Be Excellent To Each Other

Were you planning on wasting the operator's time or were you just really unlucky each time you had to call them?

Some people think that 999 calls can be made from a phone without a SIM. In fact, because of the high number of hoax calls, the United Kingdom decided to block emergency calls from mobile phones without a SIM card.

The last few weeks are particularly exhausting Mimi but it will be worth it

Are you sure you've seen it on a phone without a SIM? I've seen it on a phone with a SIM with no service on it, or a carrier-locked phone with a SIM from a different carrier, but never on a phone with no SIM at all. I thought the SIM was pretty integral to the whole 'making a call' process.

Knee deep in clunge

Anniversary tomorrow. cotton (again, like last year??) so I ordered herself some pillowcases.

Wasn't last year your first anniversary? If so, it was supposed to be paper.

Wasn't last year your first anniversary? If so, it was supposed to be paper.

Russell got me an overlocker for our paper anniversary, which had nothing to do with paper but was the most awesome an amazing thing ever because he knew that I'd ummed and aahed over it but wanted one so very very much, but then baby came along and I thought 'better not', and talked myself out if it. But it's just the most amazing thing, not because it's awesome (which it is) but because he listened to me rather than a random list of materials that gifts should be made from.

Buy something your wives will love

I think UK and U.S. do those two the opposite way round.

I did paper (signed menu from posh eatery after lovely meal) and then cotton (awesome sheets and pillowcases and that).

Awwwwww

U.S and UK lists I've seen usually give those the same way around (paper, then cotton) and Wikipedia has both listed that way (at present, it could have said different last year, of course), but I'm pretty sure that the traditional UK order has had paper first for many, many decades at least.

Anyway, they'll be beautiful bed linens no doubt, so have a wonderful anniversary and look after Wendy, because she's beautiful and lovely. And so patient.

So, so, so patient!

Buy something your wives will love

Half day today because The Child is changing nurseries next month so needs to "settle in" for an hour today. New place is around two corners from home so that makes life easier. And slightly cheaper. But not Triumph Scrambler cheaper, as I have decided to get a new boiler installed in the loft. What a life I now lead. I even we t to bed at 9pm last night because I was seemingle knackered. I still am.

I heard someone from a ticket company discussing this on the radio the other day. Their justification was that the normal tickets don't need to be verified on entry. For the emailed and printed off ones they need additional systems and sometimes additional staff at the venue. I'm sure there's an element of truth there even though they probably make sure that they more than cover the additional costs.

I heard someone from a ticket company discussing this on the radio the other day. Their justification was that the normal tickets don't need to be verified on entry. For the emailed and printed off ones they need additional systems and sometimes additional staff at the venue. I'm sure there's an element of truth there even though they probably make sure that they more than cover the additional costs.

Russell got me an overlocker for our paper anniversary, which had nothing to do with paper but was the most awesome an amazing thing ever because he knew that I'd ummed and aahed over it but wanted one so very very much, but then baby came along and I thought 'better not', and talked myself out if it. But it's just the most amazing thing, not because it's awesome (which it is) but because he listened to me rather than a random list of materials that gifts should be made from.

Buy something your wives will love

The comedian Sarah Millican is refusing to perform at venues operated by Britain's largest theatre operator, the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), because of its high booking fees.

Millican, whose debut DVD became the bestselling of any female comedian in Britain, is due to tour in September next year, but said she had "avoided" the venues owned and run by ATG. The company – which runs the Liverpool Empire, the Edinburgh Playhouse and many others – adds up to £4.90 to the face value of each ticket bought online or over the telephone, with an added transaction fee that can be as high as £4.

Writing on her website, Millican said: "I don't agree with the extra charges ATG put on top of the face value ticket price to you the customer and a number of other restrictions they have in place, so that's why I've avoided their venues this time round."

Helen Enright, chief financial officer and commercial officer for ATG, said it was "concerning" that an artist would take such a step. She told The Stage: "We are always reviewing our charges to make sure they're fair and we are in the process of revisiting all of that."

"Now usually I pop on here to say 'hey there's tickets left for such and such a gig, buy them'. But I just popped on the Oxford New Theatre website where I am performing next Monday and Tuesday and noticed that ATG (the company that owns it) are charging a whopping £9 booking fee on top of my ticket price of £22.50 (a price I already took £2.50 off from the last tour's £25 because of rip off booking fees).

I mean, you do it all your fucking self! That's what gets me, you log on, you choose your seats, you even print the bastard out at home! What are they charging for?!!? How are they getting nearly half of what I get when I'm the one who spent a year writing and perfecting it, driving to the gig, paying travel, accommodation, tour manager, promoters, agents, advertising, not getting to put my kids to bed 6 nights a week for 10 months! I do my best to never rip anyone off but this makes my blood boil. I'm kicking myself for not noticing it sooner! Argh!"

"The maddest thing about ATG is they also own the venue! So not only do they take £9 off you but they take 20% off me as well. So they actually make £13.50 off both me and you! And for what exactly?"

Well providing the facility to scan the tickets won't have been free, the fact that they now use them to scan all tickets is neither here nor there, nor is the fact that they don't bother at a half-empty gig.

I don't know how it works either, I guess it's not inconceivable that as part of their contract that someone like ticketmaster might have supplied venues with hardware and software to support their move to these type of tickets. In fact I can't see how else they would have been able to do it.

Huh? Where ticketmaster is involved they seem to handle all the transactions and print the tickets to the extent that even when I've bought tickets directly from the venue they still say ticketmaster on them.

I grew up 4 miles away from Sleaford. Here endeth my useful comment.

Awwww no more hardcore politics.

I just unblocked him to read it. Jesus H Christ.

I just unblocked him to read it. Jesus H Christ.

?

All his posts have been deleted, haven't they?

(Or replaced with '..............'). What are you reading?

The reality is that waiting for a sled to push a wave towards you has absolutely no soul whatsoever.

Just the whole situation and the PM posted at the end. You really have to be an utter berk for this set of lackadaisical mods to be spurred into action.