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My advice would be take up martial arts. Doesn't mean you'll end up doing a Bruce Lee on a big gang of thugs, but it should give a level of awareness to deal with certain situations. It won't make anyone invincible, but it can give at least a bit of an edge that may be enough to help avoid getting attacked.

After having avoided trouble most of my life I had a number of incidents in the last few years and I put me coming out of them unscathed down to martial arts. And that was without any violence actually being used.

As has been said above, most attackers are completely thick and I figure they've got their set routine they use before they attack someone. Sometimes just standing up to them and avoiding letting them surround you or letting them get too close puts them off and short circuits them. Sometimes they can sense they are not dealing with their regular victims and they back off. Walking away, or running away sometimes is just like a red rag to a bull.

Of course, there will always be situations when someone can't defend themselves but martial arts can be a sort of equaliser that balances out some situations to some extent.

I almost had a fight recently. Some idiot was clearly in the wrong, and trespassing so I had a polite word and he went all aggressive. After arguing with me tried to barge into me. Just as you say Peterwolf, I was shocked/insulted that he saw me as his potential victim. The point came when I had to take a stand. Gave him a good warning and he backed off pretty pronto. A warning is not usually advisable but this idiot was educated and it turned out the right thing to do.

Violence is a last resort of course. Training can, in my opinion help stop a situation descending into violence. And the keeping fit element will never make it a waste of time.

Yes, the chances are miniscule of winning the lottery, but some lucky gits still manage to win it. However small that chance is, it is still a chance. It is not impossible to win it.

There must be winners out there who have had someone advise them in the past that playing is a waste of money.

I also often get the feeling that I just missed out on winning, which probably makes suckers like me carry on playing it (about £3 a week). Yes I do feel a mug sometimes but what the heck.

The Mo' in law once had all six numbers come up but someone was talking to her in the newsagent and she was distracted and marked the ticket Wednesday by mistake. Initially I doubted this story but other relatives tell me they saw the ticket.

When I was told this, my comment was "oh well, I guess I'll have to carry on working for the rest of my life, then."

I don't have a problem with people playing the lottery, but I think it's sad how some people look to it to solve all their financial problems.

Happy New Year all.

Sorry to hear that some boarders had a bad 2007. I can understand as I lost someone very close in 2006.

New years resolutions in order:

1 Go to bed early (failed!)
2 Resign from work
3 Find work elsewhere
4 Go more often to the gym

2 and 3 should be the other way round, but I'm going to live dangerously on that one otherwise I'll never get out of the current workplace.

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Merry Xmas.

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Coincidence as I am have a similar dilemma, where I need to use a spreadsheet program for admin stuff.

I also every now and then have to use PowerPoint (the devil's program) which I find completely clumsy and unintuitive, though I haven't got the latest version which I don't think is out for Macs anyway.

Being an Apple Mac fundamentalist I'd rather buy iWork but not sure about compatibility with the Office suite.

In the meantime I needed a spreadsheet program last night and I looked into Google Docs spreadsheets which I am now using. Got to say I'm really impressed. I wouldn't think it has the full functionality of Excel but perfect for what I need.

Google Apps http://www.google.com/a/interesting but I guess you need to be online to use it.

"Here's me in Istanbul"

Ah, the (former) cathedral of St Sophia, Constantinople.

Another classic comment made to me was "did you get into design because you are into computers?"

Sadly, like it or not we end up being computer nerds, especially when working in small companies or lone freelancers, where you have to work out technical problems for yourself.

I'm still in awe of the fax machine. I remember when I was at college and we went so see a local design company where we first came across a fax machine as part of the tour. We just couldn't believe the idea that you stick a piece of paper in a machine and that appears elsewhere, like some sort of teleportation device.  

Ok, I'll stop showing my age now.

Yes Peterwolf, I am a graphic  designer for all my sins and I've had a lifetime of comments such as the hairdresser one.

One common way of thinking is that all that separates designers from non-designers is the ability to use a computer. Many people are baffled when I tell them that I worked in this field for years before there were any computers used in design.

I think the 2k logo is sacred and good enough to have around for years but this masthead/logo/title whatever it is will not be around forever. I can't imagine it will be around for more than a year. Therefore my feeling is ok, give it a go. Has it helped boost sales? If not, then try something new. I'm all for change, but I don't think this is change just for change's sake.

It could also be said that the red logo stands out more on the black background rather than on artwork.

But a major compromise is reduced image area. It reminds me of some of the previous versions of the cover where the artwork is framed in one way or another. I don't think many if any of those types of 'framed' covers are classics, whereas a vast amount of the 'logo only' covers are. If that makes any sense?

No probs Peterwolf. Keep well and keep posting.

I think graphic design is a design/art form that is perhaps similar to photography in that it is easy to do, but difficult to do well.

I recall having a haircut once and the hairdresser said to me: "People go and pay designers, but everyone's got a computer now, they can do it themselves." When I got home I thought to myself â?? now why didn't I think to respond with: Everyone's got a pair of scissors at home â?? why don't they cut their own hair?"

Anyway, more of my comments:

As I said before, the 2000AD logo still stands. It is there so I don't think we need to mourn its demise.

But there must be a good reason for the masthead redesign.

Perhaps it is flagging sales? Rebellion would have to try a redesign as part of an attempt to boost sales if that was a problem. Adapt or die.

Perhaps it is an attempt to have the name of the title stand out more on magazine racks? The Prog 2008 masthead is definitely more visible than the logo was before.

Sometimes magazines overlap other magazines on racks. This design revamp might allow for the name to be readable with other titles obscuring the cover vertically or horizontally, if you understand what I mean.

As matthew vic pointed out perhaps it is to encourage newsagents to display the comic near sci-fi magazines rather than kids comics where it often gets sidelined. How many times have we come across 2K hiding behind titles such as Barney comic? I have on many occasions. I understand much of the readership or intended audience is older folk, so it certainly should look more adult. Mind you, they have still included the word comic under the title.

I really wouldn't expect people to read the cover price while the comic sits on the shelf so I don't think the price running vertically is a problem. I reckon someone will pick it up and flip it round if they couldn't read the price. Its not as if up until now we were able to read the price while 2K is on a rack. I don't think anyone here complained that it is too small.

I'm not defending the new design, just trying to think what the logic behind it might be.

But these might all be wasted words. We just have to wait and see if 2K will revert to the current look in the new year.

Tharg â?? kindly explain yourself!