^^ I was not for one minute expecting you to stop, busybody. I was merely making sure that others don't follow in this madness. Until we meet in another pointless campaign of yours, I think my job is done here.

^^ Fair enough. Here, do me a favour and pick up your keyboard then turn it upside down and tab the bottom gently. What do you get?

^^ You really believe people think of the see-through nature of the dirac when giving or receiving it as a gift? Oh what a sheltered life I lead.

I fully understand it and I tell you it IS pointless. All forms of boycott, in this day and age, are pointless. Go on, tell me where you buy your stuff from and I will happily show you how they link back to M&S or MacDonalds. Again, I tell you that you will not convince most people because they don't equate brand names with politics. It is all about business supply and demand. M&S's marketing will far outweigh anything you and the small band of busybodies could ever muster. Lastly, with respect of course, I happen to know a bit more than you do in the area of shares and subsidiaries. I FULLY know what I am talking about here and it is why I fully believe your campaign is nothing but a pointless nuisance. I am not insulting your intelligence; I am highlighting your ignorance of the subject you are fighting for.

^^ He only graduated last week (possibly not even in law). Now he's compiling a charges file against war criminals. Impressive stuff.

Since this has become the politics troll section I may as well ask if anyone noticed the subliminal messages in the SOL adverts. It's all about Duke! Duke motel, Duke business solutions, Duke, Duke, Duke...

^^ What were you going to say about dirac's? Who do you agree with here?

First of all, lets get this patronising business out of the way. I don’t patronise, Ibti. When I mean it, I say it and when I don’t I put you down. My objection is not based on me being lazy, Ibti. Now stop thinking for me, you busybody, I can think for myself, thank you very much. My objection is against things which I deem impossible. You will NOT bankrupt M&S. The company will still make money and will diversify into many other areas and sectors. They will not lose their Muslims customers because most people don't equate underwear and food to politics. Yours is an empty gesture to make yourself happy (as your little speech about sleeping happy at night shows). In fact, I don't even think you fully boycotted M&S (you think you did) but, what with the current way the world works, you're probably still buying some products from one of their subsidiaries or companies they own shares in. I'd rather be passive than a busybody. When you don't know what you're doing, it is better not to do anything at all. Like I said and keep on saying; choose your battles and leave the date sellers alone.

^^

No A&T, I don't agree. I think it's the perfect gift under the circumstances. It's not grand enough to show her that he's totally besotted and not eccentric enough to confuse her. It is just right for a Somali woman. He knows that even if she didn't like it, there will be dozens of family and friends she can pass them on to. Now if they become an item I would question a man that would buy his new love a poxy dirac and perfume. ps What would you have got her? Edit: Xiin, she said duruc, perfume and a watch. The dirics were there to inflate the bag I guess.

^^ What is? A lawnmower?

^^ Do you want to read their recent financial statement (came out last month)? They made a profit of ONE BILLION pounds (before tax). They've opened branches all over the world (including Saudi Arabia). It does not sound like your boycott is making any difference. It is not only Arabs that buy M&S products. They form a small percentage of their total consumer base (the main group being those in the UK). By all means, hate the company for its actions but don't go down the cul-de-sac of thinking that your pointless boycott will make any difference. I do truly admire your sentiment and envy your activism. Alas, it pains me to see you flailing about like a headless chicken on all these pointless causes. Choose your battles carefully and don't jump on every bandwagon, busybody. Edit: You're wrong on the passive Muslims point. It's actually the busybodies that try to defend Islam their own way who give the faith a bad name and holding us all back. They're the ones creating the bad press that you're trying to fight against now. They're the ones that blow up buildings, trains and embassies. They're the ones kidnapping and beheading innocents.....

Ms DD, I assumed you were dealing with a reer magal. He showed his interest with gifts, and simple ones at that. If I knew you, I'd buy that stuff (depending on the occassion) without batting an eyelid. It's only a couple of diracs and perfume (now if it were dahab). Still, the polite thing to do is to accept the gifts whilst making sure that he understands they will not sway you in anyway. That's the reer magal way. But, of course, you can always go the chinese way and lose yourself a nice friend.

Don't swear to me or anything, Ibti. Show me figures and statistics. I also hung around with the socialist worker party in my younger days but now I'm grown and know better. M&S is a British company that is adored by the middle classes. In fact, until a few years ago it did not even advertise itself. That was the strength of the brand name. As for the Arabs, M&S has a branch in Dubai and, guess what! It is thriving. This is not about a task being hard or the odds being stacked against me. Heck, the odds would be stacked against me if I were to fight a lion unarmed but I would still try it if the goal at the end of it was worth the attempt. Boycotting M&S is nothing but an empty gesture to make one feel good. It has no tangible goal (for the whole effort) nor is it realistic (seeing, as I already told you, that most of their customers are NOT Muslim). ps Passive Muslims are the way forward. Look what busybodies like you did to us and our faith.

Of course he has ulterior motives. It sounds like he likes you. However, accepting his gift does not mean you like him back. It only means that you appreciate the complement. He will still have to declare his interest in a more explicit way (by then you may have changed your mind about him). Still, if you don’t like him (in that way) you are sure to tell him without feeling guilty about the gift. I mean, come on, when was the last time you met someone who got married to someone else (or went out on a date with them) because they felt guilty about a gift? Life is simple. If the whole thought does not digust you, accept the gift.

A&T, I would discuss it with you if I thought you would be up to the task but, as things are, I know I would be wasting my time.

Now DD is going to tell me I'm condescending again but you women are weak. Accept the gift and it will still be your choice to take the matter further or not. Nobody in their right mind will hold you to it.

^^ Romance is DEAD. Dead I tell ya..

^^ He means 'unity' under Abu mansoor. Should you refuse, he'll cut your head off.

Mss DD, He might just want a smile in return.

Don't listen to Ibti, Ms DD. Accept all the gift you can get. They're free and they don't oblige you in anyway.

^^ It was an open goal. ps Depends on the person giving you the gift really. Was it male and was he making eyes at you?

Internet This form of typography also appears in on-line forums. It was once an inevitable byproduct of using machines with limited support for lowercase text (such as certain dumb terminals, early Apple II models), but as full support of ASCII became standard, it became solely identified with "shouting" or attention-seeking behaviour. As a result, netiquette generally discourages the use of all caps. Source

Frailty, thy name is woman!

Unknown, Don't let these two annoy you and get you back into your bad habit of full on caps, saaxib. Fight the power (preferably with no caps).