Last night I watched the first of a two-part series called The Fake Trade which examines the impact counterfeiting has on the global economy and society. It’s sobering to realise that you can encounter fakes in so many other areas of your life. People are even creating imitation eggs – and I’m not referring to substitutes for baking but actual fake eggs that they put in egg cartons and sell as the real thing. Seems it’s cheaper than raising living, breathing hens. How perverse is that?

Here’s a clip we borrowed from our shiny friends at Shiny TV:
Clearly it’s the counterfeiters who are responsible for ripping people off, but it’s also incumbent on each of us to do our part to stop it. Where there is demand, there will ALWAYS be supply - so don’t buy anything that you know is fake and ask a lot of questions if you aren’t sure. Rest assured, at koodos we make it our mission in life to ONLY offer the real deal. Child abuse in sweatshops is sickeningly common and will continue as long as we turn a blind eye just to save a few pounds.

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We recently ran a Valentine’s Day survey and heard from an overwhelming number of you - thank you! We discovered some rather interesting things… including the fact that almost 60% of you would prefer a new designer handbag to a new boyfriend this Valentine’s Day. Your reasons [not that you need any]:

• they last longer
• they don’t tell you that you look fat
• they match my outfits better!

We learned that you are a romantic bunch, as 86% would prefer to receive a gift instead of cold, hard cash; only 15% have ever returned a gift and 38% will send more than one Valentine.

One message came through loud and clear: it doesn’t take much thought to make a good impression, but there are an alarming number of partners who still haven’t learned this. Here are some of your worst Valentine’s gifts ever:

• a tracksuit and a new pair of trainers, so that I would start going to the gym
• a mug
• a battered red rose from a car service station
• a bottle of nasty massage oil that ended up causing me an allergic reaction
• a card that had the sticker on it - 99p
• A horrible plastic rose-shaped perfume bottle with the most vile perfume inside along with what was most probably a second hand teddy
• a pack of chewing gum
• a tacky purple magic wand
• a hand mirror, when I had bought him a trip to Cyprus

But some partners have gotten it right - as proven by your list of best gifts you’ve ever received:

• A whole restaurant booked just for the two of us with a specially designed 7 course menu of all my favourite foods and a gift of jewellery to go with each course
• a handmade book of poetry and a lovely meal out
• a trip to New York / Dubai / Paris / Venice
• dinner at Philipe Starck Resturant in Hong Kong. Flew me to HK for a weekend
• a suprise card and flowers, I still have no idea who they came from, 10 years later
• a Fendi / Dior / Chanel handbag

Here’s to a great Valentine’s Day - with love from koodos.

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