Meenzer

Aye, that's spot on. We use Tripadvisor loads when booking things, but actually reading the posts rather than just going by the scores. People from different places and different age groups have different expectations too, so it's always good to try and put yourself into the shoes of the person writing and work out if you'd be massively bothered by, I don't know, no fluffy dressing gown in your hotel room or slightly surly cleaning staff. And if a 4-star place (say) has a number of negative reviews because it's more like 2 stars but you're getting it on an offer for £30 a night... It's all about context.

When is the draw? Thursday, 12 noon.

Serbia were piss poor tonight, never looked to be up for it. Slovenia weren't much better, the goal was some miss kicked free kick that went about 40 foot up in the air and them somehow dropped in the net. Class. Ah well, always good to have some new names popping up in the play-offs, even if they'll probably be cannon fodder for the likes of Portugal...

We're trying to work that one out over on our Eurovision forum as well. Our resident stats nerd reckons that, after today's results, it'll be Portugal, Croatia, Ireland and Czech Republic who are seeded and Turkey, Bosnia, Montenegro and Estonia who aren't.

Estonia into the play-offs from Pot 5 and despite losing to the Faroes along the way. Barmy. Maybe if Serbia had given themselves the chance to take something off Italy instead of, well, rioting...

Moldova cut it a bit fine mind. but but all the same

Tonight, then: Spain -1.0 (v Scotland) Switzerland (v Montenegro) Moldova -3.0 (v San Marino) £10 returns £61-ish. Also a separate wodge on Serbia to beat Slovenia, because I want to jinx the fuckers.

Me too. Possibly most of all in this version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjNWZtTfP3g

I just made this Life is good.

Oh bollocks. Sig, avatar, it's all the same isn't it? As Ant says, it's from a Therapy? song, "30 Seconds", from the "Infernal Love" album. The other side of my 1990s.

Dana International, Israel's finest transsexual export since... oh wait. It was the best I could find for the "let's imitate Saltwater's avatar" meme. Bit redundant now he doesn't appear to have one on the new forum, but ho hum.

Oh god, where to even begin? My favourite song as a little 'un, weirdly enough, was Midge Ure's "If I Was". No idea why. Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" on TOTP probably set my gay genes in motion a bit, ditto George Michael's "A Different Corner" (holds up well even now, that one). A later find that I completely adore is The Icicle Works' "Love Is A Wonderful Colour". Massive guilty pleasures abound throughout the decade, from FGTH's "The Power Of Love" to DeBarge's "Rhythm Of The Night" via "99 Red Balloons". I got into pop music in late '84-85-86. Does it show? But yeah, for all they're not necessarily the best of the 80s, it's songs from those years that largely sum the decade up for me, nostalgically anyway.

Gave people the clap at the Royal Parks Half-Marathon today. Quite tempted to run it myself next year. It's a lot flatter than the Great North Run course, for a start...

"You show me yours and I'll rub it better" was always a favourite.

There's no point in being a reviewer if you're not a bit of an arrogant sod too, mind.

Totally misread that at first and thought "bloody hell, his workplace gets Greggs deliveries? From a tractor?"

"Your order is on its way and will be delivered to you by Yodel. Soon after this email is sent you will be able to track your delivery by clicking on the link below." The item in question arrived five hours ago.

I've sort of grown tired of Coupland after jPod and The Gum Thief were so underwhelming, to be honest. Will surely check it out sooner or later though. I know what you mean but this friend of mine reckons it's a return to form. I actually respect their taste in books as well, which is unusual I'll let you know what I think if I read it before you do. Took me a while ...but aye, "return to form" is the phrase, definitely. Enjoyed it a lot more than his recent efforts. Some of the characterisation and cute tricks are the usual fare, but even then, a lot less hackneyed somehow. While we're talking "about time too", I've just polished off Empire Of The Sun. Very taken by the fact/fiction/unreliable narrator/descent into chaos of it all. Never seen the film but as it's Spielberg, I imagine it isn't anywhere near as surreal or nuanced.

Zath = ledge

http://insanelyoverstate.tumblr.com/post/1...urns-steve-jobs

Fuck me, that's a find.

1. I'm drinking a generous hot toddy... 2. ...and eating prawns... 3. ...while looking through photos from last weekend in Vilnius. Cracking city and cheap as chips. 4. I actually laughed out loud (once) at an episode of Outnumbered just now. 5. I've just ordered a new netbook after heroically falling asleep and spilling Coke into my old one.

But mine has a terminal illness. And no legs.

And there are more kids dying of famine than there are soldiers dying in wars. It's just such a stupid argument to even make.

maoam maoam maoam maoam maoam maoam maoam maoam maoam