Ivyleaf

I'll tell you who has surprised me and that's La Toya - such a quiet, shy young woman isn't she? Considering the very famous family she's a part of and that one of her most famous brothers is Michael Jackson - so is so unassuming, gentle - not at all how I imagined she would be and for the first time I'm seeing a 'person' and not a 'name' - she's cute.

Lovesreading - I'm so glad you said what you did - being a new member here, I really didn't want to word anything incorrectly or my opinion to be taken the wrong way - but you've understood exactly where I'm coming from. This is what is so distasteful at times with BB - i.e. they put gay folk in with a homophob or white folk who have a real problem with black folk - they WANT to see a disgreement, swearing etc etc as it makes good TV. Just like they often put in a page 3 type barbie doll type with a couple good looking young guys - hoping of course for the 'sexual tension' aspect. Now this is what I so dislike about BB. Their aim is to cause provocation in one form or another all in the name of 'good TV' viewing. Out of principle, were I to vote for a winner I wouldn't vote for Vern BECAUSE of the situation BB and the media/bookies have put him into and that is very unfair for Vern. I'd rather BB had put a group of little people in the house and not just the one. By having done this it naturally draws attention to Vern - his stature and difficulties living in a world of normal sized folk and negotiating huge furniture etc. It's belittling, humiliating and not in my opinion right that they did this by deliberately drawing attention to him in this way. I hope I've explained this right

I personally feel it would be a tragedy of a wonderful inventive, creative brain if she failed to write anything more on Harry Potter. There are so many 'off shoots' she could do involving the main characters. Granted in the last Potter book there was an additional 'what happened next' by her adding a few years later etc but I really can't imagine how Harry Potter who has been such a huge part for the majority of her life can just be laid to rest. I think the media pressure for her to finish the last 3 books put her off writing for a while. I can see her quietly writing something without anyone knowing and in about 5 years or so will suddenly publish another fantastic book.

I was 'around' when they were first published and I bought and read the whole lot - they'd be worth a fortune now if I'd kept them As for the 'new' books not written by Fleming - not read those, just watched the films.

7 bedtime reading and 5 'study' books

I read my 'recreational' books at night after I've gone to bed. If I'm studying then anytime during the day - same as newspapers.

I looked in my wardrobe but all I found was a load of rubbish - no fur coats either

Sorry if this was my fault - I truly didn't know honest

I truly am - this forum is great - to find a collection of people who are as nuts abouts books and reading as I am was brilliant. I'm thoroughly enjoying my Chronicles of Narnia - now on the 3rd of the 7 books

Sounds harsh but it's called the 'sympathy vote'. I don't like that sort of media manipulation. In his own right Vern is a lovely chap but he's at a great disadvantage in that house due to the physical difficulties and restrictions he will have to deal with - I don't like to see that - the BB house would appear to have done nothing to accommodate a person of his stature apart from provide him with an electric chair and that's simply not fair on him or the others.

I had to watch to see who the folk were that were in this time. Like you, I was shocked to see just how short/small Vern is. There are so many things I keep wondering that no-one yet in the house has asked like: How does he get into a normal sized bed - is there a mini trampolene ??? How does he cope opening all those big doors ? How does he cope in the normal sized bathroom and loo - or do they have a special low level loo for him and bath? He can't even see in the mirror over the basin either. He obviously has great problems walking, which you can see causes him great pain but as far as I can see so far, there's nothing in the BB House that has been 'graded down sizewise' for him so the poor guy must be struggling. Now unfair though this sounds - already word has it that he is the favourite to win. Well with the greatest respect - put an individual who is so very different and handicapped in comparison with the others - folk are going to feel they HAVE to vote for him. I personally don't like feeling that sort of pressure and guilt trip. It was the same with the other BB and the blind chap they had. It really isn't fair on the others to be honest. To make it a fair contest/game - then they should have had everyone as a midgit/small person (trying to be so PC correct here !!!) but the odds are stacked heavily against the normal sized people in there. This is what I abhore with BB - pulling a stunt like that, it just makes folk feel uncomfortable.

I've never had so many welcomes any ANY forum board I've joined - this is amazing - thank you again so much

Roland - a Trainee Wrinklie is a person who's getting oldER !!! Note I didn't say 'old' !!! I was 60 in September so I've got me 'L' Plates on