Advantages: Cheap Quality
Disadvantages:

...a good reason to invest in them rather than an excuse for not investing in them. I then discovered that Unit Trusts pay nice juicy commissions to intermediaries where as Investment Trusts cannot.....to me there is little difference between the two - they both hold shares which they hope will grow, however one of them takes a much larger bite of your money. So liking the idea of Investment Trusts, which one would I plump for. I chose to buy Foreign & Colonial which is one of the largest investment trusts in the UK and has shown steady growth without large peaks and troughs. It holds shares in hundreds of companies round the world - a veritable world tracker fund! I still think I made a wise choice and now have a large lump sum for my £50 a month which nine years later I still pay in every month.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Affordable payments/ oldest Investment trust in the world.
Disadvantages: Minimum payment increased to £50

...I started saving with Foreign and Colonial when I started university, as I didn't wan't to graduate with just debt. Luckily, I set up my direct debit into the plan at £25 a month, just before they raised the minimum payment to £50 - totally unnafordable for a student. When I graduate, my share holding will hopefully be enough to pay off my overdraft. It takes about ten days to release money from your fund - but that is probably a good thing because it is harder for you to dip in and waste money. The company has very low charges, which you don't really notice, as the share growth is good. Recently, an American firm that holds shares in F&C has put forward a motion to the board, calling for the company to be wound up and the assets shared between shareholders. It is unlikey that this will be approved at the AGM, but if it is, I... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Good service, reasonable food and prices
Disadvantages: Quite generic

...INTRODUCTION The main square of Breda, South Netherlands has a plethora of restaurants on it. Being here for a while means that I can try pretty much all of them if I fancy, and so in the interests of consumer research I have started to go to some of the places I have not been before, mainly because I have had low expectations of them. Only one way to find out I guess! THE RESTAURANT Paviljoen de Colonie is a chain of restaurants in The Netherlands, other locations other than Breda being Houten, Maarssen, Utrecht, 's Graveland, Amersfoort and Waardenburg. Nope, I've not heard of most of those either. Not for the first time here, I can almost hear the distant twang of a Deliverance like banjo. The restaurant appears to be done up in a style that is a mix of eras; the overall effect is, I think supposed to be what I... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: All
Disadvantages: None

...Mars, this terrible planet, marsians already for a long time no, but the destiny of this planet does not give us rest. The next failure from SSI, Dark Colony. Maiden - absence of base. More precisely, this time implementators have decided to do without by one building, and by an attaching on it of padding modules, we receive access to new weapons systems. Which one by the way whole 9. They also are under construction practically instantaneously, main, that there was money, which one successfully are changed with a certain yellow material, under a title Petra-7. But not all so is simple. A battle power and armour of the participants of battle for Mars are subject multistage upgreat in scientific lab. The interesting moment, people, as also it is necessary, well sees in light time of day, and Taar - night. And still... Dark Colony... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Its the Sims only cheaper
Disadvantages: The cover makes your eyes go funny

...WOW! I walked into a highstreet shop, and there it was SPACE COLONY! I was on my lunch break and only had a couple of pounds on me! This is currently selling at £1.99, and I felt it was worth the risk, even if its rubbish I havent wasted that much money! The cover is made to look 3D, so when you move it from side to side some of the pictures move. The manual inside is rather thick, but you will need to read it! I am not a believer in manuals, but I did have to refer to this one every now and then! There are three modes you can play in, the 1st is just to play, where you follow the main character Venus and her colleagues. The second is Galaxy mode, where you create your own path working on different contracts and the more you earn, the more options become available. The third option is the sandbox game, where you do... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Simply couldn't put it down - a brilliant read!
Disadvantages: Ummmmm, errrrrr, none!

...'Artemis Fowl - The Lost Colony' is the fifth book in the series of Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer. The previous books, in order, were: Artemis Fowl - Die Hard With The Faeries Artemis Fowl - The Arctic Incident Artemis Fowl - The Eternity Code Artemis Fowl - The Opal Deception The main character, Artemis Fowl is a teenage criminal mastermind. He is the son of two very rich parents and has his own personal bodyguard and butler called Butler (his full name is Domovi Butler, but we don't learn this until book 3). --- In this book Artemis is looking to capture a time-travelling demon. However everything goes wrong when another child genius - Minerva - comes into the plot. She is also looking for a demon, put she has actually managed to capture one. Can they both put their differences aside and save the demons island... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Fantastic selection
Disadvantages: None

...Have foreigner really being performing for over 25 years? Yes, they have. Foreigner has arguably provided some of the best music of the past 25 years. No matter what you were doing, there was probably a Foreigner song being played in the background. Or even the foreground. The tracks on the CD are: As Cold As Ice Waiting for a Girl Like You I Want to Know What Love Is That was Yesterday Urgent Say You Will Double Vision Blue Morning, Blue Day Heart Turns to Stone Feels Like the First Time Long, Long Way From Home I Don't Want to Live Without You Starrider Whire Lie Break It Up Hot Blooded Dirty White Boy Down on Love Juke Box Hero Urgent The latter track was recorded live at the BBC and is included as a special bonus track for the CD. The booklet that comes with the CD is very well written and also well... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Central, inexpensive.
Disadvantages: Poor service, stark rooms, no English cable tv.

...The Hotel des Colonies is on a side street off of one of Brussells' main drags (not far from the Gare du Nord). It is right next to the huge Sheraton, and a few hundred yards from what seems to be the heart of the local sex trade (lots of places called 'Bar American'!). The brochure said it was recently refurbished. If 1970s is recent, then that is true. The rooms are functional, but the general hotel facilities are not. The bar is closed all weekend. the concierge had difficulty speaking the local language, let alone English. The street outside was rather grotty (not really their fault - road works). Booked a double (they do actually have double rooms) but got a twin. But... not too pricy, certainly compared with near neighbours.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great Read.
Disadvantages: None.

...The Foreigners. Author - James Lovegrove. Introduction: ********* And suddenly they where everywhere. In the parks, in the buildings and walking the streets as though they had always been there. The Foreigners where seven foot tall and wore golden masks atop their robed bobies. They brought with ther 'Crystech', a power source and unbreakable building material. But more importantly with their arrival came peace to mankind. Some thought it was hypnosis, some thought it was the realisation we where not alone in the universe, some thought the foriegners may be exuding pheromones. What ever the reason none thought about it too hard or too closely lest the bubble be burst and mankind fall backwards to what it had been. The world is still deceiv'd with ornament. Bassanio, The Merchant of Venice. Synopsis: ******* Captain... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Good location, beautiful building. lovely parrots
Disadvantages: Poor customer service

...Hotel Beltran de Santa Cruz is in the heart of old Havana and in a great position for the area's major attractions, as well as paladares, cafés, and bars. The hotel is part of a Cuban chain (Habaganuex), but don't let that put you off. Recently refurbished, it was formerly a colonial merchant's house. You enter by a huge wooden door and are in the reception area, beyond which is the beautiful courtyard. In the corner is a bar where you can also opt to eat breakfast, joined by the inquisitive parrots who love a bit of crusty bread. There are ten rooms and one junior suite over two floors, and all overlook the courtyard. Each room has shuttered doors that can be opened to let in light - ours had no other window and really needed the shutters opens although this limits your privacy. This means you don't get an outside view - just one... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful