vodkafan

I think that's a good example of a word changing it's meaning to people over time. I can see that you mean in it it's sense of utmost economy but when I read the topic title my mind did immediately jump to the limited meaning that your proof reader did. I do like your wider meaning though and will try to use that myself somewhere in my story! It's a lovely word.

Really interesting idea. What happens if the books I choose are out of print and can't be bought?

Oh wow. I am in two minds about this. Of course I would like to read more about Salander but I am very wary what a different author will do with the character.

Jack Vance. I have read and re-read about 100 of his novels since a teenager. Nobody else comes close. But lately I have discovered George Gissing I have only read 3 of his so far though.

A Million Ways To Die In The West. Was funny and juvenile enough to be at kid level but unfortunately way too much bad language and crude sex jokes for me to let mine watch it.

I quite like vodka

Good for you Brian! Two words: Jack Vance. I know he's not everybody's bowl of rice but I had to mention him first

The Fifth Element

Hi Ben! No, I haven't. I have heard it is sort of ponderous, though and that Soderbergh's version is closer to the original novel in spirit although more emotional. I guess the metaphysical possibilities of consciousness in the film are what captivates me. i.e that we exist somewhere in time and space outside our bodies. Does the 72 film have those elements?

I've been watching a quirky TV series I found on DVD in a charity shop called The Book Group. Up to episode 4 now it's funny that the disparate characters talk about everything else except the books they are supposed to have read. It's growing on me. Has anybody else seen this? I don't know when it was on the telly.

Solaris (again) and The Quick And The Dead (again) and Apocalypto (again) Solaris is such a fantastic film I get completely engrossed in the reactions of the copy of George Clooney's dead wife who suddenly finds herself alive again and George Clooney's reactions too at having a second chance.

I just saw Fury. I wasn't very impressed. The film had no sort of heart in it unlike Saving Private Ryan or some others I could name. Brad Pitt's character actually made no sense he would say and act one way in some scenes and then seem to have the complete opposite motivation in the next scene. All rather pointless. And what upset me the most the tank tactics were completely wrong. Like the filmmakers hadn't done the most basic research. Very disappointed. I think it is kind of an insult to people who did fight through the war and did their best to remain as moral as they could under the circumstances.

I just abandoned a book I got specially from Amazon the other day. It was an autobiography I was actually looking forward to reading it. Black By Design by Pauline Black. She had been lead singer of the Ska band The Selector on the 2-tone record label. I got half way through and I decided that she just wasn't a nice person . I didn't want to read any more about her.

I can be disturbed even watching Eastenders

From the list I have seen : The Mist Funny Games. Teeth. I wouldn't class The Mist as a real disturbing horror more a thrilling "what if?" in the same class as The Crazies. Teeth was a dark teen comedy and was excellent. Again not a horror IMO. More a feminist coming of age revenge film. Funny Games did disturb me because there seemed no reason why the boys were doing what they were doing. I have The Woman at home I found in a charity shop. I watched half an hour but turned it off. It just seemed to be heading somewhere sick. Not a big fan of sicko movies

I am going to see this tuesday at the cinema! Anna I like that you like boy films. This film has Tiger 131 from Bovington museum in it. It is the only running Tiger1 tank in existence (I have touched this tank!) lovingly rebuilt by enthusiasts over many years. The "Tiger" tanks in Saving Private Ryan and Kelly's Heroes are actually clever mock ups based on a Russian T34 tank chassis. This one is the real beast! It was captured in Tunisia in 1943. Brad Pitt's Sherman is a late model M4A3E8 with the 76mm gun.This is correct for the very end of the war, and this model went on to be used in Korea. I am so looking forward to this film! It will be a total Tankgasm for me.

Haha wow Kylie what a brilliant idea for a topic. This cuts right deep to the hearts of all us "book people." In both my big relationships with other people I merged my books with hers. But our tastes in books never really overlapped at all, only rarely would we read the same book. When I separated from my wife/exwife 3 years ago I cut everything down so I could get it all into the boot of a car so that meant leaving many books behind. I had purged in the same way at the end of my first marriage and went down to only around 30 books. It doesn't bother me too much. I like to share books.and have given many away to people over the years and bought other copies. The book (and film) Farenheit 451 affected my thinking a lot; I think books, like art and films, are meant to be read and seen. This is their main purpose. Not to sit on a shelf.

Saw this with Big Son at a cinema in London . We laughed till we cried. Is it out on DVD yet? That's one of the few I would pay full price for (and not wait for a year for it to half in price as is my usual habit)

Cuban Fury - British Dance comedy with Nick Frost and Chris O Dowd. Was OK but never hilarious. 10 Things I Hate About You - very young Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles

Still watching Little Dorrit about half way through. The only thing I want to watch on TV is The Apprentice but I am always at work so looks like I will be missing that this time around.

Don't worry there'll be plenty of that to do soon

Looks like a well organised system you have there with lots of flexible options. What you call college we call university; what we call college is your "community college". It is more vocational. Sixth form is more academic (A levels) and geared towards University. As Michelle says, our system is becoming more like yours in that all children are now required to continue in education till 18. Unfortunately it is a bit of a political smokescreen with little value.

I haven't seen that one. But I have no doubt it must at least be better than the last film version from a couple of years back; which was truly awful teenage level slapstick

Started watching Les Miserables last night. I saw this at the cinema and really enjoyed it. But last night I just found it excrutiatingly boring. Perhaps I wasn't in the mood for a musical.

Yes. I should also explain that "A" level means "advanced" level. The old GCE "O" level (no longer used) meant "Ordinary ". They scrapped it several years ago. "Sixth form" is a hold over from the old school system. It is not the same as sixth grade in the US. Lower Sixth form is age 16-17 and Upper Sixth is 17-18. A levels are done in sixth form and traditionally were the clever kids who were going on to university (what you call college in the states)