Ouija

Can't decide

party food

cocktail sticks

I don't know either of them. What's happening this weekend?

It's horrible. I drove on it the other day and thought something had gone wrong with my car! It was like being in a clown car

I've met a few. I also know what some people look like even though we've never met....

No. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Whether it appeals to my personal taste depends on the type of piercing. Somebody emo with silver piercings looks okay to me. Shaven headed with gold bling earrings = big turn off. But each to their own.

There is somebody who apparently 'controls' their 'flock' or whatever. If you can find out where they hold their assembly meetings, you might be able to locate him/her (probably a him). I don't think they'd get thrown out of the JW though, deserters are not looked upon kindly.

1) There is a big section where you can play around with camera equipment, pretend you're one of the camera men on a shoot (it's a Beauty and the Beast scene, iirc), there's one where you can be part of a movie on a flying carpet and change the background so you're flying over different areas. There's one where you can have a go at being a newsreader and read from an autocue in a little booth (word of warning, if you do this, a few minutes later they air your broadcast outside the booth and everybody gets a good laugh!). There are loads of other things you can experiment with, too. Some are behind glass and you operate them from controls on the walls (presumably to stop sticky fingered kids from damaging fragile equipment). On the top floor there's a bit where you can draw pictures that are projected onto a piece of paper from a lightbox thing (bad description but don't know what they're called!) I did one a few years ago. But of course, you don't have to draw, you can just spy on people if you'd rather 2) There are some educational films on show in different parts of the museum. In those you are free to wander in and out as you wish. There's also a film of a roller coaster, where it makes you look like you're on it and you can feel the same sensations (in your stomach and reactions etc) as though you were really there. 3) I haven't been in the IMAX part but I've seen something similar and the screen is bigger, I am told. A friend of mine went the other day to see Ice Age 3 and apparently it's like you're in the movie. But, as I say, not actually been to that one myself so I don't have personal experience of it. 4) I used to go quite a lot as a child with my friend. When she first suggested a museum, being a child, I thought "are you mad?" But I went along reluctantly and I'm glad I did. There are plenty of things to interest everybody, IMO, and I've still enjoyed going as an adult. 6) As above, there is a rollercoaster screen, but it's not curved. If you do let yourself feel it it does seem quite realistic though. Note, I haven't been for quite a few years, so some things may have changed now. When I went as a kid it was mostly all free (apart from the cafe and IMAX) but as they've expanded, some things you have to pay for. But, as far as I'm aware, the interactive zone, top floor, educational films are still free to enter. HTH

Salad tonight.

I don't believe it! No way

My two year old loves farms like Heeley City Farm and Graves Park. Graves Park is bigger and there's the park and woodlands next to it, so that might be worth considering if your little one isn't as mad on animals as mine. Also there are quite a few soft play centres, such as Monkey Bizness at Centertainment, Jungle Mania, etc. Depends what he is into, of course. My son likes the play centres, but also loves animals and walks in the woods/parklands.

I can understand that. But I still think capping the p&p to a realistic amount would have been much better. Especially for those sellers who didn't take the you know what (as I didn't) with their postage charges and are now being punished for something they didn't do. They did do a capped price a while ago I noticed, but not sure if this was in a different category or whether it has been lowered to 'free only'.

On the face of it, you would think that, yes. But when you take into account that sellers will have to bump up the overall costs to compensate for the enforced free P&P I'm not so sure it is that great even for the buyers. Because now, not only is the P&P factored in, but most sellers will also add for the percentage of p&p that eBay take in the final value fee, plus what PayPal take in their percentage as well (as most buyers do use PayPal and all sellers are now forced to accept this method of payment). Exactly how I felt about it. It may well be a cost that business sellers can absorb, but that's not the case for people who sell only a few items. Possibly that's one reason, but P&P for some sellers was given at cost, and not charged a final value percentage by eBay. Now a seller has to add that to the starting price otherwise they'd be paying people to buy from them. So the overall price actually raises to factor in the percentage eBay will take, which didn't used to be necessary. I can understand how that's a pain in the ****, however, I think that to deal with this issue a capped amount of P&P could have been implemented instead of forcing free postage on sellers. I also was under the impression that the detailed feedback ratings that came in not so long ago where started in order to stop people taking the you know what with the postage charges. I'm not saying some sellers didn't abuse the system, just that the reaction was over the top. Just as the removal of neg feedback for sellers was over the top. It's all very well creating a buyer's market, but if it puts people off selling, then there's nothing for the buyers to bid on. I've noticed myself, as both a buyer and seller (and more a buyer) that there are less things listed these days that I would consider bidding on because of the implementation of more and more restrictions on sellers.

Has anybody else been hit with the recent eBay new policy of forcing certain items to be offered with free post and packing? Just encountered this tonight A complete pain. Okay, I know some sellers took the proverbial, but people with sense avoided those sellers anyway. You generally knew roughly how much an item would cost to post, especially if you'd sold things yourself, so if somebody was charging £20 to post a button you knew there was something not quite right. But forcing it to be free P&P is surely taking things too far. Wouldn't it have made more sense to limit the post and packing charges to something more realistic rather than setting them at nothing!? I noticed they'd done this with a few categories already, unless those have already switched to the free P&P as well. Stuff like this just convinces me more and more that eBay don't want small/casual sellers and are only interested in businesses - and there's already loads of those online

Depends on their age probably as they might not understand the offensive potential if they're under a certain age. This thread did make me think of my son, who is the only person whose head I pat. Sometimes he will accept it, other times he will scream at the top of his voice "Mummy, NO!" and shove my hand away, so if he doesn't want me to do it, he's not shy about saying so!

I like both equally. They're good in different ways. I love Paul Merton on HIGNFY, especially when he goes all surreal.

Lisa looked like she had good potential when she first went in but I've gone right off her. I also quite like Tory Boy and wouldn't mind if he won.

Mine too. How did it know???

What's that got to do with goats?

Coach companies used to do trips to Alton Towers and other theme parks, but they don't seem to do them as much these days. Other than getting a coach/train to staffs then getting a bus/taxi, car does seem to be the easiest option. You say that it's not an option for you - is that because the adults going can't drive or because you don't have a car? If you can drive, perhaps hiring a car for the day would be a solution..?

I think kids will learn that certain things are boring/less fun/less desirable that others whether they do it at school or not. Having to sit down during travel is extremely boring for a young child and most will do that at some point. Having to help put their toys away at bedtime, when they'd much rather carry on playing and not go to bed. Mild examples to adults I know, but from a child's point of view much worse, and they're learning that alongside the "fun stuff" there is also the "boring stuff" and the responsibility.

The woodlands, some gorgeous walks to be had. And the trams.

A vampire. Do you ever create new threads or do you only like adding to them?

Haven't had chance to read the full thing yet, but it doesn't sound good. My son's just started meeting other HE parents and children and is enjoying it. I'd read stuff before about HE being under threat, and it does seem to me that they don't want people doing this, they'd much rather all kids were under their regime I hope this doesn't escalate, I really do. I really want my son to continue his learning as it is at the moment.