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And a happy birthday in the meantime.

I've arrived rather late into this, but I'm actually trying to avoid the Helgi element completely and merely comment on the use of the words previously mentioned – irrespective of what Helgi has or has not said. :)

It's available on cable channels, so I assume that "they" can watch it if they so choose. I don't.

I'm afraid I only have metaphorical ones, dear. I'm not debating anyone else's posts. 'Rubbish' and 'crap' might be "understandable" (yes, we all know what the words mean), but, unless supported by proper critical appraisal, then in terms of posting here that 'X film/book/post is crap', they...

It's a very funny film. One might even think that there is some truth in how the issue of food is dealt with in it.

Went into Borders on the way home yesterday – fatal, even without the sale. Came out with Culinaria France and Taste: The Story of Britain Through its Cooking by Kate Colquhoun.

~~burp, barf, belch~~

Least favourite – couldn't really think: it would have been something that I turned off or picked up a book while it was on. Favourite is easy – La Vie en rose, Oliver Dahan's biopic of French singer Edith Piaf. Life-afirming in places and intensely moving in others – particularly at the end –...

It's brilliant to see other fans of Mann's work here – as I said elsewhere, he seems very out of fashion in the UK at present. beer good – I know what you mean about the pork! There's a meal in Buddenbrooks, boiled ham with a sour brown shallot sauce, that I cook every year on Boxing Day – a...

I'm really looking forward to reading it, as a Germanophile and what the other half only half jokingly refers to as "a romantic Prussian". :) I'll report back here when I've read it. I really hope that you enjoy them. I was introduced to Zola in 2006 by a friend. I wouldn't describe them as...

However, unless there's a body of proper critical weight behind something, then "rubbish" and "crap" are simply subjective. And since one person's "rubbish" may be another person's bee's knees and pussycat's whiskers, it says no more to simply decry something as "rubbish" than it does to...

I always used to receive books at Christmas, but since having more money during the year, I've been able to buy books when I want them, so the present practice has largely died out. However, my birthday is a fortnight before Christmas, so if that counts, a friend gave me Iron Kingdom: the...

I'd have imagined so, but I've just looked this up on Wikipedia (so treat with slight caution) and it seems that his first published book was Revolt into Style; Pop Arts in Britain (1971) and his first published volume of memoirs was Rum, Bum and Concertina from 1977. It appears that, although...

I guess that, Sparkchaser, but you'll have to excuse my attempt at humour. ;)

I promise, I never, ever mock my cats. They'd find too many ways to exact revenge if I did.

It seems that the Roman emperor Constantine is credited with picking 25 December after he converted in 313AD following a military victory after being persuaded to paint crosses on his soldiers' shields. He might have opted for 25 December because it was the date when the birth of Mithras was...

I'd be perfectly happy to put money on that – and with no England in the finals this year, it gives me the perfect excuse to swan around in one of my German shirts. :)

I strongly predict that, in the November presidential election, the US electorate will vote for an atheist in a shock recognition that being religious doesn't actually mean that you know anything about politics (or in the case of the present White House incumbent, doesn't mean that you know...

I, like, haven't, like, a, clue, like.

I'd agree with the "barking" bit.