv, coz that describes (well) just about everyone on it. Even you, Zoe Ball.

Nate
I was just wondering where my "youve been e-mooned" post went
Somewhere high up the running order in Digest 99/0110. (Yes, 110 digests in 17 days.)

Kent passes on
Nathan Lane, star of the canceled NBC sitcom "Encore! Encore!" has officially announced he is gay in the new issue of The Advocate.
My reaction is mixed. First, "Who?" I've never heard of him in my life.

Then there's a conflicting set. Pride, that he's felt comfortable enough to open up to the world. Hope, that his example will be some form of light to others who need the support of knowing they're not alone. And annoyance that this is all people are going to think of him as. I only know of him because of his sexuality. I'd rather get to know someone based on their actual contribution to society. Just as (for instance), I know Emily and Kent as people first; their sexuality doesn't enter into it.

Sure, I know that there are a number of people on this list who aren't 100% heterosexual. But that doesn't affect their ability to make cogent, intelligent, stupendous or just plain ignorant posts. Indeed, it adds variety and opinions that I wouldn't see by myself.

What does irk me somewhat is finding that people disagree about their approach to removing the pig-ignorant views in certain elements of society. And that this disagreement can spoil friendships of previously high quality. From his post, Kent is clearly angry at the way he is treated, both as a gay man and as a black person. From her posts, Emily is unhappy that she's not comfortable enough to tell her parents of her love for other womyn.

I wish there were some magic wand to wave that would improve both their lives. But there isn't. Both of them - all of us - have the power to change our lives for the better. Even when it seems as though we haven't.

One of those ways is to listen to other people. Emily: it may seem a completely perverse thing to say right now, but don't cut Kent out forever. Maybe give yourself time to calm down, let the sting of the hateful words diminish, but don't block him out totally.

See you all soon.

Brum: rain later, 10 * vote weenie next month. or not.

-Laura is back, and presents the very last review of '98. This will, of course, make no sense if you don't know my history.

1. Your view of the year 1998 in your life?
   Crap. No, tragic.
2. Funniest thing that happened to you?
   There must have been something, at some point.
3. The Best thing that happened to you this year?
   Erm, meeting the uber-cool Lisa Bing, Mark, Deca, shim, Brem, Sara and Ross.
4. The worse thing that happened this year?
   Not going there.
5. The friend that you were glad you made this year?
   Pass.
6. The one thing you want to remember from this year?
   The first day.
7. The one thing you just want to forget ever happened?
   The other 364.
8. What's one thing you want to have happen in 1999?
   Like that's not so known.
9. The one thing you regret doing?
   Not hitting Heathrow on May 22.
10. If you could pick 1 song that describes you from this past year what would it be, and why?
    "The Boy Is Mine"
11. What surprised you the most this year?
    How utterly callous self-proclaimed friends can be.
12. If you change one thing in this whole year what would it be?
    Insert a little appreciation here and there.

Hmm, so Iain doesn't appear on ~Laura's list. Nor does Weaver. Nor my "t". Which can only mean that I get to define what the names mean (:

Kissing can be truly amazing.
Forgive me if I'm a little out of practice... but kissing is an end in itself. For me, it often feels more intimate than umming. And I'd really like to get some practice in...

Mark posits a shopping list for long-term partners. Right now, mine has just one entry, but the price is out of just about anyone's price range.

However, to go ferreting about in my diary from 1995, I figure the list includes physical closeness - especially hugs; emotional proximity - being able to open to me and to hear me out; a spiritual thing that I so can't explain but totally need; the ability to have a conversation and have hormones. Though not at the same time. I'm not sure looks figure into it in any way.

Andrea
I think it's that if people are of the same attractiveness, the more successful the relationship.
Which means, I might add, that Sara and Ross are going to go far. So are Mark and shim. I could name those who won't, but they're not around to defend themselves. And I don't think any of you will know them, anyway.

Sara on Kristine
does anyone know what is going on with her, and what she is doing?
Keeping well, and taking good care of her brood. Mail me privately for more contact details.

shimelle
look, i posted. that's one resolution started.
Great! Wonderful! And such cogent, valid, points.

there's still a lot of differences between london and brighton and where ever they filmed press gang.
Hurrah! for the ATV Centre in Birmingham (base for exterior shots) and the Lenton Lane Complex, Nottingham (studio shots). Boo! for Carlton, who have sold off the Birmingham property.

as infamously used by president clintern in his august 98 grand jury testimony.

Cookie's answer machine says this
You called you-know-who with the you-know-what number. I am probably you-know-where so leave the you-know-what after the you-know-what you-know-why
Reminds me of the answer machine in "Caroline in the City". It goes something like this: "Answerphone. You know what to do."

Demeter's Rant
don't resolve to "get" a boyfriend, resolve to find someone you love who loves you back.
An excellent call. I know that I could (probably) have a physical relationship with someone at the drop of a hat, almost. But - as suggested earlier - I have no intention of doing anything with someone who doesn't love me roughly as much as I love them, and that amount is pretty darned large.

Paulo
does "schematic" actually exist?
It does, but it pertains to schemas - plans or diagrams.

policitcal correctness around the world.

Cheeky Wombat on the greatest game in the English speaking world.
I've just come home from a day night match between Australia and the Poms and needless to say we pounded their proverbial naughty bits. In fact, I do believe we won by 9 wickets and 10 or so overs.
Or, as Cricinfo put it, "Australia slaughtered the English. Again." Congrats to the side: by the time you read this, there should be another result. And I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's a shame it was all over so quickly (:

encyclopaedia brittanica
encarta
funk & wagnell

something like 60 percent of people wnating to impeach him.
Oh, good, I must have missed that. Wretched British media... But, yeah, getting rid of a lyin' connivin' cheat would be good.

America may have its faults, but hopefully it has enough morals to get rid of clinton.
I wouldn't stake the moral future of the entire USA on this process. I fear that the relatively partisan nature of the process, and the weak prosecution case, has blown his removal out of the water. Slate's insider guide suggests that witnesses will be called, possibly including Bill C, but I don't see it making a blind bit of difference.

The annoying part is that it's clear to me that Clinton attempted to conceal his part in the whole Lewinsky affair, but the standard of proof required to convict of perjury isn't there.

please show how these are all oppressing someone.
The easy part. Bombing Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan? That's (er) killing, maiming and inflicting terror for personal gain.

Lying and cheating; not so much doing it himself as causing other people to do it for him, and to help cover his tracks. Putting his personal secretary through a totally avoidable series of dates before judge and jury. Ruining the life of Ms Lewinsky. Is that not personal oppression?

90210 over Sabrina? hmm..are they the new ones, or the old ones?
Seasons 1-3, according to the Radio Times.

Nate
Sarcasm just can't be easily expressed over a list, can it.
Sorry. I thought I had one of the brain-dead AOHellsters who need everything spelling out to them.

Codsall: sunny & 6 * the world series remembered up there
"Even if there's some smoke, there's no fire" - Washington

that guy fawkes mail in full

Right. I've written a fair bit about the historical inaccuracies and general tone of the Guy Fawkes debate. And I've sent my observations to Sara and Mark directly. Those of you interested in the full story may consult the link left.

Very briefly: almost all the historical items Sara referred to are historically dubious at best, if not maliciously so.

Sara referred directly to me
Okay, Iain was partly right. and he had his facts about the story - mostly.
I will accept that there were Catholics who did care about who was on the throne; if there weren't, there would have been no Gunpowder Plot. But it is a demonstrable fact that very few Catholics were bothered by the situation to such an extent that they would actively seek his removal. It's a similar position to that the US faces at the moment; there are those who find Clinton distasteful, but only a handful who are going out of their way to terminate his tenure. (And most of them seem to work in the Capitol...)

Speaking of which
Bill Clinton has not oppressed anyone that I am aware of
How's about half the womyn of the South East, and others round the Beltway? How's about lying, cheating, and saying he hadn't? How's about reneging on his election promises within minutes of winning power?

How's about launching bombing raids on Afghanistan, the Sudan (mid August) and Iraq (December) to divert attention from his struggle with dirt.

And this deserves a wider audience.
Mark, you seem to always have weak moments. Why don't you stop arguing with me over every little thing?
Whoa! Calm down, please. One: Mark may have had a few weak moments recently. How many have other people had? Two: it takes two to argue, or debate, but not both.

Paulo on the Spanish Armarda (as it's known here)
we didn't sent out ships to fights against the elements
What? You sent a bunch of warships over to Britain in the middle of summer without ever considering that it might be raining at the time? Someone didn't do their forward planning at all! It always rains in the summer.

And Johnathan
I just have to know, do the banks close for this holiday?
For Pink Guy Fawkes Day, I wish they did. We need a bank holiday in October/November; and one in early July. But no, Guy Fawkes is a normal working day in the UK. As is Rememberance Day the following week.

Mark, then Cheeks
I know England has some big problems.. and I'd be the first one to point them out
Their cricket team!
Dammit, Wombat, did you have to get the big one so soon?

something from mary pea-puns, if i remember correctly.

Roy
when I got back to London, found I had a signed photo of Claire Danes waiting for me.
Jammy, jammy, jammy.

and Cat came to visit me in the holidays for a few days, and it went really well.
Jolly good. How's Rimmer and Kryton keeping?

Johnathan
I think I'd sit behind Shana, so I could shoot spit balls into her hair.
Hey, do remember that she's an ace softball player. She could probably hit a home run with your spit. (Is that Yakko enough, Stef?)

Emily
i'm goin ta see her next monday...hopefully....
Whoo-hoo! Yay you! We'll be thinking of you...

Sara (MacDonald, not Emily's belle)
I like Sabrina tons more, even though I hate Melissa Joan hart. I used to love clarissa, but now when I watch it, it just seems kinda lame.
That's a good point. CEIA was great for its time, but it seems so very dated now. Which is a shame, coz it's a good show.

I suppose it might be because Sabrina's still in production. And, I might add, airing as part of itv's Saturday morning lineup, just before Animaniacs. Though Sara might prefer to watch (5), where 90210 started in re- runs last weekend.

as for alex mack, I love that show!!
Now that show has dated well.

to anyone that cares, the girl that places alex mack, was also in the BSC movie.
Oh, the BSC movie. I thought that read BBC movie. D'oh!

Laura's Lists
all the greetings you've used to answer the telephone.
Hello; Hi; [my number]; Greetings; Good morning / afternoon / evening.
Manor House, [whatever] block, how can I help?
121 help desk, this is Iain Weaver speaking.
Team 121 support, how may we help?
Team 121 support, may I take your name, please?
Oh, go talk to the answerphone. (Shouted when I'm in the bath, or don't want to take a message.)

When was the last time you cried?
Tuesday morning, walking the last bit to work in heavy snow fall, and getting a number of flakes up my nose.

list the kind of compliments you receive on a regular basis.
I may have heard it only once, but it's intended as a compliment: "I heard through the grapevine that you'd left. I'm glad you haven't."

Also: that you guys take the time and trouble to read my posts, and feel sufficiently interested to respond.

Emily-in-New-York
I just had another fight with my parents
Oh, darling. [hugs] Some of us love you whatever.

Paulo
Many of the adjectives appliable to Dawson (self-centered, unrealistic, "inhabitant of la-la-land")
Cory, shim; wherever you live is Laa-Laa land. Do Dawson and his friends live there?

Laura on Band Aid
the british eighties-bono, sting, boy george, george michael, simon le bon, banarama, bob geldolf...
Oh dear. I can hear Elaine building to explode from here. Just for the record: Bono, and the rest of U2, are Irish, as is St Bob of Geldof - who only appeared in the mass choir and as a voiceover at the end of the 12-incher.

Demeter
If you can watch the video and still name everyone, then you haven't strayed too far from your roots. And, if you can name them by their voices in the song, well...
Oh dear. I can do that. I can almost do the same for the USA for Africa song. The one that Jakko ripped off himself some years later.

Deca
I'd really apprechiate it if someone told me that the times are changing and so-called "black shows" have been or are far more diverse than what I know about them. So I'd like to emphasize that I only judge the stuff I know, and that may not be much compared to the reality of tv entertainment in the US.
Ahum, said the British market. We had "Porkpie" and "Desmond's" - comedies with a primarily black cast - in the early 90s. We have "Goodness Gracious Me", an Asian sketch show voted the best new tv comedy of 1998. And every one of the mainstream dramas have a number of non-white characters - Asians, Carribeans, Africans are all represented. Including two solicitors and one pub landlord. Maybe the US networks could learn from the Brits.

[guffaw]

OK, OK, dumb suggestion.

Betsy
today signifies one official year of this list.
Wow, it's been a time! Happy anniversary!

Matty
I recently aquired my friends old 80's vinal collection, including the entire Pat Benetar collection.
[Weaver reaches for tape 94-4, track A11 - "We Belong"] Ah, isn't she great. If I had any Pat on CD, I'd stick her on the next weaver.radio. Sadly, I don't.

Shannon
what do you people do to de-stress?
Me? I write long and winding posts to the list. Listen to far-off radio stations through the internet. Laugh at the errors on BBC News 24 (You may find F*x Nooz or CNN or CNBC or Newsworld does the trick).

Betsy
the baseball I caught from the Cubs game we went to.
I'm jealous. Lixz may be too.

try writing Po5 and turn it upside down

And Britt: Spoilers? Some people in Britain may still be watching the show (Anna? Sally? Lisa? Nic? Robin?) and don't want their enjoyment of the show spoiled.

Nate
Sorry, but America doesn't have a parliament.
Using "parliament" as "a place for talking; to decide law" (Collins Concise), America does, but calls it "Congress". And wouldn't 24 hours of watching that chap from Arkansas run his very phallic pointer over a timeline of What Bill Did With Monica And When be enough to bore anyone out of their mind?

Janet... best wishes. It'll be kinda kooky meeting him in the flesh, but you'll know if it's going to work.

And stay tuned for news of weaver.travels.the.world: coming soon, to an airport near you. If you live in the area(s) I'm visiting.

Brum: rain & 9 * A moment of being Ross Geller is strange
50 Years of ConfederatioN

Sara on remembering the failure of the Catesby conspiracy
celebrating it, when most people at that time would have liked to do the same thing as him, no less.
The hell they would! Of about 4 million people in England and Wales at the time, around 3.5 million had no contact with the King or Queen, and really couldn't give a monkey's who was in power. Their political thoughts were confined to the local issues: whether the landlord was fair, and matters like that.

The only cloud on the horizon was religion. As I mentioned last time, Elizabeth had been a "live and let live" kind of monarch, after the upheavals of the previous 40 years. The new King James brought in some more harsh anti-Catholic rules. Most of the population still couldn't care less about these things, but there was a very small minority who did object, and started planning a revolution. They congregated around Robert Catesby, received tacit support from the Vatican - not helped by three Popes holding office during 1605 - and planted the bombs.

Parliament weren't hugely impressed by James, either, as he believed strongly in his divine right to rule. But they could make life more annoying to a living king, not a dead one.

Quite simply, only a very few people wanted King James and the parliament out of the way. There was a minority who disliked him, but the vast majority of the country weren't that bothered whatever way things turned out.

Much more on this through the Fawksean Society.

Back to Sara
I wasn't complaining about your *country*, I was complaining about the fact that people celebrate this 'holiday'.
Fine. So what about some staunch English patriot complaining about the American holiday that's predicated on their victory over the English? I mean, there's nothing wrong with celebrating your national identity, but marking July 4, the anniversary of words that led to thousands of needless deaths? Is that less bloodthirsty than Guy Fawkes?

Priestess Cory, the Slayer and Laa-Laa of the Desert.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF? Yeah.... in a wierd way, I do.
Ping! Good stuff! Hurrah! [/cory_fan_club]

MOST EMBARRASING CD IN YOUR COLLECTION: Hanson,
Hey, what's wrong with a little pure power pop once in a while? Especially when it's as well performed and produced as this.

or best of Blondie.
You're right. Where's Brem when we need him?

I would sit on the far side from the door, halfway back, next to Brem (yeah, I know he's on the other list,
The other list, in this case, being the Kenickie list. Dedicated to a band who ceased to be just when they were getting really good. Rather similar to this one, really.

bite me.
We can't do that, you'd just go off and slay us.

Which means we have to put together a whole new show, a six month process, in two weeks.
For someone of your talents, this will not be difficult.

Good news: $30 a rehearsal, $60 a show, $1000 scholarship at the end of a run, traveling. Bad news: workworkwork, when school?
And, of course, you get to grow out of it. Become an Even Better Cory at the end of it. If that's possible.

Am I nuts?
You know the answer to that one.

Back to dodgy CDs and byron
"Hold An Old Friend's Hand" by Tiffany
The honourable gentleman may just have blown my argument that there's no such thing as a bad cd into the water. Oh, sorry, I'm thinking of her "Radio Romance" album. Old Friend's Hand has "Could've Been" on it, and that's a classic.

In New York, Emily
I like lots of different types of music, and sometimes just silence.
Mmm, silence can be golden sometimes. Just sitting there, listening to the rhythm of life...

Mae poses a year-old question
If Liberty was a real school, and all the listees were in one classroom (or in the grounds, or whatever), where would you sit, or where would you be?
My answer from last year

Sitting: probably up against a side wall, two or three rows back. Out of the teacher's direct line of sight, but close enough to the front that I can't be accused of shirking.
Wearing: Something smart-but-casual; trousers that aren't jeans, with some form of shirt that's not falling to bits.
Doing: Sort of paying attention to the teacher's verbiage, but once in a while slipping a note round, or scrawling some notes that have nothing to do with the matter in hand.

My answer from this year: Still sitting against a side wall, near the front, paying a little attention to what's going on but dreaming of being someplace else.

Jessica, like, wow. It seems like most people feel the same pain I feel, that most people fall for the same tricks and don't listen to their own advice.
It seems that way.

is being a fool, loving someone, feeling hurt when they treat you horribly...is that wrong?
It is wrong of them to hurt you; I can't see it is wrong per se to love, like or otherwise become emotionally attached to someone else. It just pains like nobody's buisiness.

But, anyway, big hugs. Though I'm not able to write coherently about it, I do kinda know where you're coming from.

Cheeky
that Sophie Rhys Jones who's putting it together with Eddy looks something awful similar to the late Princess Di?
She does? I've not noticed that. All I know is that Rhys Jones has had a life, and intends to keep it.

And is she related to Trevor, Di's bodyguard?
Not that we're aware of. Trev's from Shropshire, she's from Kent. And both Rhys and Jones are common Welsh surnames.

TOTP2? Wow, you British are living in the future! What's the difference between 1 and 2 then?
Actually, TOTP2 is the best of the past, with archive performances with a few new videos thrown in. And no babbling head, just a Voice Over Man.

Great content, are you trained in journalism?
[blushes like a beetroot] No, not in the slightest.

A song by Ace of Base -- Always have, always will -- I used to be incredibly AoB obsessed when I was, oh, about 12.
Oh my. Oh my.

They've done a new album? Oh my! Is it any good, the second one was rather mediocre.
From what I gather, if you must have a copy, make sure it's from America. The two albums are significantly different, with the US version having new songs and different (better) arrangements of other ones.

Speaking of ordering, something for all those of you asking about the BBC's version of "The Importance Of Being Earnest". It's a radio play, so there's no video of it. There is an audio cassette, which you can order from your favoured online bookseller, quoting ISBN 1859982182

Emily
Everyone that is a rapist deserves to die a slow and painful death
Naah, I'd make them listen to gavel-to-gavel coverage of debates in the Australian, European and American parliaments. It would be painful, it wouldn't be slow.

HOW could somebody hurt someone like that
Oh, darling. [big hugs] I wish I knew the answers. I really do. All I can offer is sympathy in huge quantities.

Laura's Lists
List all the personal remedies you swear by to treat a cold:

1. Lemsip
2. Asprin
3. Sleep most of the afternoon
4. Listen to Adiemus, 4Hero, Robert Miles, or other atmospheric CDs.

List all the ways you know how to waste time:
List the contributions you were responsible for at the office/school/home that somehow got overlooked:
I'm gonna pass on these both, coz I want to keep the post below 20K.

List your Sunday rituals:

1. Teletubbies!
2. Grange Hill double bill.
3. Reading the Sunday Times online. It's cheaper than buying the paper paper!
4. List mail, upload stuff to my web site.
5. The Simpsons.
6. Two new Top 40s, and re-working the monthly charts.
7. Did someone mention the football/baseball/formula 1/indy car?

demeter (who's back now -- does anyone remember me?)
Yeeeees! The greatest thing to come out of Ottawa in a very long time.

mathematicians prefer to talk of "higher", "lower", "greater" or "lesser" chances, in order to avoid exactly this confusion.

Jill
They all act like they are 5 years old. (well, the guys do).
Part of the job description, I fear. Teen males of a certain age will act as though they're five years old. Very few of them have that age at 5.

I think I am one of the last virgins!!
I'd be surprised if that were the case. Assume everyone is exaggurating by two people. No factual basis, but it's a good rule of thumb.

Iain * Brum: snow & 0 * Santer Santer Santer... bye

Betsy. One: hugs. Two: Matty has good points. If you don't get in this year, it's not the end of the world. You can work for a year, or travel a little, or do both. It may well benefit you more than a year's bookwork, and you'll get a far better perspective on life.

Cookie on "Tit 'n' Ic"
I just don't feel it's really a great film.
Cookie is thanked.

Stef
Maybe I just wanna know wot everybody else considers "right guys/gals" and "wrong guys/gals."?
To answer in the general. The right girl - or guy - for me accepts me for what I am, loves me in spite of all my flaws, and is prepared to receive all my love. As for finding them: it happens. Looking for some such person is doomed to fail - they will come into your life no matter what happens.

Emily
its like 2hrs and 45min to her house.....which isn't that far ta go for her
Ouch. Thinking a six hour round trip "isn't that far". It must be luuuuurve. And an excuse to stay the night.

theres like the whole "parents" issue and teh fact that neither of ours know we're gay....so i hafta think up a good lie.
Mmm, how about you'd like to stretch your wings a little and spend a day / two days / whatever with a friend in Wherever-it-is. That's not a lie at all; it's not telling the whole truth, but it's not hugely far from it. Do your own packing, show them that you can look after yourself, and see what happens.

Matty the Clarissa fan! Welcome back!
I know I won't ever play in the NBA
Damn these settlements. There I was, just about to make some quip about you being a real pro basketball player for a season when the wet blankets declare the lockout over and the "matches" on again. Ah well, gives ITV2 something to show, I suppose.

I have Band-Aid "Do they know it's Christmas" on Vinal
So do I. Still comes out of the cupboard occasionally. Still a great tune.

Jessica, hi.
SCARIEST PERSON: Cher
Scariest? Or just Person You Thought You'd Never Hear Singing Through a Vocoder In Your Life. But enough about "Believe" already.

Cheeks dreams
To star in Round the Twist
Oh, wow! That was, like, such a cool show. Up The Pong!

Going around the world (mostly Europe, especially England) with a close friend or two and acting like total larrikans and having a rollicking good time.
Well, do keep us posted of your itinery, and we'll have to have a Day In Hyde Park. Right, Lisa?

that's about this character Guy Falkes, right? Who blew up parliament house, no?
Tried to, but failed late in the day.

Andrew, the Queen's son. Sophie, her daughter-in-law-to-be.

I must know, is "):" some kind of backward British sad smiley -- :( -- or a mis-spelled happy smiley -- :) ?
It is a left-handed frownie.

Music? As in Lottery specific music or Top of the Pops music? (fab show that!)
The former, though some of it does turn into the latter later. And TOTP may be good, but the P*ps* Chart is better, and TOTP2 best of all. But then, I don't get M2 yet...

Adelaide?!? Now why would you quote that?
First city that comes to mind.

can anyone really relate to PO5?
In the first few seasons, it was pretty much realistic. But it went really down in season 4.

On Australia losing the 4th Test
'Twas merely a pity loss. We gave you the game to stop you all whining and threatening to stop turning up for the Ashes. That's my story and I'm sticking to it, dammit.
Or, maybe, the Australian team's luck ran a little out.

Kent
The finest acting on the planet can't redeem mediocre material.
Too true. Harruphtitanic.

There's much, much more to MSCL than the sainted CD's acting.
As usual, the honourable gentleman is perfectly correct. It's my view, though, that the entire cast was just about perfect for the show. Even down to the woman in the costume shop.

There's a little matter of the writing. And the direction. And the other cast members.
Utterly true. For me, though, it was the combination of the writing and Danes' performance in the pilot that hooked me in.

I know it's not "politically correct" to say so in this forum but I am so over CD. Just another spoiled, if talented, brat
Hey, stop sitting on the fence over there (:

I reckon there's a lot to come from that talent. Just as there's another credible performance to come from Leo di Laine. Only, I reckon that the leolovers list will be waiting a lot longer than planet claire to discuss it.

with nary a thought in her head, imo.
Having never had the (dubious) pleasure of meeting her, I'm not going to discuss Claire's mental processes. But I'll lay money that there's something going on in there. Probably more than in mine.

Let me make a radical statement: if, back in 1995, there had been some chance of MSCL being revived without CD but with the rest of the original creative personnel intact, I would have still watched it. And I bet it would have continued to be my favorite show.
I don't doubt that for a moment. I can probably accede to the accolade of best show on air, especially if MSCL's continuation put paid to "Murder One". That said, I still think Danes' contribution turned an excellent show into a stratospheric one.

That said, Matty picks up on the one way I may have had to jump with Teddy Hoffman
If the Fox network picked up MSCL, Mulder and Scully could go look for her.
IMO, "X-Fools" is bad enough. The droopy duo visiting Three Rivers leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The two fantasy worlds can't co-exist. Maybe it's coz I can't identify with anything in the Sulky and Smoulder show, but can refer a lot with MSCL.

Onwards and downwards. Johnathan on "Romeo + Juliet"
the acting of the leads left something to be desired. Many of the scenes and moments are wonderful. The chemistry between the two was very good. But some of the readings on some of the lines annoyed me.
Forgive me, I may not have been paying too much attention when watching a movie in a very strange time zone, with my fiancee of about two hours. But, yes, the verbals were less than perfect, if judged as a stage show. Somehow, though, a lot of the "errors" seemed to fit exactly in with the feel of the film. An outline story that we know, but with so many surprising and wonderful details filled in by Luhrmann. Details that may include unusual ways to read familiar lines.

interpretations of a handbag (15s, 30K)

real player is needed.

Nieske
Is there someone here whose name is NOT Louise
Me. Iain t. Weaver does not feature Louise anywhere. Not even amongst the names of my exes.

"Are you sure you don't want to wear my flapper dress?"
See the Starr report, page 462, and the transcript of Monica's evidence, para 1663.

To New York, where Emily is not happy.
so much for confidence.
Ah, ah, ah. You made the move. That he isn't smart enough to spot the opportunity of the year is really his problem. Not yours. Besides, we all love you to bubbles anyway.

Matty again
I remember in 86 saying I was highschool "Class of 90" Boy we thought, we were the first kids from the Space Age.
Odd, that. I'm part of the UK class of 90, and it really felt like we were the last class of the 80s, not the first of the 90s. But then, I suppose the 80s didn't finish in Britain till Mrs Thatcher left office, in November 90.

Eric, a more concise, accurate explanation of Guy Fawkes Night I have not seen in a long time.

Mark's already corrected most of the factual errors in Sara's post, so let me add in some historical perspective. Sara:
and for something as stupid as wanting to burn down the parliament buildings
And the rest of it! 1605 was just over two years into King James' reign. He had followed Queen Elizabeth, whose policy was one of religious tolerance. There was no discrimination against Catholics (as under Henry VIII) nor against Protestants (as under Mary). After Queenie dies without an obvious heir, nor any surviving siblings, they have to research the family tree a little. The lucky candidate is James, a Protestant who is also King of Scotland.

Now, the pro-Catholic factions wanted their nominee, from Germany, to succeed the throne. And they figured that if James was out of the way, and most of the other ruling people too, then they'd be able to have their chap on the throne in the ensuing confusion. And the best way to have this come about? Blow up the King and Lords; blow up Parliament.

That cocked up, and the rest is history.

Strewth, Paulo's back! Whatever next?!

sex, anyway ;-)
Love, Sara
Any more old friends want to return? Ben? Phil? Virany??

Codsall: sunny & 4 * we want wrigley field wallpaper!

Elaine
PR all the way, I'm afraid. It may be complicated, but it seems a little fairer.
An Oxford Uni study in the early 80s showed the Irish STV system to be amongst the fairest in the world. Of course, there's a good reason why it's never been used in the UK: it requires a small level of policital literacy.

And you avoid problems like mad people getting the seat because people laugh at them - mad people only get the last seat, so someone else can do the work under PR.
Not if you're using it in Britain, where sensible people steer clear of the party machinery.

Nieske's quiz
"Careful. Someone could step on 'em."
Just about any time at work, when I'm looking under people's desks for a missing CD. Scrabbling around, not taking care where I leave my hands, or put my feet.

Laura
What have you learned from your parent(s) that you will carry with you thru your life?
That I have no intention of parenting. For reasons that hurt too much to go into.

Cookie
MSCL was SO much more... _SO_ much more...
Indeed, more than just Leto's looks. There was the little matter of Danes' acting. And it hurts to hear reports that she's dismissing MSCL as a phase, something that will blow over in a few years. But then, Orson Welles had "The War of the Worlds" hanging over his whole career, in spite of "Citizen Kane". Similarly with Claire; IMO, "Romeo + Juliet" was a superior performance to Angela Chase, and (surely!) there's some even better work to come.

Emily
i always think i bore peoples to death and their sick of reading my crap....
Not me. Heck, if you read enough of my 'bish to find your bit...

so i always try n make stuff as short as possible.
Naah. Write more. If I want to read something boring, I'll pick up Understanding SQL 7. If I want something fun, I'll read this list. All of it.

So, i've been fibbing about tara. [..] We're not like 'going out" or in love or anything like that.
Shame. Shame. But, yeah, I've kinda been there, done that, brought back the t-shirt. But wait! I hear there is hope!!

i mean how i feel about her, and i don't know what to do. We talk on the phone
This is good. This is an essential pre-requisite for a meeting IRL.

I'm thinking maybe i shoudl just go see her once ta see what happens...but i'm pretty sure people on the list have had this online love delemma thing before so i was wondering if you had any advice??
Ah, another t-shirt from my collection. Trust yourself, is my best advice. If you think it's worth going the extra miles for, go ahead and do it. For safety's sake, make sure you can get back - or at least get away - in the unlikely event that things go wrong. But with that net beneath you, take a leap and go for it. [hugs] anyway. You rock...

And over in New York, Emily, you wrote him! Ohmygawd: you, like, wrote him. A toast, please: to Emily's confidence.

Nieske
That my aunt DID marry Richard Krajicek's father (do you know him? he's the best tennis player in the Netherlands,
Ohmygawd! Nieske could be related to Richard Krajicek! [Crackerjack! - Mark an' Gopher]

My aunt dated his father for a while when they were young
Shoot! Knowing someone who knows the 6th best European male tennis player. And the 10th best in the world! Mon dieu!

I'm calming down. A little.

We have Fashion TV on cable here, with 24 hour fashion shows
We have Shop! ondigital here, which might be the most amateurish presentation I've ever seen. We also have First OnDigital, which is currently nothing more than a 24-hour test pattern. Far more entertaining.

Then came Digest 20. The bottom half is Sara. Digest 21: all Sara, apart from the end. And Digest 22: another half Sara. That's a lot of thoughts!

two other great films this year were Armageddon and Titanic
A pedant writes: Armageddon is so last year. And you saw Tit 'n' Ic back in 1997, didn't you?

I'll try to stop being so paranoid - mostly about this list. for some reason I alwys think that noone likes me...
This is complete rubbish, and will remain so just as long as I'm around. Probably much longer than that, as well.

if I had the time, I'd join all the mailing lists in the world, just to see what peopl say on them.
January 5 on other lists: uk-radio was looking at the place of women on the radio; the Meldrum Chat ran through some of the little cheats that game show producers use. The Wirelist sprang into life, with almost two posts, from a Mrs Trellis of North Wales. And beyond fear continues to try bridging the pagan-christian gap.

Britt's Quiz
NAME: Iain T Weaver
AGE: 2something
HEIGHT: 5'10.5" It's an important half
EYE COLOR: Blue/grey
LOCATION: Codsall, Staffordshire, UK
WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THIS YEAR: The first five days: being able to get into work for 7:30.
AND FROM LAST DECEMBER: Long Weekends Are Good.
MEMORIES YOU MISS THE MOST: Are pretty obvious to long- suffering readers.
FAVORITE DRINK IN THE FRIDGE: Cold water
FAVORITE T.V. SHOWS: Friends, Buffy, Grange Hill, Daria, 3rd Rock, Animaniacs, Simpsons.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF? Sometimes.
FAVORITE BUDDIES ON-LINE: Hello, you mob.
FAVORITE BUDDIES OFF-LINE: Andy, Ant, Jeph, Nic, Daggers, Zac, Sue, Ross, Katy.
FAVORITE SOUNDS: An approaching train.
FAVORITE SMELLS: Winter and autumn.
PERSON YOU LOVE MOST IN THE WORLD: Number two is directly spoken of elsewhere in this post.
SCARIEST PERSON: Eric Cartman
DRINKS: WITH OR WITHOUT ICE CUBES? Only if it's hot.
WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD: Being lied about.
FAVORITE THINGS TO DO ON THE WEEKEND: Sleep, shop, listen to Gambo.
FAVORITE CD'S: Alanis, Tori, Jewel, Alisha, Nyman
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS? North America. Near 50 North would be good.
TEACHERS: FRIENDS OR ENEMIES? Friends, now.
ROLLERCOSTERS: DEADLY OR EXCITING? [spew]
FAVORITE AUTHOR: Atwood, Plath, Moran, Forrest
CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA ICE CREAM: Vanilla.
DO YOU LIKE TO DRIVE? Nooooo.
THUNDERSTORM'S: COOL OR SCARY: Scary.
MOST EMBARRASING CD IN YOUR COLLECTION: Nothing embarrassing in my collection. Especially not The Story of Eurosong.
ARE YOU PROUD OF YOURSELF: Once in a while.
NUMBER OF TIMES YOU HAVE SEEN TITANIC: Nil.
NUMBER OF TIMES YOU HAVE SEEN THE SPICE GIRLS MOVIE: Nil, yet.
WHAT COLOR SHEETS ARE ON YOUR BED: Cream
HOW MANY CD'S ARE IN YOUR COLLECTION? About 220.
MOST PRIZED POSSESION: An enamel NF flag.

a standing joke on chris moyles' radio show

Shannon
it's an obvious sign we're heading toward the millenium!
How you'll know when the next thousand years has started:

1. Robbie Williams' "song" about it will fall off the radio.
2. Prince's song about it will refer to past events.
3. Peter Meddlesome's dome won't be finished.
4. The whole world will unite in a giant party, and then figure that by doing it properly, they can have an even bigger one exactly 366 days later.
5. Only 13.5% of references to the millennium will spell it correctly, including none in the Guradina.

Brum: cloudy & 8 * rockette! * a dipsy of another place * me go
does strange things * @dopter of sir patrick

d'oh! and ex-list-meister byron, another founder member.

JSRS
I mean, who's been around the list the longest?
Um, I'd suggest Andi Wolf Dolphin, who can probably claim a 1994 dateline.

I've been listing since October or November of 1995. Who else is here from then?
I joined Oct 1 95, but had to leave for most of 1996. From my early time, there's still AndiWD, Sara, Ross, byron, Eric Geyer, Tracee, Steve Reed, Evan! (are those two still here?). At my return, there was Garrett (he still amongst us?), Skeie!!!, Lisa Bing (she back yet?), Kent, shimelle, Cory, Mark, Bron, Lixz, Jennifer Jacobs. And a lot of people now sadly departed.

Showing my age some more allows me to add to Ripley's note the idea (I don't know who had it sorry ) to put in the "subject", "ON" or "OFF", is really great, excellent! So thanks to this person.
IIRC (which I probably don't), this was Kim-Not-Don's idea, swiped from the "thirtysomething" list in early 96. Originally, it was "OFF:", for off-topic posts; over the years, it's changed into "ON:" for on-topic posts.

This may be the only list that has to flag its specified subject matter!

yes, it was just five that came over - lisa kudrow's pregnancy prevented her travelling.

the voice of lisa bing (and some other people)

Such a rambling way to get to the points: 1) Thanks to Lisa, and all who saw the shows before I did for not revealing the other high point of them, and 2) thanks to the magic of a digibox, I get to see "Friends" season 5 from Thursday. Not July.

Betsy, you seem to have a friend in Nathan, even if nothing more happens.

Emily
that was WAY too much optimism in one post from emily...sorry to shock you all but i do have good days apparently
Don't apologise; it's all good stuff to read.

Quiz time! Nieske
"I can't talk about... them, like a 'them'."
In the beginning there was the spiritual "Dem Bones". The foot bone's connected to the ankle bone, and so on. Now, as part of the promotion for this song, various bones went on a tour from one station to another. In one interview, Collar Bone was talking about how it's all a group effort. "We're all in this body together. It's not a them and us situation. I can't talk about 'them', like a 'them'. It's us bones."

"So you feel okay about... uhm, I mean, you've done this before, right?"
Glenn Hoddle to David Batty when deciding the order of spot kick takers in the match against Argentina. He hadn't, and England knows the result.

Laura
What was your first crush like?
Scary, something to compare notes about, and totally one sided. Which was sort-of what I needed at 13.

List the news you've made:
As in, actual news stories I've been involved in. Umm, er, ah, well, I got my picture in the paper a couple of times when I was in a campaign to tidy up a nearby village. Other than that, I can't think of any occasion.

What is a quote that inspires you right now?
"Question everything. Including this."

What about the character Jordan inspires you right now?
That even the toughest of men can open up sometimes.

Sasha
watching 18 Kylie Minogue video clips -all from the early years.
Eighteen Kylie videos. I'm not sure whether that classes as torture or brilliance. Really, I'm not.

I can't top JSRS's explanation of why MCMXCIX is correct; one can only subtract using one-fifth or one-tenth of the number you're taking from. A couple of side points: official Roman documents would not have used subtraction, so this year would be MDCCCCLXXXXVIIII. Which is great news for chisel-makers, but bad news for stone masons all over Ancient Rome. All CCLXVIII of them.

Also, if you have access to Excel 97, there's a function =ROMAN([ref] , [0..4]) where 0 through 4 is the level of deviation from the Emperor's standard. (1999,2) is the heavily odd MXMIX, while (1999,4) is Nieske's MIM.

Cory
Byron gets instant acceptance. Okay... Iain too....
Thank you, fair Priestess of Still In Playoff Country?!

Brooks, Chelle, welcome back. There are lots of new people here, and you both missed Deca's million mark giveaway. It's finished now, sorry.

Pink, welcome
I'm in love with Claire Danes. Well, it's more like I want to be her. My favorite movie is Romeo and Juliet.
You sound a lot like me. Well, with the addition of the word "with" somewhere in that little lot. It'll only go in one place without breaking the rules of grammar.

To New York, where we wish Emily all the best with her crush. We'll be thinking of you. Let us know if it works well. I'm sure Lixz will let us know if it goes really well and you prefer to run your fingers over his body than a keyboard.

BHX: showers, 12 * rockette! * me go grrl
keeper of Brian's calendar, sponsored by BBC News 24

According to a report in Thursday's New York Times, there's some brew-ha-ha over how to write 1999 in Roman numerals. It's really very simple: see the subject line for how to do it.

And, with it being a new year, the digests have started again at 1. We got up to 1168 by the end of last year, and that's only the posts that went through mail-list from around Easter. Each digest is around 30K, so that makes an annualised rate of around 45Mb. Even more with people posting 250K bitmaps ):

Nieske
When I was 8 or so, I went in for ballet, and there was a girl in my group which was exactly as old as me! (well, she was 5 1/2 hours younger)
Back when I was at Uni, and in halls and stuff, one of my best buds was a mere three hours younger than me. Annoyingly, that put me a full day older than her, but it didn't stop us being described as Manor's Twins, named after our shared hall.

Who *doesn't* love mscl?
My parents and my sister. Though the latter did enjoy Buffy's pilot on Wednesday night, so there's hope for her critical faculties yet.

Back to the Intentionally Wrong Answers To Nieske's Quiz

"Uh, this one has a title. It's called A Fable."

"He was, like, making her beg for her shoe."

Hmm, that's almost too close to the real answer (:

The Afghan petition. A noble cause, certainly. However, I'm a UK citizen, and I'm very uncomfortable about asking Uncle Sam for favours. Mainly coz it's not my country, but the Americans'. Personally, I'm more in favour of an economic, cultural and sporting boycott of Afghanistan - it did good things for South Africa, and shows the Taliban regime that their policies and activities are unacceptable to me. So that's what I'm doing.

Cheeks on his parents
they just left this morning without telling me, even though they *knew* I really wanted to go.
One thing I've found with my models is that they don't share a common memory module. I have to tell one of them something, and make sure I tell the other otherwise they'll never swap data. It gets more annoying when they both pass information on to me; even more so when the two versions don't tally to be the same.

they stayed there for like, 3 hours, had lunch and coffee. Then they come home with like a loaf of bread
Three hours shopping, and all they come back with is a loaf of bread? Did they have to make it themselves?!

"Well if you want lunch, there's this I guess".
Charming. Utterly charming. Deepest sympathies, and more than a little empathy.

more on the uk lottery; i don't know of a dale winton page, so can't link to moron the lottery...

Cookie
I live in Finland, you've ever heard of the place?
Indeeditoodlies. Top right hand corner of Europe, nestling snugly between Sweden and Russia, with Estonia just over the sea to the south.

I apologize deeply for using so many commas in my sentences. I know most of you don't use them so freely as I do but it's a part of the Finnish language so I can't help myself.
Don't worry about using commas, semicolons, brackets, or any other punctuation you desire. It all helps to get the message through, and that is what counts.

Shannon, welcome to our space.

Nieske again
But what is actually the big deal about new year's eve? I mean, why does everyone stay up till midnight? And fireworks also don't make any sense at all, but I mentioned that already.
Good question. I'm not sure I know the answer. Maybe it's something to do with the mystical symbolism of the year changing (magnified a thousand fold next year). Maybe it's to do with the thinking that everyone else is partying, why shouldn't I? Maybe it's because there's the opportunity and excuse to stay up till midnight.

And maybe there's something to do with the season. Christmas and New Year seem to be combining to form one big mid-winter festival (at least here in the Northern hemisphere). A celebration of the pause in the natural growth, and an affirmation of intent to beat this gap in the scheme of things, and to celebrate light. Hence such traditions as the Christingle service (originally from Sweden, where there's very little light), and fireworks to brighten the sky for a few moments.

@time explained

Jewel is, like SOOOOO cool!!!!!!
Alanis Morissette is also very cool, but, you know, in a really different way.
This is, indeed. Jewel appeals to my reflective, emotional / spiritual side, and it's one of the best ways of getting in contact with it. Alanis is more of an angry, blaming, kicking-ass side; it's a side that exists, whether I like it or not.

I got both their new albums from an online store late last year, and they've been floating in and around my cd player ever since.

Laura
What five words describe you the best?
Single, tired, foreign, angry, hopeful.

Emily
to all those peopel who say the things in the song ironci are not ironic at all [...] right, they arent' ironic their all a paradox
A paradox? Maybe, but I'd describe them as aspects of Life Having A Laugh At Your Expense. Or Exasperating. Annoying. Frustrating. Things that make you wanna go Oh F...

....but how would that sound musically?? *ISN'T IT A PARADOX, DONTCHA THINK?*....
"Ain't it paradoxical, and yeah I really do think..." Which would mean she adds "paradoxical" to "unabashedly", "anti-biotic" and a host of other words that people don't usually use. Or aren't part of the regular verbal/written argot.

Britt informs us that she wore a nice, big, thick jacket in NYC Thursday night. I'm pleased to hear that. On the assumption that I'd be wintering in cold climates, I bought a big, thick, bright yellow jacket for last winter. It was perfect for St John's new year, but I've scarcely worn it since - only when it snowed last Easter. Maybe we need a little snow round here... Maybe not...

Under new EU posting guidelines, I'm supposed to digitally sign one message each week to ensure that it's not been tampered with. Rather than use a big, boring program like PGP, here's all the Variable Lines that have featured in my sig during 1998... See you soon.

Codsall: cloudy & 11 * keeper of Brian's next month calendar
icq 14441391 * We Want Wrigley Field Wallpaper * Rockette!!
Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy
and taste good with ketchup. * Resident Dipsy * does strange things
More hairbrushes! * Maps Hyde Park (London) * St John's Connexion
No snowflake falls in the wrong place * Alistair Lloyd ex Borsets
@dopter of Sir Pat Cormack * "Next on News 24, some mistakes"