Nataly

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but if you are an attractive woman at a topless beach anywhere in the world there are good odds your breasts are already on the web. There are sites that are devoted exclusively to that subject and use covert camera rigs so as not to "alarm the subject" Oh come on... Seriously?? You're comparing the odd random weirdo to Kate having pictures of herself spread across the globe and looked at by billions of people?? "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

The companies involved were: - France Telecom (they contracted out the guys who destroyed my shutter) - Bouygues (they cut off the bf's line) - Free (they take too long to start a new contract) - SFR (they cocked up my transfer) - Orange (they are fucking thieves for charging €52 for a basic service) I have come to the conclusion that they are all remarkably terrible. They probably all work together to make our lives a living hell... I like to think messing with people is what they do for fun. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I think she is just looking for volunteers here who will paint it for less. Nope - have painted loads before... I will be just fine

ROUND 3 - TKO!!! Remember the thread about my shutter??? Well, after a mere 7 months, the company responsible for ripping out my shutter has agreed to pay for it's replacement. I called the guy who made the quote, and he said the quote didn't include paint on the wood, because in his experience, that would have made the price too high for the insurence to accept the quote... So I have to fork out an extra grand out of my pocket in order to get the finished product. But you know what??? The guy can shove a paintbrush up his ass because I will paint the goddamned shutters myself. Mwaaaaa haaa haaaaaaaaaa - I WIN!!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

ROUND 2 - MY MOBILE PHONE PROVIDER My own mobile phone contract is about to expire and I got a telemarketing call from the company who provides me with internet/TV/landline. Because I have a bundle package with them, they can offer me EXACTLY what I have now with my mobile phone for €16 per month instead of €52 per month... The catch??? They are JUST and fucking incompetent as my boyfriend's company, and have managed to cut MY service (with the *other* company) 2 months early... Impressive... Very impressive... So now I have to argue with both companies in order not to pay €52 + €16 per month for NO PHONE LINE AT ALL for the next two months... Oh boy... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I am constantly amazed by the unbelievable fuck-ups I encounter with customer service over here... ROUND 1 - BF's MOBILE PHONE LINE My boyfriend wanted to change operators for his mobile phone. He is required to give one month's notice to leave his current company, which he did. They cut his line 2 days later. His new contract starts in a month and his old provider won't re-activate his line, stating he should have specified a date for the contract termination. He DID specify he wanted it to end on the last day of September, though, but apparently, they cannot find the letter he sent to request the cancellation. This is incredible, since the letter had to be signed for, and we know they definitely received it, since they cancelled his line... A lot of arguing later, they have agreed to reactivate his line for the remainder of the month... They agreed to this on Sept 3rd, but his phone number is STILL not re-activated... AMAZING!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

This is a toughy... I am a firm believer that if something didn't work out the first time, it won't work the second time, UNLESS SOMETHING HAS CHANGED. And I also firmly believe that things (and people) RARELY change... There are certainly exceptions... But they are... Well... Exceptionnal!! I still consider my ex to be "The One" (that I drove away)... But I have never gone back to tell him this because I know even if he *did* take me back nothing has changed. I'm still me and he's still him; I would still make him miserable, and no amount of love would fix that. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

One one hand, the royals live off public funds so they are there to serve... In this century, serving has a lot to do with quenching the public's thirst for what they are (or not) wearing, unfortunately. The "bottom-dwellers" are catering to a massive demand... How many people thought "oh those bastard papparazzi" but STILL googled for the pictures?? I go topless at the beaches over here and I would NOT want pictures of my breasts to hit the web... So putting myself in her shoes, OF COURSE it must be horrible... But then I didn't choose a life in the public eye... I don't have hair and makeup and clothes and jewelry and travelling all paid for by taxes... So I have SOME sympathy as a human being, but also think you can't winge about being in the spotlite when it completely supports your lifestyle. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

The locals probably don't understand what all the fuss is about as they see exposed boobies all the time... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

You're doing it wrong YOU'RE supposed to make THEM turn when they don't want to. mwahahahaha I wouldn't ask for it, but would consider doing a tandem if it helps a friend get his/her ratings

No, no, no, and no. "Too much" is relative. Too much for me can be fine for someone else. Wanting academic/financial rewards to the point where you are totally burnt out (and taking it out on the people you love) - that is too much. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

This one... ?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdXjm8pZMws Ooops, its got words... never mind... Can't view it in my country. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I've told this one before, but maybe it's new to some people... No shit, there I was... I was learning to ride motorcycles and fell rather awkwardly when I lost my balance in a turn... The right side got a little scratched up and the indicator light broke... Well, this big burly guy came to my "rescue," grossly overestimated the weight of the bike, lifted it off of me, whereupon the bike fell over on its LEFT side... Really embarassing to explain to the bike rental place why BOTH indicator lights/side-panels were damaged... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Greed: "An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth" "a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed" Greed is about excess and desire. Money is the obvious thing we associate with greed, but the word in its pure form describes "wanting too much" of something. To work obsessievely in pursuit of perfect grades, and higher academic achievements is greedy, if it's more than you can handle and/or starts to take over things that *should* be more important. I'm not saying I should have settled - I'm saying I have a tendency to push things too far. When your pursuits end up damaging your health, happiness, and those you love, it's not a good thing... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Well, I would attempt to sing it, but that would be TOTALLY unrecognisable due to my horrible inability to hold a tune!!! Believe me, I've googled everything I can think of, but can't find it "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Ummm... Not really... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

8 jumps? Sounds like 1 day of jumping... Tunnel time is an expensive way to waste time unless you have solid goals to achieve... And at your level, you might just be better off jumping out of an actual plane

I am trying to find a song I kept hearing in the clubs in 2009/2010... Sounds like it could be from the Bloody Beetroots, but having listened to most of their soundtracks, I don't think it is... It doesn't have any words... Anyone have any ideas??? "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Lufthansa and some airline I ended up flying into Abu Dhabi both even had REAL silverware with their meals... All metal knife and forks. But yes, they do look like porn stars making some money in between videos. I am a frequent user of Lufthansa (for work), and have yet to see any porn-star-like German stewardesses... And believe me, I am also a frequent consumer of porn, so I would know how to recognise one "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

When I think back to all the miserable times in my life, I think I can narrow the problems down to one fundamental thing: greed. I had a horrible time at university because I wanted the best possible grades and was going after academic recognition... I was nominated by my university for a Rhodes Scholarship, but was so burnt out (from working full-time AND having a full course-load) that I turned it down. For years I regretted not pursuing the scholarship (even though I really only had a slim chance of getting it), until I realised I never wanted it in the first place - I just got wrapped up in wanting better and better results... For a long time, I felt tremendous guilt over my failed relationship, because I recognised (too late) my part in it's destruction... My ambition to climb the corporate ladder (and the long hours devoted to this goal) is a big part of the reason I lost what I still consider to be the best thing that ever happened to me. Because I always wanted MORE. More money, more responsibility, more recognition... All this I put ahead of the person I loved... And the irony is that I'm not even materialistic and I don't care very much about money as long as I have enough for basic comforts (food, shelter, and the occasional road-trip). Fast forward several years later, and I was just barely scraping by, but all in all, just about the perfect balance of all the stuff that makes me happy... And wouldn't you know it, I am falling slowly but surely into the same old (bad) patterns... Am I ever going to learn???? Does anyone else have recurring self-destructive patterns you fall into despite being aware of them???? "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I probably will end-up having to pay for new shutters myself since the above mentioned method is how the company has dealt with me so far... Very effective French technique for not following silly rules like laws for consummer rights... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Not that small... It will cost *at least* €1,500 to replace the shutter, believe it or not. You can't just do whatever you want when you live in the historical part of the medieval village - there are strict rules and regulations regarding materials / style, et cetera. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Ha! That just reminded me of when my mom went back to university... She was stressing about not being "good enough" to keep up with the other students, and I had to tell her: "seriously??? You're not really intimidated by pimply teenagers, are you???" This made her laugh... She soon realised she had a massive edge called "life experience" that meant she intuitively knew a lot of the answers already... She finished with Honours

Anyone on here ever taken someone to court? What was the experience like? Was it a huge drain (financially / emotionally)? Was the result satisfactory? Was it worth it? I know each country is different, so I'm not expecting any direct advice - just curious to hear different takes on your experience(s) with the legal system... In case you want some context: the company that installed my phone line broke my shutter and I've been on the case since February to get them to pay for a replacement... Loooong story short, they have admitted responsibility (in writing), but after the first email response they have simply ignored every communication from me thereafter (the boss is never in when I call - and never calls back; no emails are answered, et cetera)... So I'm considering taking things to the next level... "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Last Wednesday... Had a leaving do and we all told jokes/stories for about 4 hours non-stop... My abs were sore for days!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss