December 2007 Archives

TWO terrible events happened in 1979. Both involved bossy women. Maggie Thatcher became Prime Minister with politics slightly to the right of Attilla the Hun and Audrey fforbes-Hamilton made her first apperance in a sit com.

Now, in 2007, both of them are back. Maggie's consciousness has been downloaded into David Cameron (have you ever seen them together?) and someone at the BBC had the bright idea to bring back To The Manor Born.

My ears are the wrong shape. I'd aways wondered about them, but there had never been a conclusive diagnosis until now.

It was my 19-year-old son who broke the news on his return from university for the Christmas break.

Not that Sam is studying medicine. . . he's on a film production course. But that didn't stop him giving me his professional opinion.

Christmas is upon us you are stuck at your desk - time to play online games, so have a go at our Christmas Recycling game.

WE lost our local factory back in July 2006.....and now it seems the death knell has sounded for Dunlop in UK's two-wheel motorsport industry.

Today the Motorcycle Circuit Racing Control Board - the MCRCB - announced it has selected Pirelli as the sole supplier to the two highest profile series' in the UK - the British Superbike and British Supersport championships.

The three-year deal comes as the first since race chiefs decided to implement a single tyre manufacturer rule as of 2008.

Maxine Carr Is Dead. Now there's a headline many people would like to see.
Short, to the point, and it's got good news to impart. As a journalist I would love to write it, as a human being I would love to read it.

A documentary on Channel Four reveals how hatred for Ian Huntley's dysfunctional girlfriend is so embedded in the British way of life that dozens of women have been attacked in the mistaken belief they are Carr under a new identity.

Guest Blogger John Barrass, Chief Intructor of the Kuri Nami Satori Ryu Kenjutsu Club discusses the samurai sword ban

IT is unfortunate that the actions of thugs and criminals have led to a ban on the sale and import of samurai swords.

Due to the actions of the few the many may have to suffer as the Home Office has said only serious collectors and martial arts enthusiasts will be allowed to possess samurai swords.

But how long will it be before there is a total ban?

No surprises that we all create more waste at Christmas, an extra three million tonnes by some accounts.
No one wants that sitting in landfill. Here are some ways you can recycle.

Recycle Christmas Cards
One billion Christmas cards are likely to be sent over Christmas.
The Woodland Trust is recycling card again this year, you can drop off your cards after Christmas at WH Smith, Tesco, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer stores. By recycling your cards through the Woodland Trust Recycling Scheme, you generate revenue for the charity, which carries out essential woodland conservation work and tree planting across the UK. Last years 93 million cards were collected. That enabled the Woodland Trust to plant 22,000 tress and saved 2,400 tonnes of C02; that’s the same impact as taking over 700 cars of the road or avoiding 100 flights around the globe.
The aim is to collect 100 million cards this time – raising enough to plant 24,000 trees.

After my last rant about disposable plastic carrier bags, I want to write more about plastic waste.

MEDICS everywhere must be bursting blood vessels, banging heads against walls and tearing their hair out at the suggestion MMA should be become an Olympic Sport.

As most of you may know the British Medical Association has recently had an apoplexy over MMA describing it as: “as human cockfighting� and saying “the days of gladiator fights are over and we should not be looking to resurrect them.�

In the same way that the BMA is trying to knock out Boxing it’s trying to take down MMA – by playing the brutality and injury card.

My name is Ian and I'm a panelogist. There, Said it. Confession, of sorts,
Not as bad as: "My name is Ian and I'm an alcoholic. Definitely not as bad as: "My name is Ian and I'm a Tory."

But a confession nontheless. A panelogist, in case you're wondering, is a comic collector. It gets the name from the composition of individual drawings, or panels, on a page.
Love the things. That's why Heroes has been such fun to watch.