A diplomatic disgrace

Advantages: The funny parts are hilarious, some interesting cultural snippets
Disadvantages: much unnecessary political stuff; unlikeable author

...Brigid Keenan's "Diplomatic Baggage" is a prime example of one of those books where one does not have to particularly like the narrator in order to gain enjoyment from reading. Perhaps it's hard to believe that I laughed out loud while reading this on an aeroplane, but seconds later found myself involuntarily clenching my fists and seething in anger? But that is exactly how I felt, reading these memoirs of a "trailing spouse". A "trailing spouse", for those who don't know, is the wife (sometimes the husband, though, I am sure) of a diplomat, member of the armed forces or even an international businessman, who follows their husband around the world, living wherever the job takes them. Brigid Keenan's husband is a British diplomat who worked mostly for the European Union, taking up postings in places such Barbados, India, Trinidad...

fizzytom 05.10.2008 · Read review
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Review of Diplomatic Baggage - Brigid Keenan

DIPLOMATIC COOKING

Advantages: Looks like an authentic Auger
Disadvantages: Oven too close to the floor.

...the kitchen planner, I was informed that Diplomat appliances were exclusive to M.F.I. and were not marketed by anyone else, (hence the fruitless search). The Diplomat 850 Dual Fuel Range cooker is not your average double sized range. It is only 850mm wide as opposed to the larger ones at 1000mm. Having quite a small kitchen a 1000mm range would have been too big. It is the usual 600mm deep to keep in line with the units and has adjustable feet, which can adapt the height from 900-915mm to keep it in line with worktops. The appearance of the cooker is second only to a real Auger, the old fashioned means of cooking, whereby you would fill a fissure with natural fuel like wood or coal and keep it going. In this day and age of ?speed is of the essence?, it is no longer practical so therefore this is the next best thing. It is supplied in...

jewels 17.08.2002 · Read review
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Review of Diplomat Range 850

Diplomatic Immunity!

Advantages: Great sequel
Disadvantages: Not as good as the first film

...home and then the partners are assigned to the protection of Leo Getz, set to testify against South Africans for whom he has been laundering. Everything comes together as Riggs and Murtaugh close in on the SA crooks. Then Leo is kidnapped and their fellow police officers are attacked...... The Cast and Performances Mel Gibson is once again very good as Martin Riggs. The character does not seem as much of a loose cannon as in the original film in 1987, but Gibson still gives it a big cowboy performance. Glover is sufficiently consistent as Murtaugh, and is the solid member of the cast around which everything else seems to be based. Joe Pesci is hyperactive as the naive Federal witness Leo Getz, and Patsy Kensit provides a love interest with a bad South African accent. Joss Ackland is excellent as South African crook and diplomat Arjen...

pmcds 10.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Lethal Weapon 2 (DVD)

Diplomatic blues

Advantages: Contemporary topic, fabulous cinematography
Disadvantages: Lack of attraction between the two main characters

...diplomat, Justin, being told that his wife, Tessa, has gone missing during a trip and a body, believed to be hers, has been found. A visit to the morgue is enough to confirm this. Unfortunately Justin, who had only been married to Tessa for a short time, finds things amongst her papers that lead him to believe that his wife may not have been the simple aid worker that she led him to believe she was. The story then skips back in time to explain how the couple met. Justin is about to be sent on a posting to Kenya when he meets the rather bolshie Tessa at a conference. He is attracted to her, but is still surprised when she asks him to take her with him to Kenya. However, the couple marry and Tessa quickly becomes pregnant. Despite her pregnancy, Tessa is still very involved with her work with women and children and their health. Along...

sunmeilan 15.01.2007 · Read review
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Review of The Constant Gardener

ACA Sports - Quick and Helpful

Advantages: Lots of products, quick delivery, lots of communication!
Disadvantages: None so far!

...I ordered an American Football shirt from ACA two days ago, and it arrived this morning and is perfect for my brother. I found ordering easy, and they seem to take security seriously which I always try to check! Three e-mails told me the status of the order so I never felt like I was waiting! Nothing annoys me more than having to e-mail just to find out if my order is actually being dealt with!!! There were also a good selection of deliveryand payment options, though I used my card. I don't think anything could have been better! I would recommend them to friends and have never reviewed before, but was very pleased with the service I was given, some e-mails might seem simple but other sites don't seem to bother with some curtousy!...

l_train 06.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of acasports.co.uk

Abandon disbelief at the door

Advantages: A fairly decent thriller
Disadvantages: Some mistakes in the details, dull characters, unlikely scenarios

...where he is a diplomat with responsibilities for eastern Europe; he says that, as a Polish speaker, Marta would be a great help to him. Marta accepts the offer and before long she becomes the wife of a junior diplomat and even when a first child is born, Marta still works at the Foreign office. One day at a meeting where Marta is taking notes, she uncharacteristically makes a comment about what is being discussed and in doing so finds her self being asked to do more than her usual job. "The Diplomat's Wife" is the sequel to the best-selling novel "The Commandant's Girl" and those who have read both will find that one effortlessly follows the other. In fact they might feel that the events of the first book are mentioned too much in the second and it would be entirely possible to give a very brief explanation as to why Marta is in prison...

fizzytom 01.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of The Diplomat's Wife - Pam Jenoff

A cheaper choice... but is it good?

Advantages: Very cheap
Disadvantages: The more expensive kinds taste better

...Diplomat green tea with mango (50 teabags) Replacing black tea with green tea can be a little expensive, that's why I wanted to find a cheaper kind of green tea that lasts for a long time. Once I found a kind of green tea in Aldi called Diplomat for £0.89 and I thought I should try it. There were different flavours like jasmine, lemon, earl grey, etc... but I chose the mango one. This tea is not only cheap, but each box contains 50 teabags, so it's a very good bargain. This box of Diplomat green tea with mango contains in addition to green tea, 3% mango powder. This means it is not 100% natural, and, unfortunately, the number of calories it gives is not written on the box. If you smell the teabag itself, you will be pleased by the sweet scent of mango. However, when you finish brewing your tea, the scent of mango becomes very...

sottovoce82 19.05.2008 · Read review
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Review of Diplomat Green Tea with Mango

Diplomatic Immunity

Advantages: Nice Imagery
Disadvantages: Not that easy to read

...Having read and intensely enjoyed "Birdsong" by Sebastian Faulks, probably the best book of the last ten years, I looked forward to reading another of his novels. Set in the Jazz era in diplomatic circles in The United States, it tells the story of the wife of a disillusioned British diplomat and her romantic liaison with a disillusioned Newspaper reporter. I don't like to read reviews that give too much of the story away and so I don't intend to give away too much of the story in writing this review. The book concentrates on the difficulties that occur through alcoholism, deceit and feeling lifes opportunities have now passed by. There are some brighter moments in the book, but these are outweighed by feelings of hopelessness and depression. Quite a difficult read and I'm not sure even now if it was worth the perseverance....

fairenoughclough 22.12.2004 · Read review
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Review of On Green Dolphin Street - Sebastian Faulks

Cheap, relaxing and healthy

Advantages: Low price, pleasant taste
Disadvantages: Looks quite unappealing

...Green tea is a hugely relaxing drink that is also full of antioxidants, and is a great addition to any healthy diet. Whilst normal green tea can often have a taste that is rather bland, hinting at murky dishwater, Diplomat Green Tea With Mango rectifies this problem by introducing a very pleasant fruit flavouring. I have never been a fan of fruit teas on their own, as they tend to taste overly sweet, but the mix of green tea and mango works really well, giving the herbal tea a much needed warm cirus kick that makes it much more pleasant to drink. The tea has a dark brown texture that makes it look a lot like watered down gravy, but the taste itself make up for this by being both pleasant and refreshing. You can get Diplomat Green Tea with Mango at Aldi Stores for a little over a pound per 145 gramme, 50 teabag box, making it a great...

Burning_Darkness 03.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of Diplomat Green Tea with Mango

A Very Diplomatic Wife

Advantages: A marvellous experience for them.
Disadvantages: Sometimes, you worry!

...-hour flight, instead of a six-hour drive. The year spent in France matured Helen and she came home with a formidable French accent and the knowledge of what she wanted to do next. "Solicitor?" we said. "Barrister?" "I want to be a diplomat" she said. So began the lengthy process where the initial 2000 applicants were whittled down to the twenty four who were offered jobs that year and Helen joined the Foreign Office. Within two years she was posted to Bonn and lived in a first-floor apartment a couple of streets away from the Rhine. Unfortunately when the river flooded this turned into a lakeside bungalow but one of the excellent points about working for the Foreign Office abroad is that you are never on your own if there is a problem. Bonn was close enough for us to pop over for the occasional weekend and I have fond memories of that...

SueMagee 25.02.2003 · Read review
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Review of Member Advice on Living Abroad