Finishing other people's sentences, cracking your knuckles and biting your toenails all feature in a chart of Brits' worst habits. More than 90 per cent admit to having at least one bad habit, with one in ten admitting to ten or more weaknesses. Swearing was the most common trait, followed by nose-picking, not listening when others are speaking and biting your nails. Over-using social media, hoarding and not washing your hands after going to the toilet also feature in the...

Director Phil Wilmott’s Three Sisters in a version by Tracey Letts (August: Osage County) is full of micro aggression. In a small space such as the Union Theatre’s new venue, nothing can be bigged up too much: subsequently this production is full of nuances sometimes so macro you’d miss them if you blinked. For this reason there is a distinct lack of the sense of the epic and more a feel of claustrophobia. It’s as if the three sisters (yearning...

A gift voucher swap shop has been launched in Westfield Stratford which allows members of the public to exchange their unwanted gift cards for cash or a charity donation. Brits are parting with a massive £300 million a year in unused gift card and voucher credit, new research has found, with 47 per cent admitting to have been on the receiving end of unwanted gift credit this Christmas. Former EastEnders star Rita Simons swapped her market stall in Albert Square to launch the pop-up...

By Linda Marric @Linda_Marric Depiction of grief on film can sometimes prove problematic if not handled with a certain amount of lucidity and nuance. As portrayed in Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester By The Sea, guilt can be a cataclysmic force capable of destroying anything standing in its way if not confronted head on. So what makes a film about grief more memorable than an other? To answer this question and more, here is a list of some of the most critically...

The grieving family of a young father have told of their torment after he was left dying on a bus for almost five hours. Gavin Wudinge, 31, had only been on a Stagecoach bus for around half an hour before slumping in his seat after suffering a cardiac arrest. But the dad-of-three was left dying on the seat in the middle of the bus before being found by a passenger several hours later. Gavin got on the coach in his...

The reason why cold weather can cause a flu epidemic has finally been revealed. Each year, a national flu epidemic always follows a chilly dry week with average temperatures below 0C. Now, new research suggests that cold dry weather makes for the perfect conditions as it helps the virus stay airborne for longer. Scientists studied 20,000 virus samples taken from nasal swabs. They then compared the incidence of respiratory viruses with weather data from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute...

If you’re anything like me and can’t seem to remember to actually water the plants in your house, you might be looking for an alternative to brighten your home with greenery. A home isn’t a home without some plants. With the ability to instantly provide visitors to your home with a something interesting to look at, succulent plants are a great way to liven up any room in the house. This, combined with the fact that they’re incredibly easy plants...

While we're waiting for Allentown's Pissed Jeans to release their disgusting new record Why Love Now (out on the 24th Feb), the band have decided to treat us to a new track. It's crushing, it's scathing, and it's about degradation and wanking. Business as usual, then. Check it out below. ‘Ignorecam’ twists the idea of fetish cam shows—”where the woman just ignores you and watches TV or eats macaroni and cheese or talks on the phone”—into a showcase for Matt...

Four workers at an aristocratic estate having been left in tears after giving their marching orders in what unions have described 'modern feudalism'. The staff - who have a combined 70 years' service - will lose their jobs at the ancient Port Eliot Estate by the end of March, with the longest having served 36 years employment. Unite regional officer Nick Owen said: "The four gardening and maintenance staff, who are members of Unite, are devastated by the news dished out by...