Childish Humour

D sent me a link to a story about circumcision cutting the risk of HIV in men. Which is a very serious health story.....

Until you reach the name of the Director of HIV/Aids Department of the World Health Organisation.

I do have the sense of humour of an 11 year old boy.

A Good Day To Bury Bad News

This Labour Government are truly unbelievable. With news of Diana and the Ipswich murders dominating the headlines, today is the day they tell us about shameful Post Office closures and Tony Blair's questioning over Cash for Honours.

They really are a duplicitous bunch.

A Festive Thirteen

Thirteen Things about Louise Inspired by a post by Ellee - 13 books on my Christmas List 1. Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters. I am currently reading Fingersmith and loving it, so would like to read more of her work. 2. Charles and Camilla by Gyles Brandreth. I know I am WAY out on a limb on my own here, but I really like Camilla. I think she would be great fun at a dinner party. 3. The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket. Well, I'd like to see if it's as great a cross-over book as the Harry Potters. 4. The L-Shaped Room by Lynne Reid Banks I read this years ago in my early teens. Would like to know if it will still have the same, or even a greater, impact on me now as then. 5. Venus in Copper by Lindsay Davis I am a big fan of the Falco books and have 1,2 and 4. This is 3 and I would like to get this missing book in the sequence before I buy any more. 6. Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley by Alison Weir I loved her book on the Six Wives of Henry VIII, would like to read more easily accessible history books. 7. Prison Diary 2: Purgatory by Jeffrey Archer The first one was a real eye-opener. 8. Wicked by Jilly Cooper I love Jilly Cooper - my guilty pleasure 9. A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton Well, why not start another series of books.... 10. Popcorn by Ben Elton I always read great reviews of his work, but have never actually read any of his books. 11. Wicked by Gregory Maguire I haven't seen the musical but the blurb of the book looks really interesting. 12. The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus by Margaret Attwood Have recently started to read some books set around this era, both fiction and non-fiction, and this looks like a good addition 13. The Last Temptation by Val McDermid Another one of my favourite authors. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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Rwandan Priest Guilty of Genocide

A Rwandan Catholic Priest has been found guilty over his role in the 1994 genocide. I hope the Catholic Church looks on this severely and ex-communicates him from the Church. A jail sentence isn't enough, not only did he break basic laws and commit crimes in the eyes of the world, but he betrayed his followers, his Church and God by his behaviour. It has to be punished by all means available.

Search Term Answers

Some of the strange search terms that have led people here have baffled me - eg how many people choke to death on nerds? However one question I can answer.

"Why did George Orwell use s's instead of z's in animal farm?"

Easy - because he was writing in English and not American. It's the proper spelling of words.

Organisation not organization!

One of my pet peeves is the creeping use of American spelling in documents. I spend half my life (ok an exaggeration) going through documents sent to me and correcting the spelling into the Queen's English.

Why that question led anyone here, I have no idea, but if they come back again I'm delighted to have provided the answer.

A Muslim PM?

Tony Blair has stated in an interview with the Sun that there may one day be a Muslim Prime Minister. Apparently "the people would judge who was best for the job". Admirable sentiments Tony. And I have no doubts that once the current hysteria about Muslims dies down more Muslim politicians will reach the higher echelons of their parties. It may be that one day down the line one of the two main Parties will have a Muslim leader.

What about a Catholic PM then Tony? If it's up to the people to choose whether or not a Muslim is good enough for the job then why not PM? While there is no bar to a Catholic being Prime Minister there has never been a Catholic Prime Minister and objections still exist to such a move. Will Tony Blair say publicly he thinks there will one day be a Catholic Prime Minister? Will he publicly support amendments to the Act of Settlement allowing the monarch or heir to marry a Catholic - as they can currently marry Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs etc?

If you are going to publicly state that one day there will be a PM from one religion, why not ensure that the message goes out that any office in the land is open to anyone from any religion?

Thanks A Bunch Amazon!

Decided to do a lot of my Christmas shopping online this year. So have just whizzed round Amazon with my little virtual shopping trolley. No queues, no rude sales assistants, no screaming brats. Bliss.

I spent enough to qualify for free delivery too - excellent. Until I got to the checkout and - nothing on free delivery could be guaranteed before 25th December. Despite being in stock, despite the descriptions on all but one of the items promising delivery in time for Christmas. In a miracle worthy of the season paying for First Class delivery means that everything will be with me on time.

I don't mind having to pay for delivery, especially at this time of year, but don't offer a service then take it away.

Bah!